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REGISTRATIONS OF PARENTAL LINES

Registration of Bermudagrass Parental Lines A-3 and A-4

^a Director of Research, Seeds West, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Rd., Maricopa, AZ 85239
^b Consultant and Emeritus Professor of Agronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003

^* Corresponding author (crodgers{at}ag.arizona.edu)

A-3 (Reg. no. PL-1, PI 617090) and A-4 (Reg. no. PL-2, PI 617091) bermudagrasses [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] are self-incompatible but cross-fertile bermudagrass parental lines maintained as clones by Pennington Seed/Seeds West, Yuma, AZ. These two parental clones are sprigged in alternating rows for production of the seed-propagated cultivar Princess-77. Princess-77 is an F₁ hybrid bermudagrass released in 1995 by Pennington Seed/Seeds West and tested under the experimental designations FMC-77 and SWI-77.

A crossing block was established in the late 1980s that consisted of 52 diverse elite clones with domestic (50%) and Australian origin (50%). The only clone in this crossing block that has been used in other variety development was NM30. NM30 was used in the development of ‘NuMex Sahara’, ‘Sonesta’, and ‘Primavera’ seeded bermudagrasses (Baltensperger, 1989; Baltensperger and Meier, 1993). Seed was harvested from this crossing block in bulk, and spaced plants derived from this seed were evaluated for fine leaf texture and high turf density. In 1991, eleven clones were selected for further crossing. The 11 clones were matched pairwise based on leaf color, leaf texture, and synchronized flowering into a group of eight single-crosses. For each single-cross, the two clones were sprigged in alternating rows in isolation. Seed yields were measured for each cross, and the seed harvested from each cross was planted into turf evaluation plots. From this group of eight single-crosses, three were selected based on preliminary seed yield and turf quality, to evaluate on a larger scale for seed yield. In 1993, a 0.2-ha crossing block was established for each of the three single-crosses. The highest yielding single-cross of this group was FMC-77, resulting from crossing A-3 and A-4.

A-3 has a mean culm height of 30.7 ± 3.6 cm, and A-4 has a mean culm height of 34.7 ± 2.7 cm on mature unmowed plants. The easiest means of distinguishing the parents clones is based on their stolon morphology. Mean stolon internode length as measured between the third and fourth terminal nodes on a stolon are 28.5 ± 4.5 and 15.0 ± 5.0 mm for A-3 and A-4, respectively. Mean stolon internode diameters are 1.4 ± 0.1 and 1.0 ± 0.2 mm for A-3 and A-4, respectively.

In addition to Princess-77, A-4 was also used as a parent of the F₁ hybrid SWI-11 (other experimental designation: FMC-66). Therefore, Princess-77 and SWI-11 are 50% identical by descent.

A-3 and A-4 parent lines are highly self-incompatible, but cross-fertile tetraploid bermudagrass clones. Princess-77 seed is produced by sprigging A-3 and A-4 into seed production fields, and harvesting the resulting F₁ seed (Rodgers, 2003). No maternal effects of the parent clones have been observed.

Princess-77 exhibited good turf performance in the 1997 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Bermudagrass Test, rivaling the elite vegetative cultivars ‘Tifway’, ‘Tifgreen’, and ‘Midlawn’. Princess-77 exhibited good turf quality, turf density (spring, summer, and fall), dark-green color, fine leaf texture, and fall color retention (Morris, 2002). Princess-77 possesses significantly fewer seedheads than Arizona Common. Princess-77 has the potential for excellent turf performance in home lawns, parks, athletic fields, and golf courses in areas where bermudagrass is adapted.

A-3 and A-4 parental lines are maintained by Pennington Seed/Seeds West, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Rd, Maricopa, AZ 85239. Seed production of Princess-77 is limited to the F₁ hybrid generation, and is available as certified seed from Pennington Seed/Seeds West. U.S. Plant Variety Protection certificate no. 9500227 has been granted for Princess-77.

NOTES

Registration by CSSA.

Accepted for publication November 30, 2004.

REFERENCES

• Baltensperger, A.A. 1989. Registration of ‘NuMex Sahara’ Bermudagrass. Crop Sci. 29:1326.[Free Full Text]
• Baltensperger, A.A., and V. Meier. 1993. Registration of ‘Sonesta’ Bermudagrass. Crop Sci. 33:876.[Free Full Text]
• Morris, K.N. 2002. National Bermudagrass Test–1997. Final Report 1997–2001, NTEP No. 02–7. Natl. Turfgrass Eval. Prog. USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD.
• Rodgers, C.A. 2003. You've come a long way, Bermuda. Golf Course Manage. 71(8):91–95.

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