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2. Production Technology of Bermuda grass
Presented To: Dr. Muhammad Asif
Presented By: M.Shahzad Alam
Semester: 8th Agronomy
Roll No: BAGF14E301
DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY, University college of agriculture UNIVERSITY OF
Sargodha, SARGODHA.

3. Botanical description
• Common name: Bermuda grass
• Botanical name: Cynodon dactylon(L.)
• Family: Poaceae
• Genus: Cynodon
• Species: dactylon

5. History
• Bermudagrass is native to southeast Africa.
• In the United States, the earliest mention of bermudagrass in the
United States comes from the diary of Tomas Spalding, a
prominent antebellum agriculturalist in Georgia.
• As early as 1807, bermudagrass was referred to as one of the
most important grasses in the South, and it has been a part of
Southern agriculture for at least 250 years.

6. Morphology
• Bermuda grass is a highly variable, hardy, long-lived perennial
grass, and one of the most used warm-season forages in the world
(Hacker et al., 1998).
• This stoloniferous and rhizomatous grass forms dense leafy mats
that can reach 10-40 cm (-90 cm) high (FAO, 2012; Ecocrop,
2012).
• The root system mostly develops within 0-25 cm depth but can go
as deep as 70-80 cm in sandy soils.
• The underground biomass is mostly rhizomatous.
• Creeping stolons spread rapidly and may be as long as 20 m, and
may be 10-90 cm high (Ecoport, 2012; Quattrocchi, 2006).

7. Nutritional attributes
• Bermuda grass is considered a medium quality forage.
• Typical chemical composition of fresh Bermuda grass is 9-16%
protein, 45-85% NDF and 20-45% ADF (DM basis).
• Cultivars with higher OM and NDF digestibility and better
nutritive value have been developed.
• Bermuda grass hay is usually of lower quality than the fresh
forage.
• it contains about 10% protein, 75% NDF and 36% ADF (DM
basis).
• Young vegetative Bermuda grass or well N-fertilized grass have
higher nutritive values.

8. Production Technology

9. Soil
• It grows well on a wide variety of soils from heavy clays to deep
sands, provided the soil has fertility.
• It can tolerate both acid and alkaline soil and is highly tolerant to
saline conditions.
• Bermuda grass can survive some flooding but does best on well-
drained sites.
• Although it may persist under low fertility, Bermuda grass has a
high nitrogen requirement for good quality turf.

10. Climate
• Beamuda grass is a warm season perennial species adapted to
tropical and subtropical climates.
• It grows best under extended periods of high temperatures, mild
winters and moderate to high rainfall.

11. Rainfall
• It grow best with 25 to 100 inches of annual rainfall, but it also
survives in arid climates along waterways and in irrigated areas.

12. Planting time
• Plant common bermudagrass seeds in April or May.
• Bermuda seeds germinate in seven to ten days and fully grows in
grass within 60 to 90 days.

13. Planting
• Bermudagrass is commonly propagated by planting plant parts
such as rhizomes or sprigs(underground storage roots), stolons
(above-ground runners), or tops (mature stems).
• Only non-hybrids such as Giant and NK37 can be planted by seed.
• Stolons and tops are planted in the late spring through early fall as
moisture for “rooting” is critical.
• Stolons and tops are subject to desiccation or rapid drying in dry
soils.

14. Depth of planting
• Plant the seeds 1/4 inch deep in the soil.
• The depth of planting and plant food content of the roots affect the
rate of emergence of the bermudagrass sprigs.

15. Varieties
• Common Bermuda grass
• Giant Bermuda grass
• Ormond Bermuda grass
• Jackpot Bermuda Grass
• Oasis Blend La
• Prima Sahara
• Princess 77
• Triangle Blend Yukon

16. Seed Rate
• Plant common bermudagrass seeds at a rate of 2.5 to 5 kg of seed
per acre.
• If moisture conditions are good or if the area is irrigated, it is
possible to produce stands from seeds planted as late as June.

17. Fertilizer
• A fertilizer application of 150 to 200 kg of nitrogen during the
growing season is considered a profitable amount.
• Nitrogen should be split into two or three applications during the
summer.
• The first application should be made on May 1 with additional
applications at six-week intervals.
• Application of phosphorous and potassium should be based on soil
test
recommendations and applied with the first application of nitrogen
each year.

18. Irrigation
• During the season, 14 to16 irrigations may be needed to produce
the crop.
• Water to a soil depth of 4 to 6 inches.
• Bermuda grass needs a weekly application of about 1 to 1¼ inches
of water.
• On sandy soils it often requires more frequent watering, for
example, ½ inch of water every third day. It is often necessary to
irrigate an area for 3 to 5 hours to apply 1 inch of water.

19. Common weeds
• Nut sedge.
• Bahia grass.
• Sandspurs.

20. Weed Control
• The control of weeds and weedy grasses is very important in
establishing bermudagrass because young emerging plants are
susceptible to shading.
• It is also difficult to get a good establishment when undesirable
weeds and grasses compete for water and nutrients.
• There are several methods to control weed growth in
bermudagrass pastures, but the use of herbicides such as 2,4-D and
Karmex are probably the most important.

21. Disease
• Bermudagrass leaf spot is a disease that decreases yields, nutritive
value, and palatability.
• Leaf rust has similar impacts.
• Both diseases typically appear in late summer when weather is
warm, usually between 23°C and 32°C, with high relative
humidity.
• Heavy infestations can decrease both hay yields and hay quality.

22. Management practices
• There are few management practices that are effective in
decreasing risk of disease infection including:
1) Selecting a resistant bermudagrass variety.
2) Maintaining soil fertility.
3) Managing irrigation.
4) Harvesting forage in a timely manner.

23. Pasture, cut-and-carry systems
• Bermuda grass is one of the most grazing-resistant grasses and can withstand
heavy grazing once established.
• Grazing can start once the stand is 30-40 cm high and in full bloom.
• Cutting/grazing height should be about 5-10 cm in order to keep a good stand
density.

24. Hay and haylage
• Bermuda grass makes good quality hay and haylage.
• As a fine-stemmed leafy species, Bermuda grass cures quickly.
• It can be tightly packed in bales and maintain good nutritive value
during storage (Hacker et al., 1998).
• It should not be cut too late as its nutritive value (protein content)
drops with maturity. Six cuts can be taken per year (Cook et al.,
2005)

25. Grazing
• Grazing should begin when the bermudagrass is 6-8 inches tall,
and when it is grazed to 3-4 inches, cattle should be moved to
another pasture.
• If bermudagrass reaches 8 inches or more in height, it should be
clipped or cut for hay.
• Clipping the whole pasture after grazing to a uniform height of 3-4
inches is recommended

26. Cuttings
• Bermudagrass should be cut at four- to five-week intervals or
when it is 12 to 15 inches tall.
• When the forage is 12 to 15 inches tall, a delay of two weeks or
more can result in the loss of regrowth and quality.

27. Yield
• DM yields are about 5-15 t/ha (FAO, 2012).

28. References
• https://www.feedipedia.org/node/471
• Bermudagrass Production in North Carolina