Sod Tensile Strength and Handling Characteristics of Select Hybrid Bermudagrasses.

Suitable sod handling quality and tensile strength are necessary for a turfgrass to be successfully produced as a sod crop. New hybrid bermudagrasses (Cynodon dactylon X C. transvaalensis) are under development at Oklahoma State University (OSU). Recently ‘Patriot’ (syn. = OKC 18-4) and ‘OKC 70-18’ have been developed by the OSU program. Research evaluated the sod handling quality and tensile strength of Patriot, OKC 70-18, ‘Tifway’ and ‘Midlawn’ hybrid bermudagrasses. Patriot, Tifway and Midlawn are in commercial production while OKC 70-18 remains experimental. Sod handling quality was evaluated visually with 1 = complete breakage, inability to transport (unacceptable quality); 2 = substantial cracking but still transportable; 3 = moderate cracking; 4 = minimal cracking; 5 = no cracking (excellent quality). Sod tensile strength, the peak force required to cause complete sod pad breakage, was also measured. Five harvests (experiments) were conducted over 4 years. Sod handling quality strongly correlated with sod tensile strength (r = 0.89***). Patriot provided sod tensile strength greater than or equal to Tifway in 4 of 5 harvests. OKC 70-18 providing lower tensile strength than Tifway in 4 of 5 harvests and equal to Tifway in 1 harvest. OKC 70-18 provided sod tensile strength equal to Midlawn in 3 harvests and less than Midlawn in 2 harvests. Results of this research correlates well with comments received from sod producers in that Patriot and Tifway have good sod production and handling characteristics while Midlawn has minimally acceptable to poor sod handling characteristics. Additional research is needed to determine production and harvest methods to provide sod of Midlawn and OKC 70-18 with suitable tensile strength and handling characteristics.