Cold Tolerance, Seed Production and Seed Germination of a Forage Bermudagrass Core Collection.

Forage bermudagrass can be an important perennial warm-season forage for transitional zones of warm and cool season pastures.  Cold-tolerant seeded varieties will be especially desirable.  A forage bermudagrass core collection was assessed for seed production and seed germination.  Also, a replicated trial was established in the northern mountains of Georgia (Blairsville) to assess for cold tolerance.  A number of accessions produced well over 200 seed on 5 seed heads and maximum germination rates surpassed 90%.  After two winters approximately 10 accessions emerged faster and produced higher biomass than cold tolerant varieties Coastal and Tifton 44.   Cumulative data on bermudagrass accessions will be used to determine appropriate parents for developing cold tolerance seeded bermudagrass for the transition zone.