Registration of ‘DALSA 1618’ St. Augustinegrass

‘DALSA 1618’ (Reg. no. CV-291, PI 702594) is a first-generation intraspecific St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] hybrid developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Dallas, TX, from cross between drought-resistant polyploid female parent, TAES 5384 (PI 300130, GRIN National Plant Germplasm System), and semi-dwarf shade-tolerant diploid pollen donor, ‘Amerishade’. DALSA 1618 was formerly tested as ‘TAES 5896-09’ ‘TXSA-156’. Superior performance quality 2010 to 2015 space-plant nurseries across multiple environments led advancing replicated trials 10 Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) locations the southcentral southeastern United States. one of top performers 2016 NTEP (2016–2020). It established faster than ‘CitraBlue’ similarly other commercial cultivars. exhibited high turfgrass standard ancillary earlier spring greenup, which generally better ‘Floratam’. Drought resistance similar Floratam (a aneuploid). Tolerance moderately dense shade 2017 2020, where improved tolerance relative Floratam. This array environmental testing indicates possesses unique combination drought that would allow its use