Tifton 85 and Tifton 78 Bermudagrasses: Grazing Performance and Pasture Quality

A new hybrid bermudagrass, Tifton 85, was Tifton 78 was released in 1984 and has been widely released to certified growers in May, 1992. Tifton distributed from the Carolinas to Texas. Many 85 joins the long list of successful bermudagrasses successes and many failures have been reported developed at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, concerning establishment and maintenance of stands which includes Coastal, Tifton 44 (Burton and across the region. Attention to soil moisture and soil Monson, 1978) and Tifton 78 (Burton and Monson, compaction at planting time, use of viable, healthy 1988). Several other high quality and high producing sprigs and top growth forage for planting, and care in cultivars have been released, including Coastcross-1 properly fertilizing and grazing during the initial year (Burton, 1972) and Tifton 68 (Burton and Monson, of establishment are key factors contributing to 1984), that are not grazed in Georgia because of producer success or failure with this hybrid. Higher inadequate cold tolerance. Tifton 85 was screened levels of K O (potash) are required by the more through small plot experiments for several years, and productive hybrids to maintain stands. emerged as a highly productive and high quality grass compared with other bermudagrass hybrids. In addition to small-plot trials, several trials were