TifEagle Bermuda

Information

TifEagle is a very fine-textured dwarf bermudagrass, tolerant of 3mm mowing height and uniquely adapted to intensively managed golf greens in the Southern Hemisphere. TifEagle was developed by Dr. Wayne Hanna, USDA turfgrass breeder located at Tifton, GA. It originated from Cobalt 60 gamma irradiated Tifway 2 stolons. Sixty-four mutants were identified and propagated as single sprig propagules from the radiation treatments. They were planted July 1988 in 1.8 x 2.6-m plots and maintained at 6mm mowing height. TifEagle was found in the putative mutant #2 plot as a dense, fine textured plant highly tolerant to close mowing. It was subsequently isolated, vegetatively increased, evaluated and named TifEagle. Turfgrass America installed the first TifEagle green in Texas. Morphological Characteristics: In 7 week-old unmowed plots, green shoot weight of TifEagle (8.65g) was similar to Tifdwarf (7.24g). Number of shoots per 1963 mm² for TifEagle (129) was significantly higher than for Tifdwarf (103). Shoot length of TifEagle (17.8 mm) was significantly less than for Tifdwarf (22.5 mm). Leaves of TifEagle (10.2 mm) were significantly shorter than those of Tifdwarf(13.3 mm). Leaves of TifEagle (1.14 mm) were significantly narrower than those of Tifdwarf (1.28mm).

Lengths of the first and third fully extended internodes of TifEagle (10.5 and 10.3 mm) from the end of a juvenile stolon were significantly shorter than those of Tifdwarf (13.2 mm). Advantages: 1. Improved Speed, Consistency And Overall Playability Aggressive management practices can compromise the health, quality and playability of traditional bermudagrass varieties. Tifdwarf, Tifgreen, and even some of the new superdwarf varieties become stressed when subjected to reduced mowing height, frequent verticutting, increased topdressing and minimal irrigation. TifEagle, on the other hand, was created to withstand just this kind of abuse. In test after test, TifEagle’s quality rated superior to Tifdwarf and other warm-season grasses. Putting speed tests are routinely in the 9 to 10 foot range and often exceed 10.5 to 11 feet during intense management for tournament play. Improve the speed, consistency and playability of your greens. Insist on TifEagle.

Superior Color Retention Under Cool Conditions Once temperatures dip into the mid-to-low 40’s, Tifdwarf experiences chlorophyll loss and goes off-color quite rapidly. So do some of the superdwarfs. Not TifEagle. It holds up to cool weather conditions extremely well. TifEagle will go off-color when temperatures get down in the low 30’s, but it has a much faster, more robust recovery than other grasses. Obviously, good color retention is aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also an indication that your grass is still generating good leaf production. This is quite important for superintendents who choose not to overseed. It’s equally important for late season play during fall transition. 3. Smooth Transitions During Overseeding And Spring Greenup Turf quality test have also demonstrated that TifEagle responds better to overseeding than Tifdwarf and other popular bermudagrasses.

When you combine TifEagle’s rhizominous growth with an appropriate schedule of topdressing and light verticutting, TifEagle provides an excellent seedbed for poa trivalis/bentgrass blends. Its tolerance for low mowing coupled with its ability to grow at cool temperatures makes TifEagle the right grass for managing difficult spring transitions. TifEagle also holds up well under drought conditions and has demonstrated an ability for rapid re-growth after mechanical injury, as well as strong resistance to disease and an inexplicable defense against mole crickets. Mole crickets just don’t like TifEagle as well as some other bermudagrasses. You won’t have to worry about seed heads, either. TifEagle doesn’t produce any. 4. Much Less Thatch Buildup Than Champion Bermuda Thatch buildup is highly detrimental to greens. It produces grainy putting surfaces, inconsistent ball roll and can result in a sub-surface micro-climate which is conducive to disease and organic layering. Thatch also makes it more difficult to establish and maintain uniform stands of overseeded grass. TifEagle not only produces less thatch than the Champion Bermuda, it’s very forgiving when subjected to aggressive management.

In fact, TifEagle can tolerate 2 to 3 mowings per day at heights as low as 1/8- inch with no loss of stand density. 5. Quality-Conscious Licensed Growers Association As a patented variety, TifEagle can only be sold as certified sod or sprigs, and only by licensed members of the TifEagle Growers Association. This premier group of quality-conscious sod producers has agreed to the stringent production practices set up by the Georgia Seed Development Commission. You can be assured of TifEagle’s genetic purity. As a certified bermudagrass, it’s grown, inspected and sold under a rigorous set of rules and guidelines designed to insure on-going purity and uniformity. The propagations of TifEagle for any purpose by anyone other than a licensed grower is prohibited and illegal. Look for the TifEagle certification tag. It’s your guarantee that the TifEagle you buy today will be the same TifEagle you buy 10 years down the road.

Intended Use: Golf

Mowing Height: 1/8”