Variegated Bermuda

kcr6419 – posted 07 May 2006 00:52

Has anyone ever seen variegated bermudagrass? Does it exist?

I planted Yukon bermuda last fall. This spring I noticed an area that looked white and I thought Something was wrong with the grass. I looked closer and noticed that the grass was vareigated.

It doesn’t seem to bother the grass and it’s spreading and growing normally.

Here’s a photo I took. My camera won’t focus well at this distance but you can see the variegation.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4848/variegatedbermuda3uo.jpg

I wonder if it will stay this way and continue to spread as it grows?!

[This message has been edited by kcr6419 (edited 07 May 2006).]

[This message has been edited by kcr6419 (edited 07 May 2006).]

wrangler – posted 07 May 2006 05:47

kcr6419I have seen this one other time in a low lying area of a field of Rivera. We attributed this to late frost damage to early emerging shoots. The first year we applied ammonium thiosulfate and chelated iron thinking we had a pH induced iron deficiency. We did not get a response. We saw the same thing in the same field the next year and did nothing. It grew out of the symptom when temeratures were condusive to bermudagrass growth. Yukon will break domancy and grow weeks before most bermudagrass so it is understandable that you may see some light frost patterns on young shoots. If this pattern persists let me know in case we are dealing something completly different.

There are some herbicides that can cause “bleaching” effects. What is your herbicide history on this field?

I would start your irrigating and nitrogen program and start managing this field agressivly. As fast as Yukon spreads and grows any healthy shoots should cover up the varrigated shoots as summer heat sets in.

Good Luck