Kikuyugrassisthe Rodney Dangerfield Of
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Routine vertical mowing is a key management ikUYUgrassis the Rodney Dangerfield of HISTORYAND BACKGROUND practice to control turf - it gets no respect. While many thatch and maintain Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum) is a warm- good playing quality Kcourses fought the invasion and spread of season grass that is native to the Kenyan highlands on kikuyugrass kikuyugrass for decades, others have learned to of Africa. It is a course-textured grass with a rapid fairways. manage this grass to provide good playing quality growth rate, and it is commonly used as a forage on tees, fairways, and rough. Why the change of grass and turf grass in mild coastal climates and heart? Some courses had no choice but to learn sub-tropical regions. The spread ofkikuyugrass to manage their former enemy as it gradually was aided by the Dutch, who brought the grass spread over most of the course. Other courses from Kenya to South Africa and Australia during did not have the budget or resources to control the Boer War. Kikuyugrass was eventually trans- infestations with multiple herbicide sprays, ported to other. areas and is now cultivated in physical removal, and sodding. As superintendents many mild climates throughout the world, learned more about the grass, they were able to including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, adapt management practices to provide a dense, Mexico, Spain, Central America, South America, uniform turf with good playing quality. Although and portions of the United States. much of the literature to this point has focused Improvement ofkikuyugrass began in the 1950s on the control of kikuyugrass, this article will when the Australian government awarded a grant look at the culture and management of kikuyu- to a plant breeder to develop a seeded forage type grass as a fine turf for golf courses. for livestock. The rapid growth rate, palatability, 2 GREEN SECTION RECORD and high protein content made kikuyugrass an warm-season grass with a rapid growth rate. The ideal forage for cattle and livestock. The breeder, leaf width ranges from Ys" to X", comparable to Dr. Whittet, developed the cultivar that bears his Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica) and St. name and sold the first 22 lb. batch of seed to the Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secdundatum).The Eykamp family for commercial seed production wider leaf blade is typical of the native types, in New. South Wales, Australia, where the Whittet while the narrow leaf blade is typical of improved variety is still grown today. varieties under intensive management. The leaf The establishment ofkikuyugrass in the United blades are flat and pointed at the tip and typically States occurred in 1918 when it was imported to grow in length from 1" to 10". Leaf color is a Pacific Palisades, California, as an erosion control medium to lime-green that some golfers and for ditch banks, and it gradually spread to the superintendents find objectionable. coast and inland valley areas. Many golf course superintendents and homeowners misidentified the grass as St.Augustinegrass due to the similari- ties in leaf blade width, color, thick stolon, and dense canopy. From California, the grass was transported and spread to several states, including Hawaii, Arizona, and Texas. Don Eykamp, son of the original grower, brought kikuyugrass seed to the United States in 1995 with the intention of producing seed and improving the species for the American forage and turf market. The main stumbling block was that kikuyugrass was listed as a noxious weed in most states due to concerns that it might be a host for an insect or a fungus that could devastate the United States millet crop. The host plant relationship was disproved, but the federal govern- ment continues to list kikuyugrass as a noxious weed, citing that it has an invasive growth habit. The status of kikuyugrass currently is under Long considered review, and a ruling by the governing agency, Kikuyugrass is often confused with St. a noxious weed, APHIS, is expected in the coming year. Augustinegrass due to similarities in texture, kikuyugrass is now In the meantime, seed production of Whittet color, growth habit, and the thick, fleshy stolons. considered a desirable went forward in Arizona under special permit. Kikuyugrass is distinguished by the pointed leaf turf by an increasing During this time, further improvement in kikuyu- tip, flat leaf blade, and the long fringe of hairs that number of golf courses in temperate grass occurred in the seed fields of Arizona as a parallels the stem near the leaf collar. In contrast, climates. result of natural selection. A patch ofkikuyugrass St. Augustinegrass has sharply folded leaves and with a finer texture and improved density was blunt leaf tips. Another distinguishing characteristic observed in a field of Whittet. The seed from the of kikuyugrass is the prominent anther and white unusual patch was replanted, and the progeny filament that extends above the canopy on closely displayed the same desirable characteristics, cut turf. The white filaments typically are visible resulting in the new variety Arizona-1 (also in the spring and fall, but they can be seen called AZ-1). throughout the year in some locations. The white Today, kikuyugrass is managed as the primary filaments return within a day of mowing, giving turf in fairways and rough at several golf courses, the turf a silvery cast. The female part of the including prominent PGA Tour stops Riviera flower is near the base of the plant, and the seed is Country Club, Torrey Pines Golf Course, and formed within the leaf sheath. The seeds are La Costa Resort and Spa. rounded and dark brown, approximately Ys" in length. KIKUYUGRASS CHARACTERISTICS The growth rate of kikuyugrass is very rapid Kikuyugras~ has been described as "bermudagrass under warm, moist conditions. Shoot extension on steroids." It is a coarse- to medium-texture can exceed 1" per day at the height of the grow- JULY-AUGUST 2003 3 ing season. Active growth occurs at temperatures significantly restricted in dry soil, causing the turf between 60° to 90°F, and it can survive well at to become puffy and more prone to mower temperatures near 100°£ Kikuyugrass sustains scalping. active growth and retains color at temperatures The rapid growth rate and thick mat layer below 60°F, when most other warm-season associated with kikuyugrass contribute to excel- grasses exhibit a loss of color and a slower growth lent traffic tolerance and recovery from divot pattern. In California, kikuyugrass may not go injury. The rapid growth rate is both a benefit and dormant during the winter along the coast, a challenge for maintenance. Excessive thatch although it tends to enter dormancy from late contributes to spongy surface conditions, mower November until February in colder inland valley scalping, and diminished quality. If left unmowed, Kikuyugrass responds locations. Kikuyugrass appears to have the best kikuyugrass has been observed growing over well to applications of winter color retention of all the warm-season fences, up utility poles, and into trees and shrubs. the growth regulator trinexapac-ethyl.A grasses and can tolerate light frost without a loss Under routine mowing and maintenance, it can stolon from an untreated of color. invade greens and tees unless a routine edging area (top) exhibits a Kikuyugrass spreads by stolons, rhizomes, and and hand-picking program are in place to control wider leaf blade and seed. The thick, fleshy stolon and relatively wide encroachment. Kikuyugrass provides good play- greater internode length leaf blade contribute to a somewhat open growth ing conditions and ball support when closely compared to a stolon habit at mowing heights above 1WI. Canopy mowed, but the heavy thatch layer tends to limit from a treated area (bottom) that displays a density is significantly improved at mowing ball roll on fairways and provides unpredictable finer leaf blade, darker heights below %". Rooting occurs at the nodes of bounces on the putting green approach. It can be green color, and shorter stolons under moist soil conditions. Rooting is especially treacherous in the rough, where the internode length. 4 GREEN SECTION RECORD A distinguishing thick stolons and wide leafblades tend to grab the courses in the United States had to propagate characteristic of club and make it difficult to extract the ball. their own sod in a nursery area, but commercially kikuyugrass is the Kikuyugrass tolerates a wide range of soil con- grown sod is now available in Southern California prominent anther and ditions. Optimum growth seems to occur in at a cost of approximately 85~ to $1.00 per square white filament that extends above the medium- to heavy-texture soils with a neutral to foot. canopy on closely cut alkaline pH. Like many warm-season grasses, Some courses have attempted to establish plugs turf, which can give kikuyugrass has good tolerance to heat, drought, of kikuyugrass in existing stands of bermudagrass the turf an objection- and salinity. It prefers adequate soil moisture but using a specially modified aerifier that removes 2" able silvery cast but survives drought with a slight loss of color and a to 3" diameter cores for transplanting. The plugs does not affect playing quality. reduction in growth rate. can be slow to establish even if planted in the fall when bermudagrass is less competitive. Plugs PROPAGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT planted on 12" centers in the fall will provide The irony of kikuyugrass is that it spreads rapidly reasonable coverage by the end of the next where it is unwanted, but it can be slow to estab- growmg season. lish in existing turf or when efforts are made to Sprigs collected following vertical mowing can actively cultivate and spread it. Control efforts are be used to establish kikuyugrass in bare or reno- usually abandoned once kikuyugrass populations vated areas.