Stampede Hybrid Buffalo Grass is an interploid hybrid of St. Augustinegrass (buffalograss; *Stenotaphrum secundatum* (Walt.) Kuntze), developed through embryo rescue technology. This was achieved by controlled pairwise crossing between a polyploid buffalograss (chromosome number: 2n = 2x = 30) and a diploid buffalograss (chromosome number: 2n = 2x = 18).
The next phase in bringing this new grass to the market has focused on stock expansion. When a new variety enters Australia via quarantine, only a small number of runners of plant material are available to begin the expansion for testing.
This year, LSA has established propagation facilities to grow planting stock, which will then be supplied to LSA foundation farms such as Greener Lawn Supplies. These farms will help expand the grass and make it available to each member for planting.
To ensure the purity of this selected variety, LSA has partnered with the Australian Genetic Assurance Program (AusGAP). AusGAP monitors and enforces protocols throughout the entire process. While creating a reliable supply of a new grass variety is a slow and meticulous task, maintaining its purity is critical to ensuring it performs consistently, as it did during trials.
Stampede is:
These grasses have been assessed throughout Australia in various climates and conditions over the last two and a half years. Data was recorded throughout these trials, with current buffalo grasses in the market also included for comparison.
During trials and assessments, the buffalo grasses were narrowed, with factors like density, harvestability, colour, disease susceptibility and seedhead production used to find the best performers.
While cultivar performance varied across different sites, one consistently outperformed the rest, excelling in all key areas. It proved to be the best-performing cultivar during winter in some very cold and harsh environments, which is a crucial factor for many turf producers. Remarkably, this same cultivar remained unaffected by disease during the humid summer, whereas most other buffalo cultivars were impacted. Additionally, it boasted an impressive appearance and excellent harvest quality.
Receive regular updates about company news, project updates & new products.
Receive regular updates about company news,
project updates & new products.
