Grasses

Since 1993, Team UGA® and the turgrass breeding program at the University of Georiga has developed and released four exemplary seashore paspalum turfgrass cultivars that have become the standard for salt tolerant and environmentally sustainable grass varieties. The grasses remain among the most widely utilized seashore paspalum cultivars in the world.
Prior to release, each grass undergoes years of rigorous testing at the University and through the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, (NTEP), as well as in real-world trials. Out of thousands of accessions, only the finest cultivars are selected for their significant, beneficial traits and esthetics. To date, the four grasses released by Team UGA are: SeaStar®, SeaIsle Supreme™, SeaIsle 2000™, and SeaIsle 1™.

SeaStar® : tee-to-green, all around grass

Developed from a genetic cross by Dr. Paul Raymer, SeaStar is the most widely adaptable variety released to the date through Team UGA. SeaStar is a fine-textured seashore paspalum cultivar that may be used for recreational turf and lawns, but most significantly, because it tolerates a wide range of mowing heights, SeaStar may be used on all golf courses surfaces including putting greens, tees, fairways and roughs.

BENEFITS OF SEASTAR
  • Top-Rated in NTEP: for turf quality, color, texture, and fall color
  • For use on all golf course surfaces: putting greens, tees, fairways, roughs
  • Tolerates wide range of mowing heights
  • Upright growth habit: non-dwarf, fine-textured, well-suited especially for putting greens
  • Dense turf canopy: excellent turf quality, tends to suppress weeds
  • Excellent color retention: may eliminate need for overseed in moderate cold
  • Improved drought tolerance: maintains turf quality & resists leaf firing during short-term drought
  • Less water: reduced irrigiation frequency to retain turf quality
  • Moderate dollar spot resistance
  • Salt tolerant

SeaIsleSupreme™ : golf courses, sports fields

Selected from a collection of more than 300 naturally occurring accessions, SeaIsle Supreme is a salt tolerant variety of seashore paspalum. This semi-dwarf variety is well-suited for use on sports fields, golf courses and recreational venues where water quality is an issue.

BENEFITS OF SEAISLE SUPREME
  •  Superior salt tolerance
  • Tolerates low quality irrigation sources with high salt content, effluent
  • Semi-dwarf: tolerates a wide range of mowing heights
  • Suitable for use on lawns, sports fields, all golf course surfaces including greens
  • Rapid grow-in: vigorous spreading growth habit, establishes quickly, recovers quickly from wear
  • Tolerates wide range of soil pH from 4.0 to 9.8
  • Stands up to salt spray, water logging, periodic flooding
  • Low fertilization requirements

SeaIsle2000™ : golf courses greens, sports fields

Developed from a sample collected at Alden Pines Country Club in Bokeelia, Florida, SeaIsle 2000 was the first seashore pasplaum grass developed by Team UGA specifically for use on golf course putting greens. The grass, however, is highly versatile and may also be used for sports fields and lawns.

BENEFITS OF SEAISLE 2000
  • Tolerates mowing heights to 1/8-inch or lower
  • Stimp readings of 10 feet or faster are possible.
  • Highly salt tolerant: stands up to salt spray, brackish water, effluent with proper management
  • Low fertilization requirements
  • Darker green color than bermudagrass
  • Tolerates wide range of soil pH from4.0 to 9.8
  • Tolerates low light conditions associated with clouds, fog, light shade

 

SeaIsle1™ : fairways & tees, sports fields

SeaIsle 1 was the very first seashore paspalum variety released by the University of Georgia. Its arrival in the marketplace marked a new era in improved seashore paspalum turf varieties. Prior to its release, limited, fairly coarse-textured paspalums were in sporadic use. Seashore paspalum grass was mostly misunderstood in the early years before SeaIsle 1. With its entry into the marketplace, suddenly a fine-textured, salt tolerant grass was available. The golf course industry quickly took notice, and golf courses sprung up in regions where limited water quality had previously made course development impractical.

BENEFITS OF SEAISLE 1
  • Salt tolerance: may be irrigated with gray water, effluenet, brackish water under proper maintenance
  • Suited for use on sports fields and golf course fairways & tees
  • Fine texture
  • Less water
  • Less fertilizer
  • Tolerates wide range of soil pH

 

*SeaStar, SeaIsle Supreme, SeaIsle 2000, and SeaIsle 1 are patented proprietary turfgrass varieties. The grasses are available through licensed sod producers. Unauthorized propagation is prohibited.

Seeded Varieties

While most seashore paspalum turfgrass cultivars are vegetatively propagated, there are a few seeded varieties available today in the marketplace. Team UGA has collaborated on two-seeded varieties.

SEASPRAY
Developed using UGA breeding material, SeaSpray was the first release of an improved, seeded seashore paspalum. An extremely salt tolerant turfgrass, it provides outstanding turf quality, a bright blue-green color, and a beautiful, uniform appearance.
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PURE DYNASTY
Developed using UGA breeding material, Pure Dynasty is the first seeded paspalum blend and was bred to produce faster establishment, tighter density, better disease resistance, and improved spring green-up.
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Our grasses remain among the most widely utilized seashore paspalum cultivars in the world.