Integrated weed and pest management for bermudagrass forage production
Research partnership opportunity to validate that improved weed control in bermudagrass pastures and hayfields reduces bermudagrass stem maggot damage, increases stand density and vigor, and minimizes insecticide applications. Builds on prior field trials showing cumulative yields more than doubled over three years through targeted herbicide use and adjusted harvest management.
Overview
This research opportunity addresses a critical agronomic and economic challenge in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) forage production. The bermudagrass stem maggot (BSM; Atherigona reversura) can cause up to an 80% reduction in yield, and conservative estimates place annual losses in Georgia at $30–40 million. Prior field work revealed that improved weed control, timely cutting, and adjusted harvest height can more than double cumulative yields (from approximately 5,000 to 11,000 lbs/ac over three years) while reducing BSM impact. The proposed work will quantify how enhanced weed management reduces BSM damage and lowers the number of insecticide applications required, providing producers with an economically viable integrated pest management strategy.
Technical specifications
- Target system: Bermudagrass pastures and hayfields in the southeastern United States
- Approach: Large-scale, split-split plot field experiment evaluating pre- and post-emergent herbicides across multiple bermudagrass varieties
- Key variables measured: Weed pressure, BSM damage severity, stand density, plant vigor, forage yield, and number of insecticide applications required
- Economic analysis: Cost-benefit evaluation of herbicide programs versus insecticide-dependent management
- Partner contribution sought: Evaluation of herbicide chemistries not yet registered for bermudagrass production
- Trial location: Moultrie, Georgia (USA), building on 2017–2019 validation data
Technology readiness level
The underlying management approach has been validated through multi-year, replicated field trials (2017–2019) demonstrating that integrated weed control, adjusted harvest timing, and modified cutting height can double cumulative yields and reduce BSM impact. The proposed research will advance the work toward commercial-scale recommendation by quantifying the specific contribution of improved weed control to BSM suppression and by evaluating new herbicide chemistries for registration in bermudagrass systems. This represents a field-validated, applied research opportunity ready for partnership-driven expansion.
About University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a comprehensive public land‑grant research university serving a large student body across multiple campuses, known for applied scholarship and community partnership. Industry partners access core facilities and pilot‑scale capabilities—including the Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center—for prototyping, scale‑up, and product validation. A downtown Innovation District and a statewide Cooperative Extension network link campus expertise to companies across Georgia, while proximity to Atlanta’s corporate and logistics hubs lowers barriers to engagement. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOE. A dedicated technology transfer office provides IP services, licensing, startup support, and incubator space to accelerate commercialization.
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