Tahoma 31 is featured in a national publication geared to professional landscapers and irrigation installers. In the May 2019 issue of Irrigation & Green Industry News, the official publication of the Irrigation Association, the differences between Bermudagrass cultivars are discussed. The article says, in part: “For instance, Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass is a new cultivar developed by turfgrass breeders at Oklahoma State University, available through more than a dozen sod farms in the United States. An exceptionally cold-tolerant grass, Tahoma 31 will grow in warm-season climates, through the transition zone and into what is commonly considered cool-season territory as far north as Pennsylvania and Indiana.
In a five-year research study conducted by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, Tahoma 31 was compared to more than a dozen other Bermudagrasses for specific beneficial traits. It ranked first in spring green-up and winter survivability and tied for first place in turfgrass quality. The grass also received high ratings for drought tolerance, leaf texture, color, and vigor. Studies conducted by turfgrass scientists at Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University showed that Tahoma 31 used 18 percent less water than its closest competitor, a grass developed at the University of Georgia called TifTuf.
Irrigation & Green Industry News, May 2019
