Yield and quality of warm-season grasses in central Texas

Abstract

Warm-season perennial bunchgrasses frequently are used for hay and grazing in central Texas. We compared 6 alternative grasses with 2 more commonly grown species ['Ermelo' weeping lovegrass, (Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees var. curvula Nees) and 'Selection-75' kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.] on 2 soils during 2 years. Grasses were transplanted into field plots at Stephenville and Temple, Tex. 1993 and harvested 3 times in 1994 and 1995. Weeping lovegrass and 'WW-B.Dahl' old world bluestem [Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz) S.T. Blake] were the highest yielding (P < 0.05) grasses and averaged 9,350 and 7,630 kg dry matter ha(-1) in 1994 and 1995, respectively. 'Irene' tufted digitgrass (Digitaria eriantha Stued.) and kleingrass produced similar (P > 0.05) yields (6,560 and 6,340 kg dry matter ha(-1)). Experimental line 409-704 buffelgrass [Cenchrus ciliaris L. syn. Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link], 'Carostan' flaccidgrass (Pennisetum flaccidum Greisb.), 'Palar' Wilman lovegrass (Eragrostis superba Peyr.), and P.I. 269961 Oriental pennisetum (Pennisetum orientale Rich) yielded less than 3,000 kg dry matter ha(-1) at Stephenville and were invaded by weeds. Tillers per plant generally explained most of the yield differences as plant density was held constant. Ermelo lovegrass and WW-B.Dahl old world bluestem produced 2 to 3 times more tillers plant(-1) than other grasses. Concentrations of neutral detergent fiber were higher (P < 0.05) in digitgrass and the lovegrasses than in other grasses (39 vs 36% of dry matter). These data indicate that WW-B.Dahl old world bluestem and Irene tufted digit-grass should be useful in forage-livestock systems in central Texas.