Effects of sericea lespedeza residues on warm-season grasses

Abstract

Soil incorporation of sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. de Cours) G. Don.] residues has been reported to inhibit growth of some forage grasses. No information is available on the performance of sericea lespedeza grown in association with warm-season perennial grasses. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine if sericea lespedeza residues affect seed germination and seedling growth of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge); if any such response was cultivar dependent; and if the response was subject to manipulation by N fertilization. Sericea lespedeza residues inhibited bermudagrass and bahiagrass growth, but did not affect their seed germination and emergence. No differences among cultivars of bermudagrass and bahiagrass in response to sericea lespedeza residues were found in the greenhouse. Nevertheless, differences among bermudagrass cultivars for tolerance to sericea lespedeza residues were observed in the laboratory. The harmful effects of sericea lespedeza residues were small (17 and 16% reduction of dry weight for bermudagrass and bahiagrass, respectively) compared to the positive effects of N fertilization.