Establishment of seven high yielding grasses on the Texas High Plains

Abstract

The establishment of several high yielding grasses was examined on the Texas High Plains as an alternative to row crop agriculture. The species were Blackwell switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), El Reno sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), Morpa weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) and 4 old world bluestem selections including Caucasian (Bothriochloa caucasica), WW517 (B. intermedia var. indica), Ganada (B. ischaemum var. ischaemum), and WWspar (B. ischaemum var. ischaemum). Each species was seeded in mid-May 1981 and 1982 in Garza County on a fine sand and in Lubbock and Terry Counties on sandy loam soils. Number of seedlings 1 month after planting ranged from 129.7/m at Brownfield in 1981 to 7.5/m at Post in 1982. At the end of the first growing season, biomass ranged from 930 kg/ha at Lubbock in 1981 to 11 kg/ha at Post 1982. At the beginning of the second growing season, basal cover had increased, indicating these species were adapted to the winter conditions in the area. The seedings were successful, and adequate stands of all species were established the first year except for the 1982 Post planting. The year and location were the most important factors in establishment success during this study. There were differences among species, but no one species was superior over locations or years for all the characteristics measured. On the fine sand weeping lovegrass was superior.