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A Comparison of the First Year's Root Production of Seven Southern Grasses Established from Seed 1
Author(s) -
Burton Glenn W.
Publication year - 1943
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1943.00021962003500030002x
Subject(s) - agricultural experiment station , geneticist , tifton , library science , forage , operations research , mathematics , history , agronomy , archaeology , agriculture , biology , computer science , genetics
HAT a knowledge of the root distribution of various species is T helpful in explaining and predicting their environmental response has been well established. Although many grass root studies have been made, little work has been done with southern grasses. Laird3 studied the root systems of centipede, Bahia, Dallis, blue couch, Bermuda, St. Lucie, and St. Augustine grass when grown under several types of management on the deep sandy soils of Florida. In his studies all grasses were established vegetatively and many of the data were obtained from 4-year-old sods. He reported that the roots of all species extended to a depth of 6 to 8 feet and that Bahia grass produced a better root system than the other grasses studied. Single-row plots spaced 3 feet apart and replicated four times were seeded to the eight grasses listed below on April 28, 1939. The A horizon of the Tifton sandy loam in which these grasses were grown extended to a depth of 9 inches. The B horizon included the layer from 9 to 36 inches below the surface. Weather conditions favored seed germination and the following dates of emergence were recorded : Common Bahia grass, Paspalurn notaturn Flugge., May 7 ; Paspalurn rnalacophyllurn Trin., May 7 ; Paraguay Bahia grass, Paspalurn notaturn P. I. I 2 14 I 5, May I I ; vasey grass, Paspalurn urvillei Steud., May 13 ; Dallis grass, Paspalurn dilataturn Poir., May 15 ; woollyfinger grass, Digitaria eriantha Steud., P. I. 77998, May 25, and carpet grass, Axonopus afinis Chase, June 5. Since the Bermuda grass, Cynodon duitylon (L.) Pers., seed germinated very poorly and later than the other species, Bermuda grass was not included in the root studies made in December. In order to eliminate weed competition, the entire test was kept free of weeds throughout the summer and fall. The grasses were neither cut nor grazed during the growing season. In December '1939, the extent and distribution of the root system of each species were determined. The root samples were obtained by digging around 3 sides of the row and cutting out a prism of soil 5% by 9 inches to the desired depth. After the prisms were trimmed down and marked off at 4-inch levels (Fig. I ) , they were cut into 4 by 5% by 9 inch blocks of soil from which the roots were washed.