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Persistence of Alfalfa Sod‐Seeded into Bermudagrass Pastures on Coastal Plain Soils
Author(s) -
CorriherOlson Vanessa,
Rouquette Monte,
Smith Gerald R.,
Haby Vincent A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
crop, forage and turfgrass management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.29
H-Index - 10
ISSN - 2374-3832
DOI - 10.2134/cftm2014.0096
Subject(s) - cynodon dactylon , loam , agronomy , pasture , perennial plant , growing season , grazing , cynodon , biology , environmental science , soil water , ecology
Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) production and persistence in the Lower South of the USA are dependent on climate, soil, and competition from warm‐season perennial grasses such as bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]. A 3‐year study was conducted at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Overton, to evaluate ‘Alfagraze’ alfalfa persistence on a Darco loamy fine sand (loamy, siliceous thermic Grossarenic Paleudult) when sod‐seeded at three row spacings (10, 20, and 30 inches) into a well‐established ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass pasture. Alfagraze was rotationally stocked with animal residence time from 5 to 13 d and deferment periods ranging from 18 to 27 d. In Year 1, during the first three grazing periods (1 April to 31 May), alfalfa was the dominant species ( P < 0.05). Thereafter, from 30 June to 3 October, bermudagrass was dominant ( P < 0.05). At the initiation of harvest in Year 2 (1 April), alfalfa dry matter (DM) was 1353, 783, and 690 lb/acre, respectively, at 10‐, 20‐, and 30‐inch drill‐row spacing prior to bermudagrass growth. At the end of Year 2 (3 October), alfalfa DM was 33, 10, and 0.90 lb/acre, respectively, at 10‐, 20‐, and 30‐inch spacings while bermudagrass DM was 1424, 1557, and 1080 lb/acre. At the beginning of Year 3, the percent stands of alfalfa were 14, 11, and 5%, respectively, for 10‐, 20‐, and 30‐inch spaced alfalfa plantings, while the respective percent stands of bermudagrass were 86, 89, and 95%. Under the climatic and sandy Coastal Plains soils of this vegetation region, Alfagraze was not persistent under grazing at any row spacing for more than 3 years when sod‐seeded into a well‐established Coastal bermudagrass pasture.