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CONTENTS
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS ............. RESULTS ....................................................... ......................

Page 4
5

Total Forage Yields ................................ Botanical Composition of Forage ..................... Seasonal Forage Production ........................ Parasitic Nematodes ..............................
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...............................

5 7 9 10
11

FIRST PRINTING

5M,

JUNE 1979

Information contained herein is available to all persons without regard to race, color, or national origin.

TALL FESCUE AND PHALARIS

ON DALLISGRASS SOD
IN THE BLACK BELT
C. S. HOVELAND, L.A. SMITH, and H.W. GRIMES*

DALLISGRASS (Paspalum dilatatum), a warm season perennial grass with the potential for relatively good animal gains, is dormant and unproductive in Alabama from November to April. Sod-seeding of small grains or caleypeas (Lathryus hirsutus) will extend the productive season somewhat but this practice must be done annually.' Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), a perennial cool season grass, is semi-dormant in summer. It begins growth in September, grows little in mid-winter, and makes most of its production in spring until June. The two grasses in association should provide better forage over a longer grazing season than either one alone. AP-2 phalaris (Phalaris aquatica), an experimental cool season perennial grass variety developed by the Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, makes more winter growth than Ky 31 tall fescue and should be desirable in a mixture with dallisgrass. Results of previous work in Alabama 2 has shown that tall fescue can be grown in association with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum). However, high rates of N fertilization in winter and maintenance of a high stubble in summer were required to maintain tall fescue stands and prevent complete bahiagrass
*Professor, Department of Agronomy and Soils; Superintendent and Associate Superintendent, Black Belt Substation.
'HOVELAND, C. S., L. A. SMITH, AND H. W. GRIMES. 1961. Forage Production of

Winter Annuals Sod-seeded on Dallisgrass-white Clover. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp. Sta. Leaf. 66.
2

J. T. SHELTON.
Sta. Bull. 503.

HOVELAND, C. S., R. F. MCCORMICK, JR., E. L. CARDEN, R. RODRIGUEZ-KABANA, AND

Maintaining Fescue in Bahia Mixtures. Auburn Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp.

ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

dominance on sandy soils. High nematode populations on these soils were probably a major reason for the demise of tall fescue in mixture with bahiagrass under drought stress and close summer defoliation. This publication summarizes results of an experiment at the Black Belt Substation with overseeding tall fescue and phalaris on dallisgrass sod with and without ladino clover. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Dallisgrass sod on Houston clay (Typic Chromudert very fine montmorillonitic, thermic) at the Black Belt Substation, Marion Junction, Alabama was disked and smoothed with a cultipacker in early September 1973 to reduce competition and make a seedbed. Some plots were treated with methyl bromide to kill the dallisgrass. Kentucky 31 tall fescue and AP-2 phalaris were seeded in rows 6 inches apart on September 26, 1973. Some treatments were also seeded with Regal ladino clover (Trifolium repens). Diazinon was broadcast at the rate of 1/2 lb. per acre active material to control insects. Nitrogen was applied to the all-grass plots in split applications as follows: (a) dallisgrass alone-50 lb. N per acre in April and early July, totaling 100 lb. N. (b) phalaris or tall fescue with dallisgrass-50 lb. N per acre in September, February, and April, totaling 150 lb. N. (c) phalaris or tall fescue with dallisgrass-50 lb. per acre N in September, February, April, and July, totaling 200 lb. N. (d) phalaris or tall fescue alone (treated with methyl bromide)-50 lb. N per acre in September, February, and April totaling 150 lb. N. (e) phalaris or tall fescue alone (treated with methyl bromide)-no nitrogen fertilizer. (f) all plots planted with Regal ladino clover-no nitrogen fertilizer. Forage was harvested with a flail harvester whenever the tallest plants were about 10 inches tall, leaving a stubble of 2 inches. At each harvest, the percent dallisgrass, clover, and phalaris or tall fescue was estimated on each plot. Soil nematode populations were determined on methyl bromide-treated and non-treated plots in spring of the second and third years.

TALL FESCUE AND PHALARIS ON DALLISGRASS SOD

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TABLE 1. TOTAL FORAGE YIELD OF PHALARLS AND TALL FESCUE PLANTED ON DALLISGRASS SOD AT BLACK BELT SUBSTATION OVER 3-YEAR PERIOD

Nitrogen Species lb./acre Dallis-clover.........................0 Dallis-phalaris-clover.................0 Dallis-fescue-clover...................0 Phalaris-clover ....................... 0 Fescue-clover........................ 0
Dallisgrass......................... 100

Soil treatment
-

-

Methyl bromide Methyl bromide
-

1974 4,430 c* 5,090 c 5,040 c 6,250 b 6,070
4,050 cd

Pounds per acre oven dry forage 1975 1976
6,790 b 3,840 def

6,660 6,900 5,510 7,590

b b c ab

4,480 3,720 2,900 3,050
3,370

de def fg cd ef

a-

r
a) C,

3,670 e

Dallis-phalaris...................... Dallis-Fescue....................... Dallis-phalaris...................... Dallis-Fescue.......................

150 150 200 200

-

6,430 5,060 6,420 5,020

ab c ab c

5,640 7,570 6,130 8,120

c ab bc a

6,130 bc 7,200 ab 6,420 ab 7,540 a

C

Phalaris ............................. 0 Methyl bromide 4,860 c 2,960 e 1,860 g Fescue .............................. 0 Methyl bromide 3,390 e 4,510 d 3,410 ef Phalaris ............................ 150 Methyl bromide 7,510 a 5,620 c 4,630 de Fescue.......... ...... ........... .150 Methyl bromide 6,130 b 8,610 a 7,220 ab *Any two yield entries within a column marked with the same letter are not significantly different at 5% level of probability.

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TALL FESCUE AND PHALARIS ON DALLISGRASS SOD

Eliminating dallisgrass competition with methyl bromide resulted in total yields of phalaris or tall fescue similar to that of the dallisgrass mixtures when fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre. As expected, yields of both phalaris and tall fescue were low when no N fertilizer was applied to methyl bromidetreated plots. The declining yields of phalaris by the third year were a result of reduced stands and productivity of this grass species. In contrast, tall fescue stands and productivity remained high. Ladino clover stands were excellent during the first 2 years and poor the third year. With good ladino clover, total forage yields of the mixtures equalled that of mixtures fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre. During the third year when ladino clover stands were poor, phalaris or tall fescue in association with dallisgrass yielded substantially more when fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre. Ladino clover, in association with dallisgrass alone, resulted in total yields equal or superior to that of grass fertilized with 100 lb. per acre N. Botanical Composition of Forage The tall fescue component of mixtures with dallisgrass increased over the 3-year period when fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre, table 2. In contrast, the phalaris component of the mixture declined each year. Fertilizing dallisgrass with N in summer (200 lb. N) increased the yield of both phalaris and tall fescue the second year. By the third year, phalaris production declined while that of tall fescue remained high. Tall fescue apparently was highly competitive with dallisgrass. Ladino clover production in the mixtures was high the first 2 years. Phalaris, with greater winter production the first year, reduced clover growth as compared with the tall fescue in association with dallisgrass. By the second and third years, tall fescue competition resulted in less ladino clover as compared with phalaris. Dallisgrass, in these mixtures, was less productive in association with tall fescue than with phalaris. Where dallisgrass was absent on the methyl-bromide treated sod, rapid phalaris growth the first year reduced clover growth as compared to the effect of tall fescue. In subsequent years, clover growth was better on phalaris than on tall fescue, probably a result of weakened phalaris stands. Ladino clover production was better on dallisgrass alone than when phalaris or

TABLE 2. BOTANICAL COMPOSITION OF FORAGE FROM PHALARIS AND TALL FESCUE PLANTED ON DALLISGRASS SOD AT BLACK BELT SUBSTATION OVER 3-YEAR PERIOD

Species Dallis-clover............... Dallis-phalaris-clover ...... Dallis-fescue-clover ....... Phalaris-clover............. Fescue-clover.............. Dallisgrass ................. Dallis-phalaris.............. Dallis-fescue............... Dallis-phalaris.............. Dallis-fescue...............

Soil Nitrogen lb. acre treatment 0 0 0 0 MB* 0 MB 100 150 150 200 200 0 0 150
150 -

Dallis 860 480 730
-

1974 Phalaris or fescue Clover 3,570 1,570 3,040 3,910 400 5,100 1,120 3,400 2,670
-

Pounds per acre oven 1975 Phalaris Dallis or fescue 2,710 1,400 2,220 1,150 3,580 3,330 5,650 3,670 1,740 690 1,510 860
-

dry forage 1976 Phalaris or fescue Clover 640 420 1,340 160 2,720 920 1,980 4,580 480
-

Clover 4,080 3,040 2,170 2,180 1,940
-

Dallis 3,200 2,720 840 0 0 3,370 2,950 370 3,700 440
-

PIcC rr

4,050 1,700 1,180 2,040 800
-

-

4,720 3,880 4,380 4,210 4,860 3,390 7,510
6,130

-

3,890 6,880 4,620 7,260 2,960 4,510 5,620
8,610

3,180 6,830 2,720 7,100 1,860 3,410 4,630
7,220

C)
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Phalaris.................... Fescue..................... Phalaris....................
Fescue....................

MB MB MB
MB

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TALL FESCUE AND PHALARIS ON DALLISGRASS SOD Dry forage, lb. /A
2,200

2200

Dollisgross
2Ladino clover Phalaris Tall fescue

2,000 1,800 1,600 1,4001,2001,000 800600400 200
-PF Jan. 7 -PF Mar. 21 -PF Apr. 16 -PF May 15 - PF July 7

-PF Aug. 28

PF Oct.,3
-

FIG. 2. Seasonal production of dallisgrass-ladino clover overseeded with phalaris or tall fescue, no N fertilizer, 1975.

tall fescue was present, a result of less competition during the late winter and spring period. Seasonal Forage Production Overseeding dallisgrass sod with cool season perennial species generally furnished forage nearly 3 months ahead of the normal dallisgrass production season beginning in mid April. Ladino clover on dallisgrass alone produced well beginning in March and continued through early summer, figure 2. Phalaris and tall fescue, in association with ladino clover, made somewhat more early production than clover alone and had the advantage of less bloat potential in a pasture. Under conditions of this test, dallisgrass growth in summer was reduced by the cool season grasses. This probably would not be a problem in a well grazed pasture. Tall fescue, in association with dallisgrass and fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre, yielded substantially more late winter forage than the grass-clover system, figure 3. Phalaris, more productive than tall fescue the first year, made less early growth in the two subsequent years. Tall fescue and phalaris suppressed dallisgrass production in late spring, but the extended length of the grazing season should more than make up for this handicap.

10

ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

Dry forage, lb./A

-PF Jan.7

-PF Mar. 21

-PF Apr. 16

-PF May 15

-PF July 7

-PF Aug.28

-PF Oct.3

FIG. 3. Seasonal production of dallisgrass (100 lb. N per acre) compared with phalaris or tall fescue overseeded on dallisgrass (150 lb. N per acre), 1975.

Parasitic Nematodes Plant parasitic nematode populations in the soil planted to both phalaris and tall fescue were relatively high during the second year but declined during the third year of the study, table 3. Spiral (Helicotylenchus dihystera) nematodes were the only species found. Since phalaris roots are highly susceptible to nematode damage, it is possible that nematodes may be a factor in stand losses and declining productivity. Although tall fescue production may be reduced by nematodes, stands persisted better than those of phalaris. Stubby root (Trichodous christiei) and lance (Hoplolaimus galeatus) nematodes, shown to cause the most damage in these grasses 3 , were not found in this experiment.
3

HOVELAND, C. S., R. RODRIGUEZ-KABANA, and C. D. BERRY. 1975. Phalaris and Tall

Fescue Production as Affected by Nematodes in the Field. Agron. J. 67:714-717.
TABLE 3. SPIRAL NEMATODE SOIL POPULATION ON PHALARIS AND TALL FESCUE ON DALLISGRASS SOD AS AFFECTED BY METHYL BROMIDE AT BLACK BELT SUBSTATION

Spiral nematodes per 50cc soil Grass species Phalaris ........... Tall fescue ........ Soil treatment Methyl bromide None Methyl bromide None April 4, 1975 3 39 June 28, 1976 4 10

4 37

TALL FESCUE AND PHALARIS ON DALLISGRASS SOD

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

1. An experiment was conducted at the Black Belt Substation in west central Alabama over a 3-year period to study the compatibility of tall fescue or phalaris overseeded on dallisgrass in combination with and without ladino clover. 2. Overseeding tall fescue or phalaris almost doubled total forage yield and lengthened the productive season by 3 months over that of dallisgrass alone fertilized with N. 3. Summer application of N to dallisgrass overseeded with phalaris or tall fescue had little effect on total forage yield. 4. Good ladino clover with dallisgrass-tall fescue or dallisgrass-phalaris during the first 2 years of the study furnished total forage yields equal to that of grass mixtures fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre. 5. Tall fescue persisted and was productive in association with dallisgrass all 3 years while phalaris stands and productivity declined each year. The reduced productivity of phalaris may be a result of summer cutting and nematodes. 6. Tall fescue-dallisgrass, fertilized with 150 lb. N per acre, yielded more winter forage than tall fescue-dallisgrass-ladino clover. 7. Results of this experiment show that tall fescue can be established in dallisgrass sod and will increase total forage yields and lengthen the productive season either with N fertilizer or in association with ladino clover.

IUBUL RN UN IVERSITY

With an agricultural reserch unit in every major soil area, Auburn University serves the needs of field crop, livestock, forestrv, and hor ticultural producers in each region in Alabama. Every citizen of the State has a stake in this research program, since any advantage from neap and more economical ways of producing and handling farm products directly benefits the consuming puhlic.
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® Main Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn.
7 E. V. Smith Research Center, Shorter.
1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10 11. 12 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Tennessee Valley Substation, Belle Mina Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville. North Alabama Horticulture Substation, Cullman. Upper Coastal Plain Substation, Winfield. Forestry Unit, Fayette County. Foundation Seed Stocks Farm, Thorsby. Chilton Area Horticulture Substation, Clanton. Forestry Unit, Coosa County Piedmont Substation, Camp Hill. Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee. Forestry Unit, Autauga County. Prattville Experiment Field, Prattville. Black Belt Substation, Marion Junction. The Turnipseed-Ikenberry Place, Union Springs. Lower Coastal Plain Substation, Camden Forestry Unit, Barbour County. Monroeville Experiment Field, Monroeville Wiregrass Substation, Headland. Brewton Experiment Field, Brewton. Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, Covington and Escambia counties. 21. Ornamental Horticulture Field Station, Spring Hill. 22. Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope.