Progress Report Series No. 92 March, 169 Agricultural Experiment Station :. Smith, Dire tor V. Auburn, Alabama AUBURN UNIVERSITY I UI n'ppylr SUMMER ANNUAL GRASS VARIETY TRIALS IN 1968 C. S. HOVELAND and E. L. CARDEN, Department of Agronomy and Soils W. B. ANTHONY and J. P. CUNNINGHAM, Department of Animal Science VARIETIES OF SUMMER annual grasses were tested at five locations in 1968. Seed were planted in 6-inch rows at all locations except at the Gulf Coast Substation where 12-inch rows were used. Tests were planted in late April and fertilized with 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting and again after each cutting. Adequate phosphorus and potassium were applied at planting. Each plot was 5 X 20 feet and varieties were replicated four times. Two to four cuttings were obtained during the season. Hand separations of leaves and stems were made at each harvest from the Plant Breeding Unit test. Digestible dry matter (DDM) was determined by placing nylon bags containing forage samples in the rumen of steers fitted with fistulas. The bags were removed after 24 hours and digestibility was calculated on the basis of undigested dry matter remaining in the bag. Two samples of each variety per harvest date were used from each variety. Total pounds per acre of DDM was calculated by multiplying percentage DDM times yield of dry matter per acre for each harvest. Sorghum-sudan hybrids generally outyielded pearlmillet varieties at the Plant Breeding Unit, Table 2. Pearlmillet varieties made no regrowth after the August 27 harvest as compared to the 11/ tons or more of additional dry forage yield on sorghumsudan hybrids by October 17. The hybrid sudan entries, Cumberland and Monarch, were more productive in the fall than pearlmillet but less so than the better sorghum-sudan hybrids. When 3-year average yields of varieties are compared, Grazer-A sorghum-sudan made the highest total yield. At the Black Belt Substation total yields of all sorghum-sudan hybrids were similar in 1968 and also for the two-year average, Table 3. Monarch hybrid sudan made poor regrowth after the July harvest. Pearlmillet varieties were generally more productive than sorghum-sudan hybrids at the Lower Coastal Plain and Gulf Coast Substations, Tables 4 and 5. Drought sharply reduced yields at both locations below those obtained in previous years. Leaf Production A high percentage of leaves is generally associated with higher quality forage. Leaf percentages differed considerably among varieties, Table 6. Pearlmillet varieties were generally more leafy and produced more leaves per acre than sorghum-sudan hybrids. Several sorghum-sudan hybrids were more leafy than the sundangrasses in early summer. Sorghum-sudan hybrids which maintained high leaf percentages throughout the season were Grazer-A, Sordan 67, Pioneer 988, and Funk's G-78F. Among the varieties tested for two years, the highest leaf yields per acre were obtained with Gahi-1 and NK-X1002 millet. Digestible dry matter (DDM) Differences in percentage DDM among varieties were generally small, Table 7. Although leaf per- RESULTS Forage Yields Drought reduced forage yields in 1968 below that of the previous two or three years at all locations. Top yields were more than 6 tons dry forage per acre at the Plant Breeding Unit, 4 tons at the Tennessee Valley Substation and approximately 3 tons at other locations. Total yield at the Tennessee Valley Substation was highest for Pioneer 985 sorghum-sudan, primarily as a result of more rapid early season growth, Table 1. Severe drought prevented regrowth after the August clipping. centages of pearlmillet varieties were higher than for sorghum-sudans, this was not reflected in higher percentage DDM. This suggests that stems of sorghumsudan hybrids were highly digestible. The high percentage DDM at the October harvest indicates that these grasses offer promise in providing high quality forage in late summer and fall when perennial pasture quality is low and annual winter forages are not yet available. When yields are expressed as DDM per acre (per cent DDM X total forage yield), differences among varieties range from 8,500 to 4,690 pounds per acre. Grazer-A sorghum-sudan produced more DDM per acre than other varieties in the test. Diseases Foliar diseases were low in the 1968 tests. No disease ratings were made on varieties at any location. RECOMMENDED VARIETIES Recommendations are based on two or more years of testing and include yield, leaf percentage, disease resistance, recovery after clipping, late summer production, and stem size. Certain varieties which performed well in 1968 are not placed on the recommended list as only one year's data are available. Pearlmillet-(Not recommended on high lime soils of Black Belt.) Gahi-1 Sorghum-sudan hybrids-(Not recommended in Gulf Coast region. Soils should be limed to pH 5.7 or above. Pearlmillet is more productive than sorghumsudan hybrids on very acid soil.) Acceptable varieties are listed below in alphabetical order: DeKalb SX-11 Funks 77F Grazer-A Gro-N-Graze TABLE Pioneer 985 Pioneer 988 Sudan varieties: None recommended SOURCES OF SEED IN TESTS Pearlmillet: Gahi-1 Northrup King and Company, Atmore, Alabama Millex 22, Northrup King and Company, NK-X-1002 Atmore, Alabama Pearlex 21, W. R. Grace and Company, Pearlex-28 Ames, Iowa Sudangrass: Monarch Cumberland Caladino Farm Seeds, Woodland, California Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville, Tennessee Sorghum-Sudan hy brids: Grazer-A Asgrow Seed Company, San Antonio, Texas Gro-N-Graze, George Warner Seed Company, Sucrosse Hereford, Texas Funks 77F, Funk Brothers Seed Company of G-78F Texas, Lubbock, Texas DeKalb SX-11, DeKalb Agricultural Association, SX-16 Lubbock, Texas Summergrazer Cotton Hybrid Research, Winder, Georgia Pioneer 985, 988 Pioneer Corn Company, Tipton, Indiana HG-12 U.S. Seeds, Farwell, Texas Sordan 67 Northrup King and Company, Atmore, Alabama W. R. Grace and Company, Su-4 Ames, Iowa VALLEY SUBSTATION, BELLE MINA, ALABAMA, 1. FORAGE YIELD OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT TENNESSEE 1968 July 11 Pioneer 985 D eK alb SX -16 --------------------------- -----Pearlex 28 millet Sordan 67--------------------------------- ----Monarch sudan Pearlex 21 millet Su-4 --Gahi-1 millet Funks 77F Cumberland sudan Millex 22 millet Su crosse ---------- ------------------------- --5,557 4,642 3, 212 3,852 3,484 2,828 Pounds oven-dry forage per acre August 22 3,382 2,928 3,998 3,296 3,552 3,931 3,035 3,471 2,728 2,531 3,478 2 ,43 8 Total 8,939 7,570 7,210 7,148 7,036 6,759 6,374 6,329 6,069 5,984 5,664 5,609 3,339 2,858 3,341 3,453 2,186 3 ,17 1 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. TABLE 2. FORAGE YIELD OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA, 1968 Average Pounds of oven-dry forage per acre June 27 July 19 Aug. 27 4,870 4,378 4,076 4,294 4,315 4,272 3,966 3,996 3,991 4,084 3,834 3,877 4,694 3,708 4,315 3,430 3,768 3,319 3,542 2,938 Oct. 17 1,718 1,340 1,296 1,220 1,426 1,296 1,514 1,495 1,263 1,489 0 1,408 824 0 948 0 915 0 811 0 Total 12,784 12,247 11,550 11,486 11,365 11,161 11,082 10,747 10,486 10,408 10,404 10,367 10,240 9,981 9,653 9,327 9,012 8,987 7,569 7,374 2 yr. 13,398 11,577 11,741 12,472 12,396 13,147 11,948 12,514 11,636 2,602 3,594 Grazer-A-............................ 3,897 2,632 Gro-N-Graze ............................ 3,243 2,935 DeKalb SX-16 3,032 2,940 Summergrazer 3,038 2,586 Funks 77F-----------------------------------3,371 2,222 Funks G-78F 2,820 2,782 Pioneer 988-.... 2,216 3,070 Sordan 67 2,913 2,319 Pioneer 985 2,284 2,551 Sucrosse.................. 1,982 4,588 Pearlex 21 millet-..... 2,697 2,385 U.S. Seeds HG-12 ---------------------------------2,362 2,360 DeKalb SX-11 4,672 1,601 Gahi-1 millet 2,288 2,102 Monarch sudan 4,353 1,544 NK-X-1002 millet... 1,865 2,464 Su-4 1,720 3,948 Pearlex 28 millet 1,844 1,372 Cumberland sudan 3,086 1,350 Millex 22 millet 3 yr. 12,019 10,365 10,997 10,406 10,774 10,569 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. TABLE 3. FORAGE YIELD OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT BLACK BELT SUBSTATION, MARION JUNCTION, ALABAMA, 1968 Average 2 yr. 8,376 8,716 8,808 Entry29 May DeKalb SX-16 Pioneer 985 Su-4 Sucrosse Pioneer 988 HG-12 Funks G-78F Sordan 67 DeKalb SX-11 Gro-N-Graze- ....... Funks 77F Monarch sudan 2,064 2,234 2,252 2,022 2,821 2,200 1,883 1,913 1,565 1,668 1,644 1,698 Pounds of oven-dry forage per acre Sept. 23 July 15 3,308 3,018 3,054 3,063 2,981 2,794 2,827 2,612 2,686 2,712 2,637 3,057 1,121 990 931 1,043 808 848 988 1,154 1,321 1,135 1,117 118 Total 6,493 6,241 6,236 6,128 6,111 5,842 5,698 5,679 5,572 5,515 5,390 4,873 ... ... ... ---- 8,060 8,170 8,532 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. TABLE 4. FORAGE YIELD OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT LOWER COASTAL PLAIN SUBSTATION, CAMDEN, ALABAMA, 1968 Entry Pearlex 28 millet Pearlex 21 . M illex 22 m illet...................... Gahi-1 millet DeKalb SX-16 Funks 77F Su-4 --------------------------------- -Pioneer 988 Sordan 67 ............................. Gro-N -Graze........................... May 30 2,822 2,034 2,651 2,334 2,947 2,392 2,505 2,240 2,414 1,732 Pounds of oven-dry forage per acre July 19 4,548 4,624 3,921 4,143 3,085 2,834 2,610 2,630 2,505 2,676 Total 6,870 6,658 6,572 6,377 5,982 5,226 5,115 4,870 4,919 4,408 Average 2 yr. 9,112 8,052 8,506 8,550 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. TABLE 5. FORAGE YIELD OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, 1968 Entry Pearlex 28 millet Pearlex 21 millet DeKalb SX-16 Gahi-1 millet Millex 22 millet Sucrosse . Gro-N-Graze Sordan 67 Funks 77F July 2 4,121 3,646 2,921 3,455 3,842 2,920 2,485 2,187 2,368 Pounds of oven-dry forage per acre July 23 Aug. 27 1,256 1,300 1,246 1,482 1,369 1,070 1,124 1,112 1,129 720 920 1,507 503 606 680 972 985 588 Average Total 6,097 5,866 5,674 5,441 5,317 4,670 4,581 4,284 4,085 2 yr. 3 yr. 9,875 8,596 7,622 8,708 \I All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. 6,727 TABLE 6. LEAF PERCENTAGE OF SUMMER ANNUAL GRASSES AT PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA, 1968 Entry Pearlex 21 millet Gahi-1 millet--Pearlex 28 millet NK-X 1002 millet Grazer-A .----- - --Gro-N-Graze--Sordan 67------- -Pioneer 988-- - - - S X-16 ---- --- ----- --- --Funks G-78FSummergrazer ---------H G-12 --------------- -Funks 77F ------------Pioneer 985-------- ----- Per cent leaves in dry forage Total pounds of dry leaves per acre June 27 100 100 July 19 67 66 69 68 50 44 Aug. 27 66 62 72 64 46 52 48 Oct. 17 0 0 0 0 46 1968 7,586 6,984 6,833 6,699 2-yr. av. 7,32 7,20-4 6,042 5)266 5,596 100 100 61 48 65 56 63 64 50 60 46 50 49 49 54 52 52 50 50 46 51 43 48 42 44 38 44 50 46 46 43 48 48 49 52 52 36 57 44 54 45 59 52 34 51 50 42 6,414 5,858 5,836 5,794 5,787 5,462 5,321 5,258 5,208 5,194 4,952 4,861 4,414 4,383 4.345 3,830 45 53 44 58 47 0 49 sx -1 1 ----------------Monarch sudan --------Sucrosse --------------Millex 22 millet -------S u-4 .---------------- Cumberland sudan ------ 5,294 6,337 5,659 5,592 5,337 100 50 54 54 40 54 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearlmillets. TABLE 7. 4~Lb.4 DIGESTIBLE DRY Inks 77F ____________________________ MATTER OF SUMMAER ANNUAL GRASSES AT PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, Per cent digestible dry matter (DDM) ALABAMA, 1968 Total DDM EtyJune Grazer-A --------Gro-N-Graze-Funks 77F-------DeKalb SX-16----Summergrazer Pioneer 988 Funks G-78F Pearlex 21 millet-Pioneer 985------H G-12 ----------Sordan 67-------DeKalb SX-11 ---Gahi-] millet-----Sucrosse------- --Monarch sudan---NK-XI002 millet-S u-4 ----------- Pearlex 38 millet-Gumberland sudanMillex 22 millet--. 27 67 66 67 68 67 65 69 70 6)9 65 July 19 69 Aug. 27 64 62 63 61 62 63 61 66 63 63 Oct. 17 69 69 70 68 70 68 71 70 70 69 67 70 69 69 58X Lb.acr 7,90.9 7,454 7,439 7,426 7,255 7,183 7,083 6)84 6,840 6,771 6,384 6,382 6,196 5,774 5,574 4,844 4,592 65 66 64 64 68 63 69 C)3 66 68 69 69 62 65 63 63 67 65 59 61 63 56 62 61 65 63 68 67 66 62 66 66 68 60 60 66 60 61 62 All entries are sorghum-sudan hybrids unless otherwise designated as sudans or pearmillets.