Yield Response of Native Warm-Season Forage Grasses to Harvest Intervals and Durations in Mixed Stands

Agronomy

Vitalis W. Temu¹  Brian J. Rude² 

[1] Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA;Plant and Soil Sciences Department & Animal and Dairy Science Department, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; E-Mails:

关键词: Native grass;    warm-season;    harvest;    forage;    yield;    bluestem;    defoliation;    recovery;   

DOI  :  10.3390/agronomy4010090

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Tolerance to frequent defoliations is critical for native warm-season grasses managed for forage and wildlife habitat. Yield response of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) to treatments (30-, 40-, 60-, 90- or 120-d harvest intervals) and durations were assessed on early-succession mixed stands. Over three years, phased harvestings were initiated in May, on sets of randomized plots, in five replications to produce one-, two-, and three-year old stands, by the third year. Each plot had marked indiangrass and big bluestem plants which were hand-clipped on harvest-days before whole-plot harvesting. Species yields were greater in first- than second-year plots but not affected by treatments. June–September yields in 2008 were greatest for the 30-d, and more in the first- (8472 kg ha⁻¹) than second-year (7627 kg ha⁻¹) plots. In 2009, yields were also greater in first- than second-year plots but without treatment effects. Recovery yields showed no treatment effect, but were about 67% less for second- compared to first-year plots and much less than plots never harvested before. Data suggest that harvesting similar mixed native warm-season grass stands at 30- to 40-d intervals may provide good hay yields without compromising post-season stand recovery for multiple uses.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.