Fall and Winter Management Affect Spring Growth and Nutritive Value of Tifton 85 Bermudagrass

Abstract

Spring regrowth of ‘Tifton 85’ bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) has been slow or stands have appeared weakened in some years in North Florida following overseeding with cool-season annuals. This 2-year experiment compared effects of (i) different bermudagrass sod management practices in fall and (ii) winter/spring grazing management of overseeded cool-season forages on subsequent spring and early-summer productivity of Tifton 85 bermudagrass. For overseeded pastures, postgraze stubble height of cool-season forages during winter/spring did not affect bermudagrass production in spring/early summer. Early-season bermudagrass yield generally was greater for pastures not overseeded the previous fall than those that were overseeded with cool-season forages; however, bermudagrass yields by July were as great or greater in plots that had been overseeded compared to unseeded controls. In plots that were not overseeded, leaving an 8-inch bermudagrass stubble entering winter resulted in greater early-season bermudagrass yields the following year than leaving a 2-inch stubble. The results of this study suggest that early-season growth of Tifton 85 bermudagrass may be reduced either by overseeding cool-season forages or by leaving insufficient bermudagrass residue in fall. There were, however, no long-term negative effects on bermudagrass stands of any of the management options tested.