Abstract
Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum) is well adapted to the Black Belt region of the southeastern US, and information on its productivity and nutritive quality as influenced by fertility is needed. In each yr of a 2-yr study, an existing dallisgrass pasture that had been subdivided into 48 plots of 9.3 m2 each was fertilized with the equivalent of 34 (34N), 67 (67N), 101 (101N) or 134 (134N) kg N/ha from poultry litter (PL) or commercial fertilizer (CF; NH4NO3). In both years, primary-growth and vegetative regrowth forage was harvested in mid-August and late September, respectively, and forage from each harvest was clipped to either a 5- or 10-cm stubble height. Forage cut to a 5-cm height yielded 71% more (P P = 0.002) for CF than PL forage and increased for both fertilizer sources with increasing rates of N application. Forage concentrations of cell-wall constituents were not different between CF and PL treatments. Forage amended with CF had a higher concentration of Ca, Mg and Mn than PL-amended forage; however, forage amended with PL had a higher concentration of P and K than CF-amended forage. There was no effect of fertilizer source on forage concentration of Al, Cu or Zn. Results indicate that PL and CF were comparable for supporting productivity and nutritive quality of dallisgrass on Black Belt soils.
Highlights
Dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum, is a warm-season perennial grass indigenous to South America, primarily Uruguay, Argentina and southern Brazil [1]
The influence of sward height on ingestive behavior and intake of dallisgrass by cattle has been documented in a number of studies [7,8,9,10]
Less extensively studied is the resilience of dallisgrass to forage and grazing-animal management practices that result in low stubble heights and significantly reduced photosynthetic leaf area and carbohydrate reserves for production of vegetative regrowth
Summary
Dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum, is a warm-season perennial grass indigenous to South America, primarily Uruguay, Argentina and southern Brazil [1]. According to Chase [2], it was first reported in the USA in 1840, collected in Louisiana, and named for Abner T. Dallis of La Grange, GA [3]. Dallisgrass represents just 10% of the perennial warm-season grassland acreage in the State of Alabama, where its major uses are for pasture, hay and silage [4]. It responds well to fertilization with N up to 134 kg/ha, and optimally to P and K based on soil test. Dallisgrass tolerates frequent defoliation better and maintains its forage quality longer into the growing season than many other commonly utilized perennial C4 grasses [5,6]
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