105-7 Strip-Planting of Rhizoma Peanut In Bahiagrass Pastures to Increase Production and Sustainability of Low-Input Forage-Livestock Systems In Florida.



Monday, October 17, 2011: 1:00 PM
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 007C, River Level

Miguel S. Castillo1, Lynn E. Sollenberger1, Ann R. Blount2, Jason A. Ferrell1, Mary J. Williams3 and Cheryl L. Mackowiak4, (1)Agronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
(2)North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Marianna, FL
(3)USDA-NRCS, Gainesville, FL
(4)North Florida and Education Center, University of Florida, Quincy, FL
Nitrogen-limited grasslands degrade, reducing their potential to serve as a source of forage for livestock or provide ecosystem services. Legumes are an alternative to fertilizer N for improving long-term pasture persistence in low-input, forage-livestock systems. Rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.; RP) spreads laterally in grass swards and has demonstrated long-term persistence under grazing, making it an ideal candidate for sustainable pasture systems. Thus far, RP has been used primarily for hay production because of high establishment cost. Alternative low-cost establishment strategies are needed. Research was conducted in Gainesville, FL to evaluate planting of RP in clean-tilled strips in established, low-input bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) pastures. Objectives were to identify: 1) the degree to which defoliation management during the establishment period affects presence, cover, and subsequent success of RP; and 2) management options to minimize weed competition with RP for nutrients and light. During the establishment year, continuous and rotational stocking severely reduced RP cover (3 and 5%, respectively) and frequency (21 and 26%, respectively) compared to treatments where the bahiagrass pasture was managed for hay production (17% cover and 50% frequency). The use of imazapic and imazapic + 2,4-D in strips planted to RP greatly reduced weed competition and allowed greater RP cover and frequency (22 and 23% cover, 50 and 52% frequency, for imazapic and imazapic + 2,4-D, respectively) compared to an untreated control (3 and 22%), frequent mowing (2 and 14%), and application of clethodim (6 and 26%) or pendimethalin (4 and 20%) herbicides. Application of 50 kg N ha-1 following herbicide treatment resulted in greater RP cover and frequency in treatments where weeds were controlled successfully. Data show that strip planting RP in bahiagrass is a viable option, but defoliation and weed management are critical to RP establishment success.
See more from this Division: C06 Forage and Grazinglands
See more from this Session: Robert F Barnes Graduate Student Competition