Brunswick Grass (Paspalum nicorae) - a Weed Contaminant in Southern Pastures and Bahiagrass Seed Production Fields.

Brunswick grass (Paspalum nicoraeParodi), sometimes referred to as “Brown seeded paspalum”, is becoming a problematic weed in summer perennial grass pastures in the southeast. This plant is native to southern Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It was introduced into the U.S. as a soil conservation plant for erosion control and as a potential forage crop. This plant has become naturalized and is contaminating bahiagrass seed production fields and pastures in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Since it is less palatable grass species, it is competitive with bahiagrass and bermudagrass, and can eventually dominate a pasture. To our knowledge no herbicides currently exist that will selectively remove Brunswick grass without severely injuring or killing the desirable pasture grass. Total field renovation with glyphosate or cultural (mechanical) methods may be required to destroy a contaminated stand. We have developed a cooperation among land owners, seed harvesters, state departments of agriculture, state regulatory agencies and university extension personnel agriculture to address the problem. Areas of impending research and extension concerning Brunswick grass include its forage quality and palatability, % seed contamination in existing pastures and seed production fields, seed bank survival and hard seededness, developing extension information to identify and remedy its spread and address purity considerations in the bahiagrass seed production industry.