Annual and Perennial Peanut Mixed with ‘Pensacola’ Bahiagrass in North Florida

Abstract

Fertilization of perennial grass pastures is a major expense in beef cattle operations, and grass pastures may degrade in the absence of N fertilization. Grass–legume mixtures can reduce the demand for N fertilizer use while increasing productivity of the system. Arachis spp. have shown potential for use in association with grasses in the southeastern United States. During 2014, 2015, and 2016, we evaluated one annual peanut species (Arachis hypogaea L. TUFRunner ‘727’) and two perennial peanut species, pintoi peanut (A. pintoi Krap. & W.C. Greg ‘Amarillo’) and rhizoma peanut (A. glabrata Benth. ‘Florigraze’ and germplasm Ecoturf), when planted into previously established ‘Pensacola’ bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) sod. Responses measured included herbage accumulation (HA), botanical composition, nutritive value, biological N2 fixation, and belowground root‐rhizome responses. TUFRunner 727 showed reseeding ability, illustrating potential for use as a short‐term forage, but by 2016, its contribution was negligible. In 2016, Ecoturf–bahiagrass had greater HA than unfertilized bahiagrass (4160 and 2710 kg ha−1, respectively), and the Ecoturf contribution to HA was ∼30% in 2016. Average N concentrations for Ecoturf and Florigraze were 25 and 22 g kg−1, respectively, and in vitro digestible organic matter concentration was 700 g kg−1 for both. Pintoi peanut contributed little to mixture HA in the first 2 yr, but it persisted and increased in proportion with time. Over the course of 3 yr, Ecoturf rhizoma peanut performed better than all other entries, exhibiting increasing participation in mixtures each year and the greatest total HA in 2016.

Herbage Responses and Biological N2 Fixation of Bahiagrass and Rhizoma Peanut Monocultures Compared with their Binary Mixtures

“…In the early season, bahiagrass had generally greater participation in the BC; in the middle season, RP had greater contribution in the stand. In agreement with results of low performance of Florigraze RP associated with bahiagrass found by Dunavin (1992), Jaramillo et al (2018) reported that Florigraze had a slower establishment rate than Ecoturf. There are few studies evaluating RP and bahiagrass mixtures in terms of sward composition; among them, Dunavin (1992) and Jaramillo et al (2018) performed trials in Florida and evaluated the sward responses for 8 and 3 yr, respectively.…”

“…Williams et al (2004) reported improvement in average daily gain of Romosinuano (Bos taurus L.) calves in a creep feeding system where calves had access to RP. Management practices adopted during RP planting , in the establishment year (Castillo et al, 2013a(Castillo et al, , 2013b, and the entries used affect the performance of the pasture over time ( Jaramillo et al, 2018). In one of the few works performed, Dunavin (1992) evaluated the association of 'Florigraze' RP with 'Pensacola' bahiagrass.…”

“…However, not many studies have investigated the benefits of mixed RP and warm-season grasses. Jaramillo et al (2018) evaluated the association of Ecoturf and Florigraze with Pensacola bahiagrass and observed that after 3 yr, Ecoturf proportion in the botanical composition (BC) increased from ?5 to ?25%, whereas Florigraze only increased from 7 to 10%. The author reported proportions of RP ranging from 2 to 80% during 8 yr, with an increase from the first to the second year, but a linear decrease from the second to the eighth year.…”

“…In one of the few works performed, Dunavin (1992) evaluated the association of 'Florigraze' RP with 'Pensacola' bahiagrass. Growth habit and morphology of these entries play an important role in establishment (Mullenix et al, 2016;Jaramillo et al, 2018). Management practices adopted during RP planting , in the establishment year (Castillo et al, 2013a(Castillo et al, , 2013b, and the entries used affect the performance of the pasture over time ( Jaramillo et al, 2018).…”

“…There are few studies evaluating RP and bahiagrass mixtures in terms of sward composition; among them, Dunavin (1992) and Jaramillo et al (2018) performed trials in Florida and evaluated the sward responses for 8 and 3 yr, respectively. In the early season, bahiagrass had generally greater participation in the BC; in the middle season, RP had greater contribution in the stand.…”