Overseeding Cool‐Season Annual Legumes and Grasses into Dormant ‘Tifton 85’ Bermudagrass for Forage and Biomass

Abstract

Overseeding dormant bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] ‘Tifton 85’ with cool‐season annuals in the southeastern United States could provide winter and spring forage or bioenergy feedstock. We overseeded cool‐season annual legumes and grasses in monocultures or mixtures into dormant Tifton 85 and compared aboveground dry matter (DM) and N yields of single harvests at peak biomass production and a multiple harvest forage system. We also measured first‐cut spring Tifton 85 yields. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yielded as much or more (P ≤ 0.05) biomass in a single‐harvest system than other grasses only during a dry cool season. Well‐distributed precipitation, in combination with multiple cool‐season grass legume harvests, resulted in lower yields than the single harvest system, whereas the reverse occurred when precipitation was erratic. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) matured later in the spring, and monocultures or mixes with it yielded more (P ≤ 0.05) DM and N than the more precocious crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.). A drier cool season followed by a spring with good precipitation, as well as repeated cool‐season grass and legume harvests, resulted in more (P ≤ 0.05) spring first‐cut Tifton 85 DM regrowth. Results provide several management options to maximize cool‐season, annual legume, and grass bioenergy feedstock or forage while minimizing negative and maximizing positive effects on subsequent early spring Tifton 85 regrowth.

Overseeding Eastern Gamagrass with Cool‐Season Annual Grasses or Grass–Legume Mixtures

“…), and bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] in the southeastern United States (Hoveland et al, 1978; Wyatt et al, 2012; White et al, 2018).…”

“…), and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] in the southeastern United States (Hoveland et al, 1978;Wyatt et al, 2012;White et al, 2018). reported little effect of overseeding red clover into NWSG on forage mass, CP, neutral detergent fiber, or animal performance, likely due to low levels of clover after establishment.…”

Overseeding cool‐season forages on rhizoma peanut fields

“…Overseeding cool-season forages can potentially increase animal performance during the cool season while optimizing land utilization and improving production throughout the year (Dubeux et al, 2016). White et al (2018) reported several options to optimize cool-season forage gains and subsequent early spring positive effects on forage production by overseeding bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]. Overseeding cool-season legumes on switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), also increased total biomass productivity (Mantino et al, 2020).…”

“…Cool‐season annual legumes and grasses are commonly overseeded on warm‐season grass pastures, however results may vary from site to site (Han, Alison, Pitman, & McCormick, 2012; Mantino, Giannini, Tozzini, Bonari, & Ragaglini, 2020; White, Muir, & Lambert, 2018). Overseeding cool‐season forages can potentially increase animal performance during the cool season while optimizing land utilization and improving production throughout the year (Dubeux et al., 2016).…”

“…White et al. (2018) reported several options to optimize cool‐season forage gains and subsequent early spring positive effects on forage production by overseeding bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]. Overseeding cool‐season legumes on switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.), also increased total biomass productivity (Mantino et al., 2020).…”