Seeding Sorghum × Sudangrass Hybrids into Tall Fescue Sod¹

Abstract

Sorghum × sudangrass hybrids (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench × Sorghum sudanense P. Stapf.) were seeded into tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) sod, which had been temporarily suppressed with paraquat4 (l,l'‐dimethyl‐4,4'‐bipyridinium dichloride). Sod‐seeded De‐Kalb ‘Sudax SX‐12’, with N fertilizer banded under the seed, produced as much forage as conventionally seeded Sudax. Sod‐seeded ‘Sudax SX‐11’ and SX‐12, with N broadcast at seeding, produced less forage than conventionally seeded Sudax, unless enough paraquat was applied to damage tall fescue permanently. Combined yield of tall fescue and sod‐seeded Sudax, under the best management, was about 60% greater than yields of either fescue or Sudax alone.

Forage Production of a Tall Fescue Sod Intercropped with Sorghum ✕ Sudangrass and Rye1

“…Band spraying paraquat in our systems achieved the desired degree of sod control while using only 50% of the amount needed for broadcast control. The increased total yields found in this study by sod seeding sorghum X sudangrass hybrids, agree with those of Hart et al (1971) in Maryland, although their chemical control was broadcast. Tall fescue can be killed in the Southern Piedmont with only 0.28 kg paraquat; ha since high temperatures in early summer appear to enhance its effectiveness.…”

“…A number of workers have investigated no-tillage production of corn (lea mays L.) (Bennett et al, 1976;Carreker et al, 1977) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) (Hart et al, 1971) in suppressed tall fescue sods to best utilize summer months when forage production from tall fescue swards is low. The technique of strip-killing tall fescue and no-till plant• ing of corn in the killed strips was successful under irrigation (Box et al, 1980;Harper et al, 1980), whereas no-till planting of corn into live tall fescue sod without irrigation was not (Carreker et al, 1977).…”

Seeding Rate Effects on Forage Mass and Vegetation Dynamics of Cool-Season Grass Sod Interseeded with Sorghum-Sudangrass

“…In an Iowa study, interseeding sorghum into a slot-tilled and herbicide-suppressed reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) stand increased dry matter (DM) yields by 35% (~2.24 Mg ha −1 ), but the sorghum appeared chlorotic and lacked vigor [5]. Seeding in herbicide-suppressed tall fescue sod with N fertilizer banded under the seed may be a strategy to enhance vigor and forage yields of sod-seeded annual warm-season grasses [6]. In West Virginia, researchers found interseeding teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.)…”

Supplemental forages for grazing beef cattle in Appalachia

“…They concluded that DM production was influenced more by variation in stubble height at the second harvest than when these same variations were imposed at the first or third harvest. Hart et al (1971) examined the effect of post-seeding management on establishment and yield of a sudangrass hybrid. They reported that stubble height had no significant effect on yield in the first year of their two-year study period.…”

“…evaluated herbicides for use in zero and minimized tilled corn and sorghum in Nebraska. They reported that all herbicide treatments reduced weed populations and resulted in increased yields compared to the cultivated check Hart et al (1971). determined the effects of rates of paraquat and post-seeding management on establishment and yield of sorghum x sudangrass hybrids (Sudax) seeded into tall fescue sod.…”