Methods to increase native warm‐season grass diversity in bermudagrass

• Published in: Crop, forage & turfgrass management Vol. 7; no. 2
• Main Authors: Rogers, James K., Robertson, Scott G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• ISSN: 2374-3832; 2374-3832
• DOI: 10.1002/cft2.20109

Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is the most common warm‐season introduced forage species grown in the southern portion of the United States. Often grown as a monoculture, bermudagrass responds well to fertilizer and intensive management but provides little wildlife or microbial soil community benefits due to the lack of species diversity. A methods study to evaluate methods of increasing diversity of bermudagrass by adding switchgrass (SG) or a native warm‐season grass mixture (NGMIX) was conducted in southern Oklahoma. An established bermudgrass stand was suppressed using either 7, 11, or 19 months of seedbed preparation time (PREP) with either zero, one, two, or three cover crops depending on PREP time and applied to either till or no‐till strips. Initiation of PREP times were staggered so a common date for SG and NGMIX planting was achieved in two consecutive planting years, April 2011 (Year 1) and April 2012 (Year 2). On both soil textures, till establishment increased stand frequency of SG and NGMIX the year of establishment compared to no‐till. Stand frequency was repeated in 2015 (3 and 4 years post planting, respectively). The loam soil, no‐till stand frequency counts in 2015 had improved for SG and NGMIX and were similar to till. The sandy loam site 2015 stand frequency counts of till established SG and NGMIX remained higher than no‐till. No‐till establishment was slower than and not as successful as till but it still achieved plant diversity in bermudagrass at a lower cost compared to till. Cover crops and PREP time had little effect on establishment. Core Ideas Soil texture influences establishment method and establishment success of native warm‐season grass. Tillage improved NWSG establishment compared to no‐till but, over time no‐till stand frequency can increase. Cover crops and seedbed preparation time beyond 7 months have little effect on stand counts. Native warm‐season grasses can be successfully added to established bermudagrass with a no‐till approach to increase species diversity.