ARS | Publication request: GRASS ENERGENCE IN A RECYCLED PAPER-MANURE MULCH AS INFLUENCED BY MULCH DEPTH AND PLANTING METHOD

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 18, 2001
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Pelletized waste paper-manure shows promise as a surface applied mulch for controlling weeds and erosion. Many areas covered with this mulch, however, will eventually require a grass cover. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate emergence of six grass species (bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon; weeping lovegrass, Eragrostis curvula, dallisgrass, Paspalum notatum; ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum, rye, Secale cereale; and tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea) in a waste paper-manure mulch for three mulch depths (.6, 1.3, and 1.9 cm) and three orientations of seed with the mulch (top, bottom, and mixed). The top orientation tended to provide the highest emergence for each grass. Although emergence generally decreased with increases in mulch depth, emergence for each grass was adequate for each depth by orientation combination. Results of the study showed that are grass seed can be planted in a pelletized waste paper-manure mulch, but tseeding rates for deeper depths of mulch may be necessary if seed is eithe mixed with the mulch or broadcast prior to mulching.