Author
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Aiken, Glen |
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Submitted to: American Forage and Grassland Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Interseeding tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pastures with warm-season annual grasses has potential to provide high-quality grazing during the summer when growth of cool-season perennial grasses is minimal. However, allelopathic effects of tall fescue on the germination and growth of warm-season annual grasses are possible and should be investigated as an initial evaluation of the management option. Extracts from aboveground herbage of endophyte infected and non- infected Kentucky-31 tall fescue were prepared in low (25 g chopped fresh material/liter distilled water) and high (100 g chopped fresh material/ liter distilled water) concentrations to use as growth mediums for determining allelopathic effects on seed germination and seedling development of four pearlmillet (Pennisetum americanum [L.] Leeke) varieties and four sorghum-sudan (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench.) hybrids. Germinations of the two grasses were not affected (P>0.10) by extracts of either infected or non-infected tall fescue. Seminal root length, coleoptile length, and adventitious root initiation were also not adversely affected (P>0.10) by the extracts. Results of the study indicate that pearl millet and sorghum-sudan hybrids can be planted in tall fescue to provide sufficient germination and emergence. |
