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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #191630
Title: REGISTRATION OF 'BONANZA' BIG BLUESTEM

Author
item Vogel, Kenneth
item Mitchell, Robert - Rob
item KLOPFENSTEIN, T - UNI OF NE
item ANDERSON, B - UNI OF NE

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2006
Publication Date: 9/28/2006
Citation: Vogel, K.P., Mitchell, R., Klopfenstein, T.J., Anderson, B.E. 2006. Registration of 'Bonanza' big bluestem. Crop Science 46:2313-2314.

Interpretive Summary: Bonanza big bluestem is a broadly adapted perennial warm-season grass cultivar that produces forage with high dry matter digestibility when grown in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5 and lower Plant Hardiness Zone 4 of the Central Plains and Midwest, USA. It was co-released in the USDA, Agricultural Research Service and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bonanza was developed by three generations of breeding for improved forage yield and forage digestibility. IVDMD. In field trials, forage of Bonanza had significantly greater forage digestibility than similarly adapted big bluestem cultivars Pawnee, Rountree, and Niagara. Bonanza was compared to Pawnee in a grazing trial located near Mead, NE. Cattle grazing the Bonanza pastures had 16% greater average daily gain than cattle grazing Pawnee pastures and Bonanza pastures produced 14% more beef cattle gains per acre than Pawnee pastures. Based on an economic analysis, the increased gain by cattle grazing Bonanza pasture in comparison to Pawnee pastures resulted in an increase of $37 per ha net return. Foundation seed will be made available by the University of Nebraska Foundation Seed Division for certified seed production on a non-exclusive basis to seed producers who contractually agree to produce and market the seed only as certified seed.

Technical Abstract: Bonanza big bluestem [Andropogon gerardii Vitman.] (PI 641701) is a broadly adapted perennial warm-season grass cultivar that produces forage with high in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) when grown in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5 and lower Plant Hardiness Zone 4 of the Central Plains and Midwest, USA. It was released in May 2004 by the USDA, Agricultural Research Service and the Agricultural Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska. Bonanza was developed by three generations of breeding for improved forage yield and forage digestibility as measured by IVDMD. The base population was the cultivar Pawnee. Forage of Bonanza had significantly greater IVDMD than similarly adapted big bluestem cultivars Pawnee, Rountree, and Niagara when evaluated in field trials. Bonanza was compared to Pawnee in a replicated grazing trial located near Mead, NE. Cattle grazing the Bonanza pastures had 16% greater average daily gain than cattle grazing Pawnee pastures and Bonanza pastures produced 14% more beef cattle gains per acre than Pawnee pastures. Based on an economic analysis, the increased gain by cattle grazing Bonanza pasture in comparison to Pawnee pastures resulted in an increase of $37 per ha net return. Breeder seed will be jointly maintained and produced by USDA-ARS and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Foundation seed production of Bonanza will be managed by the Nebraska Foundation Seed Division, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583. Foundation seed will be made available for certified seed production on a non-exclusive basis to seed producers who contractually agree to produce and market the seed only as certified seed.