Establishing Hybrid Bermudagrass for Forage

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Establishing Hybrid Bermudagrass for Forage

• Tommy Waldrop
• Area Livestock Teacher
• May 2007

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Hybrids

• Do not produce many viable seed.
• Must be Established Vegetatively.
• Hybrids usually produce greater Yield
• Higher cost of establishing stand.

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Preparing for Establishment

• Well tilled field
• Start the fall before planting
• Eliminate Common Berudagrass- (several
  applications of Glyphosate)
• Soil Test - Lime and Fertilize accordingly

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Select Variety

• Tifton 85
• Tifton 44
• Tifton 78
• Coastal
• Midland
• Grazer
• Russell
• Alicia

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Tifton 85

• 25 better Yields than Coastal.
• 10 more digestible than Coastal.
• Not to be Planted north of I-20.
• Responds to Good Management.
• Easy to Establish.
• Larger Stems Takes Longer to Dry.
• Broader Leaves.
• Some Horse Buyers do not like it.
• Higher Stocking Rates.

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Tifton 44

• More Winterhardy than Coastal
• Finned Stemmed
• Preferred by many Horse Buyers
• Slower to Establish
• Slightly Higher Nutritive Value Than Coastal

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Tifton 78

• Starts Faster than Coastal
• Produces more LWG/A than Coastal
• Above Ground Stolons
• Hard to Keep a Stand
• Not Planted much Now

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Coastal

• First Released in 1943
• Planted on more than 10 Million Acres
• Yields up to 6 times more than Common
• Still a good hay Grass

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Midland

• Good Cold Tolerance
• Survived Winters in Indiana
• Yields 13 less that Coastal
• Not the Best Choice for South Georgia

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Grazer

• Equal to Coastal in disease resistance, Drought
  resistance, and persistence.
• Produces 10 15 less forage.
• 12 more digestible than Coastal.
• Gains per acre are the same as Coastal.

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Russell

• Collected from Field in Russell Alabama in a
  Field that was planted in Callie.
• Cold Hardy.
• Popular Varieties in North Ga.
• Rapid Establishment.
• Fined Stem.
• Dense Sod and Low Growth Habit.

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Alicia

• Imported from Africa in the 1960s.
• Establishes easy, Popular with Spriggers.
• Popular Horse Hay.
• Forage Quality 10 lower than Coastal.
• Susceptible to Leaf Rust
• Other Varieties provide better Forage.

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Establishment Methods

• Sprigs
• Tifton 44
• Midland
• Cuttings

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Sprigs

• Minimum of 20 Bushels per Acre in soft bare
  ground.
• Plant more if Quick Stand is the Goal.
• Cover with Dirt Immediately.
• Sprigs left in sun for 4 hours on top of ground
  have only 3 survival.
• Pack soil with Packer or Tractor with Duals.
• Spray with 2-4D

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Sprig
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Cuttings

• Must have 6 weeks of growth.
• Must be 18 to 24 inches long.
• Cheaper than paying for sprigs.
• Plant 5 to 7 Bales per Acre.
• Bale immediately after cutting.
• Scatter and disc into field before they wilt.
• Spray with 2-4D.

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Most Common Causes of Failures

• Poorly Prepared Seedbed
• Inadequate Moisture
• Using Dried Sprigs
• Planting to few Sprigs
• Covering too Deep
• Not Firming Soil
• Weed Competition
• Grazing before Established

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Stand Renovation

• Reduced Forage Production
• Thin Stands
• Poor Drainage
• Soil Compaction
• Accumulation of Nutrients

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Minimum Renovation

• Soil Testing
• Fertilization
• Weed control
• Prescribed Burning

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Extensive Renovation

• Subsoiling or Chiseling
• Discing or Plowing
• Replanting
• Heavy Fertilization

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To Produce one Ton of Forage

• Bermudagrass must Absorb
• 50 Lbs Nitrogen
• 15 Lbs Phosphorus
• 42 lbs Potassium

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Good Fertilization Advantages

• Increased Forage Production
• Improved Forage Quality (Protein)
• Improved Root System and Sod Density
• Reduced Weed Competition
• Reduced Soil Erosion
• Improved Water-to-Yield Ratio

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The End