Sindy M. Interrante, Lynn E. Sollenberger, Ann Blount, Thomas Sinclair, Jose Dubeux, and Joao M.B. Vendramini. University of Florida, 2185 McCarty Hall, PO Box 110300, Gainesville, FL 32611-0300
Bahiagrass is the primary pasture grass in Florida, and pastures are productive from April to November in northern Florida. When soil moisture and soil fertility are adequate and temperatures are sufficiently high, the reduction in bahiagrass growth during winter months may be attributed to short daylengths. The economic implications associated with the seasonal forage shortfalls has led to research aimed at increasing bahiagrass productivity during short-daylength months through genetic selection and development of cultivars that are insensitive to photoperiod. There are concerns that increasing above-ground growth through extended photoperiod may negatively affect the partitioning of organic matter to storage structures such as roots, rhizomes, and stolons, possibly resulting in reduced tolerance to defoliation and potential stand loss. An extended daylength field study was conducted to evaluate a cold tolerant, less daylength sensitive bahiagrass type against existing bahiagrass cultivars. Treatments were the factorial combinations of two daylength treatments, two fertilizer treatments, and three bahiagrass genotypes in four replications of a split-plot arrangement of a completely randomized design. Herbage DM yields were determined by regular harvests to an 8-cm stubble height. Destructive samples were collected three times per season, and plants were divided into shoot, rhizome/stolon, and root fractions for subsequent analyses. There were no differences in total season DM yields for the extended daylength treatment (P<0.05). For the October harvest, DM yields for genotypes under extended daylengths were generally greater than those under normal daylengths (P<0.05). However, April normal daylength DM yields and above: below-ground ratios were greater than those under extended daylengths (P<0.05). In April, Pensacola and Tifton 9 root and rhizome DM yields were greater than PICA C4 (P<0.1).
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