Evaluation of Five East Texas Forages under Differing Shade Levels

Abstract

A pot study was conducted to measure the establishment success of five forages under 0%, 30% or 60% shade levels. The forages evaluated were ‘Pensacola” Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum Fluegge), “Texas Tough” Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.), “Alamo” switch grass (Panicum virgatum L.), “San Marcos” Eastern Gama grass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.), and a native mix containing by weight 45% “Texas” little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium Michx Nash), 15% sand love grass (Eragrostis trichodes Nutt. L. Alph. Wood), 15% “Blackwell” switch grass (Panicum virgatum L.), 10% “Lometa” Indian grass (Sorgastrum nutans L. Nash), 10% “Haskell” sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula Michx Torr) and 5% “Earl” big bluestem (Andropgon gerardii Vitman). Mean biomass under 60% shades for all forages was less than under the other shade treatments, but did not differ among shade treatments within forages. Mean nutrient tissue concentration showed significant differences among treatments and forages for several nutrients. Shade treatments had no effect on plant density, but low germination of several forages appears to have influenced plant density. Based on these results, Bahia grass, eastern Gama grass and Bermuda grass may be suitable species if maximum biomass production were the goal of a silvopasture management system in east Texas.