Potential use of seeded peanuts as warm-season legumes in the U.S. southern Coastal Plains

Potential use of seeded peanuts as warm-season legumes in the U.S. southern Coastal Plains

Summary

The objective of this project is to assess the potential use of seeded peanut as warm-season legumes mixed in warm-season perennial grass pastures in the U.S. southern Coastal Plains. Two experiments were established in 2014, one using Tifton-85 bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) and another using Pensacola bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). On each trial, different peanuts were planted, including two varieties of rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata) which were Florigraze and Ecoturf, one variety of pintoi peanut (Arachis pintoi) cv. Amarillo, and one variety of common peanut (Arachis hypogea) cv. Tufrunner727. In addition, we included two control treatments: fertilized (N) and unfertilized grass. In Year 1 we were able to establish both trials and perform one staging cut followed by two other harvests. The data is still being processed by the graduate student linked to this project, E. Lawson Mozley, III. The student is also taking classes and has performed well. The two studies were part of the beef and forage field day organized in Oct. 2014 at NFREC and the techniques used in the trials discussed with producers (120). In Year 2, we will assess the ability of the seeded peanuts to overwinter and their capacity to naturally reseed. In addition, estimates of N₂-fixation and forage nutritive value will be performed.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The general objective of this proposal is to evaluate the potential use of different peanuts (A. glabrata, A. hypogea, A. pintoi) associated to two warm-season grasses (Pensacola bahiagrass and Tifton-85). Specific objectives include the determination of forage yield, botanical composition, stand, nutritive value, N biological fixation by the legumes and transfer to associated grass, reseeding potential of seeded peanuts. Year 1 was considered an establishment year. Data collected in Year 2 will allow us to verify: 1) ability of seeded peanuts to reseed; 2) assess N-₂ fixation potential of different peanut-grass mixtures; 3) evaluate the long-term performance of the mixtures. NFREC will host the Perennial Peanut Association Field day in June 6, 2015. We are planning to include both trials in the field day program.

Accomplishments/Milestones

We were able to establish both trials, as planned in the project. The graduate student is also performing well in his classes while still able to develop his research activities in Marianna. We will continue to evaluate the trials in 2015, measuring the planed response variables such as dry matter yield, soil cover, botanical composition, N₂-fixation, and forage nutritive value.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The trials were shown during the Beef and Forage Field day at NFREC in Oct. 2014. During this field day, we had 120 producers, who became very interested in the project. The project was also discussed during extension programs in in Florida. Data collected in Year 2 will support better recommendations regarding the best peanut-grass association in North Florida.

Collaborators: