Renovating Pastures to Novel Endophytes Craig Roberts, University of Missouri
I. Toxicosis
Tall Fescue: Ho-Jong Ju and Nick Hill
Health Vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) Poor thermoregulation Fescue foot, heat stress Immunosuppression Production Low feed intake Low rate of gain Dystocia (birthing problems) and poor reproduction Aglactia (poor milk production)
Does not include economic losses to other livestock. Does not include impact on wildlife. 2004 Impact to Missouri Beef Industry Stockers: $30 million /year Cow-calf: $130 million /year
I. Toxicosis II. Management
Three Types of Tall Fescue: toxic endophyte endophytefree novel endophyte
Endophyte-free Nematodes Fungi Bacteria Viruses Insects Overgrazing Abiotic stresses Roberts et al, 1992
Novel Endophytes
1400 1000 600 Duckett et al., 2001
I. Toxicosis II. Management III. Renovation Roberts and Andrae, 2005
Yield A. Standard Spray-Smother-Spray No-till fall planting Single year Summer smother Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield First Spray: May 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield Second Spray: August 2017 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: May 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield First Spray: May 2017 old fescue Second Spray: August 2017 volunteer seed escape tillers smother crop Tall Fescue Spring smother Summer Season Fall
Yield First spray timing: 1. KILL: when old fescue is growing 2. PLANT: before smother crop seeded Second Spray: August 2017 volunteer seed escape tillers smother crop First Spray: May 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring smother Summer Season Fall
Yield Second spray timing: 1. KILL: when escape tiller and volunteer seed are growing 2. PLANT: before new grass seeded Second Spray: August 2017 volunteer seed escape tillers smother crop First Spray: May 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring smother Summer Season Fall
Yield B. Alternative Spray-Smother-Spray No-till fall planting Single year Winter smother Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield First Spray: August 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield Second Spray: August 2018 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: August 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring * Summer Season Fall
Yield Second Spray: August 2018 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: August 2017 old fescue Tall smother Fescue Spring Summer Season smother Fall
Yield First spray timing: 1. KILL: when old fescue is growing 2. PLANT: before smother crop seeded Second Spray: August 2018 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: August 2017 old fescue Tall smother Fescue smother Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield Second spray timing: 1. KILL: when escape tiller and volunteer seed are growing 2. PLANT: before new grass seeded Second Spray: August 2018 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: August 2017 old fescue Tall smother Fescue smother Spring Summer Season Fall
Davis Farm Brookfield, MO Old fescue sprayed September 4 Cereal rye seeded September 11 Grazing began early November
Davis Farm Brookfield, MO Grazed and hayed throughout spring Harvested May 17
Davis Farm Brookfield, MO 50 1000-lb bales on 7 acres
Yield C. Spray-Wait-Spray No-till fall planting Single year No smother Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Yield Clip: May 2017 Second Spray: August 2017 volunteer seed escape tillers First Spray: June 2017 old fescue Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Gene Schmitz, University of Missouri
Method New Fescue Old Fescue Bare Ground Spray Smother - Spray 52.2 0.1 19.6 Spray Wait - Spray 43.4 0.4 17.9
John Andrae, Clemson 2nd spray kills escapes
John Andrae, Clemson Glyphosate Glyphosate (or spray-wait-spray )
John Andrae, Clemson Glyphosate burn if excess residue - Glyphosate
Yield Prepared Seedbed Conventional tillage Fall planting Single year No smother Tall Fescue Spring Summer Season Fall
Clean till Spray wait - spray John Andrae, Clemson
Clean till Spray wait - spray John Andrae, Clemson
I. Toxicosis II. Management III. Renovation IV. Troubleshooting Roberts and Andrae, 2005
144 acres sprayed August Drilled rye late August Graze/hay fall through spring Sprayed again in June next year Drought! Sprayed again August in next year Escape tillers, volunteer seed unaffected Volunteer seed emerged later Escape tillers and volunteer seedlings must be growing! They also must be contacted by herbicide.
Why Forage Seedlings Fail Forages, Volume I, An Introduction to Grassland Agriculture, 6th Edition Barnes, Nelson, Collins, Moore 2003
Live seed does not germinate because: Impermeable seed coat: This can be overcome by scarifying seed. Not enough air: This occurs because seed were sown too deeply or in wet soils. Not enough moisture. (also, some seed have dormancy)
Seedlings die immediately after germination because: Drying: seed placed in loose surface soil may germinate after a light rain, then dry out before developing sufficient roots for establishment. Freezing: Seed are sensitive to freezing as the young root breaks the seed coat; temperatures below -3 degrees Celsius are lethal. Soil coverage reduces the likelihood of injury, and once rooted, seedlings can withstand much lower temperatures. Light coverage: Soil cover or mulch protects against both drying and freezing; without it, seed establish only when soil surface remains moist for extended periods. Heavy coverage: Most wasted seed probably occurs this way. Crusted soil surface: This can prevent emergence, especially when seed are sown deeply on fine-textured soils. Toxicity: Seed in direct contact with banded fertilizer, improper use of herbicides, herbicide carryover, and autotoxicity can damage seed and young seedlings.
Seedlings die after establishment because: Undesirable ph: Lime should be applied according to soil test to provide a desirable ph; calcium and magnesium should be applied as nutrients. Low fertility: A soil test should be used to ensure adequate phosphorus, potassium, or other nutrients. Inadequate legume inoculation. Poor drainage: Water accumulation on the surface or in the soil profile can limit growth. Drought: This is the reason most commonly given for stand failures. Seedling vigor: Some forages, including nurse crops, can compete with forage seedlings for water, light and nutrients. Insects and pests. Winterkill: Seeding too late in the fall or seeding poorly adapted cultivars can cause winterkill.
Why Novel Endophyte Seedlings Fail: Main Reasons Poor kill Tillers and seedlings must grow and contact herbicide Bad Seed Use Alliance Approved seed Too deep Should see 25% on top of ground Legume competition No clover until later; birdsfoot trefoil is OK Drought Affects new seed; preserves old seed and tillers
Plus cattlemen!
Linneus Columbia Cook Station Lexington, KY Mound Valley, KS Mt. Vernon Welch, OK
www.grasslandrenewal.org
I. Toxicosis II. Management III. Renovation IV. Troubleshooting Roberts and Andrae, 2005
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