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Tall Fescue Response to Clipping and Competition with No-Till Seeded Alfalfa as Affected by Fungal Endophyte

Dep. of Crop and Soil Sci., Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

^* Corresponding author (hoveland{at}uga.cc.uga.edu).

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is generally less productive, persistent, and competitive under stress after removal of its fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones & W. Gams) Glenn, Bacon & Hanlin (syn. Acremonium coenophialum Morgan- Jones & W. Gams). Our objectives were to compare endophyteinfected (E + ) and endophyte-free (E –) tall fescue for (i) forage yield and tiller response at different cutting frequencies and heights and (ii) competition with no-till seeded alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Factorialized combinations of 3-wk and hay-stage harvest intervals with clipping heights of 3.8 cm (low) and 7.6 cm (high) were used with E + and E – tall fescue in a 4-yr study. ‘Alfagraze’ alfalfa was no-till seeded into E + and E – ‘Kentucky 31’ tail fescue, E – ‘AU Triumph’ tall fescue, orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) in each of 3 yr. Forage yield of E + and E – Kentucky 31 was similar (P > 0.05) within a cutting treatment. When cut at 3-wk intervals, a low as compared with a high clipping height had no effect (P > 0.05) on total forage yield of E + Kentucky 31 tall fescue, but forage yield of E – Kentucky 31 and E – AU Triumph were reduced by 23 and 28%, respectively, in the fourth year. Both E + and E – tall fescue cut every 3 wk during a dry, hot summer at a low clipping height had autumn forage yields only 20 to 25% of that at a high clipping height. Tiller populations declined more on AU Triumph than E – Kentucky 31 in response to cutting. Cutting height had a minor effect on yield with hay-stage harvest. Endophyte infection had no effect on stands or forage yield of no-till seeded alfalfa. Alfalfa forage yields were lower with tall fescue than with the other grass species. AU Triumph, a winter-productive tall fescue, was the grass most competitive with alfalfa.

Received for publication April 17, 1996.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. S. Hoveland, J. H. Bouton, and R. G. Durham Fungal Endophyte Effects on Production of Legumes in Association with Tall Fescue Agron. J., November 1, 1999; 91(6): 897 - 902. [Abstract] [Full Text]