1. Bermudagrass management for improved production AND stand maintenance Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Specialist UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Specialist UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

2. Outline Overview of Bermudagrass Forage Production Variety Selection Establishment and Grow-in Fertilization  Needs for production  Nitrate (NO 3 ) accumulation in bermudagrass  Use of urea-based fertilizers  Needs for stand maintenance Harvesting methods Effects of Extended Grazing Burning

3. Nutrients Removed/Acre With Bermudagrass Hay or Corn Silage

4. Bermudagrass Hay Production – 2010 Breakdown of Projected Costs $105.27/ton

5. “All Kinds of Wacky”

6. Georgia “Hay” Prices 2001-2009 BE

7. Soil Test and Follow Fertility Recommendations Sample hayfields every year and 1/3 of your pastures each year.

8. Costs Increase When Soil Fertility Decreases Recommended Rate of P & K Fertility NP2O5P2O5 K2OK2O Total Cost ------------- (lbs/acre) -------------($/acre) V. High 25000$187.50 High 25030150 318.59 Medium 25060200 352.17 Low 25080250 439.57 Assumptions: Using 32% UAN ($480/ton), DAP ($1300/ton), and Muriate of Potash ($780/ton). Let’s assume P & K have been equally taken care of or equally neglected. So, let’s consider bermudagrass fertility.

9. DO NOT cut back on lime! Get your priorities right! 1.Lime is still job #1. Get your priorities right! 1.Lime is still job #1.

11. How Soil pH Affects Availability of Plant Nutrients The difference of a soil pH of 5.6 vs. 6.2: Nutrient Amt. Used Annually Unit Price Dec. in Efficiency Value of Decrease (Lbs/acre)($/lb)($/acre) N200$0.5535% -$39 P2O5P2O5 50$0.6250% -$16 K2OK2O150$0.6310% -$9 Total -$64

12. Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate Average or “Normal” Response

13. Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate

14. Yield Response of Tifton 85 to N Rates 2004-2007 on Fuquay (F) and Carnegie (C) soils in Tifton Source: Dr. Bill Anderson, USDA-ARS Tifton

15. CP in Bermudagrass Forage as Effected by N Fertilization Source: Dr. Bill Anderson, USDA-ARS Tifton

16. Digestibility (IVDMD) of Bermudagrass Forage as Effected by N Fertilization Source: Dr. Bill Anderson, USDA-ARS Tifton

17. SPLIT YOUR NITROGEN APPLICATIONS! Long-term, this can increase yields by 1200-2400 lbs/acre and increase NUE by 25-30%  Especially important under extremes  Leaching  Volatilization (in the case of urea-based products)  Late freeze  Drought

18. N Application Strategies MAMJJASO Green-up & After Each Cut

19. N Application Strategies MAMJJASO Green-up & After 2 nd Cut

20. N Application Strategies MAMJJASO Green-up Only (Common Strategy with Poultry Litter)

21. Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate Hybrid Bermudagrass Yield Response to N Rate

22. N Concentration in the Forage Crop Days of Growth Growth of the Crop Nitrate Conc. in the Crop

23. Nitrate in forage fed to beef cattle. Forage Nitrate (ppm dry forage) Guidance < 4500Safe to feed with adequate feed and water 4,500 to < 6,500 Safe under most conditions, but if feeding pregnant animals limit to half (1/2) ration 6,500 to < 9,000Limit to half (1/2) ration 9,000 to < 15,000Limit to third (1/3) ration 15,000 to < 18,000Limit to quarter (1/4) ration > 18,000Potentially lethal, very risky

25. N Concentration in the Forage Crop Days of Growth Nitrate Conc. in the Crop 4500 ppm Rec. Rate 2 x Rec. Rate 3 x Rec. Rate

26. N Concentration in the Forage Crop Days of Growth Nitrate Conc. in the Crop 4500 ppm Drought

27. N Concentration in the Forage Crop Days of Growth Nitrate Conc. in the Crop 4500 ppm Rec. Rate 2 x Rec. Rate 3 x Rec. Rate

29. Drought Severity and Nitrates in Bermudagrass

30. Growing SeasonAverage Confidence Interval Standard Error of the Mean ----------------------------------- parts per million (ppm) ----------------------------------- 2003-06 512 a † ± 32.6 16.79 20071170 c±200.1102.09 2008 626 b±110.4 56.33 † Same letters within rows are not significantly different at P < 0.05.

31. Drought Severity and Nitrates in Bermudagrass Growing SeasonLow RiskModerate RiskHigh Risk (< 2500 ppm)(2500 - 4500 ppm)(> 4500 ppm) 2003-0680.3%11.2%8.5% (2034/2533)(284/2533)(215/2533) 200765.2%19.6%15.1% (659/1010)(198/1010)(153/1010) 200875.8%13.3%10.8% (659/869)(116/869)(94/869)

32. Additional Questions How much effect are high NO 3 having on reproduction? How successful can we be in preventing high NO 3 ? Will climate change inc. the incidence of this problem? Additional research is needed!

33. Eatonton 2008

34. Outline Overview of Bermudagrass Forage Production Variety Selection Establishment and Grow-in Fertilization Needs for production Nitrate (NO 3 ) accumulation in bermudagrass  Use of urea-based fertilizers  Needs for stand maintenance Harvesting methods Effects of Extended Grazing Burning

35. QUESTIONS? www.georgiaforages.com 1-800-ASK-UGA1