Agronomic Performance, Plant Morphology, and Nutritive Value Among Three Prairie Bromegrass Entries

Prairie bromegrass (Bromus spp.) is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass with potential as a valuable forage crop in the southeastern USA. This 2-year study, conducted at Mississippi State, MS, compared dry matter production, persistence, plant morphology, and nutritive value of two experimental lines [BP101 (B. parodii Covas & Itria) and BW103 (B. wildenowii Kunth)] and a commercial entry (B. willdenowii Kunth cv. Matua) of prairie bromegrass. No differences in nutritive value (mean crude protein = 128, ADF = 318, NDF = 591, in vitro dry matter digestibility = 644 g/kg, respectively) were seen among entries (P = 0.11). The BP101 line had the least herbage mass (3,790 vs. 6,180 and 5,627 kg/ha, respectively, for Matua and BW103) at the first grazing event in 2006 (P < 0.05), and did not persist as well as BW103 or Matua (P < 0.01) (27.5, 80.0, and 83.8% stand 586 days after establishment for BP101, Matua, and BW103, respectively). Leaf blade, sheath, and reproductive tiller length differences (P < 0.10) suggest variations in physiological traits among bromegrass entries. Neither of the experimental lines of prairie bromegrass outperformed Matua for the traits studied in northern Mississippi.