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How Grass Grows. Developed by: Wendy Williams, NRCS, Bozeman, Montana. UNCE, Reno, Nev. Topics to be covered:. How plants make food Legumes and grasses How pasture plants grow Growth and reproduction Managing growing points Plant identification Determining forage yield.
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How Grass Grows Developed by: Wendy Williams, NRCS, Bozeman, Montana UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Topics to be covered: • How plants make food • Legumes and grasses • How pasture plants grow • Growth and reproduction • Managing growing points • Plant identification • Determining forage yield
What plants are growing in my pasture? • Legumes • Grasses • Weeds (we’ll talk about them later) UNCE, Reno, Nev.
flower leaf stem leaflet stolon taproot Parts of a legume A. Miller
How legumes grow • Vegetative growth • Bud stage • Flowering NCSU
Parts of a grass plant NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
Grasses consist of several growth segments Each segment contains a: • Leaf • Node • Internode • Axillary bud or potential bud – can produce a new stem or tiller NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
Penn State Univ. OSU 2 tillers developing from the crown of the plant A joint (node)
Growing Points • Location where cells divide and produce new growth • Occur close to the ground early in the growing season • Become elevated above ground as the growing season progresses NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
Stages of grass growth • Vegetative • Growth of leaves • Elongation • Lengthening of stem internodes, also called jointing • Boot stage is the end of elongation • Reproductive • Development of seedhead and seed
Plant reproduction • Grass plants reproduce by forming seed heads • Some plants also reproduce by sending out spreading roots or shoots USDA NRCS UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Regrowth Intact growing points Growing point level Short-shoot phase of growth Regrowth Growing points removed; must regrow from basal buds Long-shoot phase of growth (elongated internodes)
Forage growth and management USDA NRCS
Forage growth patterns • Growing points at ground level • Growing points on the stem • Growing points at the stem tips Smooth brome
Carbohydrate reserves (food) • Stored in roots, rhizomes, stolons and base of stem • Used for first spring growth of dormant plants • Allow rapid regrowth from stubble Penn State Univ. Kentucky bluegrass rhizome
Take half and leave half Adapted from NRCS, Bozeman, Mont. by A. Miller
Nutrient content by plant growth stage A B C Adapted from www.ag.ndsu.edu by A. Miller
Managing for productivity • Early to mid-season, maximum forage production can be obtained by keeping the plant in a vegetative state by preventing seed head production • Depending on the species, you may want to let the grass form a seed head at the end of the season
Identifying grasses UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Plant life cycles • Annual • Biennial • Perennial OSU
Cool-season plants • Optimum temperature range 65 to 75 degrees F • Productive in spring and fall • Reduced growth in summer • Higher in crude protein • Respond to nitrogen fertilizer • Orchardgrass, fescues, perennial ryegrass and bromes are examples
Warm-season plants • Better at using atmospheric nitrogen • Grow best at high temperatures (90 to 95 degrees F) • Lower in protein but protein is more efficiently used by animals • Triggered by day lengths • Examples are big and little bluestem, switchgrass, Indiangrass, and sudangrass
Cool-season bunchgrasses • Growth occurs in early spring or late fall • Grows in bunches or clumps • Grass propagates by seed only • More elevated leaves • Grazing must be managed to optimize productivity
Tall fescue www.agry.purdue.edu National Forage and Grass Curriculum www.aginfonet.com
Orchardgrass www.agry.purdue.edu www.aginfonet.com
Perennial ryegrass www.agry.purdue.edu
Annual ryegrass www.forages.orst.edu
Timothy www.argy.purdue.edu www.aginfonet.com
Crested wheatgrass National Park Service www.aginfonet.com
Siberian wheatgrass APMC, Idaho
Tall wheatgrass www.usask.ca
Intermediate wheatgrass www.agric.gov.ab.ca
Pubescent wheatgrass NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
Slender wheatgrass USDA Plant Gallery
Basin wildrye plants.usda.gov Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, Idaho.
Russian wildrye www.inspection.ga.ca prairiewild.com
Cool-season sod-forming grasses • Growth occurs in early spring or late fall • Growth forms a mat of roots or sod • Plants propagate from both seed and rhizomes or stolons • More tolerant of grazing
Kentucky bluegrass www.agry.purdue.edu
Brome, annual species • Soft chess / Blando brome • Japanese brome • Red brome • Undesirable species • Ripgut • Cheatgrass
Soft chess / Blando brome elib.cs.berkeley.edu
Japanese brome incolor.inebraska.com