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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179905
Title: REGISTRATION OF 'VERL' EASTERN GAMAGRASS

Author
item Springer, Timothy
item DEWALD, CHESTER - RETIRED USDA
item Sims, Phillip
item Gillen, Robert
item LOUTHAN, VERL - RETIRED USDA
item Cooper, William - Bill
item TALIAFERRO, C. - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV.
item MAURA, C. - RETIRED USDA, NRCS
item PFAFF, S. - RETIRED USDA, NRCS
item WYNIA, J. - NRCS, MANHATTAN, KS
item DOUGLAS, J. - USDA, NRCS, MS
item HENRY, J. - USDA, NRCS, RETIRED
item BRUCKERHOFF, S. - NRCS, ELSBERRY, MO
item VAN DER GRINTEN, M - NRCS, CORNING, NY
item SALON, P. - NRCS, SYRACUSE, NY
item HOUCK, M. - NRCS, KNOX CITY, TX
item ESQUIVEL, R. - NRCS, KNOX CITY, TX

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2005
Publication Date: 1/24/2006
Citation: Springer, T.L., Dewald, C.L., Sims, P.L., Gillen, R.L., Louthan, V., Cooper, W., Taliaferro, C.M., Maura, C., Pfaff, S., Wynia, J.L., Douglas, J.L., Henry, J., Bruckerhoff, S.B., Van Der Grinten, M., Salon, P.R., Houck, M.J., Esquivel, R.G. 2006. Registration of 'Verl' eastern gamagrass. Crop Science. 46:477-478.

Interpretive Summary: .

Technical Abstract: ‘Verl’ eastern gamagrass, Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L., is unique among commercial eastern gamagrass cultivars in that it is a fertile triploid (2n = 3x = 54) that reproduces predominantly via apomixis. Verl is recommended for pasture or hay in the eastern and southern United States where appropriate management is used to prevent damage to the plant stands. Verl was released in February 2005 by the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Small plot field evaluations of Verl were conducted in the eastern and southern United States in 2001-2003. Averaged across locations, the forage dry matter yield of Verl (7890 kg ha-1) was 11% greater than that of ‘Pete’ eastern gamagrass (P < 0.05). Depending on the length of growing season and the amount of available moisture, Verl can be harvested 2-to-4 times yr-1 on a 45-d harvest interval. The seasonal average crude protein (95 g kg-1) and in vitro digestible dry matter (520 g kg-1) was not significantly different from ‘Pete’ in field trials (P > 0.05) in 2001-2002. Verl has excellent seed production. In a replicated experiment at Woodward in 2001, Verl produced 178 kg pure seed ha-1. This was significantly greater than Pete eastern gamagrass (P > 0.01) which produced 122 kg ha-1. Similarly at Woodward in 2003, Verl produced an equivalent seed yield of 170 kg ha-1 from a 0.25 ha seed increase block. Verl is susceptible to feeding damage of the maize billbug, Sphenophorus maidis (Chittenden) and the southern corn stalk borer, Diatraea crambidoides (Grote). These insects reduce seed production of eastern gamagrass as their populations increase in the field. Verl is possibly susceptible to Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and Bipolaris species. These organisms were recovered from dying plants at Coffeeville, MS, in April 2003, but inoculations of these organisms would be required to verify if they were the causal organisms responsible for death of the plants.