Yield, forage quality of grass species and varieties established on topsoiled mine spoils in western Kentucky

Conference · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5439626

Laue, S K; Barnhisel, R I; Powell, J L

Yield, productivity, and forage quality of 16 cool-season, perennial grass species and varieties, some not commonly grown for forage in the east-central US, were compared in 2 harvests on topsoil over spoil. Effects of harvesting grasses on ground-cover and survival were also evaluated. Nutrient levels in grasses (N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, and Na) and fiber (ADF, NDF) were analyzed for harvested grasses in spring and fall. Groundcover was evaluated for harvested and unharvested grasses in spring and fall, and plant height measured in spring only. Tall fescue had highest sustained yield for both harvests and low fiber. Other low-fiber grasses for both harvests were reed canarygrass, bluegrass, creeping red fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Orchardgrass and redtop were intermediate in yield for each harvest but high fiber, high spring yield but low fall yield. Grasses in the vegetative stage had lower fiber than grasses in the seed stage. Cutting grasses appeared to lower groundcover but prompted species to undergo regrowth. Manhattan perennial ryegrass and Kenhy tall fescue showed trends for higher productivity and lower fiber than other tested varieties. These data were from the first of a 5-year study.

• Research Organization: Illinois Dept. of Mines and Minerals, Springfield
• OSTI ID: 5439626
• Report Number(s): CONF-821175-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010800 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL FEEDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COAL MINES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
FEDERAL REGION IV
FOOD
FORAGE
GRASS
GROUND COVER
INFORMATION
KENTUCKY
LAND RECLAMATION
LAND USE
MINES
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
REVEGETATION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA