Effect of nitrogen fertilization on seed yield of native grasses in Texas

Knowledge about how to produce seed of native grasses in a reliable way in Texas is scarce. This project was carried out to find out how seed production of native grasses responds to nitrogen fertilization; and to look for treatments to enhance some quality traits in their seeds. The effects of nitrogen fertilization on seed yield, inflorescence density, filled seed, and inflorescence length of several ecotypes of two species of bristlegrass and two species of windmillgrass were studied in Beeville and Stephenville. Significant responses to nitrogen fertilization and production locations were documented and they varied across grass species. Nitrogen fertilization can effectively increase seed yield of bristlegrass and windmillgrass ecotypes. Several treatments were imposed in an attempt to break severe seed dormancy of two bristlegrass ecotypes. Dormancy was broken to some extent in seed of bristlegrass when the correct combination of two treatments was imposed.