Growth performance of some grasses in cattle dungpats in a greenhouse study

This study investigated the effects of dungpat thicknesses and water regimes on the emergence, shoot development, and survival of seedlings of bluebunch wheatgrass [Psuedoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love], Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda L.), and Hycrest crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. Ex Link) Schult. X Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaert.]. Pre-germinated seeds of each species were planted separately in the center and periphery of artificially prepared dungpats at heights of 0.5 cm for 1 cm-thick dungpats, 0.5 and 1.5 cm for 2 cm-thick dungpats, and 0.5, 2.0, and 3.5 cm for 4 cm-thick dungpats. In order to simulate natural drying conditions in the soil profile, half of the replications for each dungpat treatments received supplemental water, while the other half received no supplemental water during the study. Seedling emergence, development, and survival for all species were greatest when seeds were planted 0.5 cm from the bottom of dungpats and planted in 1 cm-thick dungpats. Supplemental watering enhanced seedling emergence and survival for all species. Hycrest crested wheatgrass had a greater seedling emergence than bluebunch wheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass; and Hycrest crested wheatgrass and bluebunch wheatgrass had a greater seedling survival than for Sandberg bluegrass.