RHIZOMA PEANUT AND ALFALFA PRODUCTIVITY AND NUTRIENT COMPOSITION IN CENTRAL GEORGIA

Limits of environmental adaptation of 'Florigraze' rhizoma peanut (Ara chis glabrata Benth.), a high-quality perennial warm-season legume, ha ve not been well defined. A field experiment compared yield and nutrit ive value of rhizoma peanut and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in centra l Georgia on a Norfolk soil (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Kand iudults). Crude protein (CP), neutral-detergent fiber (NDF), acid-dete rgent fiber (ADF), lignin, Ca, Mg, and P of total herbage, and dry mat ter (DM) yield and in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) of to tal herbage, leaf, and stem tissues were determined for three growing seasons. Annual DM yield of peanut and alfalfa averaged 7.6 and 11.8 M g ha(-1), respectively. In the first 2 yr, alfalfa outyielded rhizoma peanut, but there was no difference in yield in the third year. Leaf D M yield was higher for peanut than for alfalfa in the third gear. Rhiz oma peanut DM production occurred predominately during late summer and early autumn vs. spring for alfalfa. Rhizoma peanut total herbage DM was lower in CP and higher in Ca and Mg than that of alfalfa, but IVOM D was similar. Leaf IVOMD was higher for alfalfa than for rhizoma pean ut, but IVOMD of peanut stems was equal to or higher than alfalfa stem s. Rhizoma peanut has potential for central Georgia and other areas of the southern USA with a similar climate.