SWITCHGRASS RECRUITMENT FROM BROADCAST SEED VS SEED FED TO CATTLE

Fecal seeding by livestock may be an effective, low-cost means of rang eland restoration. We compared recruitment of switchgrass (Panicum vir gatum L.) from seed fed to cattle and deposited in dung to that of bro adcast-seeded plots receiving a comparable number of unfed seed. Altho ugh germinability of seed passed through livestock (52 to 62%) was red uced relative to that of broadcast seed (85 to 91%), recruitment of sw itchgrass from seed in cattle feces was equal to or superior to that o f broadcast seed in terms of establishment (frequency of occurrence an d density), plant growth and final plant size. The frequency of plots with emerging switchgrass plants ranged from 62 to 100% when seeds wer e delivered in feces, but only 2 to 40% when seeds were broadcast. Aft er 1 year, the frequency of occurrence of switchgrass plants in fecal vs. broadcast-seeded plots was comparable for autumn trials. However, evaluations 1 year after the spring trials continue to result in highe r frequency of plots with switchgrass plants from seed delivered in fe ces than of broadcast seedings (56 vs. 4% for May 1990, P<0.05; and 90 vs. 51% for May 1991, P less than or equal to 0.01). Enhanced plant r ecruitment on fecal-seeded plots occurred even though broadcast-seeded plots received 1.5 to 1.7 times more pure live seed (PLS). Plants on fecal-seeded plots had a greater plant size score (based on visual rat ings of height, cuIm density, and biomass) than plants on broadcast-se eded plots (P<0.05 for May seedings; P<0.05 for October 1990; P>0.10 f or October 1991). Results suggest significant advantages of fecal seed ing over conventional broadcast seeding in terms of seedling emergence , establishment and growth.