EVALUATION OF PEARL-MILLET X ELEPHANTGRASS HYBRIDS FOR USE AS HIGH-QUALITY FORAGE FOR LIVESTOCK

Research priorities of the Univ. of Florida's Dairy Advisory Committee include the development of highly digestible forages. Ideally, new re leases would combine high nutritive value, adequate perenniality, and high forage yields. New hybrid pearl millet x elephantgrass hexaploids (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br x Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) were tes ted in three variety trials throughout Florida. Breeder lines designat ed SV-1 (Silage Variety 1), SV-2 (Silage Variety 2), MS-3 (Mass Select ion 3), RRPS-3 (Recurrent Restricted Phenotypic Selection Cycle 3), an d cv. Mott dwarf elephantgrass were compared. In 1993 and 1994, SV-1 a dn Mott were tested at all locations; other combinations included RRPS -3 and MS-3 at Gainesville, RRPS-3 at Branford, and MS-3 and SV-2 at L ake Placid. Dry matter yields were not affected (P < 0.05) by genetic material at Gainesville or Branford, and averaged 6.3 and 7.5 Mg ha(-1 ), respectively. At Lake Placid, MS-3 adn Mott (averaging 4.1 Mg ha(-1 )) outyielded SV-1 and SV-2 (averaging 2.1 Mg ha(-1)). Mott and MS-3 w ere established by direct seeding. There were no differences in IVOMD (P < 0.05) among lines at any location, nor between crude protein (CP) at Gainesville and Branford. Crude protein values at Lake Placid were higher for SV-1 and SV-2 (averaging 202 g kg(-1)) than for Mott and M S-3 (averaging 125 g kg(-1)). Overall, the experiments showed that all breeding lines tested had good dry matter yields, and high IVOMD and CP. Further persistence studies will be needed before the lines can be recommended for farms in Florida.