Rhizoma perennial peanut (RPP) (Arachis glabrata Benth.) has emerged as a h
igh quality alternative forage for cattle producers in Florida. It is well
adapted to the Florida climate and provides high nutritive value forage sim
ilar to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). However, some researchers have noted
that it is slow to establish, poorly adapted to seasonally wet flatwoods so
ils, and may be invaded by perennial grasses. An experiment of 16 RPP selec
tions, plus the cultivars 'Florigaze' and 'Arbrook', was planted in 1990 at
the Univ. of Florida, Agron. Forage Res. Unit, near Hague, FL on a Sparr f
ine sand (loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic, Grossarenic Paleudult). Plots wer
e harvested for dry matter (DM) yield once in fall 1990, 2x in 1991, 3x in
1992, 2x in 1993, 3x in 1994, and 2x in 1998. They were not sampled for yie
ld in 1995, 1996, and 1997, but herbage was removed with a flail chopper Pr
each year. A selection index was devised to include total seasonal yields
from each year, amount of spread, and percent RPP ground cover (GC) after 8
yr. Mean annual DM yields over the five harvest years, after the establish
ment year, for the highest yielding entries ranged between 9.1 and 11.5 Mg
ha(-1). Superior lines also had greater than 96% GC 8 yr after establishmen
t. Entries 2, 3, 15, and 18 had equal or superior selection index scores as
the released cultivars Florigraze and Arbrook. These entries are being eva
luated statewide, including a site on wetter flatwoods soils in south Flori
da.