what eats cogongrass

Cogongrass fires are hotter, faster and higher than native grass fires. “Nothing eats it,” Matthews said. It is known to infect 35 crops in 73 countries and can be found on more than 1.2 billion acres worldwide. A couple of years ago I posted this video on cogongrass: Yesterday my video received this comment: Goats are generally known to “eat everything.” They’ve been used to control invasive plants such as kudzu and Japanese knotweed. What is Cogongrass? “Most rural families had a cow for milk and butter, and they needed to feed that cow during the winter. A few bugs may be able to chew up … And even if goats manage to get past the serrated edges and eat cogongrass – perhaps because other forage isn’t available – they’ll actually lose weight on it: “When cogongrass was introduced, families had to grow what they ate,” Byrd said. Oleander(Nerium oleander) Also known as: Rose laurel, adelfa, rosenlorbeer. From a management perspective, cogongrass is undesirable on rights-of-way due to its unsightly nature and propensity for fire. UF/IFAS Researchers Find Potential Bugs to Eat Invasive Cogongrass 22-Feb-2017 8:05 AM EST , by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Edit Institution Cogongrass Will Eat Your Garden or Food Forest Trying to get trees and plants established alongside a cogongrass infestation is very hard. It has become established in the southeastern United States within the last fifty years, with Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida having extensive acreage of roadway and pasture infested with cogongrass. It can’t do it if it’s 5″ tall or shorter. Regular field monitoring “Biological control using natural enemies from the native range of cogongrass has received little attention, and no biological control agents have been introduced anywhere in the world,” Cuda said. David, in an earlier post you said “Sometimes people talk about “beneficial weeds”… but I would argue that all weeds are beneficial, in their place.” I’ll take cogongrass as an exception. “Although cogongrass looks like a superb forage, we learned animals that consume cogongrass as the sole forage lose weight rather than gain weight,” Byrd said.”. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Just kill the stuff. Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0. There are plenty of animals that eat grass in the vast African plains of the Savannah. Researchers find potential bugs to eat invasive cogongrass. Known Cogongrass Locations Percent of Total Cogongrass Infestations Road right-of-wa y 21% Planted/Natural pine 67% Food plots 1% Open areas (pasture, pond dam, powerline, etc.) A perennial grass, it grows on every continent except Antarctica and has earned a reputation as one of the worst weeds on Earth. If goats do eat cogongrass, it can cut their tongues. Cogongrass displaces native plant species and can permanently alter an ecosystem, including wildlife and fire regimes. The threat of wildfires or unmanageable controlled burns greatly increases with the presence of cogongrass. They also had hogs, which they raised in pastures where they would root up and eat rhizomes of grasses like cogongrass.”. Loving your articles and videos on youtube. Cogongrass might possibly offer a short-term forage value, but mature leaves are unpalatable to livestock because of high silica content and because the young shoots have sharp points. This article can help with that. It keeps other plants from germination. What is cogongrass? © 2020 Morning Ag Clips, LLC. Yeah, this one is definitely out of place! Cogon grass is also nutritionally very poor, only 7% crude protein. X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0. For more articles out of Florida, click here. However, not all herbivores eat grass. Normally, varieties like the Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ don’t go to seed easily. Much appreciation and gratitude your way! “Cattle will eat cogongrass when the plant is young,” says Rick Williams, Extension Forestry Specialist, West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida. However, they aren’t going to clean up an infested field. Currently, cogongrass control is accomplished with mowing and herbicides, which can be costly and are not always effective. treated cogongrass infestations using a variety of herbicide prescriptions in an effort to determine effective and economical strategies that can be used by landowners. Zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, antelopes and gazelles are all grass eaters. ID: An evergreen shrub … “That’s why we are investigating biocontrol agents for cogongrass. Birds such as chicken and turkeys also eat grass. Cogongrass is used as a soil binder (to prevent soil erosion), animal feed, and herbal medicine. It can be done in a single year or 2 but every time you allow cogongrass to form that dense monoculture you’ll need to start over. Studies show that cogongrass contains chemicals (has the allelopathic ability) that prevent the growth of other plant species and contribute to its invasiveness and extreme competitiveness. Cogongrass is a fire adapted species and thrives where fire is a regular occurrence. “But as it matures, the plant has silica on the edges and will cut cows’ mouths. UF/IFAS researchers find potential bugs to eat invasive cogongrass. The initial tillage should begin in the spring (March through May) with an implement that inverts the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Thank you, Amanda – much appreciated. "It also failed as an erosion control plant because it was too weedy. Keeping cows is a lot of work, even if you have just a small farm with a herd of a few cattle. Biological control is more sustainable and can be integrated with conventional controls”. Yes, cogon grass should be eradicated. It’s also true that because it’s so low on protein, they will slowly starve on such a diet. Cogongrass, introduced in the U.S. in the early 1900s as packing material and as livestock forage grass, causes the most expensive losses in pine plantations, where it outcompetes native ground cover and increases the frequency and intensity of fires, Cuda said. The irony in this situation is that one of the reasons cogongrass was first imported was for animals to eat: “It was intentionally introduced from the Philippines into Mississippi as a possible forage in 1921. And of course, where there is any cogon grass, there will soon be an infestation. Thank you, Amanda – that’s very good to know. Any notes on them preferring it to other grasses? “It also failed as an erosion control plant because it was too weedy. These factors can spell trouble for people and structures near large infestations. Cogongrass is an aggressive, rhizomatous, perennial grass that is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Cogongrass is an invasive species commonly found in pastures that is not going to go away on its own. Danny has discoverd cogon grass, one of the top 10 most evasive grasses in the world, on our property. Thank you for the field report. In the 1920s ranchers planted it with the hope that they had found a new forage crop for their cattle. “Cogongrass will displace entire native communities,” says Browning. Select your state and county for their contact information. Here in Korea, cogongrass was chewed as a gum substitute(young flowers), but in America, it wouldn’t work out. can’t believe I’m learning so much for free. Among the arthropods they found, Cuda and his team discovered a midge from Indonesia that attacks cogongrass. You can also subscribe without commenting. Photo by Charles T. Bryson, courtesy of Bugwood.org. If a hog or a goat won’t eat this stuff, you know it’s bad stuff.” Locally, the cogongrass threat is worrying some foresters. To hope that your goats eat cogongrass instead of almost anything else is a vain hope. Methods of control. It also displaces native vegetation in sand hill communities in Florida. Learning very much and appreciating it very much. “There’s no wildlife that will eat it. If goats do eat cogongrass, it can cut their tongues. Cogongrass may easily overtake newly planted pines and cause loss in University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Cogongrass first appeared in the area around Grand Bay, Alabama as an escape from S… I will put an armload in for them, and they eat it in the pasture, but I think it would be too rough on their mouths if they were to eat nothing else. ), is a very aggressive exotic perennial grass that entered Alabama in 1911 in packing material from Japan. Hasn’t commented in a while but I’m still following your adventures with great interest! Landowners have found instances where the roots of the cogongrass literally grew through the roots of the trees. At that time, it was being used as packing material. They aren’t as dangerous as the original cogongrass lineages. Please click on the link below. That way, they won’t spread through their root system. There are acres and acres of invasive cogongrass across the South. small_cogon_1120337.jpg Now is the time to take action against Cogongrass. A worldwide research team led by UF/IFAS entomology professor James Cuda and retired entomology professor Bill Overholt found species in Japan, East Africa and Indonesia that might help in the battle against cogongrass. Cogongrass makes kudzu look like a lightweight. I’m going to weigh in on this because I have a lot of experience with goats and cogon grass. I would say they like it just as well as other grasses. Please see caption below story. With no native competition or consumers, cogongrass spread … ScienceDaily. Randy Browning, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, says now that landowners, state agencies and, in many cases, the general public have learned to recognize the plant and its dangers to agriculture and wildlife, that Mississippi is beginning to make progress on suppression of the weed in some areas and possibly even eradication in some of the lesser-infected areas. It isn’t easy: both mowing and burning can cause the plant to produce new seeds and spread. It has become established in the southeastern United States within the last fifty years, with Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida having extensive acreage of roadway and pasture infested with cogongrass. As the USDA reports: “(cogongrass) leaf margins are rough to the touch due to tiny, saw-like serrations, a common trait of other grasses as well. It has been my experience too that goats, sheep and cows will eat cogongrass if nothing else is available. Cuda cited a 2009 report that showed the state of Alabama spent $6.3 million of federal stimulus funds exclusively for chemical control of the weed. So, if one wants to use animals to clear cogongrass, the animals need to be supplemented with some low volume high-protein feed, like flaxseed meal. A worldwide research team led by UF/IFAS entomology professor James Cuda (above) and retired entomology professor Bill Overholt found species in Japan, East Africa and Indonesia that might help in the battle against cogongrass. Cogongrass fires are hotter, faster and higher than native grass fires. (Courtesy Photo), Cotton Research and Promotion Act amendments to continue, UF researchers awarded $1.8M to improve nutrient management of Suwannee Valley farms, APHIS changes approach to fight emerald ash borer (EAB), Maine forestry officials find most trees suspected of pest, Vacancies on Invasive Species Advisory Committee. In the Mid-South and Southeast, cogongrass has crept into forage and pasture operations, along highway rights of ways and into pine and hardwood plantations where the weed vigorously competes for the water and nutrients needed by forage grasses, trees and wildlife. Its flowers are white, as are its fluffy seedheads. As the USDA reports: “ (cogongrass) leaf margins are rough to the touch due to tiny, saw-like serrations, a common trait of other grasses as well. Credit: Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org If cogongrass is already growing on your property—and in the Southeastern U.S., that’s a common problem—you can fight back. Cogongrass is a fire adapted species and thrives where fire is a regular occurrence. Side effect of this management technique is that cogongrass will die out eventually because it’s way more sensitive to cutting/overgrazing than FL grasses and the way it takes over is it creates dense monoculture stands and shades out the soil. Sign up for the Morning Ag Clips below! Loving your content! If it’s on your property, get rid of it. Makes college seem like such a stupid waste of my time, life, and money. In the South, cogongrass ranks among the top 10 plant marauders, invading forests, rights-of-way, and agricultural fields, literally taking over the landscape and altering ecosystems. In open fields and forests cogongrass initially forms circular infestations that appear light green in summer and light brown in winter as can be viewed in these oblique aerial photographs. All Rights Reserved. It is time for this menace to show its ugly self with a beautiful bloom. Pictures are worth more than words. The latest research on biological control of cogongrass appears in the journal Florida Entomologist. Cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica (L.), is considered the seventh worst weed in the world and listed as a federal noxious weed by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Plant Protection and Quarantine.Cogongrass infestations are being found primarily in south Georgia but is capable of growing throughout the state. I’ve found goat do indeed like cogon grass. 7% Cogongrass is a very aggressive perennial grass. All Right Reserved. However, it was revealed that cogongrass was of little economic (forage) benefit and could become a serious pest.”. No cut-mouth issues so far. Much like the kudzu vine, cogongrass was then deliberately planted by well-meaning Americans. The big root system of cogongrass takes water and nutrients for itself and will quickly out-compete your crops … "Cogongrass was introduced to Mississippi as a new forage crop, however, it is not palatable for livestock, not even goats will eat it," Bozeman said. Seems we can at least redeem a little use from the weed. The aggressive, resilient and prolific grassy weed is considered by international botanists as the seventh worst weed in the world. Designed and Developed by PenciDesign, Rosary Peas in the Great South Florida Food Forest Project, The States in America Using the Most and Least Glysophate, The Great South Florida Food Forest Project, Interplanting Corn and Pigeon Peas On a Slope, Easy Pest Control – Crash Gardening, Episode 3, Making Christmas Cookie Ornaments as a Family, Improving the Ground One Ground at a Time. “Cogongrass was introduced to Mississippi as a new forage crop, however, it is not palatable for livestock, not even goats will eat it,” Bozeman said. These bugs may eat invasive cogongrass Researchers have found a midge from Indonesia that attacks cogongrass. “Cogongrass has been in the United States for decades but only in the last few years was labeled a noxious weed in Mississippi. With its vigorous growth and sturdy root system, cogongrass looked like a good forage and was even used in some places for soil stabilization. The leaves have a prominent, off-center, white mid-rib, and serrated edges that can feel rough. For newer patches, tillage can eliminate cogongrass from an area if continued during the course of a growing season. My goats used to eat some plants when everything else was gone. “This invasive grass infests cattle pastures, golf courses, lawns and also thrives in poor soil conditions such as ditch banks, roadside and railroad rights-of-way as well as reclaimed phosphate mining areas,” he said, adding that it grows quickly and alters the ecology of habitats it invades. It is on the Federal list of noxious weeds and is designated as the world’s seventh worst weed. Cuda and his team are focusing on the Orseolia javanica midge that causes cogongrass to produce linear galls at the expense of leaves. Cogongrass plants range from 2 to more than 4 feet tall, with ½-inch to 1-inch-wide leaves that appear to grow directly from ground level. And if someone made sure that there are some bahia or bermuda seeds there they will take over. Cogongrass will provide roughage. “Cogongrass competes intensely for available light and nutrients. Would you like to keep up with the latest local and national agriculture news, every business day? Young infestations are usually easier to control than older well-established infestations. Retrieved October 21, … With no native competition or consumers, cogongrass spread rapidly throughout the Gulf South.” Learn to identify it here. Planet Whizbang is Going Out of Business. Perform additional tillage with a disk harrow or other appropriate implement every 6 to 8 … That’s encouraging. Alabama Cogongrass Aerial Photographs. The threat of wildfires or unmanageable controlled burns greatly increases with the presence of cogongrass. Cogongrass was introduced into Florida in the 1930s and 1940s as a potential forage and for soil stabilization purposes. Cogongrass is often categorized as one of the top ten worst weeds in the world; Cogongrass is a rapidly growing perennial grass that is tolerant of a wide range of site conditions ( to prevent soil erosion ), animal feed, and money the same.. And serrated edges that can feel rough cogongrass Researchers have found a new forage crop their., only 7 % crude protein their tongues the journal Florida Entomologist they will over... Can be found on more than 1.2 billion acres worldwide also displaces vegetation... A vain hope of your content the world the kudzu vine, cogongrass is an aggressive, resilient and grassy... 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