Oleander(Nerium oleander) Also known as: Rose laurel, adelfa, rosenlorbeer. That way, they won’t spread through their root system. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A few bugs may be able to chew up some cogongrass, a noxious weed that elbows out pasture grass, golf course greens and valuable ecosystems, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher says. @2017 - PenciDesign. With no native competition or consumers, cogongrass spread … 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. That’s encouraging. Cogongrass is spreading rapidly across Alabama and the southeast, reducing forest From a management perspective, cogongrass is undesirable on rights-of-way due to its unsightly nature and propensity for fire. ScienceDaily. This stuff is tough.”, Cogongrass is also a physical barrier to seedling establishment of native plants, says Browning. “Around the Pine Belt, one of the concerns is that cogongrass will choke out the pines,” Matthews said. Researchers find potential bugs to eat invasive cogongrass. An example is yaupon, which is being choked out by cogongrass.”. 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. (2017, February 22). Currently, cogongrass control is accomplished with mowing and herbicides, which can be costly and are not always effective. Sign up for the Morning Ag Clips below! 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. small_cogon_1120337.jpg Now is the time to take action against Cogongrass. Please see caption below story. This rough margin can cut the tongue of a grazing animal, and due to high silica content, cogongrass is a useless forage crop.” Just kill the stuff. It is on the Federal list of noxious weeds and is designated as the world’s seventh worst weed. These factors can spell trouble for people and structures near large infestations. “That’s why we are investigating biocontrol agents for cogongrass. Perform additional tillage with a disk harrow or other appropriate implement every 6 to 8 … Would you like to keep up with the latest local and national agriculture news, every business day? Browning spoke March 10 to an overflow crowd at a Cogongrass Seminar in Jackson sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s Bureau of Plant Industry. “But as it matures, the plant has silica on the edges and will cut cows’ mouths. The threat of wildfires or unmanageable controlled burns greatly increases with the presence of cogongrass. Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0. UF/IFAS Researchers Find Potential Bugs To Eat Invasive Cogongrass. It can’t do it if it’s 5″ tall or shorter. Alabama Cogongrass Aerial Photographs. It is known to infect 35 crops in 73 countries and can be found on more than 1.2 billion acres worldwide. “Cogongrass competes intensely for available light and nutrients. Thank you for the field report. I’ve found goat do indeed like cogon grass. 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. Cogongrass invading forested area. “It also failed as an erosion control plant because it was too weedy. “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. 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. Keeping cows is a lot of work, even if you have just a small farm with a herd of a few cattle. Loving your content! Retrieved October 21, … For newer patches, tillage can eliminate cogongrass from an area if continued during the course of a growing season. The threat of wildfires or unmanageable controlled burns greatly increases with the presence of cogongrass. The latest research on biological control of cogongrass appears in the journal Florida Entomologist. Cuda and his team are focusing on the Orseolia javanica midge that causes cogongrass to produce linear galls at the expense of leaves. 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. Its flowers are white, as are its fluffy seedheads. A few bugs may be able to chew up … By the same token, I don’t think they can eat huge amounts of cogon grass. Cattle ate the grass when it was very young but would not eat it once it was mature. Zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, antelopes and gazelles are all grass eaters. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. In the 1920s ranchers planted it with the hope that they had found a new forage crop for their cattle. treated cogongrass infestations using a variety of herbicide prescriptions in an effort to determine effective and economical strategies that can be used by landowners. 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. 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. "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. Pictures are worth more than words. Cogongrass fires are hotter, faster and higher than native grass fires. No cut-mouth issues so far. The leaves have a prominent, off-center, white mid-rib, and serrated edges that can feel rough. Also, young tender shoots are way more edible and nutritious, so another trick is to always graze it when it’s young and short (you can mow it a week or two before grazing if needed). 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. Learn to identify it here. 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. I didn’t know this was your website. “Most rural families had a cow for milk and butter, and they needed to feed that cow during the winter. Cogongrass will provide roughage. Regular field monitoring If goats do eat cogongrass, it can cut their tongues. Yes, cogon grass should be eradicated. Cogongrass is a fire adapted species and thrives where fire is a regular occurrence. My goats used to eat some plants when everything else was gone. There are plenty of animals that eat grass in the vast African plains of the Savannah. 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. It also displaces native vegetation in sand hill communities in Florida. Biological control is more sustainable and can be integrated with conventional controls”. These factors can spell trouble for people and structures near large infestations. Smart tip about cogon grass. Makes college seem like such a stupid waste of my time, life, and money. What is cogongrass? With no native competition or consumers, cogongrass spread rapidly throughout the Gulf South.” Birds such as chicken and turkeys also eat grass. Thanks! “Cogongrass has been in the United States for decades but only in the last few years was labeled a noxious weed in Mississippi. Time, life, and herbal medicine aggressive perennial grass pastures requires diligence and patience at the token. 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