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Forage production from selection WW-B. Dahl on the Texas Tech experimental Ranch near Justiceburg,Tx. has been higher than that from other Old World bluestems tested. |
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Fire Ant Suppressor |
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Phone: 806-652-3504
Email: silvercreekfarm@nts-online.net
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Red Imported Fire Ants and WW-B.Dahl by Gad Perry, Carlton Britton, Carlos Villalobos, Rick Kellison, Charles Craig, Harlan Thorvalison, Vivian Allen and Brent Racher Red imported fire ants have made and impressive drive across Texas. When they entered the northwestern portion of Lampasas County, we began to notice them first in Bermuda grass fields with a high density of mounds. However, in a WW-B.Dahl field adjacent to the Bermuda grass field, no fire ant mounds were observed. After two years this same observation was still holding true. Similar observations were being made on the high plains of Texas but with red ants. Here WW-B.Dahl fields were compared to short grass prairie. These observations led us to make counts in these various field and determine the density of ants in and out of WW-B.Dahl fields. On the High Plains we measured 30.5 and 30.8 red ant mounds per acre on short grass prairie and mixed short grass-Bernuda grass pastures, respectively. On and adjacent field that was sowed in ten foot, alternating rows with WW-B.Dahl and another Old World Bluestem, we measured 0.05 mounds per acre. The pure WW-B.Dahl field across a road had no red ant mounds. In Lampasas County we measured 32.95 red imported fire ant mounds per acre on a Bermuda grass field. In an adjacent WW-B.Dahl field we found no fire ants. However, on a field about one mile southwest we measured 12.9 fire ant mounds per acre on a WW-B.Dahl field. The fire ant free field was on a Shallow Range Site and the field with fire ants was on a Clay Loam Range Site. We are unsure at this time why this isolated field had an ant infestation while all others did not. There are a few other observations that indicate that WW-B.Dahl has insect repelling properties, probably caused by its pungent odor. We have observed a few flies on stockers grazing WW-B.Dahl compared to other grasses in adjacent areas. This opens vas areas of research opportunities which we will pursue in the future.
For more information you can visit Texas Tech Web Site at |
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Rick Kellison’s Silver Creek Farm |
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Rick Kellison's Silver Creek Farm P.O. Box 369 Lockney, Texas |
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To contact us: |
