Chemical Composition of Native Range Grasses Growing on Saline Soils of the South Texas Plains

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Abstract
During the growing seasons of 1976 and 1977, 6 native range grass species and a composite of miscellaneous grasses growing on Saline Clay and Rolling Harland range sites (both sites have saline soils) in south Texas were analyzed for percentage content of crude protein (CP), P, Ca, Mg, K and Na. Levels of CP, P, K and Na were generally highest after periods of adequate rainfall in late spring, summer and early fall and lowest in late fall as the grasses went into dormancy. Levels of Ca and Mg remained relatively stable through the growing season and showed little relationship to rainfall. Grasses from the Saline Clay site had slightly higher levels of the chemical constituents than those grasses from the Rolling Hardland site. [The 6 grasses collected from the Saline Clay site were curly mesquite (Hilaria belangeri), whorled dropseed (Sporobolus pyramidatus), plains bristlegrass (Setaria macrostachya), pink pappusgrass (Pappophorum bicolor), Arizona cottontop (D. californica) and white tridents (Tridens albescens). The 6 grasses collected from the Rolling Hardland site were red grama (Bouteloua trifida), curly mesquite, whorled dropseed, pink pappusgrass, Arizona cottontop and plains bristlegrass].

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