Establishment, Growth, Utilization and Chemical Composition of Introduced Shrubs on Oklahoma Tallgrass Prairie

The studv area is located in North Central Oklahoma at coordinates 3P7’iatitude,970 17’longitude,andZ km westofStillwater, Okla. The elevation of the area is about 290 m. On April 1,1977,14 species of containerized shrubs grown from seed in a ereenhouse were transolanted onto North-Central Oklahoma tall&w prairie to deter&e first-year growth and survival and fall utilization and forage quality of the shrubs. Plants of each species were transplanted onto Lucia loam (Udic Ustochrepts) and onto Grainola silt loam (Vertic Haplustalfs) soils. Grazing was permitted on one-half of the plants of all species during the fall. Growth and survival were greater on the more mesic Crainoln soil, whereas utilization was greater on the more reric Lucia soil. Early winter N, P, K, and Ca contents and in viva dry matter digestibility were two or three times greater in shrubs than in native herhaceous plants collected from the same area at the same time. Based on survival, growth, fall utilization and early winter forage quality, seven species deserve additional study under different soil, weather and management conditions. Atriplex canescens, Fallugiaporodoxa, and Cowania mexicana var. slansburiann are the most promising winter browse plants for Oklahoma tallgrass prairies. Studv Area