by Jerry L. Baker
Table 1. Forage Production of Cool Season Grass Evaluation Trial at Ardmore, OK in 1997-98
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|
|
Pounds of Oven-Dry Forage/Acre
|
|
|
|
|
Clipping
Dates
|
|
|
|
|
Variety
|
12/10 |
4/2 |
4/29 |
6/2 |
1997-98
Total |
%
Ky. 31
(E+)
|
Average
% Crude
Protein
|
1.
|
Dovey tall fescue (E-)
|
752 |
1544 |
1006 |
581 |
3883 |
119 |
16.4 |
2.
|
Jose tall wheatgrass
|
601 |
881 |
1266 |
823 |
3571 |
110 |
17.0 |
3.
|
Penngrazer tall fescue (E-)
|
421 |
968 |
1610 |
391 |
3390 |
104 |
16.9 |
4.
|
Matua prairiegrass
|
230 |
825 |
1477 |
775 |
3307 |
101 |
14.9 |
5.
|
Kentucky 31 tall fescue (E+)
|
346 |
903 |
1573 |
440 |
3262 |
100 |
17.5 |
6.
|
Luna pubescent wheatgrass
|
364 |
820 |
1120 |
681 |
2985 |
92 |
18.8 |
7.
|
Oahe intermediate wheatgrass
|
286 |
691 |
1145 |
752 |
2874 |
88 |
19.0 |
8.
|
Manska pubescent wheatgrass
|
520 |
612 |
1003 |
638 |
2773 |
85 |
20.4 |
9.
|
Mandan pubescent wheatgrass
|
511 |
559 |
829 |
565 |
2464 |
76 |
19.6 |
10.
|
Nui perennial ryegrass
|
99 |
640 |
1077 |
615 |
2432 |
75 |
18.0 |
11.
|
York smooth bromegrass
|
322 |
395 |
932 |
669 |
2318 |
71 |
21.4 |
12.
|
Lincoln smooth bromegrass
|
307 |
431 |
1062 |
445 |
2245 |
69 |
21.2 |
13.
|
Regar meadow bromegrass
|
129 |
435 |
1186 |
424 |
2174 |
67 |
20.3 |
14.
|
Paiute orchardgrass
|
58 |
330 |
1029 |
692 |
2109 |
65 |
16.5 |
15.
|
Bozoisky Select Russian wildrye
|
331 |
373 |
494 |
384 |
1582 |
49 |
20.2 |
16.
|
DLF 9E
bromegrass
|
68 |
123 |
391 |
745 |
1327 |
41 |
17.0 |
17.
|
Gala
bromegrass
|
50 |
132 |
526 |
459 |
1167 |
36 |
15.8 |
|
Average
|
317 |
627 |
1043 |
593 |
2580 |
79 |
18.3 |
|
L.S.D.
(.05)
|
124 |
309 |
238 |
160
|
625
|
|
|
|
C.V.
(%)
|
23.4 |
29.6 |
13.7 |
16.2
|
14.6
|
|
|
Location: Headquarters
Farm, Ardmore, OK.
Soil Type: Weatherford fine sandy loam.
Planted: October 4, 1996.
Seeding Rate:
Pounds/Acre
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Varieties
|
30
|
Matua prairiegrass,
Gala bromegrass
|
25
|
Nui perennial
ryegrass
|
16
|
all tall
fescues
|
14
|
Bozoisky Select
Russian wildrye, Regar
meadow bromegrass and all wheatgrasses
|
12
|
Paiute orchardgrass,
Lincoln and York smooth bromegrass
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Seeding Method: Drilled in seven-inch rows at a one-half
inch planting depth.
Replication: Three (3).
Fertilization: Applied 50 lbs. N/acre on September 3, 1997
and February 12 and April 2, 1998.
Weed Control: Applied 2-4D low volatile ester plus
Pendimethlin herbicide on Feb. 11, 1998 for control of broadleaf
weeds and summer annual grasses.
Clipping: Clipped with rotary mower at a height of two and
one-half to three inches to simulate rotational
grazing.
Table 2. Two-Year Dry Forage Yields from Cool Season Grasses at Ardmore
|
Test Established October 4, 1996 |
|
|
Pounds/Acre |
|
|
|
Variety
|
1997
|
1998 |
2-Year
Total
|
Total
Tons/Acre
|
% Crude*
Protein
|
1. |
Matua
prairiegrass
|
6575 |
3307 |
9882 |
4.94 |
15.4 |
2. |
Dovey tall fescue
(E-)
|
5209 |
3883 |
9092 |
4.55 |
15.9 |
3. |
Nui perennial
ryegrass
|
6014 |
2432 |
8446 |
4.22 |
15.6 |
4. |
Penngrazer tall fescue
(E-)
|
3841 |
3390 |
7231 |
3.62 |
16.4 |
5. |
Kentucky 31 tall fescue
(E+)
|
3941 |
3262 |
7203 |
3.60 |
16.7 |
6. |
Paiute
orchardgrass
|
4552 |
2109 |
6661 |
3.33 |
17.9 |
7. |
Jose tall
wheatgrass
|
2308 |
3571 |
5879 |
2.94 |
17.8 |
8. |
Manska pubescent
wheatgrass
|
2524 |
2773 |
5291 |
2.65 |
23.2 |
9. |
Luna pubescent
wheatgrass
|
2285 |
2985 |
5270 |
2.64 |
20.1 |
10. |
Oahe intermediate
wheatgrass
|
2177 |
2874 |
5051 |
2.53 |
20.4 |
11. |
Gala
bromegrass
|
3781 |
1167 |
4948 |
2.47 |
18.9 |
12. |
Regar meadow
bromegrass
|
2726 |
2174 |
4900 |
2.45 |
21.1 |
13. |
York smooth
bromegrass
|
2259 |
2318 |
4577 |
2.29 |
21.4 |
14. |
Mandan pubescent
wheatgrass
|
2072 |
2464 |
4536 |
2.27 |
19.8 |
15. |
DLF 9E
bromegrass
|
3001 |
1327 |
4328 |
2.16 |
21.0 |
16. |
Lincoln smooth
bromegrass
|
2060 |
2245 |
4305 |
2.15 |
21.2 |
17. |
Bozoisky Select Russian
wildrye
|
1349 |
1582 |
2931 |
1.47 |
19.2 |
|
Average
|
3334 |
2580 |
5914 |
2.96 |
18.9 |
|
L.S.D.
(.05)
|
753 |
625 |
972 |
|
|
|
C.V.
(%)
|
13.6 |
14.6 |
9.9 |
|
|
*Weighted average of 7
clippings.
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INFLUENCING WEATHER FACTORS
Temperatures: Low temperature was 18°F on March 10 and 12, 1998.
Temperatures were 20°F or lower on 3 dates as follows:
Date |
Minimum
Temperature |
Dec. 13 |
20 |
Mar. 10 |
18 |
Mar. 12 |
18 |
Rainfall (inches):
|
Month
|
95-Year
Average |
199697
Season |
1997-98
Season |
July
|
2.82
|
3.38
|
0.05
|
August
|
2.74
|
6.23
|
1.75
|
September
|
3.65
|
7.42
|
1.71
|
October
|
3.61
|
3.56
|
3.44
|
November
|
2.45
|
5.15
|
2.32
|
December
|
2.22
|
0.29
|
3.98
|
January
|
1.73
|
0.43
|
5.83
|
February
|
2.09
|
5.05
|
1.16
|
March
|
2.86
|
0.82
|
4.91
|
April
|
4.00
|
4.01
|
1.12
|
May
|
5.37
|
5.60
|
0.16
|
June
|
3.93
|
3.99
|
2.37
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
37.47
|
45.93
|
28.80
|
Information in this report is not conclusive, but should be of valuable assistance when used with similar information from other sources.
All available information pertaining to the subject should be used in making conclusions and decisions. This publication is intended to furnish supplemental information
to aid in making a more sound decision and to stimulate thinking for new ideas.
I would like to acknowledge the following Research Assistants for their valuable assistance in the collection and analysis of data used in this report: Julie Barrick,
Bret Flatt, Roger Hartwell, Sean Maher, and Frank Motal.
DISCUSSION
A cool-season perennial grass evaluation trial was initiated on October 4, 1996 to quantify dry matter forage production and determine potential stand persistence
of several species/varieties when grown under Southern Oklahoma conditions. Climatic conditions have been highly variable and unpredictable from establishment in
1996 through July 1998. The 1996-97 growing season was characterized by intermittent wet periods during the fall (1996) and spring (1997) followed by extreme dry
conditions in the summer and fall of 1997. Wet conditions experienced during the 1997-98 winter months were followed by an abnormally dry spring (1998) and excessive
heat and dry weather again this summer.
The 1997-98 data for dry matter forage production at each clipping date and average percent crude protein are presented in Table 1. The yields varied widely, from
a low of 1,167 pounds/acre for Gala bromegrass to a high of 3,883 pounds/acre for Dovey tall fescue. Matua prairiegrass, Nui perennial ryegrass, Paiute orchardgrass,
Gala bromegrass, and DLF 9E bromegrass suffered from drought during the summer and fall of 1997 and very few mature plants remained in the plots by the December
clipping for these species. Volunteer plants of Matua accounted for most of the increase in spring production. All of the species/varieties contained good to excellent
CP values at each sample date. The CP percentages were highest in early April and lowest in the June clipping.
The two-year total forage production summary of the trial is shown in Table 2. Total forage produced in 1998 was only 44% of what it was in the establishment year
(1997). Note that the tall fescue varieties have been the most consistent group in forage production from year to year. Notice also, the sharp decline in yield
of both Matua prairiegrass and Nui perennial ryegrass after the first season (1997). The wheatgrasses, the smooth and meadow bromes, and the Russian wildrye have
been slower to establish and produce forage. However, these grasses as a group would appear to have some potential for the region because of their ability to withstand
drought. All were maintaining good to excellent stands and CP levels by the end of the 1998 spring harvest season. It will be interesting to see what species survive
the current drought and produce useful forage in 1998-99.
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