TABLE 1. RYEGRASS
FORAGE PERFORMANCE, 1996-97 PASTURE DEMONSTRATION FARM,
ARDMORE, OK
|
|
|
Pounds/Acre of
Oven-Dry Forage
|
|
|
|
|
Clipping
Dates
|
|
|
|
|
Variety or
Strain
|
11/22
|
3/6
|
Total
thru
3/6
|
3/20
|
4/10
|
4/29
|
5/22
|
6/13
|
1996-97
Total
|
%
Common
Annual
|
% Forage
Produced
by 3/6
|
1.
|
Matua rescue
|
1212
|
1892
|
3104
|
1057
|
1292
|
892
|
1157
|
512
|
8014
|
117
|
39
|
2.
|
Jackson
|
2287
|
1395
|
3682
|
770
|
961
|
523
|
1317
|
370
|
7623
|
111
|
48
|
3.
|
Passerel
|
1956
|
1640
|
3596
|
1088
|
1053
|
514
|
869
|
333
|
7453
|
108
|
48
|
4.
|
Ribeye
|
2051
|
1215
|
3266
|
791
|
950
|
500
|
1345
|
397
|
7249
|
105
|
45
|
5.
|
WVPB-AR-90-300
|
1931
|
1508
|
3439
|
837
|
890
|
497
|
1079
|
351
|
7093
|
103
|
49
|
6.
|
Common Annual
|
2122
|
304
|
2426
|
422
|
1062
|
915
|
1627
|
429
|
6881
|
100
|
35
|
7.
|
WVPB-AR-A9
|
1920
|
726
|
2646
|
788
|
919
|
615
|
1144
|
641
|
6753
|
98
|
39
|
8.
|
Surrey
|
1960
|
1260
|
3220
|
844
|
858
|
442
|
1060
|
318
|
6742
|
98
|
48
|
9.
|
Marshall
|
1407
|
1507
|
2914
|
1117
|
937
|
456
|
1007
|
279
|
6710
|
98
|
43
|
10.
|
WVPB-AR-93-101
|
1742
|
1004
|
2746
|
779
|
993
|
493
|
1245
|
437
|
6693
|
97
|
41
|
11.
|
Rio
|
1704
|
1549
|
3253
|
941
|
803
|
405
|
908
|
318
|
6628
|
96
|
49
|
12.
|
Tam 90
|
1628
|
872
|
2500
|
741
|
941
|
496
|
1194
|
394
|
6266
|
91
|
40
|
13.
|
TXR FMR96
|
1625
|
897
|
2522
|
694
|
893
|
552
|
1176
|
344
|
6181
|
90
|
41
|
14.
|
Grazer
|
1961
|
884
|
2845
|
639
|
966
|
351
|
1001
|
251
|
6053
|
88
|
47
|
15.
|
ISI Blend
|
1606
|
1240
|
2846
|
759
|
759
|
341
|
899
|
242
|
5846
|
85
|
49
|
16.
|
Florida 80
|
1584
|
957
|
2541
|
699
|
768
|
361
|
1124
|
220
|
5713
|
83
|
45
|
17.
|
Wax ME94
|
1235
|
1357
|
2592
|
938
|
808
|
361
|
757
|
227
|
5683
|
83
|
46
|
18.
|
Hercules
|
1754
|
428
|
2182
|
558
|
829
|
585
|
993
|
513
|
5660
|
82
|
39
|
19.
|
OFI-A9
|
1359
|
1036
|
2395
|
784
|
828
|
389
|
876
|
286
|
5558
|
81
|
43
|
20.
|
TXR 95-2
|
1091
|
1038
|
2129
|
858
|
880
|
384
|
1005
|
229
|
5485
|
80
|
39
|
21.
|
OFI-PM
|
1714
|
177
|
1891
|
296
|
727
|
793
|
1252
|
413
|
5372
|
78
|
35
|
22.
|
TXR 95-6
|
1073
|
993
|
2066
|
875
|
795
|
343
|
894
|
192
|
5165
|
75
|
40
|
|
Average
|
1678
|
1085
|
2763
|
785
|
905
|
509
|
1088
|
350
|
6400
|
93
|
43
|
|
L.S.D.
(.05)
|
894
|
354
|
890
|
161
|
218
|
200
|
536
|
178
|
1678
|
|
|
|
C.V.
(%)
|
32.3
|
19.8
|
19.5
|
12.4
|
14.6
|
23.8
|
29.9
|
30.9
|
15.9
|
|
|
Planted: September 13, 1996.
Seeding Rate: 25 lb./acre.
Seeding Method: Drilled in seven-inch rows.
Replications: Three (3).
Soil Type: Chickasha loam.
Fertilization: Preplant: 50 lb. N and 60 lb. K2O/acre on September 5, 1996.
Topdress: 50 lb. N/acre on December 11, 1996 and 85 lb. N/acre on March 6, 1997.
Management: Disked and roller-harrowed.
Clipping: Clipped with a rotary mower at a height of two and one-half to three inches to simulate rotational grazing.
Winter Damage:
Winterkill and/or stand loss scores were recorded on
March 3, 1997.
Scale (1-5) represents percentage of
winterkill/stand loss:
1 = 0-20% 2 = 21-40% 3 = 41-60% 4 = 61-80% 5 =
81-100%
Ratings (Average of 3
reps):
Common Annual 4.3 OFI-A9 1.7 TXR 95-2 1.3
Florida 80 1.7 OFI-PM 4.7 TXR 95-6 1.3
Grazer 2.0 Passerel 1.0 TXR FM96 1.7
Hercules 3.7 Ribeye 1.0 Wax ME94 1.0
ISI Blend 1.3 Rio 1.0 WVPB-AR-90-300 1.0
Jackson 1.3 Surrey 1.3 WVPB-AR-93-101 1.3
Marshall 1.0 Tam 90 1.7 WVPB-AR-A9 2.3
Matua rescue 1.0
|
DISCUSSION
Ryegrasses and Matua rescuegrass were evaluated for forage production during the 1996-97 season at the Ardmore Pasture Demonstration Farm (Table 1). The test
was planted on September 13. Stands were slow to develop because of heavy rains immediately following planting. Plant growth was good but somewhat variable and
erratic throughout much of the fall. We eventually applied 50 pounds of N/acre on December 11, 1996. This seemed to stimulate the grass and forage production was
good and more uniform in growth for the remainder of the season. Cool temperatures and good rainfall in April and May resulted in excellent late-season production.
Seven clippings were made during the season, beginning on November 22 and ending on June 13 (Table 1). An average of 26% of the forage in the test was produced
by the November 22 clipping date. A few entries suffered moderate to heavy cold damage and stand loss during the winter months. However, most recovered nicely and
produced a good quantity of forage in the late spring period. Winter damage ratings are presented in the footnotes of Table 1. Note that total dry forage yields
ranged from 5165 to 8014 pounds/acre. The average production was 6400 pounds of which 43% had been harvested by March 6. Jackson ryegrass produced the most forage
by March 6, while Matua rescue once again produced the most late-season forage in the test (combining all clippings after March 6).
Table 2 summarizes forage production of common entries over the past three years of testing. The average total production was about 41% higher this year than the
previous year. The last three years are an excellent representation of the varying environmental conditions that we experience in Oklahoma. The 1996-97 growing
season was characterized by a cool spring and slightly above normal moisture.
Table 2. Ryegrass Forage Performance Summary,
1994-97 at Ardmore, OK
|
|
|
Pounds of
Oven-Dry Forage
|
|
Variety or
Strain
|
1994-95
|
1995-96
|
1996-97
|
2-Year
Average
|
3-Year
Average
|
1.
|
Matua rescue
|
9148
|
6164
|
8014
|
7089
|
7775
|
2.
|
Marshall
|
8732
|
5366
|
6710
|
6038
|
6936
|
3.
|
Jackson
|
7189
|
4427
|
7623
|
6025
|
6413
|
4.
|
WVPB-AR-90-300
|
7442
|
4818
|
7093
|
5956
|
6451
|
5.
|
Rio
|
7506
|
4859
|
6628
|
5744
|
6331
|
6.
|
WVPB-AR-A9
|
-
|
4692
|
6753
|
5723
|
-
|
7.
|
WVPB-AR-93-101
|
-
|
4723
|
6693
|
5708
|
-
|
8.
|
Surrey
|
8106
|
4375
|
6742
|
5559
|
6408
|
9.
|
Common Annual
|
7980
|
4114
|
6881
|
5498
|
6325
|
10.
|
Tam 90
|
6582
|
4283
|
6266
|
5275
|
5710
|
11.
|
Wax ME94
|
-
|
4655
|
5683
|
5169
|
-
|
12.
|
ISI Blend
|
-
|
4356
|
5846
|
5101
|
-
|
13.
|
OFI-A9
|
-
|
4616
|
5558
|
5087
|
-
|
14.
|
Hercules
|
-
|
4365
|
5660
|
5013
|
-
|
15.
|
Grazer
|
8078
|
3810
|
6053
|
4932
|
5980
|
16.
|
Florida 80
|
7160
|
3854
|
5713
|
4784
|
5576
|
17.
|
OFI-PM
|
-
|
4154
|
5372
|
4763
|
-
|
|
Average
|
7794
|
4567
|
6429
|
5498
|
6391
|
|
L.S.D.
(.05)
|
NS
|
529
|
1714
|
|
|
Ryegrass is often used in mixtures with rye and other small grains. A strong caution should be made in wheat or other grain producing enterprises. Ryegrass
can become a weed much like wild oats and cheat. It usually volunteers to a good stand and in many cases competes too much with wheat and other grain production.
|
INFLUENCING WEATHER
FACTORS
Temperatures:
Low temperature was 7°F on January 29, 1997.
Temperatures were 20°F or lower on 12 dates as follows:
|
Minimum
|
|
Minimum
|
Date
|
Temperature
|
|
Date
|
Temperature
|
Dec.
18
|
17
|
|
Jan.
13
|
16
|
Dec.
19
|
14
|
|
Jan.
16
|
17
|
Dec.
24
|
19
|
|
Jan.
17
|
13
|
Dec.
25
|
20
|
|
Jan.
18
|
18
|
Jan.
11
|
16
|
|
Jan.
28
|
12
|
Jan.
12
|
16
|
|
Jan.
29
|
12
|
Rainfall
(inches):
|
Month
|
31-Year
Average
|
1995-96
Season
|
1996-97
Season
|
September
|
4.21
|
1.66
|
6.94
|
October
|
4.17
|
0.89
|
2.66
|
November
|
2.38
|
0.84
|
4.64
|
December
|
2.11
|
2.43
|
0.10
|
January
|
1.57
|
1.42
|
0.25
|
February
|
1.95
|
0.00
|
4.58
|
March
|
3.36
|
3.59
|
0.37
|
April
|
3.59
|
2.16
|
5.78
|
May
|
5.56
|
0.00
|
6.07
|
Total
|
28.90
|
12.99
|
31.39
|
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 Aides for their valuable assistance in the collection and analysis of data and the preparation of this report:
Julie Barrick, Bret Flatt, Roger Hartwell, Sean Maher, and Frank Motal.
|