Oregon
State
University
.
1)
Science II e p or
RESEARCH/EXTENSION
OREGON
FORAGE AND TURF GRASS VARIETY SEED YIELD TRIAL
1985
by Harold W. Youngberg, William C. Young, III, and David O. Chilcotel
INTRODUCTION
Many new grass varieties and advanced breeding lines are developed in
public and private plant breeding programs each year.
In 1981 a pilot seed
yield evaluation program was started at Oregon State University for re
centlyreleased varieties or advanced breeding lines from those interested
in seed production in the state.
Seed yield of these varieties growing
under western Oregon conditions was observed for two years and has been
reported in Crop Science Reports 43 and 49, and O.S.U. Agricultural Experi
ment Station Special Report 730, February, 1985.
The program was continued on a fee basis in 1983.
Fiftyfive entries
were received for evaluation of plant height, lodging, harvest date, 1000
seed weight and seed yield. Species included: perennial ryegrass (Lolium
erenne), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), fineleaf fescue (Festuca
ru ra , Kentucky bluegrass TOTIDT-atensis), orchardgrass (Dactylis
glomerate.), and tall fescue-Trestuca arundinacea). These data have been
reported in Crop Science Report 51. Second year data were collected as
described above and also included maturity estimates based on heading and
anthesis dates, and additional information on lodging tendency.
METHODS
The trial, designed to follow commercial field practices of Willamette
Valley seed growers was at Hyslop Crop Science Field Laboratory, Corvallis,
1Professor and Extension Agronomist, Research Assistant, and Professor,
respectively, Crop Science Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis,
OR 97331.
EXT/CRS 59
11/85
2
Perennial species in this trial were planted
on a Woodburn silt loam soil.
Details on the establishment and management of perennial
in May 1983.
species during the first year, and production data are available in Crop
Science Report 51 and will not be repeated here.
Italian ryegrass varieties were reseeded in the fall of 1984 for a
Establishment methods previously reported for row
second year evaluation.
On September 18,
spacing, seeding rate and plot size were used in 1984.
1984, 187 lb/a (210 kg/ha) of 16-20-0 fertilizer was surface applied and
incorporated into the seedbed. All varieties were planted on September 24,
1984, and subsequently were treated with the herbicide NortronR at 1.0 lb
ai/a (1.1 kg ai/ha).
Following the first seed harvest of perennial species in 1984, straw
Remaining stubble was burned using a propane flamer on August
was removed.
An application of 187 lb/a (210 kg/ha) of 16-20-0 fer
20 and 21, 1984.
tilizer was broadcast on October 3, 1984. Herbicide sprays for fall and
winter weed control were applied on October 16, 1984 (see Table 1).
Table 1.
Autumn 1984 herbicide application.
Species
Herbicide
Perennial ryegrass
Fineleaf fescue
Atrazine
Simazine
Bluegrass, Orchardgrass
& Tall fescue
Diuron
Rate1
(lb /a) (kg/ha)
1.5
1.7
2.5
2.8
3.0
3.4
1Applied October 16, 1984
Spring fertilizer was applied as 46-0-0 to all entries on March 8,
1985 (see Table 2).
Table 2.
Spring 1985 fertilizer application
N (Actual)
Rate1
Species
(lb /a)
(kg/ha)
239
268
110
123
Tall fescue and
Orchardgrass
174
195
80
90
Bluegrass
304
341
140
157
Perennial ryegrass
Italian ryegrass
(lb /a)
(kg/ha)
and Fineleaf fescue
146-0-0 for all species applied on March 8,
1985.
-3
Fungicide treatments included Bravo 500R at 3 pl,nts/a (3.6 1/ha) for
tall fescue and orchardgrass on April 29, 1985. Tilt' was applied at 4
fl. oz/a (0.3 1/ha) for rust control on perennial ryegrass and bluegrass.
Four applications were made on bluegrass: May 6, 17, and 31, and June 14,
while three were used on perennial ryegrass:
May 17, 31, and June 14.
All perennial varieties were irrigated on May 16, 1985 with 2 in (51
mm) of water to insure adequate soil moisture for physiological maturity in
all species.
Italian ryegrass varieties received 0.75 in (19 mm) on May 9
and May 16, 1985 for a total of 1.5 in (38 mm).
Throughout the late fall and winter, several varieties of
ryegrass and fine fescue had limited regrowth. Stand survival
ryegrass and fine fescue was rated on March 18, 1985. A scale
used to score stand reduction. Other perennial species showed
in stand survival among varieties.
perennial
in perennial
of 1
5 was
no variation
All varieties were checked on a weekly schedule from April 4, 1985
until maturity.
Dates were recorded when approximately 50% of the stand
had headed (heading date) and when exerted anthers were first apparent
(anthesis date).
In addition, the date on which lodging first became
apparent within each plot was recorded (lodging date), along with a per
centage estimate of the area affected (area lodged) and the severity of
that lodging on a scale of 1
5.
All plant height measurements were
recorded on June 20, 1985.
The entire plot area was harvested at maturity using a small plot
harvester incorporating a sickle bar cutter and draper designed for effi
cient bagging of the above ground plant biomass.
The bagged material was
airdried, threshed, cleaned and weighed. A 3 to 5 gram seed sample of
each plot was taken with a seed divider to determine the 1000 seed weight.
In addition, harvest index was calculated for each entry:
Clean seed weight
Harvest Index =
X 100
Total harvested weight
Data from each species were subjected to a randomized block analysis
of variance and least significant difference test to determine differences
among variety means.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Harvest dates and other observations are presented in Tables 3-8.
Yields expressed as a percent of the standard variety for each species are
also reported.
The mean monthly temperature from December
March in this production
year were much below normal (table 9). This may have contributed to stand
reduction in certain perennial ryegrass and fine fescue varieties. Rain
-4
fall during the spring growing season was below normal.
applied in May to replenish the soil moisture.
One irrigation was
In general, lodging was less severe in 1985 as plants were shorter.
14 days earlier than in 1984 and average seed yield
Seed harvest was 10
was higher than in 1984.
Seed yields from these research plots should be compared with known
Plot harvest
standard varieties rather than using the absolute figures.
methods reduce shattering and combining losses that normally occur in
Mean plot yield in 1985 for perennial and annual
commercial production.
ryegrass was 20
30% above the fiveyear mean commercial seed yields for
Oregon.
Plot yield of orchardgrass and Kentucky bluegrass was more than
50% above, and the fineleaf fescue and tall fescue more than two and one
half times the fiveyear mean seed yield for the state. These higher
yields were the result of favorable conditions at maturity and adequate
soil moisture provided by the May irrigation.
-5-
Table 3.
1985 Seed Yield of Perennial Ryegrass
First Lodging
Variety
Name
Harvest
Seed Yield
(lb /a)
(% Std.)
Linn (Std.)
1493
100
SB-F
Pronto
2EE
1451
97
89
86
Pennfine
Prelude
Agree
Sisu
Palmer
Lp 792
Trani
Vejo
LSD .05
1322
1281
1206
1157
1072
1052
1004
716
429
423
260
81
77
72
70
67
48
29
28
Index
Plant
Seed wt. Height
1000
(%)
(g)
(cm)
19.3
14.5
14.7
17.9
14.9
15.5
17.0
14.9
12.0
15.2
6.6
6.2
2.33
2.68
1.89
1.80
1.87
1.80
1.87
1.66
1.64
1.55
1.55
1.92
66.0
73.5
64.0
2.7
0.08
4.2
56.1
65.1
63.6
64.0
69.1
66.5
54.5
60.4
67.6
Heading Anthesis
Date
Date
Date
Stand2
Area Severity' Survival
Harvest
Date
(%)
08
29
08
03
11
15
21
23
15
23
12
11
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
Jun
May
4
(days)
21
19
21
21
23
29
29
16
29
29
24
25
May
Jun
May
May
May
May
May
Jun
May
May
Jun
May
6
(days)
20
09
20
19
20
29
16
16
29
19
19
03
May
Jun
May
May
May
May
Jun
Jun
May
Jun
Jun
Jun
7
18
40
2.5
2.3
2.5
2.5
2.3
2.8
2.8
2.5
2.8
2.8
2.3
2.8
18
NS
20
28
38
30
33
48
30
35
45
53
1.3
1.8
1.3
1.0
1.0
1.0,
4.3'
3.5
1.3
3.0
3.33
2.5
28
08
28
28
28
01
01
08
01
08
16
01
Jun
Jul
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
1.0
(days)
'Lodging score 1-5, with 1 = no lodging and 5 = flat.
2
Stand survival score 1-5, with 1 = no stand loss, 2 = 10-20%, 3 = 20-30%, 4 = 30-40% and 5 = 40-50% reduction.
3
Stand was reduced by mouse damage observed before harvest in 1984.
-6-
Table 4.
1985 Seed Yield of Fine Fescue
First Lodging
Variety
Name
Seed Yield
(lb /a) (% Std.)
ISI 829
Pernille
2504
1802
Eboli
1511
Cascade
ZW 42-100
Premiere
Z 7492
Pennlawn (Std.)
Tatjana
ASHF
82
1495
1395
1293
1227
LSD .05
1211
1121
424
218
207
149
125
123
115
107
101
100
93
35
Harvest
1000
Plant
Index
Seed wt. Height
(%)
(g)
(cm)
20.9
16.4
22.2
17.7
16.7
19.3
20.6
92.9
82.3
82.9
83.3
70.8
81.8
72.0
77.0
26.9
1.32
1.03
1.23
1.09
1.08
1.08
0.95
0.98
1.13
1.06
2.9
0.06
8.3
18.1
21.1
74.1
68.4
Heading Anthesis
Date
Date
Date
Stand2
Area Severity' Survival
Harvest
Date
(%)
17
01
24
01
01
01
01
01
17
01
Apr
May
Apr
May
May
May
May
MAY
Apr
May
21
23
21
21
29
25
21
27
21
21
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
3
(days)
29
29
31
29
02
02
29
29
29
12
May
May
May
May
Jun
Jun
May
May
May
Jun
3
28
1.0
1.0
1.3
1.3
2.0
1.8
1.0
1.0
1.0
50
2.5
2.5
2.0
3.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
3.0
2.8
2.5
18
0.5
0.5
72
25
50
28
25
55
60
63
4.8
25
28
21
25
28
29
25
25
21
21
(days)
'Lodging score 1-5, with 1 = no lodging and 5 = flat.
2Stand survival score 1-5, with 1 = no stand loss, 2 = 10-20%, 3 = 20-30%, 4 = 30-40%, and 5 = 40-50% reduction.
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
-7-
Table 5.
1985 Seed Yield of Bluegrass
First Lodging
Variety
Name
Harvest
Seed Yield
(lb /a) (% Std.)
Newport (Std.)
ZW 42-96
PP-02
PP-01
Annika
Cynthia
Conni
Arnolda
Charlotte
LSD .05
2235
2194
2134
2125
1614
1608
1575
1524
1446
384
100
98
95
95
72
72
70
68
65
Index
1000
Plant
Seed wt. Height
(%)
(g)
(cm)
23.4
27.8
29.3
27.8
35.0
33.5
39.8
29.3
24.5
0.40
0.36
0.44
0.35
0.39
0.38
0.42
0.46
66.9
60.6
50.9
61.4
53.5
54.6
38.4
46.6
50.3
NS
0.02
4.4
0.41
Heading Anthesis
Date
Date
Lodging score 1-5, with 1 = no lodging and 5 = flat.
Area Severityl
Harvest
Date
(%)
01
01
15
15
08
06
15
06
08
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
2
(days)
1
Date
May
May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21
21
23-Jun
23-Jun
26-Jun
24-Jun
12-Jun
12-Jun
26-Jun
24-Jun
12-Jun
6
(days)
70
1.8
1.3
1.0
1.3
2.8
2.3
1.0
1.3
3.0
31
1.0
18
5
0
13
45
70
0
18
02
02
02
02
02
02
02
02
02
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
-8-
Table 6.
1985 Seed Yield of Orchardgrass
First Lodging
Variety
Name
Harvest
Seed Yield
(1b/a)(7. Std.)
SB-SYN-2
Hallmark
Jesper
Paiute
Potomac (Std.)
Sparta
DG-04
DG-02
Cesaring
Marta
DG-03
DG-01
LSD .05
2145
2133
1988
1806
1803
1685
1141
1092
755
655
290 2
21322
216
119
118
110
100
100
93
63
61
42
36
162
122
Index
Plant
1000
Seed wt. Height
(g)
(cm)
19.5
17.6
16.3
15.6
15.9
16.8
11.6
11.3
9.8
6.7
5.4
3.2
1.21
1.21
133.6
130.6
142.6
138.1
132.5
130.5
140.6
138.9
109.4
116.8
122.1
130.3
1.8
0.13
7.3
(%)
1.22
1.16
1.19
1.15
1.08
1.18
1.15
0.97
1.00
1.18
Heading Anthesis
Date
Area Severity.]
Harvest
Date
(%)
01
01
08
01
01
15
15
15
08
08
18
21
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
2
(days)
1Lodging score 1-5, with 1 = no lodging and 5 = flat.
2Very poor stand due to low seed germination.
Date
Date
15
15
23
15
15
27
29
27
23
25
07
03
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
Jun
Jun
7
(days)
21
21
26
26
23
26
26
26
23
24
26
24
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
4
(days)
40
50
58
10
30
1.8
1.8
1.0
1.0
1.5
1.0
1.3
1.8
1.8
2.0
1.3
1.5
40
0.5
63
68
0
0
35
0
5
26
26
28
26
26
28
01
01
01
01
16
16
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
9
Table 7.
1985 Seed Yield of Tall Fescue
First Lodging
Harvest
Variety
Name
Seed Yield
(lb /a) (% Std.)
Fawn (Std.)
ASTF-82 SP
Sibilla
2499
2467
2426
2196
1916
1767
LSD .05
LSD .10
NS
487
FA-01
ASTF-82 F
Rebel
1
100
99
97
88
77
71
Index
1000
Plant
Seed wt. Height
(%)
(g)
18.2
19.5
18.4
19.0
17.8
17.2
2.43
1.99
2.05
1.97
1.90
1.83
NS
0.08
Heading Anthesis
Date
Date
Date
(cm)
126.4
122.8
121.1
127.4
122.3
123.6
NS
Lodging score 1-5, with 1 = no lodging and 5 = flat.
Harvest
Date
Area Severityl
(%)
24
11
12
04
12
07
May
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
6
(days)
21
29
29
29
29
29
May
May
May
May
May
May
05
05
05
05
05
05
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
63
65
68
68
73
60
2.3
1.8
1.8
1.8
2.0
2.3
NS
NS
21
26
28
26
26
28
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
-10-
Table 8.
1985 Seed Yield of Annual Ryegrass
First Lodging
Variety
Name
Harvest
Seed Yield
(1b/a) (% Std.)
Marshall (Std.)
Sikem
Aubade
Bambi
WSG TB-1A
Wencke
Catalpa
Westerwold
Kitty
Roberta
SB-A
SB-S
LSD .05
100
88
3371
2975
2466
2383
2357
2216
2130
73
71
70
66
63
62
2081
1731
51
1470
1273
925
44
38
27
544
Index
(%)
1000
Plant
Seed wt. Height
(g)
2.31
15.1
14.3
9.5
11.5
14.6
3.14
2.06
2.77
2.86
2.56
114.3
118.9
115.8
113.3
117.9
106.4
110.4
114.4
101.0
105.9
110.9
92.4
3.0
0.32
8.5
3.21
Date
(cm)
20.2
19.3
14.3
17.4
14.8
16.4
15.3
2.23
2.63
3.23
2.80
2.18
Heading Anthesis
Date
Date
Lodging score 1-5, with
1
= no lodging and 5 = flat.
Harvest
Date
(%)
May
May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
21 May
03 Apr
21
21
05
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
10
Jun
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
06
03
24
01
05
12
03
03
03
01
03
24
May
May
Apr
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
May
Apr
10
(days)
1
Area Severityl
10
40
40
53
65
2.3
2.5
3.5
2.0
2.3
2.5
2.8
2.3
3.0
2.5
2.3
3.3
18
0.8
33
15
28
10
25
45
38
26
28
28
28
28
26
28
26
26
26
28
17
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Jun
Table 9.
Monthly mean temperature, total precipitation in Corvallis,
Oregon (30-yr. averages, 1983, 1984 and 1985)1
Temperature (° F)
M
Precipitation (inches)
Max
Min
o
n
t
h
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
30-yr
avg
32.9
35.0
36.1
38.8
May
43.2
June 48.3
July 50.6
Aug.
50.7
Sept. 47.7
Oct.
41.7
Nov.
37.2
Dec.
34.6
Year
41.4
1983
1984
1985
30-yr
avg
1983
36.3
39.2
42.3
39.3
44.6
48.8
35.1
28.1
45.1
48.2
35.7
40.3
38.9
42.7
46.6
51.1
53.5
47.8
40.4
41.9
31.1
49.3
47.4
41.8
39.0
31.9
50.4
53.8
59.3
66.2
72.6
80.7
80.5
75.5
64.3
52.3
46.5
52.1
52.1
31.9
33.9
41.9
42.8
47.4
52.3
50.0
56.3
61.0
69.5
70.0
73.9
79.6
73.0
63.4
53.4
40.7
43.1
41.6
62.3
61.1
--
1984
1985
48.7
52.2
57.9
57.2
63.6
69.7
42.5
48.5
81.1
87.1
81.3
74.6
59.0
51.2
43.8
80.9
61.7
53.1
62.2
67.3
75.3
30-yr
avg
1983
1984
3.26
7.55 6.91
4.86 10.31
6.92
4.63 8.78 3.82
2.46 3.01
3.41
3.67
1.92
1.51
1.20 1.39 4.34
0.31
2.55 0.20
0.81
2.21
0.00
1.48 0.53 0.74
3.39 1.05 4.65
6.17 9.93 13.55
7.77 7.35 4.01
42.55 55.53 48.57
1References
Redmond,
K.T.,
B.T.
Kropp, and A.H. Murphy. 1984.
Local climatological
data for Corvallis, Oregon.
1983 Summary with normals, means, extremes,
monthly time series. Off. of the State Climatologist, Climatic Research
Institute, and the Agric. Expt. Sta., Oregon State University, Corvallis.
Rept. SCP-2. 22 pp.
Redmond,
K.T. 1985. Local climatological data for Corvallis, Oregon.
1984
Summary with normals, means, extremes, monthly time series. Off. of the
State Climatologist, Climatic Research Institute, and the Agric. Expt.
Sta., Oregon State University, Corvallis.
Spec. Rept. 744. 22 pp.
1985
0.25
3.65
4.94
1.05
0.94
2.22
0.54
0.48
--