1997-98 Cool Season Grass Trials

by Jerry Baker

Table 1. Forage Production of Cool Season Grass Evaluation Trial at Ardmore, OK in 1997-98
		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	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

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.

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	1996–97 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.