1996-97 Forage Yields from Ryegrass Varieties and Strains

by Jerry Baker

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.