W'm ii/ Performance of Ryegrass Varieties in Alabama, 1988-89 Agronomy and Soils Departmental Series No. 136 September 1989 Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Auburn University Lowell T. Frobish, Director Auburn University, Alabama PERFORMANCE OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES IN ALABAMA, 1988-89 D.L. Thurlow and W.C. Johnson 1 The Alabama Ryegrass Variety Test is a continuing evaluation of available varieties and breeding lines from private companies and state agricultural experiment stations. Tests are planted in northern, central, and southern locations to evaluate the varieties and lines under the different environmental conditions in these regions of Alabama. The tests are conducted by Experiment Station personnel and the results are presented in a fair and unbiased manner. EXPER TAL PROCEDURES AND DISCUSSION Ryegrass entries were seeded at a 20-pound-per-acre rate in rows 7 inches apart, using plots 5 x 20 feet with four replications. A good stand was obtained at all locations: Sand Mountain Substation, Plant Breeding Unit, and Gulf Coast Substation (replanted November 30, 1988). The tests were fertilized with phosphorus and potassium according to Auburn University soil test recommendations. At planting, nitrogen was applied at the rate of 50 pounds of N per acre, and an additional 50 pounds of N was applied per acre after each cutting. A 32- or 48-inch swath of each plot was harvested with a flail harvester each time the ryegrass reached 6-10 inches tall. Cutting height was 1 1/2 to 2 inches. A herbage sample of approximately 1 pound was taken from each plot at each harvest for determining forage dry matter percentage. 1 Associate Professor and Professor of Agronomy and Soils. Planting conditions were good during the 1986-87 season, with tests at all locations planted between September 25 and October 2, 1986. No fall production was recorded at Sand Mountain in the 1986-87 season. Due to dry soil conditions in fall of 1987, tests at Fairhope and Crossville were not planted until November 12 and October 28, respectively. The continued dry condition at Crossville resulted in lower than normal yields during the 1987- 88 season. Dry conditions at Fairhoape in fall 1988 resulted in a poor stand on first planting and the test was replanted November 30 resulting in no fall production. Strategies to meet seasonal forage needs are an important consideration for livestock producers. Tables 7, 8, and 9 show 3-year average yields for the ryegrass production season. A 3-year average provides a more dependable comparison of ryegrass varieties than do single-year results. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Appreciation is expressed to Mein-Huei Tzeng and Mrs. Sally Bagwell, Research Data Analysis, for the data processing of this report. Also' acknowledged are the contributions of J. T. Eason and M.E. Ruf, Sand Mountain Substation; E.L. Carden, and N.R. McDaniel, Gulf Coast Substation; and Steve Nightengale, Plant Breeding Unit, for growing and harvesting the experiments. -4- SOURCE OF RYEGRASS SEED Billion Bulldog Caramba CIR 31 Comet Dalita EIR1 36 Florida 80 FLrX 1986 ILR Gulf HI 124 Magnolia Marshall Max MSR 86-1 Multimo RustMaster Tetrablend 444 Nutriblend Pennploid V Tetrone Urbana Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Lofts Seed Inc., Bound Brook, New Jersey Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon NPI Seed Inc., Salem, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Silverhill Farmer's Ass 'n., Robertsdale, Alabama Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Forbes Seed, Junction City, Oregon Funk Seeds Inc., Alexandria, Laouisiana NPI Seed Inc., Salem, Oregon Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, Mississippi Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon The New Northrup King Co., Laurinburg, North Carolina Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Pennington Enterprises, Madison, Georgia Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon International Seed, Halsey, Oregon -5- TABLE 1. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, 1989 ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 2/10 3/09 3/27 4/11 4/27 5/22 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. PENNPLOID V 468 807 1,347 1,126 851 1,122 5.721 GULF 691 1.128 1,038 964 937 913 5,671 MSR 86-1 378 483 950 1o258 966 1o570 5,605 FL-X 1986LR 576. 664 894 1,026 986 1,418 5.564 MAGNOLIA 597 996 1, 101 857 988 1o000 5,539 RUSTMASTER 327 825 1i110 Io061 934 1,196 5o453 FLORIDA 80 468 702 1, 107 1,071 905 1,184 5,437 BULLDOG 706 635 950 985 862 1,244 5,382 NUTRIBLEND 326 653 1,097 1,111 864 1.181 5,232 NK TETRABLEND 444 323 873 987 933 806 994 4,916 EIRT 36 632 508 582 1#139 589 995 4,445 MARSHALL 362 530 734 980 804 949 4,359 DOVEY 67 352 678 1,044 663 1,526 4,330 HI 124 499 438 563 874 748 1,196 4,318 CIRT 31 486 419 492 1,096 603 998 4.094 DALITA 192 451 635 926 627 959 3,790 TETRONE 322 494 486 974 514 981 3,771 MAX 329 417 504 827 588 1,101 3,766 BILLION 521 556 507 736 602 841 3,763 CARAMBA 370 585 561 696 590 940 3,742 URBANA 617 462 448 775 523 865 3,690 MULTIMO 609 329 452 781 577 884 3,632 COMET 612 440 488 643 539 818 3.540 TEST MEAN 456 598 770 951 742 1,082 4,.598 C.V. (%) 42 18 19 14 15 10 9 L.S.D. (.05) 225 124 173 155 128 124 475 PLANTED: NOVEMBER 30, 1988. SOIL: MALBIS FINE SANDY LOAM. *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST. -6- TABLE 2. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA, 1989 ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 12/05 2/20 3/28 4/21 5/26 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. HI 124 1,095 634 987 1,534 914 5,164 MARSHALL , 1,114 659 1,004 1,441 816 5,034 BULLDOG 1, 166 857 893 1,092 869 4,877 MSR 86-1 760 895 1,055 972 1,116 4,798 RUSTMASTER 766 906 916 959 1,049 4,596 FL-X 1986LR 746 734 980 1,046 1,024 4,530 MAGNOLIA 1 022 1,069 593 983 838 4o505 NUTRIBLEND 859 745 866 1,004 878 4,352 FLORIDA 80 913 754 827 845 818 4,157 MULTIMO 718 562 784 1,259 815 4,138 NK TETRABLEND 444 662 787 711 1,050 922 4 132 PENNPLOID V 823 864 691 916 834 4,128 URBANA 766 640 786 1,344 546 4,082 GULF 729 777 774 785 893 3,958 MAX 736 528 765 1,111 801 3,941 CIRT 31 565 634 848 1,089 708 3,844 TETRONE 746 511 747 1,060 608 3,672 BILLION 766 742 617 895 608 3,628 COMET 696 762 669 893 589 3,609 CARAMBA 661 743 648 879 617 3,548 DALITA 623 354 657 1, 184 684 3. 502 EIRT 36 530 618 666 749 679 3,242 DOVEY 515 317 540 935 732 3,039 TEST MEAN 782 700 784 1,045 798 4. 108 C.V. (%) 28 26 13 14 19 11 L.S.D. (.05) 261 213 122 171 178 526 PLANTED: SEPTEMBER 29, 1988. SOIL: CAHABA FINE SANDY LOAM. *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST -7- TABLE 3. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE SAND MOUNTAIN SUBSTATION, CROSSVILLE, ALABAMA, 1989 ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 3/15 3/28 4/12 4/21 5/08 5/25 6/07 7/06 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. LB. LB MULTIMO 465 420 546 802 1,505 449 669 1,090 5.946 HI 124 639 470 495 884 1,659 227 843 408 5,625 DALITA 123 324 540 858 1,487 389 535 1,020 5,276 URBANA 483 361 614 753 1,325 385 482 871 5.274 DOVEY 95 219 267 361 661 635 821 2,034 5,093 NUTRIBLEND 757 480 302 688 1,335 268 641 543 5.014 MARSHALL 812 451 472 767 1.404 247 795 - 4.948 TETRONE 320 391 591 712 1,046 225 653 823 4.761 MAX..- 387 369 519 630 1,131 325 524 795 4,680 EIRT 36 214 428 598 667 1,006 335 543 806 4.597 CIRT 31 416 396 464 528 918 287 563 949 4,521 BULLDOG 1.129 360 247 604 1,195 228 605 - 4.368 MSR 86-1 670 450 348 751 1,168 223 696 - 4.306 RUSTMASTER 778 457 312 600 1,306 170 623 - 4.246 FL-X 1986LR 764 262 288 862 1,168 236 646 - 4.226 BILLION 546 333 301 488 924 223 652 611 4.078 CARAMBA 573 331 312 401 855 292 478 768 4.010 COMET 522 352 306 506 1,064 234 536 489 4,009 NK TETRABLEND 444 666 293 317 437 1,019 305 465 451 3,953 FLORIDA 80 893 330 316 612 1,041 219 471 - 3,882 GULF 940 288 295 483 1.112 234 454 - 3806 PENNPLOID V 634 358 291 484 1.195 222 473 - 3.657 MAGNOLIA 759 286 215 502 1,038 199 541 - 3.540 TEST MEAN 591 366 389 625 1,155 285 596 833 4.514 C.V. (%) 38 21 19 15 37 25 19 20 9 L.S.D. (.05) 268 91 89 112 500 84 137 199 456 PLANTED OCTOBER 10. 1988. SOIL: HARTSELLS FINE SANDY LOAM. *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST -8- TABLE 4. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES, 1988, AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1989 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV, (1988-1989) (1987-1989) LB. LB. LB. PENNPLOID V 5,721 6,100 6,237 GULF 5,671 6,193 6,027 MSR 86-1 5,605 6,376 - FL-X 1986LR 5,564 6,341 6,410 MAGNOLIA 5,539 6,133 6,070 RUSTMASTER 5,453 FLORIDA 80 5,437 5,993 6,013 BULLDOG 5,382 6,318 6,372 NUTRIBLEND 5, 232 5,931 5,978 NK TETRABLEND 444 4,916 5,623 6.197 EIRT 36 4,445 MARSHALL 4,359 5,669 5,931 DOVEY 4,330 - - HI 124 4.318 5,865 6,268 CIRT 31 4,094 - - DALITA 3,790 4,751 5,178 TETRONE 3,771 5,288 5,790 MAX 3,766 5,147 - BILLION 3,763 4,915 5,491 CARAMBA 3,742 5,112 5,604 URBANA 3,690 5. 183 5,859 MULTIMO 3,632 5,176 5,722 COMET 3,540 4,749 - *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST. -9- TABLE 5. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES, 1988, AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1989 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV. (1988-1989) (1987-1989) LB. LB. LB. HI 124 5. 164 5,419 5,154 MARSHALL 5, 034 5525 5,431 BULLDOG 4, 877 5,152 5,397 MSR 86-1 4, 798 5,261 RUSTMASTER 4, 596 - - FL-X 1986LR 4, 530 5,279 5,790 MAGNOLIA 4,505 4,678 4,857 NUTRIBLEND 4,352 4,554 4,548 FLORIDA 80 4,157 4,664 4,745 MULTIMO 4,138 4,218 4.219 NK TETRABLEND 444 4, 132 4. 541 4,898 PENNPLOID V 4, 128 4. 534 4, 736 URBANA 4,082 4,773 5,032 GULF 3, 958 - - MAX 3,941 4.237 - CIRT 31 3,844 - - TETRONE 3,672 4,090 3,941 BILLION 3,628 4.156 4.264 COMET 3,609 4.314 - CARAMBA 3,548 3,991 4,280 DALITA 3,502 3,717 3.517 EIRT 36 3,242 - - DOVEY 3,039 - - *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST. -10- TABLE 6. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES, 1988, AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, SAND MOUNTAIN SUBSTATION CROSSVILLE, ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1989 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV. (1988-1989) (1987-1989) LB. LB. LB. MULTIMO 5,946 HI 124 5,625 4,326 5,125 DALITA 5,276 3,981 4,205 URBANA 5,274 4,055 4,882 DOVEY 5, 093 NUTRIBLEND 51 014 3,846 4,477 MARSHALL 4,948 3,943 4,867 TETRONE 4,761 3,714 4,236 MAX 4,680 3,653 EIRT 36 4,597 CIRT 31 4,521 BULLDOG 4,368 3,586 4,464 MSR 86-1 4,306 3,335 - RUSTMASTER 4,246 - - FL-X 1986LR 4,226 3,566 4,200 BILLION 4,078 3.190 4,039 CARAMBA 4.010 3,046 3,624 COMET 4,009 3.108 - NK TETRABLEND 444 3,953 3,208 3,909 FLORIDA 80 3,882 3,216 3,550 GULF 3,806 - - PENNPLOID V 3,657 3. 122 3,853 MAGNOLIA 3,540 2,995 3,818 *DOVEY IS A FESCUE AND WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IN THIS TEST. -11- TABLE 7. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, 1987-1989 SEASONAL FORAGE YIELD/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY EARLY LATE TOTAL AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. FL-X 1986LR 381 1,918 3.122 989 6,410 BULLDOG 357 1,989 3.139 887 6,372 HI 124 546 1,675 3,198 850 6,268 PENNPLOID V 297 1,842 3,286 813 6,237 NK TETRABLEND 444 491 1,903 3,013 790 6,197 MAGNOLIA 387 1,933 2,949 801 6,070 GULF 376 2,053 2,867 731 6,027 FLORIDA 80 243 1,854 2,994 922 6,013 NUTRIBLEND 394 1,555 3.178 851 5,978 MARSHALL 546 1,565 3,064 757 5,931 URBANA 476 1,893 2,650 840 5,859 TETRONE 482 1,539 2,825 944 5,790 MULTIMO 408 1,879 2.731 704 5,722 CARAMBA 675 1,705 2,506 717 5,604 BILLION 449 1,936 2,447 660 5,491 DALITA 485 1,253 2,647 792 5,178 -12- TABLE 8. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, PLANT BREEDING UNIT# TALLASSEEo ALABAMA, 1987-1989 SEASONAL FORAGE YIELD/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY EARLY LATE TOTAL AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. FL-X 1986LR 1 165 993 2,706 926 5,790 MARSHALL 1,411 672 2,567 782 5,431 BULLDOG 1 240 857 2,496 803 5,397 HI 124 137 498 2,727 792 5.154 URBANA 997 774 2,457 804 5,032 NK TETRABLEND 444 946 860 2,.327 765 4,898 MAGNOLIA 1#340 994 1,971 553 4,857 FLORIDA 80 884 841 2o289 730 4.,745 PENNPLOID V 880 852 2,258 746 4,736 NUTRIBLEND 1,089 758 2.107 594 4,548 CARAMBA 941 783 1,869 687 4,280 BILLION 1,024 810 1,755 674 4,264 MULTIMO 898 496 2,092 733 4,219 TETRONE 892 432 2,061 555 3,941 DALITA 776 311 1,827 602 3.517 -13- TABLE 9. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, SAND MOUNTAIN SUBSTATION, CROSSVILLE, ALABAMA, 1987-1989 SEASONAL FORAGE YIELD/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY EARLY LATE TOTAL AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. HI 124 - 500 2,505 2, 120 5. 125 URBANA - 642 2,352 1,888 4,882 MARSHALL 801 2,369 1,697 4,867 NUTRIBLEND -868 2,058 1,551 4,477 BULLDOG - 896 2078 1,489 4,464 TETRONE - 287 2,232 1,716 4j236 DALITA - 135 2,124 1,946 4,205 FL-X 1986LR - 569 2,117 1,514 4,200 BILLION - 755 1,716 1,568 4,039 NK TETRABLEND 444 - 600 1,829 1.480 3,909 PENNPLOID V - 699 1.,835 1.320 3,853 MAGNOLIA - 726 1780 1. 313 3,818 CARAMBA - 607 1,562 1,455 3,624 FLORIDA 80 - 679 1.733 1,138 3,550 Information contained herein is available to all without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin, -14-