August 1983 Department of Agronomy & Soils Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Gale A. Buchanan, Director Departmental Series No. 84 Auburn University Auburn University, Alabama 40p' PERFORMANCE OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES IN ALABAMA, 1983 W. C. Johnson and Darrell Williams The Alabama Ryegrass Variety Test is a continuing.evaluation of avail able 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 under the different environmental conditions of these regions of Alabama during the growing season. The tests are conducted by experiment station personnel in order to present the results in a fair and unbiased manner. Experimental ..Procedure and Discusion Ryegrass entries were-seeded at a 20-pound-per-acre rate in rows 6 inches apart, using plots 4 x 20 feet with four replications. A good stand was acquired after the mid-September planting dates except at the Gulf Coast Substation. The- unusually dry fall there forced the replant- ing of the test on October 18, and virtually eliminated any fa.ll forage growth. The tests were fertilized with phosphorus and potassium according to soil test. At planting, nitrogen was applied at the rate of 50 pounds N per acre. An additional 50 pounds of .N was applied after each cutting 1Professor and Technical Assistant, Department of Agronomy and Soils. to allow the varieties to show their maximum yield potential. Plots were harvested with a flail type harvester. A herbage sample of approximately 500 grams was taken from each plot at each harvest for determining forage dry matter percentage, which is used in converting green weights to dry matter. The Plant Breeding Unit at Tallassee had an excellent forage season., The ryegrass was cut eight times with the test's average yield of all entries being 6 1/2 tons of dry forage. Marshall continues to be among the highest in total herbage production throughout Alabama and is especially outstanding in late winter/early spring production. Urbana, a variety entered by Van Der Have Seeds of the Netherlands and tested in Alabama for the first time, showed the highest total herbage yield at all three test locations. Its yield was not statistically different (P = .05) from approximately half of the remaining entries, but its consistent high ranking shows it has promise for most Alabama conditions. Planning ways of meeting seasonal forage needs is an important consideration for cattle farmers. Tables 7 and 8 show 3-year average yields for the ryegrass production season. A 3-year average is a more representative method of ranking the performance of competing ryegrass varieties. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Appreciation is expressed to W. H. Hearn and Mrs. Sally Bagwell, Research Data Analysis, for the. data processing of this report. We also acknowledge the contributions of E. L. Carden and N. R. McDaniel, Gulf Coast Substation, J.. T. Eason and M. E. Ruf, Sand Mountain Substation, and L. L.. Walker, Plant Breeding Unit, for growing and harvesting the experiments. Table 1. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Substation, Fairhope, Alabama, 1982-83 Gulf Coast Harvest date Season Variety 1/07 2/25 3/29 4/18 5/31 total Lb./A. Lb ./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Urbana 933 1,:227 2,920 1,501 1,085 7,667 a Pioneer 5M5F 741 1,490 3,007 1,191 1,047 7,476 a MOM LMW 213 751 920 2,716 1,602 1,327 7,316 ab Penploid-4 1,066 1,299 2,641 1,212 893 7,110 abc Marshall 427 692 3,296 1,321 1,183 6,919 abcd MOM LMW 96 961 1,204 2,428 1,270 704 6,567 bcde Florida 80 216 1,158 2,941 1,025 1,101 6,440 cdef Ninak 409 811 2,606 1,472 1,049 6,348 cdef Shannon 458 798 2,416 1,397 1,084 6,153 def Vanderhave HW 73 346 1,130 2,475 1,206 805 5,963 ef Vanderhave HI 71 178 672 2,259 1,514 1,095 5,718 f Mean yield 590 1,037 1,700 1,337 1,034 6,698 C.V. (%) 23 21 10 14 13 8 Yields in a column followed by the same letter are not different, P=.05. Planted: October 18, 1982. Soil: Marlboro fine sandy loam. Table 2. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama, 1982-83 Harvest date. Season Variety 12/17 1/06 2/18 3/15 4/05 4/19 5/10 6/03 total Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A, Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Urbana 3,149 647 1,217 1,988 1,546 1,472 2,423 1,218 13,660 a Marshall 3,590 532 864 1,664 1,791 1,681 2,361 1,161 13,645 a Ninak 3,685 588 947 1,447 1,477 1,525 2,296 1,223 13,188 a Pioneer 5M5F 3,502 493 1,247 1,979 1,150 1,170 2,415 1,048 13,003 ab Shannon 3,204 610 1,148 1,686 1,547 1,395 2,142 1,202 12,935 ab Penploid-4 4,420 596 1,193 1,444 1,085 1,121 1,976 1,022 12,856 ab MOM LM 213 2,796 560 939 1,624 1,664 1,457 2,228 1,334 12,602 ab MOM LMW 96 4,224 536 1,240 1,548 1,240 1,008 1,848 916 12,560 ab Florida 80 3,334 470 1,158 1,917 1,092 1,115 2,097 850 12,033 bc Vanderhave HW 73 3,892 574 1,087 1,539 1,146 1,030 1,826 924 12,018 bc Vanderhave HI 71 2,840 508 712 1,291 1,369 1,487 2,199 1,067 11,472 c Mean yield 3,512 556 1,068 1,648 1,373 1,315 2,165 1,088 12,725 C.V (%) 13 10 14 15 15 14 9 15 5 Yields in a column followed by the same letter are not different, P=.05. Planted: September 17, 1982. Soil: Cahaba fine sandy loam. Table 3. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville, Alabama, 1982-83 Harvest Date Season Variety 4/11 -4/29 5/12 5/24 6/08 6/24 total Lb./A. Lb./A., Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A Urbana 625 1,045 1,102 1,087 1,393 1,267 6,520 a Shannon 780 979 1,036 1,068 1,201 1,223 6,287 ab MOM LMW 96 1,299 807 914 988 1,159 1,053 6,220 ab Pioneer 5M5F 1,373 506 1,146 821 1,331 905 6,082 ab Ni nak 467 990 936 1,103 1,352 1,113 5,962 ab Penploid-4 1,360 736 936 814 1,218 801 5,865 abc Florida 80 1,237 615 1.,385 548 1,492 407 5,684 bcd Vanderhave HI 71 250 " 815: 1,045 919 1,154 1,125 5,308 cd Marshall 378 910 1,142 950 1,263 620 5,262 cd Vanderhave-HW 73 844 714 850 884 1,050 837 5,180 d MOM LM 213 341 775 982 899 1,064 983 5,043 d Mean yield 814 808 1,043 917 1,243 939 5,765 C. V . (%) 34 11 10 10 12 11 Yields in a column followed by the same letter are not different, P=.05. Planted: September 15, 1982. Soil: Hartsell fine sandy loam. Table 4. Two-Year Average Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, Alabama Variety 1981-82 1982-83 2-year average Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Marshall 16,018 6,.919 11,469 Penp l oi d-4 12,656 7,110. 9,883 Shannon 9,165 6,153 7,659 Fl orida 80 12,362 6,441 9,401 Table 5. Two-Year Average Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama Variety 1981-82 1982-83 2-year average Lb 4 ,/A, Lb./A.. Lb./A. Marshal I 7,479 13,645 10,562 Pe nploid'4 5,971 12,856 9,414 Shannon 5,136 12,935 9,034 Florida 80 5,347T 12,033 8,690 Table 6. Two-Y ear Average Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Sand Mountain Substation,. Crossville, Alabama Variety 1981-82 1982-83 2-year average Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Marshal1 6,685 5,262 5,974 Penpl oid-4 5,603 5,865 5,734 Shannon 5,437 6,287 5,862 Florida 80 5,004 5,684 5,344 Table 7. Seasonal Dry Matter Breeding Production of Ryegrass Varieties at Plant Unit, Three-Year Average Season Entry Total Early. Late Autumn Winter spring spring Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Marshall 1,840 3,890 4,700 2,730 13,160 Sunbelt 1,810 3,700 3,850 2,720 12,080 Meritra 1,640 3,200 4,040 2,510 11,380 Florida 80 1,570 3,850 3,560 1,730 10,700 Gulf ? 1,950 3,340 3,290 1,490 10,060 Table 8. Seasonal Dry Matter Production of Ryegrass Varieties at Gulf Coast Substation, Three-Year Average Season Entry Total Early Late Autumn Winter spring spring Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Lb./A. Marshall 640 3,050 4,520 2,450 10,660 Sunbelt- 800 2,680 3,790 2,980 10,240 Florida 80 680 2,820 3,940 2,710 10,150 Meritra 570 2,760 3,990 2,620 9,940 Gulf 770 2,820 3,780 2,360 9,730 Varieties Florida 80 Marshal MOM LMW 96 MOM LMW 215 Shannon Pioneer 5M5F Penp loid-4 Ninak, Urbana Vanderhave HW 73 Vanderhave HI 71 Meritra Sunbel t Gulf SOURCES OF RYEGRASS SEED Sources Florida Agr. Exp. Sta., Gainesville, Florida Funk Seeds Int., Alexandria, Louisiana Mommersteeg Int., Vlijmen, Netherlands Pioneer Hi-Bred, Inter., Tipton, Indiana Pennington Seed Inc., Madison, Georgia D. J. Van Der Have Seeds, Rilland, Netherlands North American Plant Breeders, Ames, Iowa Moorer Seed Co., Prattville, Alabama Information contained herein is available to all without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin. mwwmwwimwm -"C~ '"'~ ~ ~; r