Agronomv and Soils Deparnmentaf Seies No. 111 September 1986 Alabama Agricuturdi Experiment Station Auburn University David H. Teem, Acting Director Auburn University, Alabama Perfom-twnce Of Ryearass Vaieties in A17afa ma 1985-1986 PERFORMANCE OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES IN ALABAMA, 1985-86 W. C. Johnson and 0. L. Thurlowl 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 of these regions of Alabama. The tests are conducted by Experiment Station personnel and the results are presented in a fair and unbiased manner. EXPERIMENTAL 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. 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, and an additional 50 pounds of N was applied per acre after each cutting to allow the varieties to perform at their maximum yield Professor and Associate Professor of Agronomy and Soils. -3- potential. A 32-inch swath of each plot was harvested with a flail harvester each time the ryegrass reached 6-10 inches. A herbage sample of approximately I pound was taken from each plot at each harvest for determining forage dry matter percentage. The unusually severe cold weather during late January 1985 and December 1985 and January 1986 virtually eliminated any winter production at the Plant Breeding Unit in 1985 and 1986, at the Gulf Coast Substation in 1985, and at the Sand Mountain Substation in 1986. This severe cold also destroyed the test at the Sand Mountain Substation in 1985. Lower total yields in 1986 were due to below normal rainfall for winter and spring at all locations. Marshall continued to be among the highest in total herbage production throughout Alabama and is especially outstanding in late winter/early spring production. Planning ways to meet seasonal forage needs is an important consideration for livestock producers. Tables 7, 8, and 9 show 3-year average yields for the ryegrass production season. The 3-year average for the Sand Mountain Substation includes 1983, 1984, and 1986. A 3-year average provides a more dependable comparison of ryegrass varieties than does single-year results. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Appreciation is expressed to W. H. Hearn 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- SOURCES OF RYEGRASS SEED Billion Caramba Dalita Florida 80 Florida 1985 LR Gulf Magnolia Marshall Mom LM 455 Mom LM 457 Multimo Ninak Penploid IV Polly Shannon Tetrablend 444 Tetrone Urbana Wilo Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Local purchase Forbes Seed, Junction City, Oregon Funk Seeds Int., Alexandria, Louisiana Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Pennington Enterprises, Madison, Georgia Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Pioneer Hi-Bred, Inter., Tipton, Indiana Northrup King Co., Columbus, Mississippi Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Western Seed Co., (van der Have Seeds), Albany, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon -5- Table 1. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, Alabama, 1986 Brand-variety Yield/acre, by harvest date 1/16 2/26 3/17 4/11' Season total Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Marshall 1,482 991 1,037 2,306 5,816 a* Mom LM 455 1,297 774 1,150 2,436 5,657 ab Florida 80 495 1,830 963 2,300 5,588 ab Florida 1985 LR 235 1,416 1,303 2,469 5,423 abc Magnolia 965 1,049 1,024 2,357 5,395 abc Mom LM 457 1,271 601 1,008 2,466 5,346 abcd Gulf 675 1,640 938 2,060 5,313 abcd Penploid IV 640 1,501 1,032 2,034 5,207 bcd Tetrablend 444 543 1,213 1,127 2,099 4,982 cd Shannon 645 1,064 1,023 2,206 4,938 cde Caramba 769 1,211 1,028 1,924 5,932 cde Billion 694 1,211 927 2,021 4,853 de Nina.k 670 1,267 900 2,002 4,839 de Urbana 790 980 916 1,953 4,639 e Multimo 819 832 921 2,018 4,590 e Tetrone 368 781 1,013 2,345 4,507 e Wilo 147 618 924 2,107 3,796 f Dalito 344 694 888 1,825 3,751 f Polly 124 595 812 1,662 3,193 g *Yields followed by the same letter are not different, P = .05. Planted: October 18, 1985. Soil: Malbis fine sandy loam. -6- ,SS ~dri wmvpm Table 2. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama, 1986 Brand-variety Mom LM 455 Florida 80 Florida 1985 LR Gu lf Marshall Penploid IV Mom LM 457 Magnolia Urbana Tetrablend 444 Shannon Billion Multimo Ninak Caramba Tetrone Wilo Dalito Polly Yield/acre, by harvest date 3/3 4/9 6/4 Lb. Lb. Lb. 371 1,823 2,039 732 2,362 790 499 2,065 1,306 679 2,069 1,084 519 1,936 1,364 493 2,091 1,156 355 1,673 1,386 441 1,620 995 542 1,276 1,091 400 1,448 1,027 512 1,177 820 507 1,036 847 473 916 925 398 935 849 453 791 892 283 753 998 237 654 908 142 608 719 88 370 660 *Yields in this column followed by the same letter are not different, P .05. Planted: October 7, 1985. Soil: Cahaba fine sandy loam. -7- r ~ ow Season total Lb. 4,233 a 3,884 ab 3,870 ab 3,832 ab 3,819 ab 3,740 abc 3,414 bcd 3,056 cde 2,909 de 2,875 def 2,509 efa 2,390 efg 2,314 efg 2,182 fgh 2,136 fgh 2,034 gh 1,799 gh 1,469 hi 1,118 i Table 3. Seasonal Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties at the Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville, Alabama, 1985-86 Brand-variety Yield/acre, by harves date Season 11/15 3/24 4/16 5/16- 5/29 6/16 total Lbe Marshall 2,139 Mom LM 1,636 Mom LM 457 1,498 florida 1985 LR 1,670 Multimo 1,676 Shannon - 1,662 Ninak 1,632 Urbana 1,498 Tetrablend 444 1,826 Tetrone 1,489 Dalita 1,732 Wilo. 1,540 Polly 1,614 Magnolia 1,727 Florida 80 1,758 Caramba 1,774 Billion 1,726 Gulf 2,008 Penploid IV 1,68 *Yields followed by Lbo Lb0 960 1,136 958 997 874 1,045 1,029 1,297 618 876 438 1,097 561 884 573 988 282 925 588 988 14 847 321 856 282 832 223 917 804 1,273 141 687 116 678 48 842 -7628 the same letter Lbe Lbo 1,101 1,295 1, 296 889 588 598 557 605 662 767 772 695 676 1,240 696 581 620 1,056 982 442 531 485 293 957 808 856 957 707 676 708 680 750 219 116 568 524 121 95 LDe 1,123 1,363 1,239 1,014 I1,242 1,292 1,374 1,198 1,405 1,012 1,123 1,294 1,137 909 561 1,170 1,061 591 469 Lb. 6,901 a 6,780 a 6,436 ab 6,192 bc 5,957 bcd 5,895, bcd 5,864 cde 5,819 cde 5,807 cde 5,529 def 5,496 def 5,386 defg 5,291 efg 5,235 fgh 5,208 fgh 4,921 ghi 4,725 hi 4,666 i 39854 j are not different, P = .05. Planted: September 12, 1985. Soil: Hartsells fine sandy loam. Table 4. Total Dry Matter and Three-year Averages, Brand-vari ety Marshal1 Mor LM 455 Fl orida 80 Florida 1985 LR Magnolia Mom LM 457 Gui f Penploid IV Tetrablend 444 Shannon Ca ramba Billion Ninak Urbana Multimo Tetrone Wi 10 Dalita Polly Yield of Ryegrass Varieties 1986 Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, 1986 LIX 5,816 5,657 5,588 5,1423 5,395 5,1346 59313 5,207 4,982 4,9938 4,932 4,853 41,839 4,639 4,590 4,570 3,796 3,751 3,193 59090 and Two- Al abarna Sd C I- I I _T A \II _ ~ ~ 2-yr. av. (198586) Lb. 6,355 6,139 5,528 6,107 5,636 5,091 59702 5,121 5,366 59693 5,445 3-yr. av. 6,922 5,604 5,634 5,168 5,436 5,358 5,836 5,976 P ~ U ~11 ~ n rr 7 ~~ Table 5. Total Dry Matter Three-Y ear Averages, Brand-variety Mom LM 455 Fl orida 80 Florida 1985 LR Gul f Marshall Penploid IV Mom LM 457 Magnolia Urbana Tetrablend 444 Shannon Bill1ion Mul timo Ninak Ca ramba. Tetrone Wi lo Dal ita Polly Yield of Ryegrass Varieties 1986 and Two- and Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama Dry matter/acre!S2-yr, av, (1985-86 L.o 5,386 4,812 1986 4,233 3,884 3,870 3,832 3,819 3,740 3,414 3,056 2,909 2,9875 2,509 2,390 2,314 2,182 2,136 2,034 1,799 1,469 1,118 4,349 5,353 4,396 4,828 4,438 3,790 4,102 3,846 33,795 31350 3-yr. av. Lb. 6,9214 5,984 6,019 6,364 5,599 6,098 59983 3,410 -10-o I - -- ~ I I I~ mmftffmmm - --- Table 6. Total Dry Matter Yield of Ryegrass Varieties 1986 And Two- and Three-Year Averages, Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville, Alabama Brand-variety Marshall Mom LM 455 Mom LM 457 Florida 1985 LR Mul1 timo Shannon Ninak Urbana Tetrablend 444 Tetrone Dalita Wi 10 Polly Magnolia Florida 80 Caramba Billion Gul f Penploid IV 1986 6,901 6,780 6,436 6,192 5,957 5,895 5,864 5,819 5,807 5,529 5,496 59-386 5,291 5,235 59208 4,921 4,725 4,666 39854 MFAWft ~r~~- PC (1984,1986).~9~86 6,764 5,762 6,090 5,928 5,525 5,372 4,893 4,504 i-yr. av. 1983 184,2_186) Lb. 6,263 5,937 6,033 6,125 5,476 4,1957 C RnE as 11 me Table 7. Three-Year Average Seasonal Distribution of Ryegrass Variety Forage Production, Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, Alabama, 1984-86 Brand-variety Marshall Fl orida 80 Gul f Penploid IV Tetrablend 444 Shannon Ninak Urbana 111~~Autumn Lb. 606 493 424 406 341 295 416 527 Seasonal forage yield/acre Early Wi nter spri ng Lb. Lb. 1,2202,8 796 2,209 775 2,080 634 1,891 888 1,856 811, 1,832 1,055 1,855 888 1,946 - 12M Late na7 a CLb 2,709 2,105 2,354 2,237 2,351 2,419 2,510 2,614 Al 1~1~I _. 1 MOMMONAMOMM _______ Table 8. Three-Year Average Seasonal Distribution of Ryegrass Variety Forage Production Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama, 1984-86 Brand-variety Florida 80 GuI f Marshall Penploid IV Urbana Tetrablend 444 Shannon Ninak Autumn LbE 709 506 737 683 691 569 597 669 Seasonaliforageield/acre SeaEa Winter spring .Lb. 1,012 1,684 922 1,599 1,t118 1,869 851 1,475 953 1,376 812 1,138 858 1,320 710 19439 - 13- Late bLb 2,808 2,957 3,623 3,010 3,344 3,081 3,323 3,9165 a "ormum nllrr~~ Table 9. Three-Year Average Seasonal Distribution of Ryegrass Variety Forage Production, Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville, Alabama, 1983, 1984, 1986 Brand-van ety Marshall Shannon Ninak Urbana Florida 80 Penploid IV Autumn Lb* 1,016 878 1,013 869 870 930 Seasonal forage Wi nter Lb. 0yi e /acre 320 146 187 191 268' Information contained herein is available to all without regard to race,. color, sex, or national origin. -14- Late spring Lb. 4,927 4,913 4,832 5,064 49337 4,9027 a - ILmommumr~ I~C M ~ ~ rr~