P E R F O R M A N 0 F RYEGRASS V A R I E T I E S A L A B A M A Agronomy and Soils Departmental Series No. 146 August 1990 Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Auburn University Lowell T. Frobish, Director Auburn University, Alabama C E I N 1 9 8 9 9 0 PERFORMANCE OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES IN ALABAMA, 1989-90 D.L. Thurlow and W.C. Johnson 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. 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. Locations were: Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville; Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee; Piedmont Substation, Camp Hill; and Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope. The tests were fertilized with phosphorus and potassium according to Auburn University soil test recommendations. At planting, nitrogen (N) was applied at the rate of 50 pounds per acre, and an additional 50 pounds 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 IAssociate Professor and Professor of Agronomy and Soils. ~ 1 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. 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 Fairhope in fall 1988 resulted in a poor stand on first planting; the test was replanted November 30, resulting in no fall production. In 1989, regular variety tests were all planted by October 13. Good fall and winter growth occurred at Fairhope and Tallassee, but cool weather during December delayed harvest at Crossville. Strategies to meet seasonal forage needs are an important consideration for livestock producers. Tables 1-7 provide yield data for one or more years at a given location. Tables 8, 9, and 10 show 3-year average yields for the ryegrass production by season. A 3-year average provides a more dependable comparison of ryegrass varieties than do single-year results. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Appreciation is expressed to Mien-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; J. T. Owen, Piedmont Substation; and S. P. Nightengale, Plant Breeding Unit, for growing and harvesting the experiments. -4- SOURCES OF RYEGRASS SEED Concord Dalita Equipe ETCO-9-88 Gulf Jackson LD 2810 LM 2881 Magnolia Marshall Mondora Multigrazer I Multigrazer II Multimo Nutriblend OFI-AR-42 OFI-88-LM-B7T Pennploid V Rustmaster Surry Tetrablend 10 Tetrablend 444 T3 Tetragold WVPB-AR-601 WVPB-LM-AR-2 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 Olsen-Fennell Seeds, Inc., Salem, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Willamette Valley Plant Breeders, Inc., Brownsville, Oregon Silverhill Farmer's Ass'n., Robertsdale, Alabama Delta and Pine Land Co., Scott, Mississippi Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Forbes Seed, Junction City, Oregon Delta and Pine Land Co., Scott, Mississippi Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Oregon Van Der Have Oregon, Inc., Albany, Orego Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Olsen-Fennell Seeds, Inc., Salem, Oregon Olsen-Fennell Seeds, Inc., Salem, Oregon Pennington Enterprises, Madison, Georgia Daehnfeldt, Albany, Oregon Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Florida The New Northrup King Co., Grifton, North Carolina The New Northrup King Co., Grifton, North Carolina Normarc, Inc., Tangent, Oregon Willamette Valley Plant Breeders, Inc., Brownsville, Oregon Willamette Valley Plant Breeders, Inc., Brownsville, Oregon Willamette Valley Plant Breeders, Inc., Brownsville, Oregon Willamette Valley Plant Breeders, Inc., Brownsville, Oregon -5- TABLE 1. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE GULF COAST SUBSTATION# FAIRHOPE ALABAMA. 1990 .-- ----- - - - -. . ..- ,-- - -.. . . . ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 12/01 2/05 2/26 3/28 4/19 5/15 TOTAL LB, L LB. LB. LB LB. LB. MARSHALL 955 2,008 .829 2,188 1,202 729 8,911 OFI-AR-42 570 1,835 , 782 2,119 1,223 1,215 8,744 RUSTMASTER 900 1,739 1,554 2,065 1,068 1.130 8,456 NUTRIBLEND 651 1,727 1,666 2,097 1,158 1,022 8,321 MONDORA 669 1,478 1,758 1,955 1.485 859 8204 JACKSON 569 1,737 1.718 2, 040 950 1,116 8130 PENNPLOID V 661 1.243 1,516 2,251 1,233 1,128 8,032 DALITA 520 1,365 1,687 1.842 1,610 891 7,915 GULF 791 1,527 1,430 1,989 1,168 1,001 7,906 TETRABLEND 444T3 391 i, 360 1,589 2,186 1.422 939 7,887 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 598 1,418 1,477 2,012 1,400 972 7,877 MULTIGRAZER II 737 1, 302 , 618 1891 1,452 787 7P787 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 533 1 .483 1.675 1,929 1,330 829 7,779 MULTIMO 585 1,468 1,635 1,841 1,415 710 7,654 SURRY 936 1,296 1,297 1,858 1,071 1:186 7,644 EQUIPE 470 1,063 1,600 1,834 1,599 1,049 7,615 OFI-88-LM-B7T 817 1,404 1,515 1,817 1,337 700 7,590 WVPB-LM-AR-2 546 1769 1,614 1,842 845 966 7,582 CONCORD 987 1,250 1,499 1,821 1,177 817 7,551 TETRAGOLD 684 1,111 1.513 1,849 1,460 929 7,546 MAGNOLIA 1004 1,498 1,321 1,863 885 871 7,442 WVPB-AR-601 800 1,165 1,542 1,842 1,223 696 7,268 TETRABLEND 10 549 1,186 1,368 2.012 1,011 1,111 7,237 MULTIGRAZER I 722 1,179 1,372 1#846 1,327 678 .7,124 ETCO-9-88 544 1,398 1,455 1.835 1,099 597 6,928 LD 2810 814 969 1,506 1,652 1.146 696 6, 783 LM 2881 586 1,112 1,455 1,701 1,172 675 6 701 TEST MEAN 688 1,411 1.,555 1,932 1,240 900 7 726 C.V. (%) 26 15 12 9 16 14 7 L.S.D. (.10) 213 252 226 201 229 150 643 PLANTED: OCTOBER 12, 1989. SOIL: MALBIS FINE SANDY LOAM. -6- TABLE 2. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA, 1990 ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY. 1/03 2/26 3/27 4/16 5/18 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. RUSTMASTER 826 1,981 2,229 1,844 1,902 8,782 WVPB-LM-AR-2 763 1,813 2.028 1,807 2,327 8,738 OFI-AR-42 646 1,930 2,045 1,738 2,318 8,677 JACKSON 532 1,758 2328 1,584 2.349 8,551 GULF 816 2, 190 1,966 1,475 1,909 8,356 MARSHALL 814 1,675 1,893 1,917 2,056 8,355 TETRAGOLD 705 1,621 2,051 1,677 2,064 8.118 TETRABLEND 444T3 667 1, 584 1,939 1,712 2,140 8,042 SURRY 761 1,906 1,721 1,683 1,958 8,029 PENNPLOID V 556 1,707 1,963 1,613 2.130 7.969 NUTRIBLEND 554 1,753 2,113 1,671 1,828 7 919 MAGNOLIA 708 1, 948 1.,723 1,288 2.129 7,796 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 614 1, 465 1,742 1,856 2,017 7694 MONDORA 502 1,585 1,759 2,017 1,667 7.530 TETRABLEND 10 389 1,521 1,816 1,784 1,962 7,472 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 423 1,481 1.482 1,879 1,925 7.190 CONCORD 958 1,591 1,501 1,563 1,570 7.183 WVPB-AR-601 717 1,492 1.437 1,875 1,641 7.162 MULTIMO 541 1,174 1,667 1,769 1,761 6,912 MULTIGRAZER II 634 1,386 1,520 1,873 1,479 6.892 MULTIGRAZER I 575 1,465 1,632 1,701 1.347 6,720 ETCO-9-88 378 1,514 1,310 1,662 1,577 6,441 DALITA 358 1,144 1,825 1,467 1,605 6,399 OFI-88-LM-B7T 386 1,460 1,425 1,700 1,420 6,391 LM 2881 530 1,331 1,369 1,715 1,388 6,333 EQUIPE 376 1,198 1,499 1,655 1,596 6,324 LD 2810 646 1,203 1,503 1,641 1,268 6.261 TEST MEAN 606 1,588 1,759 1,710 1,827 7,490 C.V. (%) 43 17 19 15 19 12 L.S.D. (.10) 310 311 385 306 408 1,079 PLANTED: OCTOBER 10, 1989. SOIL: CAHABA FINE SANDY LOAM. -7- TABLE 3 SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE SAND MOUNTAIN SUBSTATION, CROSSVILLE, ALABAMA, .1990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 3/13 3/27 4/13 4/23 5/07 5/23 6/13 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. MARSHALL 356 673 868 468 825 610 809 4,609 MONDORA 256 498 824 548 821 609 701 4,257 SURRY 418 594 773 376 767 504 716 4. 148 JACKSON 455 571 689 454 691 486 738 4.084 OFI-AR-42 369 537 606 463 700 637 767 4. 079 WVPB-LM-AR-2 365 443 545 367 840 646 854 4.060 RUSTMASTER 390 582 743 503 777 455 594 4.044 MULTIMO 176 398 783 486 777 738 493 3,851 LD 2810 238 526 709 453 758 521 560 3,765 NUTRIBLEND 248 537 681 406 691 653 529 3, 745 DALITA 69 288 733 584 829 803 408 3.714 MULTIGRAZER II 221 406 771 479 673 636 518 3,704 gULF 465 547 619 353 629 538 523 3,674 MAGNOLIA 335 461 558 381 693 558 675 3,661 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 184 334 633 429 667 654 737 3,638 WVPB-AR-601 344 388 472 358 600 586 754 3. 502 CONCORD 249 462 636 419 659 542 492 3,459 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 216 358 600 408 552 588 688 3,410 LM 2881 173 465 835 448 610 514 358 3,403 OFI-88-LM-B7T 284 327 539 352 649 562 658 3.371 TETRAGOLD 238 336 509 343 681 625 611 3,343 EGUIPE 141 338 607 387 682 632 409 3. 196 MULTIGRAZER I 194 293 575 375 576 676 453 3. 142 TETRABLEND 444T3 173 356 464 339 568 629 562 3,091 PENNPLOID V 240 415 455 . 337 587 542 509 3o085 TETRABLEND 10 176 302 546 350 504 568 388 2,834 ETCO-9-88 264 247 343 268 460 486 668 2, 736 TEST MEAN 268 . 433 634 412 677 593 599 3,615 .V. (%) 23 17 17 17 14 17 17 8 SS.D. (.10) 73 85 130 84 112 117 117 352 PLANTED OCTOBER 13, 1989. SOIL- HARTSELLS FINE SANDY LOAM. TABLE 4. SEASONAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES AT THE PIEDMONT SUBSTATION, CAMP HILL, ALABAMA 1990 ACRE YIELD BY HARVEST DATE SEASON BRAND-VARIETY 4/05 5/08 TOTAL LB. LB. LB. RUSTMASTER 1,275 2,511 3,786 JACKSON 1,295 2,464 3,759 MARSHALL 841 2. 751 3, 592 MAGNOLIA 1,168 2,349 3, 517 MULTIMO 850 2,464 3,314 NUTRIBLEND 965 2,344 3,309 PENNPLOID V 879 2, 317 3. 196 GULF 921 2,130 3,051 TETRABLEND 444T3 620 2,406 3. 026 CONCORD 615 2,260 2,875 MULTIGRAZER I 513 1,952 2,465 DALITA 201 1,655 1,856 TEST MEAN 845 2, 300 3. 146 C.V. (%) 37 6 12 L.S.D. (.10) 374 174 451 PLANTED: OCTOBER 24, 1989. SOIL: CECIL CLAY LOAM. -9- TABLE 5. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES) 1990 AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, GULF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1990 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV. (1989-1990) (1988-1990) LB. LB. LB. RUSTMASTER 8,456 6,955 7,055 JACKSON 8, 130 6)868 6,960 SURRY 7644 6,604 6o775 GULF 7s906 6o789 6,764 MARSHALL 8,911 6j635 6,749 PENNPLDID V 8,032 6.877 6,744 NUTRIBLEND 8,321 6,777 6,727 MAGNOLIA 7,442 6,491 6,569 MULTIMO 7,654 5,643 6.002 DALITA 7,915 5,853 5,806 OFI-AR-42 8,744 MONDORA 8,204 TETRABLEND 444T3 7,887 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 7,877 - - MULTIGRAZER II 7,787 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 7,779 EQUIPE 7,615 OFI-88-LM-B7T 7,590 WVPB-LM-AR-2 7.582 CONCORD 7,551 TETRAGOLD 7,546 WVPB-AR-601 7,268 TETRABLEND 10 7,237 MULTIGRAZER I 7,124 ETCD-9-88 6.928 LD 2810 6,783 LM 2881 6,701 -10- TABLE 6. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES, 1990, AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, PLANT BREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1990 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV. (1989-1990) (198-1990) LB. LB. LB. MARSHALL 8,355 6j695 6,468 JACKSON 8,551 6,675 6j358 RUSTMASTER 8, 782 6.689 6,268 SURRY 8029 6.280 6,196 MAGNOLIA 7,796 6,151 5j717 PENNPLOID V 7,969 61049 5,679 NUTRIBLEND 7,919 . 6,136 5,675 MULTIMO 6P912 5,525 5,116 DALITA 6,399 4;9511 4,611 GULF 6,356 6.157 WVPB-LM-AR-2 8, 738 OFI-AR-42 8,677 TETRAGOLD 8 118 TETRABLEND 444T3 8,042 WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 7,694 MONDORA 7j530 TETRABLEND 10 7,472 WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 7,190 CONCORD 7.183 WVPB-AR-601 7.162 MULTIGRAZER II 6p892 MULTIGRAZER 1 6j720 ETCO-9-88 6j441 OFI-88-LM-87T 6P391 LM 2981 6,333 EQUIPE 6,324 LD 2810 6P261 -11- TABLE 7. TOTAL DRY MATTER YIELD OF RYEGRASS VARIETIES 1 1990, AND TWO- AND THREE-YEAR AVERAGES, SAND MOUNTAIN SUBST.TION, CROSSVILLE) ALABAMA DRY MATTER/ACRE BRAND-VARIETY 1990 2-YR. AV. 3-YR. AV (1989-1990) (1988-1990) LB. LB. LB. MARSHALL 4,609 4,779 4.165 DALITA 3,714 41495 3;892 NUTRIBLEND 3,745 4.380 31812 SURRY 4. 148 4.187 3.760 RUSTMASTER 4, 044 4.145 3 680 JACKSON 4. 084 4.195 3 584 MAGNOLIA 3,661 3,601 3.217 PENNPLOID V 3,085 3.371 3,110 MULTIMO 3s851 4,899 GULF 3, 674 3 740 MONDORA 4. 257- OFI-AR-42 4.,079 WVPB-LM-AR-2 4 060 LD 2810 3j765 MULTIGRAZER II 3.704 cow WVPB-LM-AR-F-44 3.638 WVPB-AR-601 3,502 CONCORD 3,459 Ism WVPB-LM-AR-F-41 3j410 LM 2881 3,403 lc= OFI-88-LM-B7T 3.371 TETRAGOLD 3,343 EQUIPE 3.196 MULTIGRAZER I 3 142 TETRABLEND 444T3 3,091 TETRABLEND 10 2.834 ETCO-9-88 2,736 -12- TABLE 8. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, GULF COAST SUBSTATIONP FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, .19BE-1990 BRAND-VAR IETY SEASONAL FORAGE YIELD/ACRE EARLY LATE TOTAL AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. RUSTMASTER 300 1,942 3,570 1243 7,055 JACKSON 190 1,869 3s574 1,327 6,960 SURRY 312 1,895 3,184 1384. 6,775 GULF 264 2.216 3,219 10065 6,764 MARSHALL 318 2,004 3,427 11000 6,749 PENNPLOID V 220 1.798 3,536 11189 6.744 NUTRIBLEND 217 1.886 3.432 1.192 6,727 MAGNOLIA 335 2,052 3.091 11091 6,569 MULTIMO 195 1,917 2,949 941 6,002 DALITA 173 1,542 3,002 10089 5.806 -13- TABLE 9. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, PLANT BREEDING UNIT) TALLASSEE, AALABAMA, 1966-1990 SEASONAL BRAND-VAR IETY FORAGE YIEL EARLY -ACRE LATE TOTAL AUTIUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. MARSHALL 1189 1,034 2.988 1,257" 6,468 JACKSBON 900 1,213 2,819 1.426 6,358 RUSTMASTER 1,035 1, 2 8 4 n2,$735' .1,213 6:268 SURRY 1,042 1,322 2:581 1,251 6,196 MAGNOLIA 1,093 1,313 2,158 1,153 5,717 PENNPLOID V 884 1,220 2,383 1,192 5,679 NUTRII3LEND 924 1,110 2,591 1,051 5,675 MULTIMO 819 729 2,566 1t003 5..116 DALITA 600 623 2,451 937 4,611 -14- TABLE 10. THREE-YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RYEGRASS VARIETY FORAGE PRODUCTION, SAND MOUNTAIN SUBSTATION, CROSSVILLE, ALABAMA, 1988-1990 SEASONAL BRAND-VARIETY FORAGE YIELD/ACRE EARLY LATE TOTAL AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SPRING LB. LB. LB. LB. LB. MARSHALL - 423 1,931 1,812 4,165 DALITA - 74 1,769 2,048 3,892 NUTRIBLEND - 366 1,664 1,782 3,812 SURRY - 498 1,706 1,556 3,760 RUSTMASTER - 409 1,713 1,558 3,680 JACKSON - 402 1,656 1,526 3,584 MAGNOLIA - 415 1,326 1,476 3,217 PENNPLOID V - 348 1,344 1,418 3,110 Information contained herein is available to all without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin. -15- TA~31 L r UU L L II ~ L ~Y ~ \ ~L U ~ ~LL