Tall fescue is perennial bunch type grass, that has a high tolerance to saline soils. Seed production of tall fescue and other cool season grasses. Row spacing of 24 to 36 inches are recommended and it should be cultivated and maintained in rows. The effects of endophytes on seed production and seed predation of tall fescue and meadow fescue. The field should be free from residual herbicides because these will. Seeds and plant production seed production of sheep fescue has been very successful under cultivated conditions. Plant the proper amount of seed at the proper depth. Stem rust severity and damage are generally more severe in firstyear tall fescue seed fields than in older, established stands. Seed production of tall fescue and other coolseason grasses. Seed fields are generally most productive for four to five years. Crop water use in tall fescue during the same period was 10. Red fescue seed production nz grassland association. Festuca roemeri, roemers fescue, seed production, residue management, field burning, low mow, medium mow, high mow, postharvest created date. Therefore, turf managers should select clean seed or vegetative sources for establishment, use an adapted turfgrass species and cultivar for their location, and use proper mowing and fertilization techniques to maintain a dense, actively growing, desired turf.
Creeping red fescue seed production in the peace river region. This is an excellent way to maximize the total fescue crop, but often results in seed yields that are lower than would be expected if fescue is managed. Seeding guide for tall fescue, orchardgrass and timothy. Pdf the effects of endophytes on seed production and. Idaho fescue characteristically has poor seed production and weak seedling vigor hafenrichter et al. Seed production 7 hay production 7 tall fescue legume pasture mixtures 8 tall fescue utilization by cattle 8 handling infected pastures 11 literature cited 11 authors douglas e. Seed production of tall fescue missouri state university.
Poor quality seed is low in viability, and contains weed seeds or undesirable grass species. Mountain rough fescue festuca campestris plant guide. Viability after seed production and prolonged cold storage article pdf available in seed science and technology 363. Bill young, extension seed production specialist, emily lahmann, research assistant, oregon state university aeb 0009, november 2010 this enterprise budget estimates the typical costs of establishing and producing tall fescue grass seed production in the. Most turfgrasses are difficult to control within another turfgrass. With understanding and cooperation between growers, the public, consumers and government agencies, oregon will continue to be the world leader in superior quality grass seed production.
Accumulated forage from periods of excess growth can be cut for hay, which minimizes waste. The germination rate of seeds rough fescueis relatively high,ranging from 86 to 97 percent johnston and macdonald. In dryland pastures where tall fescue is the only grass species to be sown use a seeding rate of 610 kgha. Youngmathews, usda nrcs corvallis plant materials center keywords. While creeping red fescue is a longlived perennial, the seed production life of the stand is generally short, lasting only one to.
Pumphrey 1965 fescue seed yield was 993, 903, 804, and 620 kg ha 1 for openburn, found that red fescue seed yield was the same when the propaneburn, closeclip, and flailchop treatments. Ocamb, department of botany and plant pathology, oregon state university, corvallis 973312902. Northstar seed tall fescue seed production contracts. Currently, much of the worlds supply of grass seed comes from the pacific northwest. Fine fescue for turf booklet pdf oregon fine fescue. Alderman, usdaars, national forage seed production research center, corvallis 97331 corresponding author. A perennial ryegrass or tall fescue seed field will need a combination of water stored in the profile over winter and irrigation to meet this water use for best seed yields especially if rainfall is short of this 10. Thomas turner, turfgrass specialist and david funk, manager of paint branch turfgrass research center. Therefore, the university of idaho initiated a breeding program in 1950 to produce idaho fescue cultivars with improved seed set, larger seed size seedling vigor, and improved germination percentage.
It can tolerate flooding and extended periods of standing water. For certified sod production and seed mixtures in maryland dr. For irrigated pastures use a seeding rate of 1015 kgha. Many of our seed production contracts allow growers to lock in high price levels and do not limit upside. The early harvest of tall fescue seed helps utilize time and equipment better. The pathogen produces several types of spores, but it is only the urediniospores whose rust. Seed is surfacesown into containers containing standard potting mix and seeds germinate within 15 days after planting. Sheath the part of the leaf that wraps around the main stem. Frequent turning will prevent heating and facilitate drying.
Seeding fescue grass seed for lawns and tall fescue grass pastures. Farmers who anticipate producing a fescue seed crop should first locate fescue seed buyers and check on market demand. Managing tall fescue for seed production integrated crop. These are alternative crops for most producers because the stands are also used for grazing and hay. In general, production practices for seed production of orchardgrass, timothy, bromegrass and redtop and reed canarygrass are similar to tall fescue, with the following exceptions. Seed production of tall fescue and other coolseason. There are 2 types of tall fescue, turftype bred for the turf industry and foragetype bred for the hay and livestock sector. Stand longevity commonly varies from 4 to 7 years, depending on the production contract and stand vigor. Therefore, it is critical to prevent the existing stand of tall fescue. Many of our seed production contracts allow growers to lock in high price levels and do not limit upside, which can really help add to a farms bottom line. This budget is only a guide and is not intended as an in depth study of the cost of production of this industry. Pdf seed production of two meadow fescue cultivars differing in. As tall fescue seed is small it should be sown relatively shallow 0. Production for details and restrictions on growing certified grass seed.
It is valued for easy establishment, drought resistance and improved heat tolerance over many other tall fescue varieties. Medium maintenance turf full sun to moderate shade for use in full sun to moderately shady. Highquality hay production university of tennessee. Weed seeds present in the crop are inherently harvested along with the crop seed in this production system. Since most of the tall fescue seed fields in missouri are grazed during the fall or winter, cattle management becomes an important factor in seed production. Selecting, establishing and maintaining the fescues. Highquality hay production gary bates, professor, plant sciences w hen pasture growth is limited, some type of stored feed must be provided to grazing animals.
Kentucky 31, known in the seed industry as ky31 or k31, helped tall fescue grasses transition from livestock pasture grasses to lush, durable, manicured lawns. Guidelines for estimating forage seed production costs 2016. Jan 01, 2001 grass seed production is an important agricultural enterprise. Oregon seed certification allows contamination of only 0. Fescue stubble should be clipped to a height of 3 to 4 inches immediately after harvesting the seed crop. For maximum seed production, grazing pressures should not be too heavy in august, september and october. Pasture seedtall fescue pasture grass seed non toxic. It can handle flooding or periods of standing water and will produce on poorly drained soils where other crops will not. Fusarium species associated with tall fescue seed production. The 1991 agriculture canada census reported 125,000 acres of creeping red fescue grown for seed in canada and, of this, 99 per cent was grown in the peace river region of alberta and bc. Specifications for state highway seeding are developed separately and. Seed production specialists can help identify weed control options based on field conditions. Parts of a grass plant 4 pasture grasses 5 crosssection of a shoot showing unemerged leaves culm collar rachilla ligule seed awn sheath node glume internode auricle node overlapping left and fused. Tall fescue is crop insurable in manitoba tall fescue seed production phone.
A perennial ryegrass or tall fescue seed field will need a combination of water stored in the profile over winter and irrigation to meet this water use for best seed yields especially if. Tall fescue both recommended and promising varieties can be used in the vcia sod certification program. Rachilla the point of attachment of a seed to the seed head or to another seed. Tall fescue 5 year history contracting seed production compared to other commodity crops, turfgrass seed production has an excellent profitability track record. Yield and plant development article pdf available in canadian journal of plant science 794 october 1999. Natural resources conservation service plant guide. Since most of the fescue seed fields in missouri are grazed in the fall or winter, cattle management becomes an important factor in seed production. For seed production tall fescue has been mainly spring or early summer sown for maximuni seed yields in the first year. Although primarily grown in the southern third of the state, almost every county has some fescue production. Seed quality plant certified seed of a recommended variety. Tall fescue seed production in western canada tall fescue festuca arundinacea schreb. Time of sowing, undersowing with barley crops, weed control and plant growth regulators are also discussed. Seed production fields in the willamette valley, 2016 5 an 11year history of crop rotation into new perennial ryegrass and tall fescue 9 exploring alternative herbicides for row creation in volunteer annual ryegrass fields to be used for seed production. Effects of postharvest residue management on seed production of roemers fescue festuca roemeri author.
How to grow a new lawn from fescue grass seed when to plant and planting methods. This article examines some of its legal and technical aspects. All you need to know about kentucky 31 tall fescue tall fescue is an important turf grass in the united states today, but that wasnt always the case. Hay is one of the most versatile stored feeds available because. Fusarium species associated with tall fescue seed production in oregon cynthia m. Seed and plant production red fescue plugs are easy to propagate in a greenhouse. Jan 15, 2009 on pure tall fescue stands the ph should be maintained above a ph of 5. Germination occurs at 27 c 80f and transplant survival averages 80 percent young, 2001. Crop density and seed production of tall fescue festuca arundinacea schreber. Are usually for 3 seed crop years field selection tall fescue does well on a wide range of soil types, provided there is adequate moisture and good fertility.
Jennings introduction extension livestock specialist forages tall fescue is the major coolseason perennial forage in arkansas charles p. Because seedlings are very slow to develop, red fescue for seed production is often seeded with canola or wheat. Thus, annual bluegrass seed contamination in cool season. Seed handled in this way can withstand surprisingly large amounts of rain without damage. Site selection and planting soils suitable for sod production include deep, welldrained to moderately welldrained siltloam or sandyloam soils center for crop diversification crop profile turfgrass sod production. Fields of tall fescue not harvested for seed the previous year but designated for seed production the next year, should be clipped by the time the seed stalks are mature. Plant chewings, hard or red fescues at a rate of 3 to 5 pounds of seed per 1,000 sq.
Ridgeline, volt and wildhorse are only for mixing with tall fescue for mixed species sod production. Pdf effective weed control was a major concern of oregon grass seed growers during their recent transition from openfield burning to mechanical. Interpretation and utilization of this information is the responsibility of the user. Tall fescue for forage production purdue university. It produces seed erratically and several years may pass without appreciable seed set. This dual use maximizes the total crop, even though seed yields are. Spring irrigation of tall fescue for seed production. Shoup, crops and soils specialist, southeast gary l. Seeding treat the alfalfa seed with a quality inoculant just prior to seeding. Most of the fescue harvested for seed in missouri is used for fall and winter grazing. Seed production management for bromegrass and tall fescue kansas produces up to 12 million pounds of high quality tall fescue and 6 million pounds of bromegrass seed per year. A technical look at seed production of fescue peace region. Professor, department tall fescue is widely grown throughout. The annual crop acts as a nurse or companion crop to provide a sheltered environment for the developing red fescue seedlings and provides a marketable product for the seed grower the first year.
Pdf weed control for tall fescue seed production and stand. Kilgore, emeritus crops and soils specialist, southeast. This will ensure the use of quality seed of a variety adapted to local conditions. Native to central europe, the plant was introduced to the u. Seed production 7 hay production 7 tall fescuelegume pasture mixtures 8 tall fescue utilization by cattle 8 handling infected pastures 11 literature cited 11 authors douglas e. The pathogen produces several types of spores, but it is only the urediniospores whose rust color gives the disease its name that are involved in epidemics.
In some years, the price of fescue seed at harvest time may be extremely attractive while seed prices the next year may be extremely depressed. This is unnecessary when netting is used in tall fescue production. Turf builder thickr lawn tall fescue grass seed, fertilizer, and soil improver. Effects of postharvest residue management on seed production. Recent work at lincoln and in the manawatu investigated monthly sowing of roa from october until april table 1. Youngmathews, usdanrcs corvallis plant materials center keywords. For maximum seed production, grazing pressures should not be too heavy during august, september and october. Clam lagoon germplasm is a selection of beach fleabane collected on adak island in 1993 and released for commercial seed production in 2006 wright, 2006. Over 35 million acres of tall fescue festuca arundinacea schreb. Cultivars and species for use in alaska released for commercial seed production. Tall fescue is used mainly as a forage for livestock, but is also used as turf and.
Category i recommended tall fescue varieties 90100% on a weight basis. Management practices of improving fescue with clovers white clovers, alfalfa and birds foot trefoil, orchard grass and ryegrasses every 23 years may help reduce some of the problem with fescue foraging in the southern regions. Grass seed production is an important agricultural enterprise. In contrast, for forage production alone, the latemarch. Pdf weed control for tall fescue seed production and. A3637 identifying pasture grasses i08964m0 fc identifying pasture grasses dan undersander michael casler dennis cosgrove.
Mf924 seed production management for bromegrass and. Seed yields after springsowingwere significantlygreaterthanthose. Turftype tall fescue is the recommended grass species for maryland. This guide provides nutrient and lime recommendations for establishment and maintenance of turf and forage tall fescue grown for seed in. Pdf crop density and seed production of tall fescue. Mf924 seed production management for bromegrass and tall fescue. Tall fescue is one of the most adaptable grasses grown for grazing purposes. Friendly endophyteinfected tall fescue for livestock. Forage seed production costs 2016 dollars per acre annual ryegrass alfalfa seed note. Keywords red fescue, seed production, post harvest management, burning, closing date, nitrogen, festuca. Cultivated seed production has resulted in average production of 100 pounds per acre or less msu eb 69.
Tall fescue seed germination should be at least 85 percent. Weed control for tall fescue seed production and stand duration without burning. Friendly endophyteinfected tall fescue for livestock production john a. Stockpiling tall fescue pastures improves profitability for beef producers by reducing winter feeding costs by extending the grazing season 1, 2, 5, 38, 57, 71, 75.