Cool-Season Grass Agroecozone Trial
R.L. Dovel and J. Rainey'
Introduction
Irrigated pastures occupy over 100,000
acres in Klamath County and provide summer
grazing for approximately 100,000 cattle. The
currently recommended grass variety for
irrigated pastures is Fawn tall fescue, a variety
released in 1964. Quackgrass is also an
important hay and pasture species in the area.
Recently developed cultivars need to be
evaluated for adaptation to the Klamath Basin.
The acquisition of new germplasm from
international forage breeding programs adds
further impetus to the development of a forage
variety screening program in the Klamath
Basin.
Results from a single trial location would
be applicable only to that location. By
establishing identical trials in different
locations and documenting environmental
conditions in each location, extrapolation of the
data to other areas may be possible.
Environmental conditions that should be
monitored include soil type and pH, maximum
and minimum daily temperature, precipitation,
slope and aspect, and irrigation. Such a trial,
called an agroecozone trial, was established on
sandy loam soil at the KES in August 1994
with a complement of perennial forage grasses
representing a range of forage species. A
similar trial was established at Powell Butte at
the Central Oregon Agricultural Research
Center. Only KES data will be presented in
this report.
Soil samples were analyzed, and appropriate
fertilizer was applied prior to planting. Seed
was drilled 1/4-inch deep using a modified
Kincaid plot drill. Seeding rates used in the
trial are shown inTable 1. Plots were 5 x 20
feet with 3-foot wide alleyways. Plots were
irrigated with solid-set sprinklers.
Forages were planted in August 1994 and
allowed to grow uncut through the first growing
season. Three harvests per year were taken
when plants began to flower in 1995 and 1996.
Crops were harvested with a flail harvester. All
yields are reported on a dry weight basis.
Forage quality, as determined by crude protein
(CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral
detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrients
(TDN), and relative feed value (RFV), was
evaluated from samples obtained at all harvests
using a near-infrared spectrophotometer.
Results
-
Procedures
The trial was arranged in a randomized
complete block design with four replications.
1/
1995
Matua, an introduced Bromus species,
produced the highest total season forage yield;
almost 7.5 tons of dry matter /acre, which was
significantly higher than all other entries (Table
2). The second highest yielding entry was Black
Mountain. This perennial cereal rye, which
produced forage mostly in the first cutting, had
forage quality similar to hay produced by other
cereal rye varieties. Other more typical grasses
that produced high total forage yields include
Bromar mountain brome, Fawn and Festorina
tall fescue, and Potomac orchardgrass.
Bromar mountain brome is a short lived
perennial. It is sod forming and is used
extensively in reclamation work.
Associate Professor and Biological Sciences Research Technician III, respectively,
Klamath Experiment Station, Klamath Falls, OR.
Klamath Experiment Station
141
It would make a significant contribution to
forage yields for short term pastures, but would
eventually be replaced by stronger perennial
grasses.
Festorina is actually a Festulolium or tall
fescue-perennial ryegrass cross. It is a foragetype variety that has smoother, finer leaves than
traditional tall fescues. It is said to have higher
forage quality than traditional tall fescues like
Fawn. There was no difference in forage yield
between Fawn and Festorina in 1995.
Although there were no large differences in
forage quality between these two varieties,
there was a trend for Festorina to have higher
forage quality than Fawn. Leaves of Festorina
are not as rough as leaves of Fawn and it is
reported to be more palatable than Fawn. More
study is required to determine if tall fescueperennial ryegrass crosses are as persistent in
the Klamath Basin as tall fescue.
The greatest early season growth was
produced by Black Mountain, a perennial cereal
rye. This entry produced over 5 tons of dry
matter/acre by June 22 (Table 2). The second
highest early season yielding entry in the trial was Matua prairie grass. It produced
significantly higher levels of forage than all
other entries except the two tall fescue entries.
Other entries with over 2 tons of dry
matter/acre by June 22, included Fawn tall
fescue, Festorina tall fescue, Potomac
orchardgrass, Gala grazing brome, Bromar
mountain brome, and Linn perennial ryegrass.
Wana, a grazing tolerant orchardgrass, did not
produce much early spring growth and only
yielded 1,180 lb dry matter/acre by June 22.
Palaton reed canarygrass also produced low
levels of forage in the first cutting compared to
its forage production in the second cutting.
Black Mountain had the lowest forage
quality, based on all quality parameters
measured, of any entry at the first cutting
(Table 3). Gala grazing brome also had lower
quality than most entries at the first cutting.
This variety has been noted to have lower
forage quality than Matua and other Brome
142
varieties. Forage quality of Linn perennial
ryegrass was also depressed in the first cutting
due to advanced maturity.
Although Black Mountain produced
more dry matter than any other entry at the first
cutting, regrowth following cutting was poor.
Black Mountain only produced 970 and 730 lb
dry matter/acre in the second and third cuttings,
respectively (Table 2). Matua prairie grass
produced almost 3 tons of dry matter/acre in the
second cutting, significantly higher than all
other entries in the trial (Table 2).
Other high yielding varieties in the
second cutting included Bromar mountain
brome, Potomac and Wana orchardgrass,
Palaton reed canarygrass, Festorina and Fawn
tall fescue, and Gala grazing brome. Second
cutting yields of both Wana orchardgrass and
Palaton reed canarygrass were significantly
higher than their first cutting yields.
Matua prairie grass produced
significantly higher third cutting forage yields
than all other entries. Other entries producing
above average third cutting forage yields
included Fawn and Festorina tall fescue, Wana
and Potomac orchardgrass, Bromar mountain
brome, and Gala grazing brome.
1996
Yield trends were not the same in 1996
as 1995. Palaton, which was ranked in the
lower third of the trial in 1995, was the highest
yielding entry in 1996 (Table 4). Yields of
Mama, which were significantly higher than
any other entry in 1995, were not significantly
different than yields of Palaton, Potomac,
Bromar, Festorina, or Fawn.
Black Mountain did not perenniate well
and forage production dropped to half that of
1995. Stand thinning was also observed in
Matua and Gala, and may account for the yield
declines seen in these two varieties. In contrast,
yields of a number of entries increased
significantly over 1995 yields (Figure 1). Regar
meadow brome, Oahe intermediate wheatgrass,
Carlton smooth brome, and Clair Timothy are
Klamath Experiment Station
all species that tend to establish and reach full
production potential rather slowly. The increase
in forage yield in the second harvest year is due
to plants maturing and increasing individual
plant size. Palaton reed canary grass is a
rhizomatous species that is known for low
seedling vigor; however, it can be very
aggressive once established. Garrison creeping
foxtail is also rhizomatous and has low seedling
vigor. It showed increased production in the
second harvest year as well.
Yields of Park Kentucky bluegrass were
depressed by severe rust infestation in 1995.
Rust infestation of bluegrass was light in 1996
and yields of Park more than tripled. Wana
orchardgrass failed to survive the winter and
much of the yield seen in 1996 is from invading
Kentucky bluegrass, which is a common
invasive species in irrigated pastures in the
Klamath Basin.
Time of production may also be an
important consideration in addition to total
production. Oahe produced the highest yield at
the first cutting but very low yields in the
second cutting. Forage yield at the third cutting
recovered to levels near those of the first. Other
entries with relatively high first cutting, low
second cutting, and high third cutting yields
include Regar, Carlton, and Bromar. In
contrast, Palaton tends to produce similar yields
at all three cuttings, as does Matua, the tall
fescues, and to a lesser degree, the
orchardgrasses.
Protein concentration was generally
higher in 1996 than in 1995. Some entries had
larger increases in protein than others, but
protein concentration exceeded 11 percent for
all varieties except Black Mountain, which was
9.7 percent at the first cutting (Table 5). TDN
was relatively unchanged from one year to the
next. TDN levels of Clair increased slightly
form 1995 to 1996 and were significantly
higher than other entries in the trial. TDN
levels of all entries except Black Mountain
exceeded 50 percent. Forage quality of
Festorina was always slightly higher than Fawn,
but differences were never statically significant.
Discussion and Conclusions
The species currently recommended for
seeding long-term irrigated pastures in the
Klamath Basin is tall fescue. Data from this
trial tends to support that recommendation. The
tall fescue entries were in the highest yielding
group in 1996 and were only exceeded by
Matua in 1995. They produced high forage
yields throughout the growing season and did
not exhibit severe heat induced yield
depression. Tall fescue is a long-lived species
that resists a number of environmental stresses
common to the Klamath Basin. The forage
quality of the tall fescue varieties in this trial
was not significantly different from other
species reported to be of higher forage quality,
including orchardgrass and several brome
species. Orchardgrass appears to be another
good choice for a long-term pasture, if
appropriate grazing management is practiced.
Matua and Bromar appear to have great
potential for shorter rotation hay fields and
pastures. Despite the excellent hay yields and
quality of Matua, it is not recommended for
long-term pastures due to stand thinning This
variety has experienced severe stand losses in
the winter, probably due to fungal attack. It
also will not withstand continuous grazing or
prolonged flooding. Due to high production and
high protein content, nitrogen fertilization
requirements are higher for Matua than other
grass species. Planting this variety for hay
production on well drained soil should result in
a highly productive stand that will last for three
to five years. Commercial stands of Matua have
persisted in the Klamath Basin with moderate
levels of N fertilization for four to five years.
Bromar is a short-lived species that is more
winter hardy than Matua. Long-term data on
this species in the Klamath Basin is not
available.
Several drought tolerant species
included in this trial yielded well. Regar
meadow brome, Oahe intermediate wheatgrass
and Carlton smooth brome produced about 75
Klamath Experiment Station
143
percent as much dry matter as Fawn and had
better forage quality. The largest yield was in
the first cutting. In pastures and hay meadows
that have a seasonal or unreliable irrigation
supply, the use of these varieties could provide
an acceptable forage yield and survive drought
stress in years when they were not irrigated.
Fall regrowth of both Oahe and Regar
stockpiles well and can be a valuable source of
fall grazing following a spring cutting of hay.
Frequently inundated or wet sites may
need species that are more tolerant to flooding
than tall fescue. Appropriate species for such
environments include reed canarygrass and
meadow foxtail. Palaton and Garrison are
examples of each of these species. The
impressive yields produced by Palaton in the
second year of the trial on well drained soil
indicate that planting of this species need not be
restricted to very wet sites. However, high seed
costs and low seedling vigor will probably
restrict the use of this species to areas where
flooding tolerance is needed. Palaton has been
selected for low alkaloid content to improve
palatability and animal performance. Only low
alkaloid varieties of reed canarygrass should be
planted for hay or pasture.
These findings are preliminary. The trial
will be continued for at least another year and
changes in stand survival and production may
Occur.
Table 1. Seeding rates for species included in the forage agroecozone trial at Klamath Falls,
OR., August 1994.
Species
Bromus willdenowii
B. inermus
B. stamineus
B. riparius
B. marginatus
Dactylis glomerata
Festuca arundinacea
Lolium perenne
Poa pratensis
Alopecuras arundinacea
Thinopyrum intermedium
Elymus lanceolatus
Secale cereale
Phalaris arundinacea
Phleum pratense
144
Common name
prairie grass
smooth brome
grazing brome
meadow brome
mountain brome
orchardgrass
tall fescue
perennial ryegrass
Kentucky bluegrass
meadow foxtail
intermediate wheatgrass
thick spike wheatgrass
perennial cereal rye
reed canarygrass
timothy
Klamath Experiment Station
Seeding Rate
lb/A Kg/ha g/m
35
25
25
35
35
20
25
30
10
5
10
10
60
15
10
39.2
28.0
28.0
39.2
39.2
22.4
28.0
33.6
11.2
5.6
11.2
11.2
67.8
16.8
11.2
392
280
280
392
392
224
280
336
112
56
112
112
678
168
112
Table 2. Agroecozone 1995 Yield Summary. 1995 forage, protein, and TDN yield summary
of cool-season grasses planted at Klamath Experiment Station in August 1994.
Variety
Species'
Cut 1
Forage Yield
Cut 2
Cut 3
Total
Protein
yield
TDN
yield
lb/A Park
Regar
Bromar
Carlton
Gala
BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
740
3710
4870
3330
4480
830
2440
4840
2450
3550
140
330
1290
210
1210
1710
6490
10990
5980
9240
270
880
1330
830
1170
1010
3670
6260
3490
4880
Matua
Garrison
Oahe
Potomac
Wana
BW
CFT
IWG
OG
OG
6820
2050
3270
4780
1180
5940
1960
1980
4070
3760
2180
230
840
1200
1350
14940
4250
6090
10050
6280
1590
660
840
1270
880
8250
2540
3590
5830
3510
Black Mnt
Linn
Madera
Palaton
Fawn
PCR
PRG
PRG
RCG
TF
10410
4990
3920
1730
5510
970
2260
2960
3810
3690
730
450
350
410
1480
12110
7700
7220
5940
10680
1290
800
870
880
1370
6540
4330
4300
3450
6210
Festorina
Clair
Critana
TF
TIM
TSWG
5390
3360
1760
3910
2960
1870
1320
300
390
10630
5760
4030
1410
740
540
6110
3810
2260
4020
1550
27
3010
1150
27
800
400
35
7780
2060
19
430
200
33
2270
870
27
Mean
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
'BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
BW
CFI'
IWG
Kentucky bluegrass
meadow brome
mountain brome
smooth brome
Bromus stamineus
Bromus willdenowii
creeping foxtail
intermediate wheatgrass
OG
PCR
PRG
RCG
TF
TIM
TSWG
orchardgrass
perennial cereal rye
perennial ryegrass
reed canarygrass
tall fescue
timothy
thickspike wheatgrass
Klamath Experiment Station
145
Table 2. Agroecozone 1995 Yield Summary. 1995 forage, protein, and TDN yield summary
of cool-season grasses planted at Klamath Experiment Station in August 1994.
Variety
Species
'
Cut 1
Forage Yield
Cut 2
Cut 3
Total
Protein
yield
TDN
yield
lb/A Park
Regar
Bromar
Canton
Gala
BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
740
3710
4870
3330
4480
830
2440
4840
2450
3550
140
330
1290
210
1210
1710
6490
10990
5980
9240
270
880
1330
830
1170
1010
3670
6260
3490
4880
Matua
Garrison
Oahe
Potomac
Wana
BW
CFT
IWG
OG
OG
6820
2050
3270
4780
1180
5940
1960
1980
4070
3760
2180
230
840
1200
1350
14940
4250
6090
10050
6280
1590
660
840
1270
880
8250
2540
3590
5830
3510
Black Mnt
Linn
Madera
Palaton
Fawn
PCR
PRG
PRG
RCG
TF
10410
4990
3920
1730
5510
970
2260
2960
3810
3690
730
450
350
410
1480
12110
7700
7220
5940
10680
1290
800
870
880
1370
6540
4330
4300
3450
6210
Festorina
Clair
Critana
TF
TIM
TSWG
5390
3360
1760
3910
2960
1870
1320
300
390
10630
5760
4030
1410
740
540
6110
3810
2260
4020
1550
27
3010
1150
27
800
400
35
7780
2060
19
430
200
33
2270
870
27
Mean
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
'BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
BW
CFT
IWG
Kentucky bluegrass
meadow brome
mountain brome
smooth brome
Bromus stamineus
Bromus willdenowii
creeping foxtail
intermediate wheatgrass
146
OG
PCR
PRG
RCG
TF
TIM
TSWG
orchardgrass
perennial cereal rye
perennial ryegrass
reed canarygrass
tall fescue
timothy
thickspike wheatgrass
Klamath Experiment Station
Lb/ac
1.)O) co
8 R)
4s.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0.
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Matua
Cereal
mmovuom
O
O
CD
NM=
Bromar ::-..razzatzLzEom
,
,
Fawn
0
MBIESIME11111111
Ulabiirdi,' 7.4
7.0
6
-8
Festorina 11317217.221
Potomac ummzzsitR-um
11101111111E
Gala 1,e.aiimvaimag
ME
Linn :701L.MaZaral
Madera
EnElla
MEN
Regar 73kMCISM-'=
1=a1
Wana r3:25...
maTimm21
MEM
rezi
Carlton raln
SIM
Naimalm
Palaton
Oahe
-
-
Clair
Garrison
:.17.37M1
MENE
Mr111
Critana r7TX0=4
Park
!MI
(0
CO
0)
0
-n
O
0)
0
Table 4. Agroecozone 1996 Yield Summary. 1996 forage, protein, and TDN yield summary
of cool-season grasses planted at Klamath Experiment Station in August 1994.
Variety
Species'
Cut 1
Forage Yield
Cut 2
Cut 3
Park
Regar
Bromar
Carlton
Gala
BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
2550
4230
4450
4780
2040
1250
1770
2400
1460
1520
2990
1910
3450
1870
3730
6790
7910
10300
8110
7290
1150
1040
1360
1170
1220
4480
4090
5400
4390
4120
Matua
Garrison
Oahe
Potomac
Wana
BSW
CFT
IWG
OG
OG
3680
2750
4980
3470
2020
3140
1640
980
2820
2940
4090
2480
1860
4790
3920
10910
6870
7820
11080
8880
1490
1170
920
1670
1520
6260
4710
3830
6270
5450
Black Mnt
Linn
Madera
Palaton
Fawn
PCR
PRG
PRG
RCG
TF
4580
2000
1880
4530
3780
1340
970
1150
3830
2630
0
1980
2820
3830
3300
5920
4950
5850
12190
9710
500
950
1130
1820
1280
2250
3730
4420
6880
5190
Festorina
Clair
Critana
TF
TIM
TSWG
3840
2820
2240
2680
2750
1350
3380
2300
1520
9900
7870
5110
1310
1280
890
5190
5590
3480
3370
690
14
2030
600
21
2790
1060
27
8190
1420
12
1220
310
18
4760
1170
17
Mean
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
'BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
BW
CFT
IWG
148
Kentucky bluegrass
meadow brome
mountain brome
smooth brome
Bromus stamineus
Bromus willdenowii
creeping foxtail
intermediate wheatgrass
OG
PCR
PRG
RCG
TF
TIM
TSWG
Total
lb/A Protein
yield
orchardgrass
perennial cereal rye
perennial ryegrass
reed canarygrass
tall fescue
timothy
thickspike wheatgrass
Klamath Experiment Station
TDN
yield
Table 5. Agroecozone 1996 Quality Summary. 1996 protein and TDN summary of
cool-season grasses planted at Klamath Experiment Station in August 1994.
Protein
Cut 2
TDN
58.0
56.8
56.6
58.3
54.4
16.8
14.5
14.2
16.8
15.7
58.8
53.3
53.9
56.6
52.0
18.5
18.6
17.1
20.2
17.3
65.4
62.1
59.8
65.9
54.9
11.2
12.7
11.4
13.2
16.7
55.2
57.2
55.6
58.4
59.0
12.5
15.4
16.8
14.4
14.4
51.3
54.5
57.4
55.4
54.4
16.4
16.4
18.2
17.8
16.5
61.4
59.0
65.3
61.9
57.4
PCR
PRG
PRG
RCG
TF
9.7
13.8
13.9
14.4
11.8
49.9
56.5
58.7
57.5
56.8
16.4
15.7
15.3
14.2
15.0
59.5
55.9
55.4
53.7
55.0
16.4
16.7
17.7
16.4
62.1
61.9
63.5
63.6
TF
TIM
TSWG
13.0
12.7
13.3
58.2
61.9
57.0
15.8
13.9
14.4
56.6
58.0
54.4
16.3
16.7
18.7
63.3
65.7
63.2
12.9
1.1
6
57.0
1.7
2
15.1
1.1
5
55.3
1.8
2
17.4
1.0
1
62.1
1.8
2
Cut 1
Protein
Variety
Species'.
Park
Regar
Bromar
Carlton
Gala
BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
12.3
12.3
11.7
13.4
14.1
Matua
Garrison
Oahe
Potomac
Wana
BW
CFI'
IWG
OG
OG
Black Mnt
Linn
Madera
Palaton
Fawn
Festorina
Clair
Critana
Mean
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
1
BLG
BMD
BMT
BSM
BST
BW
CFT
IWG
Kentucky bluegrass
meadow brome
mountain brome
smooth brome
Bromus stamineus
Bromus willdenowii
creeping foxtail
intermediate wheatgrass
TDN
OG
PCR
PRG
RCG
TF
TIM
TSWG
Cut 3
Protein
TDN
orchardgrass
perennial cereal rye
perennial ryegrass
reed canarygrass
tall fescue
timothy
thickspike wheatgrass
Klamath Experiment Station
149