Klamath Experiment Station
Bromus Screening Trial
R.L. Dovel and J. Rainey'
ntroduction
Mama prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii
Kunth) has produced outstanding yields in
the Klamath Basin in experimental plots
and has had exceptional quality; however, it
has failed to survive winter conditions common to the area. A trial was established to
screen promising lines of B. willdenowii and
related Bromus species at the Klamath Experiment Station for winter survival, forage production, and seed yield.
The first cutting following establishment
was at soft dough stage. Subsequent cuttings
were at early heading. Plots were cut to a 2inch height using a Carter flail plot harvester.
Plots were irrigated by solid set sprinkler
irrigation. Measurements of seedling vigor,
forage yield, seed production, and stand
survival were made by visual scoring. Measurements will be taken for three full production years. Winter survival will be determined
for three winter periods.
Procedure
Results
I
Seed of 81 plant introductions (PIs) of B.
catharticus, which includes B. willdenowii and
closely related species, was obtained from the
USDA Western Regional Plant Introduction
Station in Pullman, Washington. Grassland
Matua and Grassland Gala, the two standard
Bromus varieties in the industry, were also
included in the trial. The seed were planted in
flats on April 3, 1994 and grown out in a
greenhouse until individual plants were large
enough to transplant into separate containers.
Plants were transplanted into the field on May
15. Individual PIs were planted in rows 14
feet long with 1 foot between plants and 2 feet
between rows.
Prior to transplanting, fertilizer was applied
and incorporated as indicated by soil tests.
Approximately 50 lb N/acre was applied at
planting. Following establishment, 50 lb N/
acre was applied after each cutting and in early
spring prior to the initiation of rapid growth
(May 15-April 15).
Germination of the seed was quite variable.
Of the 81 PIs planted, only 70 produced
enough healthy plants to be included in the
trial. Seed quality of Matua and Gala was
quite good. Visual evaluations of forage
desirability and seed production indicated that
a number of PIs had forage and seed production capabilities equivalent to or superior to
Matua and Gala (Table 1). Gala and a number
of PIs did not flower the first year. However,
following vernalization, these lines produced
adequate to excellent amounts of seed. PIs in
this group include PI 197848, 284111,
316176, 316177, 331172, and 442079. Plant
introductions from Peru were small
determinate plants that appeared to be annuals.
Few of these plants survived into the second
year. Both Gala and Matua survived the
winter in 1994 and 1995. Other than the
Peruvian lines, there was no difference in
winter survival between lines. The winters of
both 1994 and 1995 were warmer than normal
'/ Associate Professor and Biological Sciences Research Technician III, respectively, Klamath
Experiment Station, Klamath Falls, OR.
KLAMATH EXPERIMENT STATION 1995 73
Klamath Experiment Station
Bromus Screening Trial
and were not good tests of winter hardiness.
The trial will be maintained and screened for
winter hardiness. A number of lines appear to
have forage production superior to Matua and
Gala. Lines selected for further study due to
good forage production and early spring
growth include PI 193144, 197848, 209100,
284111, 316175, 331172, 442077, 442079,
477057, 338633, 442081, 442082, 442080,
and 442083.
74 KLAMATH EXPERIMENT STATION 1995
Klamath Experiment Station
Table 1. USDA Bromus catharticus collection.
Visual assessments of forage and seed production potential in 1994 and 1995, and forage yield in 1995 of
Bromus catharticus lines obtained from the USDA world collection and planted at Klamath Falls, OR.
8/8/94
Ratings
28/6/95
Ratings
Identification Forage Seed
Forage Seed
2/7/95
Forage
11/9/95
Forage
Average
forage
Average
seed
yield
rating
rating
rating
3.4
3.1
3.3
3.2
2.8
3.6
3.8
3.5
3.8
3.6
3.3
3.2
2.7
2.9
3.0
2.7
3.5
2.7
2.7
2.9
2.7
3.0
3.1
2.7
2.8
3.8
3.3
3.2
2.9
3.2
2.3
1.4
2.0
1.6
1.6
1.1
1.1
3.3
3.1
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.0
3.0
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.5
4.0
4.0
2.5
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.5
4.5
2.5
3.0
3.0
3.5
3.5
3.0
2.5
3.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2,5
3.5
3.5
ton/A
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
P1
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
158372
468556
168564
185500
187000
189612
193144
195476
197848
197849
202360
202693
203616
204157
209100
217582
217583
219801
219802
237793
250648
283201
283202
283203
284110
284111
284788
292258
299500
303640
304864
306289
308503
308504
308506
308507
308509
309955
309956
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
3
3
4
4
5
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
4
4
5
4
3
4
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
2
5
5
2
3
3
3
4
4
1
3
3
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2.
2
2
3
3
3
2.09
1.28
2.30
1.87
1.38
2.25
3.08
2.08
3.04
2.26
2.14
1.93
0.70
1.57
1.92
0.74
1.92
0.84
0.82
1.71
1.69
1.82
1.59
1.86
1.31
3.20
1.38
1.64
1.44
1.78
1.01
0.44
0.89
0.55
0.46
0.23
0.41
2.09
2.29
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
4
4
4
3
3
4
4
3
3
5
4
4
4
5
3
2
3
2
3
1
1
4
4
KLAMATH EXPERIMENT STATION 1995 75
Klamath Experiment Station
Table 1. USDA Bromus catharticus collection, Klamath Falls, OR. Continued.
8/8/94
28/6/95
Ratings
Identification Forage Seed
2/7/95
11/9/95
Ratings Forage
Forage
Average
forage
Average
seed
rating
rating
rating
Forage Seed
yield
ton/A
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
PI
309957
309958
315677
316173
316175
316176
316177
331171
331172
337517
338633
345967
364329
364330
377533
409137
409138
409139
436806
442076
442077
442078
442079
442080
442081
442082
442083
442467
477057
478512
495807
Matua
Gala
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
5
4
4
4
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
4
3
4
4
5
5
5
4
3
4
1
4
3
3
4
3
2
2
4
4
3
3
2
3
3
4
3
3
2
4
3
2
4
3
4
3
1
3
3
2
3
5
2
2
3
4
1
3
3
3
3
4
2
3
3
4
4
4
3
2
3
3
3
3
4
1
3
3
3
4
3
4
4
4
3
3
2
4
3
3
3
4
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
5
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
5
3
4.5
3
3
3
3
4
3
2
3
3
3
2.12
2.22
0.96
1.93
2.76
2.35
2.11
1.61
3.15
2.43
2.93
1.44
2.18
0.94
1.00
1.53
1.72
2.15
0.28
1.60
4.51
1.54
3.29
2.41
2.87
2.82
2.73
1.98
1.85
0.45
1.25
1.89
1.79
3
4
4
4
5
3
3
2
3
3
4
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
1
4
5
3
3.0
3.4
3.0
3.2
3.7
3.1
2.8
2.7
3.5
3.4
3.7
2.9
2.5
2.0
2.8
2.4
2.4
3.0
1.8
2.7
3.6
3.4
3.6
3.9
3.7
4.0
3.9
3.2
3.2
1.4
2.8
3.5
2.7
3.5
3.5
2.0
2.5
3.5
3.5
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
3.0
4.0
3.0
3.0
2.5
3.5
3.0
2.5
3.0
3.0
4.5
3.0
2.8
3.0
3.0
2.5
3.0
4.5
2.5
2.0
3.0
3.5
2.0
Mean
3.5
3.1
3.0
3.1
1.84
3.6
3.0
3.1
76 KLAMATH EXPERIMENT STATION 1995