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Title: SEED DEPOSITION OF ITALIAN RYEGRASS AFFECTED BY FORAGE HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Author
item Bartholomew, Paul
item Williams, Robert

Submitted to: Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2003
Publication Date: 11/1/2003
Citation: Bartholomew, P.W., Williams, R.D. 2003. Seed deposition of Italian ryegrass affected by forage harvest management [abstract]. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting. Abstract No. c06-bartholomew863018-poster.

Interpretive Summary: ABSTRACT ONLY

Technical Abstract: In the Southern Great Plains Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.)can be a productive alternative to perennial cool-season grasses. In practice its productive advantage over perennial species is offset by the need for annual reseeding to maintain production from year to year. Management for self-seeding may enable perennation of Italian ryegrass, but practices that allow adequate seeding and maintain forage output are not well defined. We examined forage production and seed deposition in Italian ryegrass cv Marshall subjected to 9 harvesting regimes. These harvest regimes consisted of three dates of initial harvest, mid-April, beginning-May and mid-May, at each of three levels of utilization, 100, 76 and 53% of standing crop, at a constant clipping height. A mid-April harvest produced an average of 970 kg.ha-1 of forage DM and subsequently an average seed deposition in mid-July of 11000 seeds.m-2. Maximum forage yield of 3710 kg.ha-1 was achieved with 100% utilization at a mid-May harvest, but seed deposition in mid-July was reduced to 1060 seeds.m-2. At utilization levels of 76% at beginning-May and 53% in mid-May mean forage yield was 1770 kg.ha-1 and corresponding average seed deposition was 5800 seeds.m-2. Maximum forage output was not possible without compromising reseeding potential. Partial harvest reduced forage yields but increased seed deposition.