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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182615
Title: EFFECTS OF DIRECT SEEDING AND FULL CHOP-BACK RESIDUE MANAGEMENT IN PERENNIAL

Author
item Steiner, Jeffrey
item Griffith, Stephen
item Mueller Warrant, George
item Whittaker, Gerald
item Banowetz, Gary
item ELLIOTT, L - USDA ARS RETIRED

Submitted to: Seed Production Research at Oregon State University
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2005
Publication Date: 4/30/2005
Citation: Steiner, J.J., Griffith, S.M., Mueller Warrant, G.W., Whittaker, G.W., Banowetz, G.M., Elliott, L.F. 2005. Effects of direct seeding and full chop-back residue management in perennial. Seed Production Research at Oregon State University.

Interpretive Summary: A ten-year study was conducted to determine the feasibility of direct seeding and full residue management in three distinct grass seed production environments in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The study found that perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and creeping red fescue could be produced economically utilizing these conservation practices without yield loss and that use of these practices saved significant amounts of money during the year the crop was established due to reduced field preparation expenses.

Technical Abstract: Field trials were conducted over a ten year period to evaluate the utility of direct seeding and full chop residue management in three distinct grass seed production environments in western Oregon. The three primary seed crops were perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and creeping red fescue. Costs of establishing the crop were significantly reduced by direct seeding, with cost savings ranging from $27 (tall fescue) to $162 (creeping red fescue) per acre due to reduced field preparation expenses. In some cases, direct seeding increased seed yields and in no case were seed yields reduced. Maximum residue management also had no adverse impact on seed yield in these three production systems. Concern has been expressed by some growers that utilize these practices that slug and insect populations have increased and that these increases may be associated with the increased residue load.