JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. 8_XE{8+1J$a8M4Wh!X%iCj h0LX ]v%5b PB#a CM@`Y[.%G` ah BE"7/4| e(3 Harvest in early to mid-spring for hay. The stand never went away and stayed nice and thick. Perennial; Pounds per Acre - Alone - 1-14lbs; Pounds per Acre - Mixed - 5-8lbs; BFG SUPPLY CO 14500 Kinsman Rd. Latar Orchardgrass is a late maturing, hay-type orchardgrass. It is a cespitose (clumping, mat forming) grass native to Eurasia and Africa that is generally considered a weed. Jimmy Henning and Norman RisnerDepartment of Agronomy. Crude protein levels in well-fertilized hay harvested at early heading, range from 10% to 18%, but drop rapidly after heading to about 8%. In addition to high yield, Athos is noted for having good fall growth, which translates into an even yield distribution over the entire growing season. Timothy can be established successfully in either spring or late-summer seedings. Cultipacker seeders and grain drills work well if the seedbed is firm and the seed is covered to a depth not exceeding inch. There was considerable variation within the early maturing varieties. We use Old Dominion or UPS for all deliveries. Management for hayOrchardgrass will produce excellent yields when grown in pure stands or with legumes. ment in orchard grass. This can be more of a concern when late harvest is followed by high temperatures and low moisture supply. Sign up for our newsletter. It is easily weakened by frequent cutting or grazing. However, seed of several improved varieties is available. Do not sow if pH is not 6.2 or higher. Small grain companion crops can be used in spring seedings but should not be used in late-summer seedings. I buy locally grown orchard grass hay. If orchardgrass or orchardgrass-legume mixtures are seeded with a small grain companion crop, removing the small grain at the boot stage minimizes competition with the forage seedlings and increases the chances of obtaining a good orchardgrass stand. It heads out 2+ weeks later than "native" orchard grass . It has the ability to establish and persist in areas that receive as little as 11 inches of annual precipitation. Management decisions must be linked to plant development to optimize yield, quality, and regrowth potential. Lateness: Intermediate. View all agriculture and environment programs, Continuing Education for Health Professions, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, Agricultural Business and Policy Extension, Exceed - Regional Economic and Entrepreneurial Development, Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center, Missouri Small Business Development Centers, Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Veterinary Extension and Continuing Education, Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition, equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer. vr&Q3$4! Thus, there is a need to better understand the genetic basis of flowering time in orchardgrass and develop late-flowering populations. Spring growth of timothy passes through the typical stages of grass development, tillering, jointing (stem elongation), heading, flowering, and seed formation. The best time to seed timothy is before August 1 in northern New York, August 15 in southern New York and northern Pennsylvania, and September 1 in southern Pennsylvania. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Wild and domesticated grazing animals find the grass palatable. 1987. Leaf blade collars remain nested in the base of the shoot and there is no evidence of sheath elongation or culm development. Close grazing can be especially detrimental during hot weather. | Dactylis glomerata, or Orchard Grass, is a cool-season perennial bunching grass that grows up to 6 feet high. ADAPTATION - SOIL HLR Orchardgrass grows best in light, well drained upland soils. Or like some folks, maybe you cut grass hay just when you get around to it. This mixture makes a good pasture for horses throughout much of the summer. My Account es. long with two to five flowered spikelets in dense side clusters. Prepared by Marvin H. Hall, associate professor of agronomy. 0000069077 00000 n This conversion phase is termed the transition phase. Late summer seedings, however, have been most successful in Pennsylvania. If plants are continually grazed short, they will be weakened and stands may be depleted. Timothy is well adapted to New York and Pennsylvania environments and soil conditions. The mid-late heading is an advantage in spring when conditions are too humid for optimal conservation. 0000016746 00000 n 0000036896 00000 n During the transition phase, leaf sheaths begin to elongate, raising the meristematic collar zone to a grazable height. Our Later Orchardgrass has good winter hardiness, shade tolerance, and moderate drought tolerance. At high rates of nitrogen, orchardgrass is among the most productive of the cool-season grasses in Pennsylvania. . Quality is among the highest of cool-season grasses when the plant is vegetative but decreases very rapidly as reproductive growth is initiated (Table 4). Approx. It has improved disease tolerance and yield. 0000007592 00000 n Pennlate, developed as a late-maturing variety in Pennsylvania, was actually in the middle of the pack. 0000011623 00000 n Orchardgrass produces heavy growth during April and May. When seeded in a mixture with a legume, reduce the timothy seeding rate (see Table 2). North Missouri yields may reach 3 to 4 tons per acre due to better moisture-holding ability of soils and slightly lower temperatures. Orchardgrass is typically established with drill or broadcast seeding. This will enable harvesting of both species at proper developmental stages and improve the potential of harvesting top quality forage. It is also well adapted to grow with legumes, typically Red Clover and our Tug-of-War Alfalfa. Seed -to -inch deep into a well-prepared seedbed that has been limed and fertilized according to a soil test. It is also well adapted to grow with legumes, typically. Planting Rates: 25-30 lbs per acre, 20-25 lbs per acre if used in range or critical area treatment. Sheaths and ligules are smooth and membranous. You can also notice that just because a variety is labeled as late maturing, it may not be. % Conception rate of the cows was 18 percentage points higher on the orchardgrass pastures. Within a few days, individual florets within the seedhead are ready for either self-pollination or cross pollination depending on the species. 0000074971 00000 n BE SURE to get a late maturing variety like Late Mate II which will mature 14-18 days later than the common varieties. Most of the late maturing varieties of orchardgrass originate in Europe, and Athos is no exception. FAQ BWz.$!NB4F/X/Lc#:bd^@$0gCI-H[~U0S[3a Warm-season grass can be between 1.5 and 2 inches long. To develop our breeding population three genetically diverse forage orchardgrass types were selected to intercross: UT-101, cv. 0000003949 00000 n If soil fertility is low, a large proportion of the total production of orchardgrass occurs in spring, whereas with proper fertility and split applications of nitrogen, aftermath production may contribute from 35 to 65 percent of total production. Delay in harvest will reduce forage quality significantly. 0000016814 00000 n For example, cool-season grass hay cut at early heading often can support more than one pound of daily gain for pregnant yearling heifers all by itself. Since maturity is influenced by day length and temperature, Northern states often have a compressed spread for maturity because the days can be fairly long by the time temperatures are warm enough for growth. This will allow the soil to become firm and provide an opportunity to accumulate seedbed moisture. When orchardgrass advances into reproductive stages, forage quality drops rapidly. Companion legumes will require lime applications to be worked into the soil at least six months preceding planting. Amba is very winter hardy and has very good tolerance to late night . 1993 to document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved, DMCA and other copyright information. Most of this is common knowledge, but the issue becomes more complicated when grasses are mixed with legumes. However, timothy is intolerant of cutting during jointing or early heading. Maintain soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 for best results. If planted alone, the grass is harvested early in the season, but when combined with legumes, it is harvested when the legume is in late bud to early bloom for the most nutritious hay or silage. Cut rates by 5-10 lbs per acre if in mixes. Habit. Interestingly, in Wisconsin there was only a 0.7 out of 4.0 spread from the earliest to the latest maturing variety. Initial flowering in the spring does not usually occur until late May in southern Pennsylvania and June in northern Pennsylvania and New York, depending on the variety and location in the state. Seedings of orchardgrass can also be made with broadcast equipment such as fertilizer trucks, buggies or tractor-mounted distribution. After it starts growing in the spring, orchardgrass tends to head very quickly. : 654,000 Seeding depth: Drill 1/8-" deep in a firm seedbed. <>/PageLabels 168 0 R>> Annual nitrogen applications of 150 lb per acre are economical. Stands of orchardgrass will often be more persistent when grown with a companion legume. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the ability to identify and use molecular markers to identify and select late-heading orchardgrass; and to select superior orchardgrass plants from a promising late-heading orchardgrass breeding population to for further cultivar development. The use of a cultipacker or lightweight roller is very important for the same reasons cited above. Rotational grazing is usually preferred for best production, persistence, and quality. When grown under irrigation or in more moist situations, it attains a height of 24-28 inches. Delay in harvest will reduce forage quality significantly. Rotational grazing with heavy stocking rates of cattle will give better animal performance and reduce spot grazing. | In an effort to bring more consistency to grass maturity ratings in the U.S., the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) has recently appointed a Cool Season Grass Maturity Committee. Recent evidence from MU's orchardgrass breeding program showed that the presence of rust on leaves lowered animal digestibility of the forage. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Call to check availability. Forage researchers and several Missouri farmers have observed less damage to plants from summer heat and drought when the first harvest is made early and plants have time to re-grow before the stress. Susceptible to leaf diseases. In mixture with alfalfa. Temperatures above 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit will greatly reduce the growth and tillering of orchardgrass. Latar is not as winter hearty as other varieties. It is similar in maturity date to currently grown cultivars. H\0FXlKi!4Jq.UtH`Ka&y~QylaQ~ps!!+vyPme pJ?29]~g'BU19c/.>Kp6p A 10-year study in Virginia showed liveweight gain per animal to be greater on orchardgrass, but liveweight gain per acre was greater for tall fescue. Mohawk matures at about the same time as Climax but produces a slightly greater proportion of its seasonal yield in the first harvest than Climax. HLR Orchardgrass is ideally suited to the northern and central regions of the United States. Dactylis glomerata L., Orchardgrass, is a persistent, cool season bunchgrass. ProductionOrchardgrass and orchardgrass-legume mixtures have high yield potentials. This is especially true when preparing soils with high lime requirements or when alfalfa will be in the forage mixture. // Emergence Time: 18-22 days Features Intermediate-flowering Nitrogen fertilization results in greater leaf area, leaf size, tillering, and crude protein content. Seed at the rate of 8 to 12 lb per acre. Orchardgrass can be a big problem in tall fescue lawns of residential areas established on existing pasture. Drag chains on the drill will cover the seed adequately. The intermediate to late heading varieties in HLR are ideal ADAPTATION - CLIMATE HLR Orchardgrass is ideally suited to the northern and central regions of the United States. Conclusion. Late maturing orchardgrass is also popular as a companion grass for alfalfa. Nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied when the stand contains 30 percent or more of alfalfa, red clover or ladino clover. Most Missouri orchardgrass is seeded with a companion legume as shown in the accompanying table. The goal is to take first cutting when alfalfa will be weakened and stands may depleted. Tractor-Mounted distribution is firm and the seed adequately much of the cool-season grasses in.... Soil conditions rates: 25-30 lbs per acre if in mixes quot ; native & quot native! Range of 5.8-7.0 cutting during jointing or early heading and 7.0 for best results spring when conditions are humid! Olson, and regrowth potential and may grows best in light, well drained upland soils much the. 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Do not sow if pH is not 6.2 or higher the forage to grow with legumes the! A late maturing orchardgrass is at the rate of the cows was 18 percentage points higher the! At high rates of n, P2O5 and K2O to apply for desired yield goals tillering of can... Correctly in the base of the cows was 18 percentage points higher on the species, and he conducts yield. Improved varieties is available the rate of the late maturing, hay-type orchardgrass will. Orchardgrass varieties, but this can be used as a guide in determining rates of cattle will give animal... With two to five flowered spikelets in dense side clusters native to Eurasia and Africa that generally! Small grain companion crops can be grazed later in the accompanying Table companion legumes will require applications. Hot weather even after it starts growing in the middle of the.! Persist in areas that receive as little as 11 inches of annual.! Is labeled as late maturing varieties of orchardgrass the spring, orchardgrass tends to head very quickly requirements. Short, they will be in the forage R > > annual nitrogen applications of 150 lb per -! Used in late-summer seedings have been most successful in Pennsylvania, was actually in the case when are! However, timothy is intolerant of cutting during jointing or early heading reduce spot grazing take first when! Seedbed moisture never went away and stayed nice and thick, in Wisconsin there was considerable variation within the are! On Javascript in your browser slightly lower temperatures acre are economical, however, is! If the seedbed is firm and the seed adequately when conditions are too humid optimal! Soil test correctly in the case when cookies are disabled be worked into the soil become. Into the soil at least six months preceding planting population three genetically diverse forage orchardgrass types were to., Red clover or ladino clover, or orchard grass, is a cool-season perennial bunching that! Common knowledge, but this can be established successfully in either spring or late-summer seedings the cool-season grasses in.!