scholarly journals The place of amenity grass seed production.

1980 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 24-25
Author(s):  
G.S. Robinson

In recent years the supply of seed of local types of fine turf grasses has decreased. This has resulted in the need for the importation of overseas cultivars of browntop, creeping bent grass and red fescue. These have generally proved to be very effective in producing high-quality turf. The coarser types of turf used in sportsfields for football and cricket are ideally ryegrass-dominant. Fine-leaved perennial ryegrasses have been developed overseas. and experimental plantings of these in New Zealand look very promising. Keywords: Amenity grass, New Zealand, Agrostis tenuis Lolium perenne, Agrostis palustris, Festuca rubra.

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 809-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Fairey ◽  
L. P. Lefkovitch

Six trials were conducted on commercial seed fields of creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. var. rubra) in the Peace region to evaluate the sensitivity of seed production to the method and time of application of N fertiliser. In each trial, 68 kg ha−1 N was applied using three methods (surface-broadcast, granular, ammonium nitrate 34-0-0; foliar/soil spray of 28-0-0 solution N; soil-injected 28-0-0 solution N) at each of three times (fall, early spring, late spring). No statistically significant (P = 0.05) interaction, or main effect, of method and time of N were revealed for seed yield, fertile tiller density or for several seed quality characteristics. Seed yield varied greatly among trials (142 to 1240 kg ha−1) and averaged 566 kg ha−1. The results indicate that there is considerable flexibility in the method and time of application of N fertiliser for seed production of creeping red fescue in the Peace region, provided it is applied before the commencement of vigorous plant growth in the spring. Key words: Creeping red fescue, Festuca rubra L., nitrogen fertility, grass seed production, grass seed quality


1980 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 31-33
Author(s):  
A.G. Wright

The growing and harvesting of amenity grass seed crops requires special management and also modifications and adjustments to header harvesters for the various cultivars. Keywords: Amenity grass, seed production, seed harvesting, Agrostis tenuis, Agrostis pelustris, Festuca rubra, Poa pratensis


2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Soroka ◽  
B. D. Gossen

Silvertop, which is characterized by whitish, completely sterile seed heads produced on green tillers, is a common symptom in many perennial grasses. A 3-yr study of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra) grown for seed production was conducted at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to investigate the cause(s) of silvertop, the impact of residue management strategies on silvertop incidence, and the impact of silvertop on seed yield. Three residue management practices were applied in the fall of the first harvest year and again the next fall, as follows: (i) burned after harvest; (ii) clipped to 1–2 cm in height and the residue removed; or (iii) mowed to 20 cm and the residue retained. Arthropods in each plot were collected weekly from May until July by sweep sampling, counted, and identified to family level or lower, and the incidence of seed heads with and without silvertop were assessed. The majority of arthropods were thrips, leafhoppers, plant bugs, mites, or grass-dwelling flies. Grass species and residue treatment strongly affected the number of reproductive tillers and levels of silvertop. Levels of silvertop were lowest in creeping bentgrass in all 3 yr of the study, while they were similar for Kentucky bluegrass and creeping red fescue. Mown plots had fewer reproductive tillers, fewer heathy seed heads, and higher levels of silvertop than burned or clipped plots. However, arthropod species composition was generally similar across grass species and residue treatments. This indicates that a specific arthropod taxon may not be a critical factor in silvertop expression. The relationship between the number and composition of arthropods found and incidence of silvertop is discussed. Key words: Festuca rubra subsp. rubra, Poa pratensis, Agrostis palustris, seed production, arthropods, silvertop


Weed Science ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 579-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. W. Bingham ◽  
J. Segura ◽  
C. L. Foy

The susceptibility of 2- and 4-month-old perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenneL.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerataL.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensisL.), red fescue (Festuca rubraL.) and highland bentgrass (Agrostis tenuisSibth.) to glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] was studied in the greenhouse. All 2-month-old grasses were killed by 0.28 kg/ha and higher rates of glyphosate. At 0.14 kg/ha, red fescue was moderately resistant, and bluegrass, orchardgrass, and perennial ryegrass were moderately susceptible. Bent-grass was very susceptible. When 4-month-old grasses were treated, bluegrass was as tolerant to 0.28 kg/ha of glyphosate as was red fescue. At this same rate, orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass were moderately susceptible, whereas bentgrass remained the most susceptible. Dosages lower than 0.28 kg/ha had little effect; whereas higher doages injured all five species.14C-glyphosate was absorbed and translocated via both apoplast and symplast in 1-month-old red fescue, orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass seedlings. Comparatively, less radioactivity was transported to the untreated areas in red fescue than in orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass. Thus, the differential tolerances of these species to low rates of glyphosate may be explained, in part, by differential translocation of glyphosate.


1980 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 26-30
Author(s):  
L. Corkill ◽  
W. Rumball

The problems of seed production of amenity grasses in New Zealand are considered from two aspects - (a) increasing seed potential by breeding; (b) achieving that potential by good management as practised in the Netherlands, (a) In terms of breeding, the strategies to increase seed yield depended to some degree on the species concerned. With browntop it was necessary to discard about two-thirds of the most promising genotypes because of poor heading, but the remaining genotypes flowered freely and in unison, and gave good seed yields. With fescue even the best original plants were sparsely heading, so direct selection for prolificacy has been needed. This was also carried out for perennial ryegrass, as well as selection of early-heading genotypes to avoid infection by stem rust. (b) It is suggested that areas for seed of amenity grasses in New Zealand should be used for seed production only rather than for both forage and seed as is the usual practice. Techniques used in the Netherlands could serve as guidelines to procedures. The implications of low seeding rates, good weed control, high fertilizer applications and minimum cutting or grazing in promoting strong individual plants capable of high seed yields are discussed. Keywords: Amenity grass, seed production, New Zealand, breeding, management, Netherlands, Agrostis tenuis, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne


1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lloyd Darwent ◽  
Leonard P. Lefkovitch

In commercial fields of creeping red fescue, spring applications of sethoxydim at 500 g/ha and fluazifop-P at 250 g/ha consistently reduced the heading, and consequently the seed production, of foxtail barley and volunteer bromegrass by ≥90% without affecting crop seed yield, 100-seed wt or germination. The effectiveness of sethoxydim at 500 g/ha and fluazifop-P at 250 g/ha to reduce heading of grass weeds was not affected by tank mixing with metsulfuron at 4.5 g/ha but was reduced when tank mixed with either dicamba plus 2,4-D at 280 plus 560 g/ha or 2,4-D alone at 560 g/ha. Metsulfuron alone, or in tank mixtures with sethoxydim (500 g/ha) or fluazifop-P (250 g/ha), effectively controlled dandelion and volunteer alsike clover (probability of ≥80% control was 0.94 or more). Dicamba plus 2,4-D provided a similar level of volunteer alsike clover control but was less effective on dandelion, while 2,4-D was ineffective on both weeds. Treatments containing dicamba plus 2,4-D reduced crop seed yield and germination, and increased seed weight.


1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1415-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Marc Deschênes

Red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), and mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum L.) were seeded at six densities under greenhouse conditions. Total dry matter production per pot (shoots and roots) increased as density increased for every species until a point was reached where a further increase of the density did not result in a higher production per pot. All species produced about the same shoot yield per pot. Root production per pot, however, was different among the species. The shoot–root ratio was the highest for mouse-eared chickweed, the lowest for red fescue, and intermediate for yarrow. All species exhibited fairly high germination and very low mortality, except yarrow. The three species displayed considerable plasticity in yield and in seed production per pot from low to high densities. The reproductive behavior varied between the species. Red fescue remained vegetative. Sexual reproduction of yarrow decreased drastically with increasing density. Mouse-eared chickweek maintained a large seed production over the whole range of densities. The population of the respective species seemed regulated by (1) individual plasticity and vegetative reproduction (red fescue), (2) individual plasticity, mortality, and limited seed production (yarrow), and (3) individual plasticity and high seed production (mouse-eared chickweed).


2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Fairey

In order to address a paucity of information, a study was conducted in the Peace River region of northwestern Canada to determine the effects on seed production of creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. var. rubra) of six water treatments [natural precipitation and 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200% of the average, cumulative, long-term precipitation (LTP) of 459 mm yr-1] in combination with four N-fertilization regimes (zero + 102, 34 + 68, 68 + 34, and 102 + zero kg ha-1 N for the first + second crops, respectively). The 2-yr seed yield exceeded 2900 kg ha-1 when N was supplied to just one of the two seed crops, viz. with 150 to 200% LTP when N was applied only to the first seed crop, and with 125 to 150% LTP when N was applied only to the second seed crop. Under the prevailing, long-term, moisture environment at the study site (100% LTP), total seed yield over two production years was greatest (2136 kg ha-1) with 68 + 34 kg ha-1 N. The effects of the water and N treatments on seed yield were not associated with the mass of root organic matter recovered after the harvest of the second seed crop. These results confirm, and begin to quantify, numerous visual observations in the Peace River region that seed yields of creeping red fescue are restricted by insufficient precipitation. Key words: Creeping red fescue, Festuca rubra, grass seed production, nitrogen fertility, water, soil moisture


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Fairey ◽  
L. P. Lefkovitch

The natural growth habit of creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. var. rubra) involves a steady proliferation of tillers, which eventually become too dense to form seedheads. A field study was conducted to evaluate whether seed yield of fescue can be optimized for one, two or three consecutive crops by manipulating the initial population density and arrangement of plants. Individual seedling plants were transplanted at seven densities (1.6, 3.1, 6.3, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 plants m−2) and three row spacings (20, 40 and 80 cm), and characteristics of seed production were determined for 3 yr (1991–1993). Heading commenced at dates differing by 16 d in the 3 yr and was delayed by up to 7 d as density increased. Seed maturity occurred in a 7-d period in each year (15–22 July). For a single harvest, an initial density of 12–100 plants m−2 on a row spacing of 20 cm or 12–50 plants m−2 on a row spacing of 40 cm is required to optimize yield and produce about 600 kg ha−1 of clean seed. For two consecutive harvests, an initial population density of 6–25 plants m−2 on a row spacing of 20 cm or 6–50 plants m−2 on a row spacing of 40 cm is required to optimize yield and produce a total of about 800 kg ha−1 of clean seed. For producing for either 1 or 2 yr, a density of 12–25 plants m−2 on rows no wider than 40 cm is required to optimize seed yield in each year. The probability of producing a third seed crop decreases markedly as the initial plant density increases and as the row spacing decreases. It is probably uneconomic to harvest more than two consecutive seed crops with current management practices. Key words: Red fescue; Festuca rubra var. rubra, population density, plant spacing, seed production


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