Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is a bunch-type, tall-growing, cool-season perennial grass. It is one of the most productive cool-season grasses, tolerant to shade, fairly drought resistant with moderate winter hardiness. Orchardgrass does not exhibit as much tolerance to drought or winter hardiness as tall fescue and bromegrass. It has been reported growing in the United States since before 1760. This publication provides some general information about Orchardgrass as well as some guidelines on how the establish and care for this grass

Henning, Jimmy C.

Risner, Norman

University of Missouri: MOspace

University of Missouri ExtensionG4511, Reviewed October 1993OrchardgrassJimmy Henning and Norman RisnerDepartment of AgronomyOrchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is a bunch-type, tall-growing, cool-season perennial grass. It is one ofthe most productive cool-season grasses, tolerant to shade, fairly drought resistant with moderate winterhardiness. Orchardgrass does not exhibit as much tolerance to drought or winter hardiness as tall fescue andbromegrass. It has been reported growing in the United States since before 1760.AdaptationOrchardgrass is well adapted throughout Missouri, but its persistence may be a problem on south slopes in thedroughty shallow soils of the Ozark Mountains. However, new disease-resistant varieties and goodmanagement techniques should help maintain high-producing stands for several years, even in the moreshallow soils in south Missouri.Orchardgrass is well adapted to grow with legumes such as alfalfa, red clover, lespedeza and white clover. Itestablishes more easily than bromegrass or timothy when seeded with other species. Stands will be moreproductive and last longer than bromegrass or timothy when grown with alfalfa that is cut frequently andheavily fertilized.Orchardgrass will persist and make reasonable yields on soils that have moderately poor drainage. However, itwill not tolerate wet areas as well as reed canarygrass or tall fescue.Growth characteristicsOrchardgrass is fast-growing and matures very early in the spring. There are some varietal variations but, ingeneral, orchardgrass matures about one week earlier than tall fescue and about two weeks before smoothbromegrass. It also regrows quickly after harvest, making it well suited for seeding with frequently harvestedalfalfa. It produces less fall growth than tall fescue under similar growing conditions. The bunch-type growthcharacteristic and shade tolerance combine to make orchardgrass well adapted to grow with competitive tallgrowing legumes such as alfalfa and red clover. In a three-year shade tolerance study, yield and stand werenot affected by reducing light by 33 percent.Orchardgrass is easy to establish and has a more dense root system than smooth bromegrass, timothy orbluegrass. It grows on a wide range of soil types, doing well in low-fertility soils, but also responding well tohigh-fertility soils. One undesirable trait is that forage quality of spring growth declines rapidly as maturityincreases. However, orchardgrass re-growth, which is mostly leaves, is very high in quality. Temperaturesabove 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit will greatly reduce the growth and tillering of orchardgrass. That meansthat summer productivity is less than in spring and fall.Establishing a standG4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...1 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PMFreezing temperatures may damage orchardgrass in the young seedling stage. Thus, fall seedings should bemade about 45 days before the first killing frost (usually about 27 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit) so seedlings candevelop well enough to survive the winter. For this reason, fall seedings are not recommended in the northernone-third of the state. Late August to early September are considered best fall seeding dates in most of thestate, with mid-September seedings satisfactory in the extreme southern areas. Spring seedings should besuccessful if made in late March to early April in the southern part of the state, and most of April isconsidered satisfactory in north Missouri.A clean, firm seedbed is important to help plants make a more vigorous early growth and resist winterheaving. Orchardgrass may be seeded with fly-resistant wheat in south Missouri, seeded with spring oats innorth Missouri or interseeded with winter wheat in early spring. Competition from small grains should bereduced by using them for pasture, hay or haylage.Buying a certified variety gives the best assurance of obtaining quality seed. The minimum specifications forcertified orchardgrass seed are 85 percent purity and 80 percent germination. Eight pounds of clean, highgermination seed is usually adequate to obtain good stands of orchardgrass. A pound of orchardgrass seed willcontain about 645,000 seeds, roughly 2-1/2 times the number of seeds in one pound of tall fescue.Most Missouri orchardgrass is seeded with a companion legume as shown in the accompanying table. Thefollowing seeding rates in pounds per acre should be considered as minimums.Table 1Minimum seeding rates in pounds per acre Bulk Pure Live SeedAlfalfa 10 8Orchardgrass 6 4OrRed clover 8 7Orchardgrass 6 4Ladino clover 1 1Orchardgrass 6 4OrLespedeza 15 12Orchardgrass 6 4The percent Pure Live Seed (PLS) is determined by multiplying percent purity times percent germinationdivided by 100. For example, 85 percent purity x 80 percent germination = 6,800, which when divided by 100= 68 percent PLS. In this example, 10 pounds of bulk seed would deliver 6.8 pounds of Pure Live Seed.Seeding methodsDrilling orchardgrass and the companion legume seed is preferred. The use of drills, such as the Brillion typeor grain drills, will usually result in better stands at the same seeding rate, more controlled seeding depth andbetter seed distribution than broadcasting. Good results are obtained with grain drills when orchardgrass is putthrough the grain box and the companion legume is seeded from the small legume box. The legume seedG4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...2 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PMshould be allowed to drop straight to the ground to prevent covering too deep. Drag chains on the drill willcover the seed adequately. Pull a cultipacker or light roller over the field to give good seed-to-soil contact andpromote more vigorous seedling growth.Seedings of orchardgrass can also be made with broadcast equipment such as fertilizer trucks, buggies ortractor-mounted distribution. Broadcast equipment will not throw orchardgrass seed as far as it will throwfertilizer or heavier seeds such as fescue. To help avoid uneven stands, drive the equipment close enough tooverlap the previous spread pattern to ensure even seed distribution. Orchardgrass seed should be coveredwith about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soil. Spike tooth harrows or "brush type" drags make good tools for coveringbroadcast seed. The use of a cultipacker or lightweight roller is very important for the same reasons citedabove.Fertilizer and limeEstablishmentTake a good soil sample and follow soil test recommendations for lime and fertilizer when seedingorchardgrass or grass-legume mixtures. Best results occur after incorporating recommended limestone inadvance of final seedbed preparation. Companion legumes will require lime applications to be worked into thesoil at least six months preceding planting. This is especially true when preparing soils with high limerequirements or when alfalfa will be in the forage mixture. Orchardgrass is more tolerant of acid soils thantimothy or bromegrass but will respond to limestone that is applied for a companion legume.Phosphorus is very important for good root development. When soils are extremely low in phosphorus (10pounds P or less), it is a good practice to apply and incorporate the major portion of recommendedphosphorus, then apply some as a starter. Band seeding with some phosphorus-starter fertilizer markedlyimproves seedling vigor of grasses or grass-legume mixtures. Soil test recommendations for establishment oforchardgrass or orchardgrass-legume mixtures will normally require 20 to 30 pounds N, 50 to 120 poundsP2O5 and 40 to 60 pounds K2O per acre.ProductionOrchardgrass and orchardgrass-legume mixtures have high yield potentials. Various studies have shown thatorchardgrass will respond to high levels of fertility.The following fertility practices should be applied to realize the top potential of pure stands of orchardgrass.Soil test reports should be used as a guide in determining rates of N, P2O5 and K2O to apply for desired yieldgoals. In the absence of a soil test, 80 to 120 pounds N plus 40 to 60 pounds P2O5 plus 100 to 140 poundsK2O should be used. When using the heavier rates of N, apply 65 to 70 percent of the N with the winterapplication. The remainder of the N should be applied immediately after the first cutting in August toencourage late summer growth. Make the winter application of fertilizer from early February to aboutmid-March in south Missouri and about two weeks later in the northern part of the state.Normally, the top annual yields in south Missouri will range from 2-1/2 to 3 tons per acre. North Missouriyields may reach 3 to 4 tons per acre due to better moisture-holding ability of soils and slightly lowertemperatures. Yields of orchardgrass can be seriously reduced by high temperatures, low moisture suppliesand the presence of plant diseases.Nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied when the stand contains 30 percent or more of alfalfa, red clover orladino clover. Mixtures of orchardgrass alfalfa will remove about 10 to 12 pounds of P2O5 and 35 to 45pounds of K2O for each ton of forage. Potassium fertility is especially important when orchardgrass is grownwith alfalfa and should not be allowed to become limiting. Orchardgrass competes vigorously with alfalfa forpotassium, potentially reducing the yield and persistence of alfalfa.G4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...3 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PMManagementOrchardgrass produces heavy growth during April and May. This growth can be used for pasture, hay,greenchop or silage. Graze it heavily or mechanically harvest it early to promote high yields of high qualityforage.Pasture managementWhen managed properly, orchardgrass will produce excellent results in pasture programs for dairy and beef.Properly managed orchardgrass plants will have a higher leaf-to-stem ratio than tall fescue. Several researchstudies have demonstrated higher animal intake and better animal performance from orchardgrass pasture ascompared with tall fescue pasture, especially during spring and early summer. During a three-year study inMissouri, yearling steers gained 1.75 pounds per day on orchardgrass pasture, 1.16 pounds on tall fescue and1.84 pounds on bromegrass. In the study, the carrying capacity of orchardgrass was well above bromegrassand slightly less than fescue. In a similar study involving cow/calf pairs, calves gained 1.80 pounds per day onorchardgrass and 1.51 pounds per day on fescue.Mixtures of orchardgrass and clover (red or ladino) are very popular for pasture in Missouri. Rotationalgrazing with heavy stocking rates of cattle will give better animal performance and reduce spot grazing. Ifplants are continually grazed short, they will be weakened and stands may be depleted. Close grazing can beespecially detrimental during hot weather. Heavy grazing of orchardgrass during October can decreasecarbohydrate storage and lead to some winter kill of plants. Stands of orchardgrass will often be morepersistent when grown with a companion legume.Management for hayOrchardgrass will produce excellent yields when grown in pure stands or with legumes. When using purestands for hay, it is imperative that nitrogen be applied in combination with adequate phosphorous andpotassium.Harvesting the spring growth of orchardgrass at late-boot to early-head stage will produce higher qualityforage than allowing the plant to mature further. This early harvest will also help increase yield of high qualityre-growth. Forage researchers and several Missouri farmers have observed less damage to plants fromsummer heat and drought when the first harvest is made early and plants have time to re-grow before thestress. Some south Missouri farmers have reported almost 100 percent loss of stands when harvest wasdelayed to the late bloom stage. This can be more of a concern when late harvest is followed by hightemperatures and low moisture supply.As with close grazing, close cutting can lead to stand reduction. Harvesting at a height of four inches will helpmaintain strong root reserves, leading to fast recovery of re-growth and better stand persistence. Mixtures oforchardgrass with alfalfa or red clover should be managed to favor the legume. This is especially true withreference to fertilizer application and stage of maturity to harvest. Alfalfa orchardgrass mixtures shouldnormally be harvested when alfalfa is at early bloom to one tenth bloom. This harvest state will produce gooddry-matter yields, quality forage and favor stand persistence of the alfalfa.DiseasesMany diseases attack orchardgrass. Stem rust, leaf spots, brown stripe and scald are among the most prevalentin Missouri and surrounding states. Recent evidence from MU's orchardgrass breeding program showed thatthe presence of rust on leaves lowered animal digestibility of the forage. Three years of grazing studies havedocumented that rust-infected orchardgrass varieties gave 0.2 to 0.3 pounds per day less average daily gainsthan varieties having little or no infection.G4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...4 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PMDiseases of orchardgrass are also partly responsible for stand depletions. Data from MU showed that whenthe stem rust pathogen is present, orchardgrass stands are severely depleted during late July and throughoutthe month of August. The best and most practical means of controlling diseases, hence improving animalperformance and stand persistence, is to plant varieties that are resistant or highly tolerant to foliar diseases.VarietiesAt the present time, Hallmark is the most commonly grown orchardgrass variety in the state of Missouri.Hallmark produces forage yields equal to or slightly above most other adapted varieties and persists fairlywell in most areas of the state (Table 2). Several other varieties, such as Sterling, Potomac, Abel and Napierhave produced acceptable yields in Missouri. Other developments by private companies are also beingoffered for sale in the state. Some of these varieties may be very well adapted to Missouri. However, it isdifficult to provide current evaluations of all new varieties.Table 2Orchardgrass variety trials Missouri1Illinois2Wisconsin3Iowa4 Yield DigestibilityHay graze, tons per acreHallmark 3.08 2.54 3.27 5.54   Justus 3.04 2.65 3.39 6.20 3.63 57.5 percentPotomac 2.94 2.67 3.04 5.57   Sterling 2.94 2.51   3.82 55.2 percentAbel 2.75 2.56     Napier     3.73 55.7 percent1MU, Southwest Center, 1982-84. Clipping was used to simulate grazing.2Three locations, 1986.3Three-year average, 1984-86.41985 data.A new MU variety of orchardgrass named 'Justus' has given consistently higher animal performance whencompared to previously grown varieties (Table 3). Justus was selected for high tolerance to the stem rustpathogen and has produced better animal performance than other varieties in grazing trials.Table 3Average daily gains (pounds) of steers grazing orchardgrass, MoYear Justus Hallmark Potomac Sterling1982 2.18 1.88 1.85 1.511983 2.07 1.92 1.96 1.581984 1.63 1.55 1.29 1.52Seed productionG4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...5 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PMThe production of orchardgrass seed has not been a big business in Missouri. This is probably due to lessdemand than for tall fescue seed and because very few acres of orchardgrass are grown alone, making themsuitable for seed harvest. Some producers have experienced difficulty in producing well-filled, high-qualityseed. With the release of a more persistent, better performing variety, some Missouri farmers may beinterested in seed production.Good seed yields should be expected when farmers apply fertilizer according to soil test recommendations.This will usually include 60 to 80 pounds N applied in December or January. Higher rates of N will tend toencourage lodging. Nitrogen needs to be applied earlier than for hay production, as early applications formreproductive growth over leafy growth.Seed yields also can be increased by clipping and removing the stubble shortly after each year's seed harvest.The summer re-growth may be used for grazing, but avoid heavy grazing during September and October.Forage can be grazed later in the fall when plants have become more winter hardy. However, this late fallgrowth will be less acceptable to cattle than tall fescue.SummaryOrchardgrass will respond to good fertility and management practices by producing 2-1/2 to 4 tons of highquality forage per acre. Early stand depletion has been one of the major complaints from farmers. With thedevelopment of more disease-resistant varieties to help maintain longer-lived stands, orchardgrass can take itsplace as one of the important cool-season grasses in Missouri.The authors wish to thank Jim Brown, Daryl Buchholz, Dave Sleper and Jerry Nelson for assisting in thepreparation of this guide.G4511, reviewed October 1993Related MU Extension publicationsG3150, Forages for Cattle: New Methods of Determining Energy Content and Evaluating Heat Damagehttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G3150G4650, Establishing Forageshttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G4650G4670, Seed Production of Tall Fescue and Other Cool Season Grasseshttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G4670Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.G4511 Orchardgrass | University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...6 of 6 7/9/2010 4:22 PM

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