Spring 2016 yield of tall fescue was higher for ‘NFTF 1051’ than for 12 of the 19 other cultivar entries. Summer production of ‘PBU-B2’ was greater than summer production of the three lower-yielding entries. Fall production of ‘BarOptima PLUS E34’ was higher than that of 12 other cultivar entries, but total 2016 production was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7’, and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars

Moyer, J. L.

English

Kansas State University

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports Volume 3 Issue 2 Southeast Agricultural Research Center Reports Article 7 January 2017 Evaluation of Tall Fescue Cultivars J. L. Moyer Kansas State University, jmoyer@ksu.edu This report is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. Copyright January 2017 Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. Contents of this publication may be freely reproduced for educational purposes. All other rights reserved. Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identification purposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Follow this and additional works at: https://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr  Part of the Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, and the Plant Pathology Commons Recommended Citation Moyer, J. L. (2017) "Evaluation of Tall Fescue Cultivars," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 3: Iss. 2. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.1376 Evaluation of Tall Fescue Cultivars Abstract Spring 2016 yield of tall fescue was higher for ‘NFTF 1051’ than for 12 of the 19 other cultivar entries. Summer production of ‘PBU-B2’ was greater than summer production of the three lower-yielding entries. Fall production of ‘BarOptima PLUS E34’ was higher than that of 12 other cultivar entries, but total 2016 production was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7’, and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars. Keywords endophyte-free, non-toxic fescue, endophyte-infected Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. This forage crops is available in Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: https://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol3/iss2/7 2017 SEARCAgricultural ResearchKansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service1Evaluation of Tall Fescue CultivarsJ.L. Moyer SummarySpring 2016 yield of tall fescue was higher for ‘NFTF 1051’ than for 12 of the 19 other cultivar entries. Summer production of ‘PBU-B2’ was greater than summer produc-tion of the three lower-yielding entries. Fall production of ‘BarOptima PLUS E34’ was higher than that of 12 other cultivar entries, but total 2016 production was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7’, and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars. IntroductionTall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum Schreb.) is the most widely grown forage grass in southeastern Kansas. Its tolerance to extremes in climate and soils of the region is partly attributable to its association with a fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum; however, most ubiquitous endophytes are also responsible for production of substances toxic to some herbivores, including cattle, sheep, and horses. Endophytes that pur-portedly lack toxins but augment plant vigor have been identified and inserted into tall fescue cultivars adapted to the United States. These cultivars and others that are fungus-free or contain a ubiquitous endophyte (i.e. Ky 31 EF and HE, respectively) are included in this test. Experimental ProceduresThe trial was seeded at the Mound Valley Unit of the Southeast Agricultural Research Center in 10-in. rows on Parsons silt loam soil. Plots were 35 × 5 ft and were arranged in four randomized complete blocks. They were fertilized preplant with 20-50-60 lb/a of N-P2O5-K2O and seeded with 20 lb/a of pure, live seed on September 30, 2014. Spring fertilizer (120-50-75 lb/a of N-P2O5-K2O) was applied on February 1, and fall growth was supplemented with 60 lb/a N on August 23, 2015. Harvest was performed on a 3-ft strip, 16 to 20 ft long from each plot. A flail-type harvester was used to cut to a 3-in. height on May 9, 2016. After harvest, forage was removed from the rest of the plot at the same height. A forage subsample was collected from each plot and dried at 140°F for moisture determination. Summer regrowth was similarly harvested on August 18, and fall growth was harvested on December 6, 2016. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service22017 SEARC Agricultural ResearchResults and DiscussionSpring 2016 yields ranged from 2.82 tons/a (12% moisture basis) for BarOptima PLUS E34, to 4.77 for NFTF 1051 (Table 1). The latter yielded more (P < 0.05) than 12 of the 19 other entries, and six entries yielded more than the four lowest-yielding entries. Summer forage production averaged 2.35 tons/a (Table 1). This was more than usual because precipitation at Mound Valley during July 2016 was 60% above the 30-year average. PBU-B2 yield was greater than that of ‘PBU-B1,’ ‘Bar FAF 131,’ and ‘Martin 2 ProTek,’ the latter yielding less than eight entries. Fall production amounted to 1.87 tons/a, with BarOptima PLUS E34 yielding more than 12 other entries. Four entries yielded more in fall than ‘AGRFA 148,’ Martin 2 ProTek, and ‘NFTF 1044.’ Total forage production for 2016 was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7,’ and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars. Spring forage dry matter content (Table 1) may be somewhat related to maturity. In that case PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B5,’ and PBU-B7 may have been most mature at the first cutting. Forage dry matter content on December 6 was lower in ‘LE 14-84,’ ‘LE 14-86,’ ‘Tower Pro Tek,’ and BarOptima PLUS E34 than in the other 16 entries. Low dry mat-ter content in late fall may indicate frost tolerance of forage, since temperatures below freezing began to occur 23 days before harvest. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service32017 SEARC Agricultural ResearchTable 1. 2016 Forage yield of three cuttings, and dry matter of first and third cuttings of tall fescue cultivars seeded in 2014, Southeast Agricultural Research Center, Mound Valley UnitForage yield Dry matterCultivar 5/9 8/18 12/062016 total 5/9 12/06------------ tons/a, 12% moisture ------------ ---------- % ----------BarOptima PLUS E34  2.82 2.37 2.28 7.47 26 32Bar FAF 131 3.48 2.16 1.84 7.47 25 34Tower ProTek 3.63 2.17 2.00 7.80 23 31Martin 2 ProTek 4.36 1.94 1.68 7.97 26 37AGRFA 148 4.09 2.27 1.52 7.89 24 36NFTF 1051 4.77 2.46 1.88 9.12 27 38NFTF 1044 4.14 2.55 1.68 8.37 26 37NFTF 1411 4.30 2.30 1.80 8.40 26 34GT 213 3.86 2.28 1.97 8.10 22 33LE 14-84 3.92 2.41 1.81 8.14 28 31LE 14-86 3.95 2.44 2.03 8.41 26 32Teton II 4.02 2.38 2.05 8.44 27 35Estancia 3.90 2.57 1.89 8.35 25 37PBU-B1 4.22 2.29 1.77 8.12 26 37PBU-B2 4.41 2.62 2.08 9.11 29 36PBU-B5 3.97 2.38 1.97 8.31 28 35PBU-B7 4.56 2.58 1.96 9.11 29 37MV 14 3.99 2.24 1.80 8.02 26 37Ky 31 HE 3.37 2.50 1.77 7.63 25 36Ky 31 LE 3.60 2.38 1.80 7.78 25 37Average 3.98 2.35 1.87 8.21 26 35LSD (0.05) 0.69 0.46 0.33 1.08 1.3 2

Evaluation of Tall Fescue Cultivars

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Evaluation of Tall Fescue Cultivars

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