Objective:

To evaluate the performance of cool and warm season forage grasses.

Summary:

  The trial was conducted under rainfed conditions on a fine sandy loam soil and received seven inches of precipitation from planting to final harvest (Table 1).  Alfalfa (var. Rugged) was planted at five different seeding densities (Table 2) to assess the impact of planting density on yield and persistence. Profitability of each of the planting densities was also evaluated.

Actual live plants/ft2, stems/ft2, and stems/plant all increased with increased seeding (Figure 1), but these did not translate into increased forage yields (Figure 2). Increasing seeding reduced gross income due to the increasing seeding cost (Figure 3).

Table 1. Management information

Seeding date: 5/23/2019      Field: R8                                  
Emergence: 5/30/2019 Previous crop: Barley
Seed Treatment: None Harvest dates: 8/6 and 10/7
Seeding rate: Various    
    Soil type: Fine sandy loam
Herbicide: None Tillage: Conventional
Insecticide: None Soil residual nutrient  
    (NO3-1, P, K lb/A): 22-15-19
Fungicide: None Inoculant: PreVail (Verdesian)
 

Table 2. Planting density treatments

     Treatment    
 Target planting density (plants/ft2) 
   lbs/A PLS*   
1 16 4
2 24 6
3 36 9
4 48 12
5 60 15
 

*PLS = pure live seed

 

 A figure describing the relationships between seeding rate and stems per plant, stems per square foot and live plants per square foot

 Figure 1. Relationship between seeding rate and: (a) actual live plants/ft2, (b) stems/ft2, and (c) stems/plant 

 

 

A graph showing the relationship between planting density and yield

Figure 2. Total yield (two cuttings) for each of the planting density treatments.  There was no significant impact on the first year’s yields due to planting density treatment.

 

relationship between planting density and gross income

Figure 3. Comparison of seed costs and gross income with an increase in seeding rate and its associated costs.