Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses

1. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses Chapter 18

2. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Unit 8 Objectives: • Describe the practices for growing oats • Understand necessary methods of forage grasses, selection • Knowledge of fertilizer needs

3. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Growing Small Grains • Used as cash crop and livestock feed • Well-adapted to most soils and for cool-season growing conditions • May be used as a companion crop • Seed development • Contain carbos, fat, protein, vits, minerals • Can be harvested at 13-15% moisture • May be stored ~2 yrs at <13% w/ little spoilage

4. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • 3 parts of the seed • Seed coat (pericarp) • Embryo • Endosperm • Germination & Early Growth • Germinates and anchors quickly under proper conditions • Roots • May be 3-6’ deep • 3-4’ horizontal • Very susceptible to weather problems early in development

5. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Growing point remains below the soil until the first visible node appears above the soil line • Plant has produced several additional shoot (tillers) • Growth of the main stem • Can withstand very cold temps early in life • Growth Stages • Seedling • Tillering • Side shoots appear from the crown • Jointing • Nodes begin to separate and can be felt on the lower parts of the plant

6. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Boot • Head can be felt inside upper leaf sheath • Flag leaf has developed • Heading • Head spikes emerge • Fertilization and kernel development • Seedbed Preparation • Provide proper amount of tillage to promote adequate moisture, firm seedbed • Must have good seed/soil contact • Dry, loose soil is unsatisfactory

7. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Selecting a Variety • High quality seed is essential • Selection factors • Yield • Maturity • Disease resistance • Straw strength • Shatter resistance • Plant height • Grain quality

8. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Quality Factors • Protein content • Milling qualities • Plumpness • Test wt. • Straw strength? • Disease Resistance • Leaf rust, smut, tan spot, scab • Winter hardiness • Planting • Seed ASAP after frost is out in the spring • Germination begins at 24-36º • Best soil temp is 40º

9. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Early planting leads to higher yields • Temps >90 will reduce pollination and yields • Want to complete development before hot weather • Seed from late April to early May for spring seeding • Seed early enough for good development before winter weather in fall (late August to September) • Plant ~2” deep, depending on soil moisture and temp • Grain drill may be best tool for seeding • Fertility Needs • Adequate amounts of N, P, K must be available (though not as much as corn, etc.) • Major portion of nutrients taken in between tillering and heading

10. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Most N & P is removed w/ the grain • Apply P & N at planting • N application in the spring for winter varieties • Weeds • Many weeds can cause problems • Vigorous stand will compete effectively w/ weeds • Weeds to watch: • Foxtail, quack grass, wild oats, mustard, pigweed, lambsquarter, wild buckwheat • May need control w/ herbicides • Broadleaves may outgrow the crop, and must be controlled w/ herbicide

11. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Diseases • Fungi, bacteria, viruses • Most spread by spores • Fungal diseases can overwinter on dead plant material, seed, soil • May attack leaves, developing heads • Leaf rust, septoria leaf blotch, smuts • Can be carried over to the next crop • Most can be controlled w/ seed treatment or resistant varieties

12. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Oats • Can be removed early for forage • Used mostly in livestock feed, can be used in high-protein cereals • Grow on a wide range of soil types • Less sensitive to soil conditions than wheat • Grows better on medium to fine textured soils • Requires more water for development than any other small grain

13. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • More susceptible to higher temps, and limited moisture • N management is key to good yields • Spring oats should be seeded early (Mar 1-Apr 15) • Seeding rate & depth • 75-100 lbs/ac • No more than 1” • Little crop residue is best

14. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Sorghum • Usually cannot compete economically w/ corn • New varieties have higher yield potential • Grain can replace corn in animal rations • Good cash markets are limited • Hybrids • Bird-resistant varieties have been developed • Bitter taste to birds

15. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Cultural Practices • Use bird-resistant varieties, if birds are a problem • Plant one wk later than corn • 30” rows or slightly less • 8-12 lbs/ac seeding rate • Fertilize according to needs • Control weeds effectively • Harvest at <26% moisture • Plan to dry the grain in most years • Market crop before planting to ensure profitability

16. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Forage Grasses • Kentucky Bluegrass • Predominant pasture grass • Can survive severe droughts • Optimum temp for growth = 60-90º • Injury will occur at temps >100 • Produces a dense sod • Relatively unproductive in midsummer • Can be increased or sustained • Favorable moisture • N fertilization

17. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • More energy/lb than smooth bromegrass • Extremely palatable • Carrying capacity can be increased w/ weed control, addition of legumes, fertilization • Don’t graze to <2-3” • Overgrazing will increase weed pressure • Reduces growth rate and vigor • Poor root & rhizome development • Controlling Pasture Weeds • Can be annual, biennial, or perennial • Ragweed, fleabane, sunflower can come back each year from seed

18. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Dock, ironweed, etc. – common perennial problems • Mowing/clipping may help reduce weed stands • Early bud stage is best for mowing of perennials, annuals should be mowed before seed production • Bluegrass & Other Forages • Improves production and lengthens growing season • Bird’s-foot trefoil, ladino clover, red clover, alfalfa may be seeded w/ bluegrass • Trefoil may be best companion crop – produces heavily during summer • Fertilizing Bluegrass • Pure bluegrass – fertilize annually w/ 60-20-20 • May be able to omit potash if levels are high enough

19. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • If legumes are included in the pasture – omit N, use higher levels of P, K • Seeding rate • Pure – 10 lbs/ac • Mixed w/ forages – 2-4 lbs/ac • Canada Bluegrass • More tolerant of acid soils • Can be found in KBG pastures • Bluer foliage than KBG • Matures later, less productive, slow recovery after grazing

20. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • If present, good sign to soil test • Orchard Grass • Versatile, perennial bunch grass • Establishes rapidly • Good for hay, silage, or pasture • Rapid regrowth • Produces well under intensive cutting or grazing • More summer growth than other cool-season grasses • Tolerates drought better • Grows best in deep, well-drained soils

21. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Especially suited for mixtures w/ alfalfa, red clover • Rapidly declines in palatability as it matures • Timely harvest mgmt is essential • Perennial Ryegrass • Bunch grass suitable for hay, silage, or pasture • Excellent quality, palatable forage • Vigorous • Long growing season • High yield • Moisture not lacking • Good fertility

22. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Best seeded on combination w/ other grasses • Less winter hardy • Less competitive w/ legumes • Matures later than orchard grass • Sturdy • Hard to cut, slow to dry • Reed Canary Grass • Tall, leafy, coarse, high yielding • Hay, silage, pasture • Poorly palatable, low forage quality

23. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • New varieties making it more acceptable • Drought tolerant, grows well in various soils • Resistant to leaf diseases, persistent, responds to high fertility, tolerates flooding, low pH • Forms a dense sod • Establishes slowly • Quality declines rapidly after heading • Smooth Bromegrass • Leafy, sod-forming • Best suited for: hay, silage, early spring pasture

24. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Spreads through underground rhizomes and seed dispersal • Good companion w/ cool-season legumes • Matures somewhat later than orchard grass w/ less summer growth • Winter hardy • Deep rooted • Drought tolerant • Excellent quality forage • Especially if harvested early • Harvest for hay in early heading stage

25. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Grazing or cutting during jointing will decrease production • Tall Fescue • Deep-rooted, long living, sod-forming • Spreads by short rhizomes • Suitable for: • Hay • Silage • Pasture (beef, sheep) • Highly adaptable • Highly tolerant

26. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Best grass for heavy livestock or machinery traffic • May contain a fungus (endophyte) • Reduces palatability • Animal performance • Severe health problems • Breeding problems • Endophyte-free varieties should be selected • Timothy • Hardy, perennial bunchgrass • Grows best in cool climates • Not suitable for drought conditions • Shallow root system

27. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Most yield comes in the first crop • Summer regrowth is limited • Horse hay • Adversely affected by cutting or grazing during jointing • Perennial Warm-Season Grasses • Can produce good hay during warm, dry midsummer months • Initiate growth in April and early May • 65-75% of growth mid-June to mid-August • Compliment cool-season grasses well

28. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Bermuda Grass • Grown extensively in southern U.S. • Aggressive • Spreads quickly by: seeds, stolons, rhizomes • Used for: • Hay, pasture, lawns, turf • Best in fertile clays soil, warm full sun • Managing Forages • Seeding Year Management • Establish a good stand • Select varieties adapted to the target soils

29. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Crop rotation will improve productivity • Reduces disease • Can fail an entire crop • Rotate out at least 1 yr • Insect problems • Fertilization & Liming • Essential for optimum production • Soil test • Pay close attention to soil pH and the preferences of the crop

30. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Seed Quality • Use only high quality seed • Certified seed is best • Free from weed seed, or other crop seed • Weed Management • Establish and maintain a vigorous crop • Competition will contain most weeds in well maintained forage crops • Proper fertilization • Control insects • Proper harvesting

31. Unit 8: Small Grains & Forage Grasses • Weeds can reduce yields, quality, palatability • Control weeds w/ herbicides prior to planting, when needed • Check labels when used postemergence herbicides