Winter annual grasses for forage production

a preliminary evaluation of cultivars

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to compare forage production of winter annual grasses cultivars, pure or mixed, in Rio Grande do Sul state. The following grasses were evaluated: ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), oats (Avena sativa, A. strigosa), rye (Secale cereale), barley (Hordeum vulgare), triticale (X Triticosecale) and three mixtures including ryegrass. Seeding was carried out manually, in fertilized soil, using a seeding rate of 375 viable seeds/m2 in parcels with pure stands and 160 viable seeds/m2 of each component in parcels with mixtures. Harvestings were conducted in June 12th, July 4th, August 1st, August 31st, September 27th, and October 22nd. Ryegrass cultivars (Estanzuela 284 and "common") and the mixtures containing ryegrass, were the best treatments regarding production (from 9 to 11 ton DM/ha). Rye, barley and triticale were the earliest species, with the highest production of dry matter in the beginning of the winter. Ryegrass was the latest species, having its highest dry matter production in August. Among oats, the cultivar Tapar 61 showed a higher yield (7,23 ton DM/ha) than the "common" (5,28 ton DM/ha). Mixtures showed a better seasonal distribution of forage.