Effect of sowing and harvesting dates on dry matter production of autumn-sown Tama ryegrass, ryecorn, and oats

Abstract

Abstract ‘Amuri’ oats were sown on 3 occasions in the autumn of 1974 and ‘Grasslands Tama’ ryegrass, ‘Rahu’ ryecorn, and ‘Mapua’ oats were sown once in 1975 and on 4 sowing dates in both 1976 and 1977. Crops were sampled throughout their growth up to between flowering and the milky-ripe stage of grain development. At harvests in August and September all crops tended to produce more dry matter from late February and mid March sowings than from early and late April sowings. At October and November harvests, however, yield differences between sowings decreased, especially with Tama and ryecorn, and in December there were no differences between any of the sowings, except for oats which were highest yielding when March sown. The relationship of crop yields to each other varied greatly in different years. However, oats were generally the highest yielding from February or March sowings and Tama the lowest yielding crop with April sowings. Oats appeared to be the most satisfactory greenfeed for use in the spring ...