Abstract
Meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Rehmann) is an important forage crop in Canada and the Intermountain West, but it has not been extensively evaluated in the northern Great Plains (NGP). Our objectives were to 1) evaluate meadow, smooth, and hybrid bromegrasses for forage production under intensive management in eastern South Dakota, and 2) evaluate the effect of selection for vigor in multiple environments on forage production of meadow bromegrass. Thirteen populations (7 meadow bromegrass, 5 hybrid bromegrass, and 1 smooth bromegrass) were evaluated for 4 yrs (2005-2007, 2009) at Brookings, SD. Biomass at anthesis was greater for smooth (6.75 Mg ha-1) than for meadow or hybrid brome (5.4 Mg ha-1) in 2005, but production at anthesis during 2006 and 2007 was similar for meadow and smooth bromegrass. Regrowth harvested during July and October 2005 and November 2006 was greater for meadow than smooth or hybrid bromegrass. Forage production at anthesis in 2009, after rest (i.e., no cutting) and fertilization in 2008, was 4.2 Mg ha-1 for meadow bromegrass compared with 3.3 Mg ha-1 and 2.6 Mg ha-1 for hybrid and smooth bromegrass, respectively. Smooth and hybrid bromegrasses had more leaves·tiller-1 than meadow bromegrass. After 6 yrs, meadow bromegrass had higher tiller density and greater potential for tolerating multiple harvests during a growing season than did smooth or hybrid bromegrass. Selection for vigor in multiple environments in North America resulted in experimental populations of meadow bromegrass with superior forage yield compared with ‘Fleet’ on marginal crop land in the northern Great Plains.
Highlights
Meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Rehmann) is a bunch type of bromegrass with good regrowth ability [1]
For the second regrowth harvested during October, the average of the meadow and hybrid populations exceeded the mean of smooth bromegrass by 61%; and the meadow populations out-produced the hybrids by 37%
Forage Production The primary forage production period for perennial cool-season grasses in the northern Great Plains is spring, with peak standing crop normally reached by the end of June
Summary
Meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Rehmann) is a bunch type of bromegrass with good regrowth ability [1]. Meadow bromegrass is less aggressive than smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss) in perennial grass-legume mixtures [4]. Meadow bromegrass is relatively winter-hardy and has shown potential for late summer and fall regrowth [2] [5]. Smooth bromegrass and meadow bromegrass may be successfully crossed to produce hybrid bromegrass [2] [6] [7]. The interspecific hybrid expresses characteristics of both parents and has shown potential for hay during spring and for pasture during the summer and autumn [2] [6]
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