Selecting Grass Varieties Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin.

Selecting Grass Varieties

Dr. Dan UndersanderUniversity of Wisconsin

Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2009

Selecting a Good Grass Variety

Mixed with AlfalfaLess NFC than corn silage or alfalfa

In Pastures

Greater differences exist among grass varieties than among corn hybrids and soybean varieties


Selecting Grass VarietiesYield range of grass varieties in UW trials


Selecting Grass varieties -Yield difference among varieties


Selecting Grasses

Bromegrass not recommended 60 to 70 % of growth first cutting

Overwhelms alfalfa 1st cut – little impact later

Timothy not recommended Short stand life, 2 to 4 years Lowest yielding grass


Selecting Grasses

Orchardgrass and tall fescue Want winterhardy types


Selecting Grasses

Orchardgrass and tall fescue Want winterhardy types Want rust resistant types


Rust in grass trials


Selecting Grasses

Orchardgrass and tall fescue Want winterhardy types Want rust resistant types Want late maturing types


Selecting Grasses

Orchardgrass and tall fescue Want winterhardy types Want rust resistant types Want late maturing types Want good seasonal

distribution of yield


Seasonal variation in Orchardgrass variety yield


Seasonal variation in Tall Fescue variety yield


% season yield in first cut vs β for orchardgrass varieties, UW Arlington


% season yield in first cut vs β for Tall Fescue varieties, UW Arlington


Web Resources

UW Extension A1525

Newspapers

UW Extension Forage Resources

www.uwex.edu/ces/forage

Selecting Grass Varieties Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin.

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