Seed Production Characteristics of Three Fine Fescue Species in Residue Management Systems

• Published in: Agronomy journal 2011-09, Vol.103 (5), p.1495-1502
• Main Authors: Chastain, Thomas G, Garbacik, Carol J, Silberstein, Thomas B, Young, William C. III
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; burning; cultivars; Festuca rubra subsp. fallax; Festuca rubra subsp. rubra; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; management systems; nonthermal processing; seed productivity; seed yield
• ISSN: 0002-1962; 1435-0645
• DOI: 10.2134/agronj2011.0096

Field-burning based residue management is an important but controversial tool in seed production of three fine fescue species: Chewings fescue (CF) [Festuca rubra L. subsp. fallax (Thuill.) Nyman], strong creeping red fescue (strong CRF) (F. rubra L. subsp. rubra), and slender creeping red fescue (slender CRF) [F. rubra L. var. littoralis (Vasey)]. The objective of this study was to characterize seed productivity responses of fine fescue species to residue management in on-farm and experiment station trials. Three cultivars each of CF and strong CRF were subjected to five postharvest residue management treatments at six on-farm sites in two different environments in Oregon, while four cultivars of CF and strong CRF, and two slender CRF cultivars were treated with two postharvest residue management treatments in experiment station trials at one location. Seed yield responses to residue management was similar among production environments. Removal of residue by several methods improved seed yields, whereas yield declined after the second year of the stand in all three species. In second year stands, burning increased seed yields in all strong CRF cultivars, but caused mixed responses in CF and slender CRF cultivars. Burning increased seed yield in third year stands in all CF and strong CRF cultivars, but reduced yield by 9% in slender CRF. Burning increased yield over nonthermal treatment in strong CRF by 32% and by 84%, in second and third year stands, respectively. Beneficial effects of burning increased with stand age, resulting in greater seed yields in fine fescue species except slender CRF.