soils have ample moisture to sustain the grass seed crops through late spring/early summer. We still could use a couple of shots of rain in June to help with seed fill. Tree years ago, we witnessed an extreme heatwave in the middle of pollination which drastically reduced seed yields, so it is hard not to have that possibility in the back of our minds.
If we can get a couple more rain events and have mild pollination weather, we are set up for an above average Perennial Ryegrass crop. Turf Type Tall Fescue and Fine Fescues (in the Silverton hills) look about average for seed production. Tese don’t look as promising as Perennial Ryegrass due to the average length of stand compared to Perennial Ryegrass. An average Perennial Ryegrass lifespan for the stand is two maybe three years, the average Tall Fescue length of stand is six to seven years, and the average Creeper and Chewings is four to six years. Te older Fescue stands have been ‘through the ringer’ with our more extreme weather patterns over the past five years, and coupled with repeated ‘harsh’ chemical treatments to keep these fields clean, these stands are not as robust to make use of our favorable weather this spring and last fall.
Kentucky Bluegrass: Te Columbia basin (where the lion's share of bluegrass is produced) is looking average to slightly above average for yield potential. Northeast Oregon is also looking average to slightly above average. Both areas have had mild springs with higher-than-normal spring precipitation. Dryland area bluegrass yields look average to below average. Winter damage wasn’t too bad, but they need some timely rains as they have been on the dryer side. Quality in this area may be less than normal due to a lack of available herbicides to control grassy weeds. Central Oregon looks pretty good so far, and as of mid-May their available water for spring irrigation is more promising than the last couple of years when their water was cut short.
On the Horizon Update—New Perennial Ryegrasses Coming:Trial Data—we base just about everything in our lives on it. From public ratings on Amazon purchases, Consumers Report Magazine, researching neighborhoods and schools, to Health Reports, and reports specific to our industry such as NTEP (
ntep.org) and other Grass Science Data entities like the TWCA (
tgwca.org).
Our focus for the “up and coming varieties” is on the current NTEP “preliminary Perennial Ryegrass report.” Tis report is pointing towards three experimentals showcasing some very high standard qualities that TMI has sponsored.PPG-PR671, PPG-PR639, and PPG-PR666 are overall leading the pack rating in the top 30 percent and 50 percent OF ALL THE QUALITY RATINGS!
In addition to being at the top of the pack in most overall ratings, some specialized data has grabbed our attention, and we think you will be interested in these benefits that can benefit you and your customers. • All three varieties show excellence in the Salinity trial! • Superb establishment • Outstanding in Shade stress • Inherent disease resistance to Crown Rust, Dollar Spot, and Pink Snowmold.
Mowing is underway on this field of Tif Elite Centipedegrass, a 2024 introduction from Turfgrass Merchants, Inc. (TMI).
Te quality overall is pretty good. Again, we had good weather for pre-emergence herbicides to work well last fall. However, due to a lack of viable crop rotation options (cannery acres going away, low commodity pricing, and limited contracts on clovers and brassicas), limited options of effective chemistries, and greater seed bank build-up of Poa annua, Poa trivialis, and annual ryegrass, it is tougher and tougher to keep fields clean. Tat problem will only increase. Te positive side of things is the stands have strong vegetative growth, especially in comparison to 2023, to outcompete weeds. Additionally, pending that we don’t have an extreme weather event through seed fill, the seed should be on the heavy and large side, making separation at the cleaner more effective.
TPI Turf News July/August 2024
Again, we stress these are the preliminary reporting results. However, we are excited about these experimental varieties as they continue to demonstrate superior qualities over others in these evaluations. (Please note in the trials that the name Elektra was mistakenly attached to PR671. NTEP is working to remove the name Elektra from this experimental variety.)
Tough there are more criteria these experimentals will need to pass before we move forward with them, we may need help in naming these and other varieties. If you have a good name you’d like to share, please let us know!
All photos and graphics were provided by the supplier company unless otherwise noted.
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