Tis field of turfgrass seed is ready to combine. Photo by Steve Trusty
Te production and development of new varieties is more difficult in Kentucky bluegrass, so you see a longer life span for these products. For example, Skye has been in three National Turfgrass Evaluation Program cycles and I am glad to say it was accepted as a standard entry in its fourth trial. Skye, along with grasses like Midnight, Shamrock, and Baron, have set the bar for future bluegrass varieties.
Coming up with new products that perform and yield well is really a challenge. Each year breeders are making progress on new traits and we should see some of these in the next NTEP data report (preliminary results are scheduled for publication in the spring of 2019).
In summary on Kentucky bluegrass: prices should remain strong and inventories tight throughout 2018.
Tall Fescue inventories remain tight going into the new crop, especially in high quality seed, so getting product shipped this fall might be a real challenge. Higher wages and the scarcity of farm laborers continue to frustrate farmers, increasing the challenge of cleaning up (hoeing) fields to meet the high standards required of this crop.
It is challenging to bring a variety to market and fit the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program cycle when it takes seven to ten years to develop one that has merits that the end users need. We are just starting to see newer, stronger plants.
At Grassland Oregon, we develop varieties that make a difference to help with the trying situations that face both the farmer and the user. Birmingham tall fescue, for example, is a cross of germplasm from the deep south where plants must survive harsh elements, and germplasm from the northwest which is well suited to the growing conditions needed for the production of seed. Te result is a plant that establishes rapidly, crowding out competition, and waking up sooner in the spring. Te dark genetic color desired these days allows it to stay greener longer without added inputs.
TPI Turf News July/August 2018
Another example is Memphis tall fescue. Tis product was selected for two very specific reasons: aggressive tillering (sometimes confused with rhizomes) and a lower-growing profile. Tese two traits allow the plant to spread out and fill in the holes, while lengthening the time between mowings. Another important attribute is drought tolerance, which improves the persistence on non-irrigated ground, including the fields where most of the tall fescue is grown. It also improves seed yield. In addition, the improved drought tolerance gives the end user the ability to use less water.
Tall fescue acres did increase this year, but any softening in price will likely not be felt until the spring, if at all.
In summary on tall fescue: prices will remain strong and could rise in the fall of 2018 due to demand, especially for high quality seed. Pricing could stabilize the spring of 2019.
Fine Fescue is the same story, different species. Most fine fescues—Hard, Sheep, Chewing, and Creeping Red—are in very tight supply and every year it is getting harder and harder to produce clean product, without rattail fescue. Tis weed seems to be getting much more difficult to control in fine fescue production.
Due to the limited market size of these products, we do not see the effort from grass seed breeders to develop new varieties at the same pace that we see in tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Inventories are down and, while seed will be getting cleaned right away this fall, the lack of cleaning capacity may hinder availability until winter.
In summary on fine fescue: prices and inventory should remain stable for the fall of 2018. Quality will be an issue come spring of 2019, but prices should remain stable.
Perennial Ryegrass has a different story for the 2018 crop harvest. Inventories are higher than anticipated, but some of the higher quality products will still be in short supply this fall. Te perennial ryegrass fields look as good as they have in a long time and with acreage numbers similar to last year it is hard to tell where this market will wind up.
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