GO Seed’s Birmingham tall fescue is growing in this production field. Photo courtesy of GO Seed DLF Pickseed –
Seed Research of Oregon Provided by Leah A. Brilman, PhD, Director of Product Management & Technical Services
You never know what production will be until the seed is actually in the bag. Some crops did not get in the ground last fall due to dry conditions and then it went wet and cold. We had another drought this spring, but just when we started to worry, the rains returned. Some first-year tall fescues may be light, but overall the acres in the ground look pretty good.
GO Seed Provided by Duane Klundt, Vice President of Turfgrass Sales
Tis is one of the most unusual years I can remember. Dry late fall, minimal rainfall in November and December, warm temperatures in January, cold and snow in February, followed by a warm dry March, followed by a hot April and dry May. Let’s just say the plants are confused, and because of this they did not go into winter well and they are not coming out of spring all that great either. But grass plants are resilient and may bounce back. We just need to wait and see how each crop responds at harvest. My opinion on the crops are as follows:
Kentucky Bluegrass – Continues to be in tight supply, with the elite types limited in availability. Stable prices on common bluegrass and the higher land cost will keep prices stable to higher yet this fall. Inventories of the high-end Kentucky bluegrass varieties are almost exhausted, and it should make for an interesting fall as companies jockey for position for cleaning. Te increased demand for seed, especially sod quality, will present a very tough challenge, and all I can say is please be patient with your supplier.
In summary, high end Kentucky bluegrass: prices should remain strong and inventories tight throughout 2019 and into 2020.
TPI Turf News July/August 2019
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 (NTEP) 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 (first year results are online now at
www.NTEP.org).
Tall Fescue – Inventories remain tight going into the new crop, especially high-quality seed, so getting product shipped this fall might be a real challenge. Higher wages and scarcity of farm laborers continues to frustrate farmers, increasing the challenge of cleaning up (hoeing) fields to meet the high standards required of this crop. Tall fescue acres did increase this year, but any softening in price will likely not be felt until the spring, if at all.
Summary of Tall Fescue: prices will remain strong and remain stable in fall 2019 due to demand, especially for high quality seed, pricing could increase by spring 2020, but until the seed is in the bag and ready to ship anything can happen.
It is challenging to bring a variety to market and fit the NTEP 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 GO Seed (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.
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