Spring Irrigation Management of Tall Fescue Seed Crops in Oregon's Willamette Valley. (3829)
Authors:
K.D. Orthel* - Oregon St. Univ.
T.G. Chastain - Oregon St. Univ.
C.J. Garbacik - Oregon St. Univ.
W.C. Young III - Oregon St. Univ.
Abstract:
In the Willamette Valley, tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) seed
production fields are exposed to drought during critical periods of the reproduction cycle, specifically from anthesis through seed fill. Since little is known about
irrigation of tall fescue for seed, a research study was established in 2002 with six cultivars to elucidate the effect of spring irrigation on growth, development and seed yield. Three irrigation regimes were applied with a Pierce AcreMaster
Microlinear irrigation system: (1) no irrigation, (2) irrigation to fill the soil profile prior to peak anthesis and (3) irrigation to maintain soil water at a deficit less than 50 mm. Weather conditions in 2003 caused irrigated treatments to be identical each receiving 85 mm of water. Monitoring of soil water with time domain reflectometry indicated that additional water in irrigated plots had been utilized by swathing.
Response to irrigation was genotype dependent. In 2003, irrigation significantly increased yield of four cultivars from 25 to 38% over non-irrigated plots. Two cultivars did not respond to irrigation. Seed yield component analysis suggests that an increase of both seed number and weight were responsible for the yield
response. Spring irrigation did not impact fall regrowth. In general, the reduction of water deficit stress from anthesis to seed fill increases tall fescue yield.
Speaker Information: Krista Orthel, Oregon St. Univ., Dept. of Crop and Soil Science 107 Crop Science Building Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; Phone:
(541)737-5886; E-mail: krista.orthel@oregonstate.edu
Session Information: Tuesday, November 2, 2004, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Presentation Start: 1:00 PM (Poster Board Number: 0831)
