MANAGEMENT STUDIES ON SEED PRODUCTION OF TURF-TYPE TALL FESCUE - I - SEED YIELD

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreber) is rapidly gaining populari ty as a turfgrass, Limited information is available on seed yield resp onse of turf-type cultivars to seed production management practices, W e tested effects of four management variables on seed yield of Bonanza (late-maturing turf type), Rebel (mid-maturing turf type), Falcon (ea rly-maturing turf type), and Fawn (forage type) tall fescue cultivars, Variables were spring-applied N rates (100, 145, and 190 kg ha(-1)), N application timing (double-ridge stage, spikelet initiation, and equ ally split between the two), row spacing (0.3 and 0.6 m), and post-har vest residue managements after removing the straw (flail-chopping or b urning the stubble). Seed yields of the second through fifth crops wer e measured. Nitrogen application timing did not affect seed yield of a ny cultivar, Effects of the other three variables on seed yield intera cted with each other. For both Fawn and Rebel, high seed yields were a chieved when 100 kg N ha(-1) was applied and residue was burned, irres pective of row sparing. Bonanza produced high seed yields with 145 kg N ha(-1), 0.6-m row spacing, and flail-chopping. In contrast, 0.3-m ro w spacing and residue burning was required for maximum seed yield in F alcon, whereas N rates did not have an effect. We conclude that seed y ield responses of Fawn and Rebel to management practices are similar, Results further suggest that, compared with Fawn, the optimum spring N rate was higher for Bonanza seed production, and the optimum row spac ing was narrower for Falcon seed production. Also, residue burning was needed for maintaining high seed yield in Fawn, Rebel, and Falcon, wh ereas, st optimum row spacing and N rate, mechanical removal of post-h arvest residue was as effective as burning for Bonanza seed production .