Establishment of Irrigated Timothy for Forage Production in Saskatchewan

Abstract

duce a hay crop during the establishment year in Saskatchewan. Irrigated timothy (Phleum pratense L.) hay from Saskatchewan Timothy can be a difficult species to establish under could fill export demand for compressed hay, but basic agronomic competition from a barley companion crop (Lemieux information is lacking under Saskatchewan conditions. The objective et al., 1987) because of its small seed size and seedlings of this research was to compare the establishment of irrigated timothy seedlings under wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vul-(Arnott, 1975). A reduced seeding rate (35-40 kg ha Ϫ1 ) gare L.), and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) companion of wheat or barley companion crops can reduce the crops at two seeding rates. The ryegrass companion crop reduced competition effects on other forage species (Saskatchetimothy ground cover and tiller density in the year after establishment,wan Agric. and Food, 1999), so even lower rates may with a greater reduction in ground cover at 10 kg ha Ϫ1 compared with be necessary for timothy establishment. A seeding rate a seeding rate of 5 kg ha Ϫ1 for the ryegrass. The ryegrass companion of 7 kg ha Ϫ1 of annual ryegrass with alfalfa produced crop reduced timothy first harvest and total annual dry matter (DM) an alfalfa plant density and subsequent alfalfa yield simiproduction for forage by 41% compared with the control (no companlar to an oat hay companion crop (Sulc et al., 1993). ion crop) while timothy that was established with cereal companionThe purpose of this study was to assess the establishcrops did not differ from the control. Irrigated forage producers should ment of timothy under barley and wheat companion not use annual ryegrass as a companion crop for irrigated timothy crops seeded at one-half and one-quarter of the monoestablishment in Saskatchewan.culture cereal seeding rates and under an annual ryegrass companion crop seeded at two seeding rates above and below those reported in the literature.

Companion crop establishment of short-lived perennial forage crops in Saskatchewan

“…September precipitation increases ryegrass regrowth and extends competitive effects on the forage seedlings into the autumn. Environmental factors that increase the growth of annual ryegrass will contribute to reduced forage seedling establishment (Jefferson et al 2000). The biological explanation of September temperature effect on canola companion crops or July temperature effect on pea companion crops are less obvious.…”

“…Westerwolds ryegrass (Lolium westerwoldicum) has been used successfully as a companion crop to establish alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the midwestern USA (Sulc et al 1993). This annual forage can produce high forage yields in the subhumid region of northeastern Saskatchewan (Chen et al 2002), but is very competitive with irrigated timothy (Phleum pratense L.) seedlings, reducing subsequent timothy yield by 41% (Jefferson et al 2000). Westerwolds ryegrass has not been evaluated as a companion crop for dryland forage establishment in Saskatchewan.…”