On Target: Seed Harvest

THE FESCUES. Tall fescues have been predicted to come in at average to below average yields according to most seed producers.

Steven Tubbs, president of Turf Merchants Inc., Tangent, Ore., said the yields were "somewhat disappointing" due to some early May hot temperatures in the region. The bigger issue, he stressed, is the lack of seed from last year’s harvest.

"Our yield reports on tall fescues now appear to be lower than average, especially on the older varieties, which are off by as much as 30 to 40 percent than anticipated," said Ronnie Stapp, vice president of seed operations with Pennington Seed, Madison, Ga. "The newer varieties are showing good yields, but are still down from last year."

One outside factor that could act to soften the price of tall fescue is the tremendous crop of the Kentucky-31 variety of the species. K-31 is actually primarily a forage grass used by farmers for grazing fields, but when yields of the variety are high, it historically brings the overall market price on most tall fescues down to some degree.

Keith Laxton, vice president of operations with Seed Research of Oregon, Corvallis, said the price of K-31 will drop to about half of the 1996 level. "There’s a huge crop coming in, and it will have an affect on tall fescue prices," noted Laxton.

With fine fescues, most seed producers reported an uninspiring crop. "It was an average yielding harvest," Laxton explained, "but the number of acres dedicated to growing fine fescues has been reduced dramatically over the last few years," reducing the total amount of seed generated in the region.

"Fine fescues will be in the shortest supply ever," said Tubbs. "Reduced acres and lower yields have caused a more than 50 percent market appreciation in the last year."

Bob Richardson, general manager with Lofts/Great Western, Albany, Ore., agreed, noting that hard fescues suffered especially poor yields.

"Fine fescues came in about 25 percent lower in yields than expected," said Scott Harer, sales and marketing representative with Advanta Seeds West, Albany, Ore. "We’ll see higher prices this year."

"Oregon fine fescue prices will definitely be higher, due to the acreage being reduced so severely," said Tom Stanley, marketing manager with Turf Seed, Inc., Hubbard, Ore.

"Demand for fine fescues in Europe and the United States, lower acreage and poor producing fields this year will raise prices," stressed John Zajac, president of Zajac Performance Seeds, North Haledon, N.J.

PERENNIAL RYES. Most marketers said that perennial ryegrasses have come out of the fields at or slightly below expectations. Tubbs said this lower yield is offset by the increase in acreage of perennial ryes that have been planted in recent years. "There were initial fears about the market due to increases in acres and supply, but it appears that this market will be stable for the 1997 harvest," he explained.

Kevin Turner, manager of seed research and production for The Scotts Co., Marysville, Ohio, agreed. "The crop is coming in without any of the weather related delays that were so problematic in 1996," he said. "Yields are off about 10 percent from 1996 levels, but increased acreages offset this reduction, so the total crop is about the same size as a year ago."

"Supplies of perennial ryegrass are almost gone (from the supply pipeline), so prices will be firm this year," said Laxton.

BLUEGRASSES. The reports on Kentucky bluegrasses that have come back reflect an average to below average yield on proprietary varieties, but common Kentucky bluegrass yields have been quite disappointing.

Gayle Jacklin, assistant vice president of Jacklin Seed, Post Falls, Idaho, predicted yields of proprietary bluegrasses will fall short of expectations by about 15 percent, while the shortfall on common varieties could reach as high as 50 percent.

"There has been a strengthening in proprietary bluegrass pricing already as a result of the expected shortfalls," noted Jacklin. She recommended that purchasers buy early to ensure they are able to buy seed in the quantities they require at the best price.

Jacklin added that although total poundage of both proprietary and common Kentucky bluegrass is down, the quality of the crop is excellent.

Don Herb, manager with Barenbrug USA, Tangent, Ore., agreed that yields are down in stark contrast to the outstanding 1996 crop. Herb noted that carryover from last year is good, but the total available seed this fall will not equal what was available in common blues last fall and will result in firm pricing.

An increasingly important factor in the production of bluegrass is the restrictions on field burning. This practice has been used for years to clean out insect, animal and weed pests and to regenerate the bluegrass plants. Farmers now must use herbicides and insecticides to control the pests, which have proven much more challenging to use.

"Field burning reduces the incidence of rodents and slug damage, which can be a major problem for farmers," noted Richardson. The other issue down the road will be whether pesticide manufacturers that are reevaluating their labels will consider taking turf farms off their labels. Currently, turf farming is considered a minor use for pesticide products.

Jacklin said the restricted field burning rules will be felt most significantly in yield and pricing in 1998, as farmers in Washington and now regions of Idaho learn to grow bluegrass without the benefits of burning.

WHAT’S NEW. Seed producers are planning introductions of several new and improved varieties of turf seed. Below is a roundup of new varieties.

Advanta Seeds West, Albany, Ore. The company will be releasing two new turf-type tall fescues. According to Harer, Tulsa features dwarf growth habit, wear tolerance and a dark green color and persists under heat, drought and disease stress. Its fine leaf texture allows it to be mixed with Kentucky bluegrass, he added.

The second variety, Regiment, can be blended with other tall fescues and features strong wear tolerance in addition to a dwarf growth habit and dark green color.

Burlingham Seed, Forest Grove, Ore. Renegade turf-type tall fescue is an intermediate growing variety that features rich dark green color, vigorous turf quality and a shorter growth habit than other standard varieties, according to Zenon Lis, marketing manager. It also features a moderately fine leaf blade, and is adaptable to a broad range of geographies. Southern Choice turf-type tall fescue features excellent drought and heat tolerance, rapid germination, shade tolerance and good brown patch disease resistance, Lis noted.

Fine Lawn Research, Lake Oswego, Ore. President Dennis Combs reported that a new variety of perennial ryegrass called Stallion will feature dark green color and fine leaf texture.

LESCO, Rocky River, Ohio. The company release three tall fescues, according to Art Wick, vice president of seed research and development. Both Stetson and Bravo feature dark green color and have shown tolerance to brown patch, pythium and low pH soils, and Bravo is endophyte enhanced. Durango is a moderately green, low growing variety that is tolerant of heat and stem rust, according to Wick.

In perennial ryes, Wick said Line Drive, a dark green, endophyte enhanced, dense and heat tolerant variety and StarDance, an early maturing, dwarf-type selection will be available in fall. Defiance hard fescue and SunDance seeded bermudagrass round out Lesco’s new selections.

Jacklin Seed, Post Falls, Idaho. New varieties being released for commercial use this year include several new Kentucky bluegrasses. NuGlade is said to perform well under close mowing and provide summer patch resistance; Bluechip is said to green up quickly and maintain color into late fall; Award also tolerates close mowing, according to Jacklin, and is said to be resistant to leaf spot rust and snow mold; Quantum Leap is said to provide early spring green up and has shown resistance to leaf spot, snow mold and rust diseases; and the Rambo and Odessey varieties feature heat, disease and close mowing tolerance.

Seed Research of Oregon, Corvallis, Ore. SR 5200 creeping red fescue provides dark green color, aggressive growth habit and fine texture, as well as a dense root structure, according to Stephanie Ward, marketing manager. SRO’s SR 6000 tufted hairgrass is a new cultivar that resembles fine textured tall fescue, and the company’s SR 5200E poa trivialis release can be used for overseeding and damp, shady areas.

Turf Merchants Inc., Tangent, Ore. Tubbs reported that excellent quantities of Manhattan 3 perennial ryegrass, featuring dark color and high endophyte infection, will be available this fall.

Turf Seed Inc., Hubbard Ore. Savannah, the company’s first seeded ber-mudagrass, will be available this fall. Three new tall fescues include Tar Heel and Wolfpack, which were both developed for heat tolerance and brown patch resistance. Wolfpack is also a good winter performer, said Stanley. The third variety, Coronado Gold, is dense, dark green and low growing for arid and humid areas. Two new Kentucky bluegrasses include Blackstone, featuring early green-up and dollar spot resistance, and Moonlight, a low growing disease resistant variety, according to Stanley.

Zajac Performance Seeds, North Haledon, N.J. Zajac will offer Mardi Gras and Panther perennial ryegrasses. The former features low growth habit, excellent color and density, and the latter features fine leaf blades, dark color, good density and resistance to brown patch, pythium and red thread, according to Zajac. Saturn II perennial ryegrass performs well under close mowing, is resistant to stem and crown rust and brown patch and contains endophyte. Trapeze creeping red fescue works well in shade or low maintenance areas and features improved disease resistance, Zajac said.