Thomas G. Chastain This spring has seen alternating very dry and warm periods and cool, wet periods in the Willamette Valley. While the effect of these varying conditions on seed yield remains to be determined, grass seed harvest will soon be under way. To maximize harvest efficiency, identifying the best timing for harvest is essential. [...]
Archive for the ‘Seed Production’ Category
Harvest timing in grass seed crops by seed moisture content
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013PGR approved for use in red clover and crimson clover seed crops in Oregon
Wednesday, May 29th, 2013A special local needs label has been recently approved for use of Palisade EC plant growth regulator for red clover and crimson clover seed crops in Oregon. This is timely because the window for application of the product on these crops is near. For more information, here is a copy of the SLN label: Palisade [...]
Sinapis alba: A potenial oilseed rotation crop for the Willamette Valley
Tuesday, May 28th, 2013Willamette Valley agriculturalists need rotation crops, especially on soils that have few alternatives. The well-publicized conflict over canola is one manifestation of this unmet need for crops that diversify cropping enterprises. Sinapis alba, known by the common names yellow or white mustard, is a potential oilseed feedstock crop that will not cross with Brassica spp. [...]
PGRs and lodging control in grass seed crops
Thursday, April 25th, 2013Thomas G. Chastain Why is lodging important in grass seed crops? Under certain conditions, the tiller cannot support the weight of the developing inflorescence and seed. The tiller lodges or falls to the ground, especially when there are high levels of nitrogen fertilizer and soil moisture present (Fig. 1). Both conditions are common in Oregon’s [...]
Camelina: Seed yield response to applied nitrogen and sulfur
Thursday, April 4th, 2013Here’s a new article on nitrogen and sulfur nutrient management in camelina that has been published in Field Crops Research. Camelina is a Brassica family oil seed crop that has demonstrated potential for production in the Pacific Northwest. This work was led by Don Wysocki, OSU Extension Specialist located at Pendleton Oregon. The study shows [...]
Grass and forage legume seed crop production statistics for 2012
Friday, March 22nd, 2013Bill Young, OSU professor emeritus and extension agronomist in seed production, has recently updated Oregon’s grass and forage legume seed crop production statistics for the 2012 crop year. This report provides a wealth of useful information about quantity of seed produced, crop yields, and economic value of these seed crops in Oregon. Here is a [...]