Seed Production « Seed Production

Oregon State University

Here’s a new article from our seed production research and extension team on trinexapac-ethyl plant growth regulator (PGR) and its effects on seed yield and yield components in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) seed crops. The field trials were conducted in the Canterbury region of New Zealand and in seed fields in the Willamette Valley.

This article will appear in an upcoming issue of Agronomy Journal and is a part of our series on PGR tools for use in legume and grass seed production. The product is marketed around the world as Palisade, Moddus, and several generic products for lodging control and seed yield enhancement in cool-season grass seed crops and legume seed crops.

Key findings of the article:

Trinexapac-ethyl was responsible for seed yield increases in red clover ranging from 9 to 15% in New Zealand and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
One contributing factor for the increased seed yield with trinexapac-ethyl was that the PGR increased the number of heads formed in the red clover crop. Moreover, the PGR reduced the height of the crop canopy and increased penetration of light into the canopy, possibly leading to the increased head production.
Timing of trinexapac-ethyl applications to coincide with early stem elongation gave the best seed yields although split applications at stem elongation and bud emergence produced yield increases in Oregon.
Seed weight was generally inversely related to yield; trinexapac-ethyl treatments that produced the highest yield also had the lowest seed weight.

The article can be found at the link below:

Anderson, N.P., D.P. Monks, T.G. Chastain, M.P. Rolston, C.J. Garbacik, Chun-hui Ma, and C.W. Bell. 2015. Trinexapac-ethyl effects on red clover seed crops in diverse production environments. Agron. J. 107:951-956.

Here’s a new article from our seed production research and extension team on the rate and timing of trinexapac-ethyl plant growth regulator (PGR) and its effects on seed yield and yield components in tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Shreb.) Dumort.) seed crops. The field trials were conducted in the Willamette Valley over a 6-year period at Hyslop Farm.

This article will appear in an upcoming issue of Field Crops Research and is a part of our series on PGR tools for use in grass and legume seed production. The product is marketed around the world as Palisade, Moddus, and several generic products for lodging control in grass seed crops and legume seed crops.

Key findings of the article:

Trinexapac-ethyl reduced stem length and controlled lodging in tall fescue across six diverse lodging environments.
Trinexapac-ethyl consistently increased seed yield in tall fescue, but rate of application had no effect on yield.
Timing of trinexapac-ethyl applications had no effect on seed yield.
Seed yield increases resulting from trinexapac-ethyl were attributable to greater seed number and harvest index.

The article can be found at the link below:

Chastain, T.G., W.C. Young III, C.J. Garbacik, and T.B. Silberstein. 2015. Trinexapac-ethyl rate and application timing effects on seed yield and yield components in tall fescue. Field Crops Research 173:8-13.

Thomas G. Chastain

The Tasmanian Pasture Seed Conference was held in November in Launceston, Tasmania. The conference was hosted by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, the University of Tasmania, private seed companies and agricultural suppliers and banking interests in Australia.

Several local and international speakers made presentations at the conference and it was attended not only by residents of Tasmania but also by seed producers and company representatives from mainland Australia. Major international seed companies and suppliers were present as well as their local counterparts. The conference began with one day of presentations and discussions regarding the state of the Tasmanian herbage seed industry in comparison with international seed production regions as well as a look at the current state of knowledge in herbage seed production. That was followed up a day later by a well-organized tour of farm fields and production facilities.

Monthly rainfall and temperatures for Oregon's Willamette Valley and Launceston, Tasmania (Graphic by T.G. Chastain). Click to enlarge. — Monthly rainfall and temperatures for Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Launceston, Tasmania (Graphic by T.G. Chastain). Click to enlarge.

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Thomas G. Chastain

Several scales have been constructed for use in assigning developmental stages to crop plants. The BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie) scale is used to ascertain the developmental stages of crops and is based on the Zadoks scale for cereals but has been standardized and extended to many other crops including dicots.

The uniform nature of the BBCH scale has encouraged the wide-spread use of this system by agronomists and by agricultural practitioners alike. One advantage of the BBCH scale is the simplicity of staging of crop plants because only one scale (with minor modification) is needed for multiple species.

Ten principal stages form the basis for the scale in each crop. Below is a table showing the adaptation of the scale for grass seed crops.

Stage	Description – BBCH scale
0-9	Seed germination/bud development
10-19	Leaf development
20-29	Tiller development
30-39	Stem elongation
40-49	Booting
50-59	Inflorescence emergence/development
60-69	Flowering/pollination
70-79	Seed development
80-89	Seed maturation and harvest
90-99	Senescence

Our seed production team lost one of its members this past week with the untimely death of Dr. Don Horneck, an agronomist working out of OSU’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Don made many contributions to our research and extension efforts in seed crops as well as other crops grown across the state of Oregon.

Of particular interest for those involved in seed production, he conducted research on nutrient uptake, urease inhibitors, and pest management in grass seed crops. His contributions are the basis for our understanding of micronutrient uptake in grass seed crops as well as adding to our knowledge in the uptake of macronutrients in these crops. Most importantly, Don was a really nice person and good friend to many of us in agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. He will be missed.

An article in the Capital Press about Don is linked below:

Capital Press

A new nutrient management guide for tall fescue seed crops has been published by OSU’s seed production research and extension team. The 42-page publication (EM 9099) is a product of many years of field work in tall fescue seed crops by the members of the research and extension team.

Tall fescue cover

The nutrient management guide covers the impacts of application of nutrients on seed yield, seed yield components, crop growth and development, plant growth regulator use, pests, and others. Extensive use of tables, figures, and appendices supplement this comprehensive guide to tall fescue seed crop nutrient management.

The publication can be accessed at the link below:

Tall Fescue Grown for Seed: A Nutrient Management Guide for Western Oregon, EM 9099

Seed Production

Category Archives: Seed Production

Trinexapac-ethyl effects on red clover seed production

Trinexapac-ethyl rate and timing effects on tall fescue seed production

Herbage seed production in Tasmania

Application of the BBCH scale in grass seed crops

Don Horneck

New OSU Tall Fescue Seed Crop Nutrient Management Guide

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