Seed production of 'Grasslands Roa' tall fescue in Southland

Abstract

Roa tall fescue was sown at Gore to study the effects of viable seeding rate (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 kg/ha) and row spacing (30 and 60 cm) on seed yield and seed quality over 3 harvest seasons. In the first year after mid-February sowing, seed yields were low (260 kg/ha), owing to slow establishment and weed competition. The 30-cm row spacing had the highest seed yield in this year, but there were no differences between viable seeding rates. In the second year the highest seed yields (800 kg/ha) were from the viable 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ha seeding rates, but there were no differences between row spacings. In the third year there were no differences in seed yield between viable seeding rates and row spacing. The cool, moist summer conditions had no adverse effect on seed development; seed weights (3.3 g/1000 seeds) were high for all treatments each year. Keywords: 'Grasslands-Roa' tall fescue, seed-yields, seed quality, seed rates, row spacings, lodging