Forage Establishment: Weather Effects on Stubble vs. Fallow And Fall vs. Spring Seedling

Abstract

Improved pastures are a valuable forage resource in the Central Great Plains, but ranchers need to know which seeding techniques provide the best chance of successful establishment of such pastures. We compared late fall vs. spring seedings of 5 grasses and 2 legumes in barley stubble or fallow. Four directions of stubble rows were compared for snow catchment and effect on forage establishment. Stubble rows in any direction had little effect on snow catch or establishment, and there was little difference between stubble and fallow. Spring seeding gave better stands than fall seeding in the kind of weather most often encountered in the Central Great Plains. Days from seeding to emergence were controlled by soil temperature and timing and amount of precipitation. Stands were negatively correlated with the time required for emergence.