1. Overview of the Forage Testing Program at Mississippi State University Mr. Joshua A. White-Research Associate Dr. Rocky Lemus- Forage Extension Specialist Dr. David Lang- Forage Research Profressor

2. Acres Distribution Summer Annuals – Sorghum, corn silage, etc = 59,312 Tall Fescue = 175,320 Annual Ryegrass = 543,667 (prepared bed and overseeded) – Marshall ryegrass- 60% Small Grains = 154,433 – Oats and Cereal rye

3. Acres Distribution Bermudagrass – Hay = 345,928 – Pasture = 423,671 Bahiagrass – Hay = 244,621 – Pasture = 658,536 Dallisgrass Pasture = 136,586

5. Goals of Forage Program To develop sustainable forage production systems. – Increase production efficiency. – Initiate and evaluate new forage varieties for adaptation to stress and grazing pressure. – Evaluate market and profitability of production systems. – Evaluate value added opportunities of existing forage systems.

6. Ryegrass Small Grains Alfalfa – Round-up Ready – Conventional Clovers – Annual – Perennial Tall Fescue Bermudagrass Bahiagrass Sorghum Teffgrass Crabgrass Forage Species Evaluated in Mississippi State Variety Testing

7. Method Planted-6x11 Plots Harvested- Z turn mower with bagging system (52 inch swath) When plots are 12-15 inches tall or every 30 days Fertilized- According to soil recommendations and 50 lbs of N after each harvest

8. Holly Springs Tylertown

9. Historical Variety Trial Data 1987-2010 Ryegrass Bermudagrass Bahiagrass SAS Program Proc GLIMMIX Data from MAFES Forage Variety Trials

10. Ryegrass Years- 1989-2010 Ploidy- Tetraploid, Diploid – Ploidy x Location (p=0.0239) Locations- Tylertown, Poplarville, Starkville, Newton, Raymond, Prairie and Pontotoc Varieties-45 – Variety x Location (p=.0001)

11. Diploid vs Tetraploid lbs ac⁻¹

12. Variety Performance by Location

13. Bahiagrass Yield Data 2001- 2010 Varieties- Tifton 9, Sand Mountain, Argentine, Pensacola – Varieties (p=0.0008) Location – Starkville New Varieties - Tiff Quick, UF Riata

14. Bahiagrass Yields in Starkville, MS

15. Bermudagrass Type- Seeded and Hybrids – Type (p=.0004) Locations- Pontotoc, Poplarville, Prairie, Raymond, Starkville – Location (Type) (p=.0043) – Location (Varieties) (p=.0001) Varieties- 40 – Varieties (p=.0203) Years- 1988-2010

16. Hybrid vs Seeded Bermudagrass yields pooled from locations

17. Bermudagrass mean yields by location

18. Bermudagrass yields by location and type

19. Hybrid varieties means by location

20. Variety Improvement and its Impact

21. Questions ?