Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Festulolium (Festulolium) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) has not been grown in
Sweden over a longer period. So far there is no greater area cultivated, but the area is
increasing. Festulolium and tall fescue are expected to eventually replace meadow
fescue in many leyseed mixtures to dairy cows in southern and central Sweden. Tall
fescue has in recent years become popular again. Festulolium is a hybrid between
ryegrass and fescue. Festulolium has high yields and good quality feed from ryegrass
and good drying resistance and winterhardiness from fescue. Some festulolium varieties
remind most of ryegrass, while others remind most of tall fescue.
We have done a literature review and compiled the Swedish and international trials of
seed cultivation of festulolium and tall fescue. We sent out a questionnaire to all growers
of festulolium and tall fescue in Sweden to hear their experiences and to be able to
compare their results with experimental results. Of the 20 growers we sent the
questionnaire to 15 responded.
The literature study showed that you got the best seed yield on clay soils if you do not
have access to irrigation. A distance between rows of 24 cm is the ultimate in both
conventional and organic farming and a seed amount of 8 kg/ha gave the best yield in
both field trials and survey. Survey results shows that farmers add too little nitrogen to
festulolium and tall fescue compared with the recommendations in the cultivation
guidances and the results of field trials. Survey results shows that a well-established
festulolium or tall fescue has little need of herbicides apart from the year of
establishment. Results from the survey show that there is little or no attack of diseases
and pests in the festulolium and tall fescue in Sweden. Growth regulation gives on
average 20 % higher yield in field trials, but it is important that the crop is in good
growth and not stressed by drought. Most conventional farmers growth regulated
festulolium and tall fescue. If there is risk of rain, swath harvesting is not a good strategy
in festulolium and tall fescue. Swath harvesting, however normally gives a higher yield
but is a little more time consuming than direct harvesting. Festulolium and tall fescue
appears to be a suitable crop for organic leyseed growers because the difference in the
yield is small compared with conventional cultivation.
We believe that there is a need for field trials with nitrogen fertilization in festulolium
and tall fescue. Additionally, there is a need for field trials with growth regulation in
varieties of festulolium like Felopa which has different growth characteristics than
Hykor.
The weakness of the thesis is that there are a limited number of growers of festulolium
and tall fescue in Sweden and thus we have a rather limited number of surveys to work
with.