Abundant Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass Data

Abundant Information Chart

New Seeding Rate:	30-40#/acre/broadcast
Frost Seeding Rate:	8-15#/ac. for thin stand, 15-30# /ac. for near-bare stands.
Grazing Use:	Beef, Dairy, Sheep, Horse, Ratite
Maturity:	Late
Hay:	Fair
Silage/Green Chop:	Excellent
Controlled Grazing:	Excellent
Set Stocking:	Excellent
Hill Land Pasture:	Poor
Crop Land Pasture:	Good
Drought Tolerance:	Low
Wet Soil Tolerance:	Moderate
Recommended pH:	5.7-7.5
Fertility Requirements:	Medium-High

Abundant was bred for vigor, disease resistance and performance. Disease resistance includes crown and leaf rust, leaf spot, scald, powdery mildew, and pythium blight.

Abundant has wider, more succulent leaves and larger plant cells with higher water content than diploid annual ryegrass.

Abundant's protein levels between 12-25% depending on the applied nitrogen and stage of growth at testing.

Abundant rapid seedlings establishment and root growth are beneficial to aid in recovery of disturbed and erosion-susceptible sites.

Northern Applications

For the Northern farmer, annual ryegrass, especially a tetraploid annual ryegrass, like Abundant, can be a very valuable tool. Because both annual and perennial ryegrasses establish so easy, they are well suited for pasture renovation and minor field repairs. Easily adaptable to broadcast plantings, farmers can spread a little ryegrass anytime of the year. Annual ryegrass is especially beneficial for use as a companion establishment crop or a booster to finish out a final year alfalfa field.

The affordable price, high feed value, sugar content, and ease of digestibility of tetraploid annuals furthers the argument for including annual tetraploids in mixture like our Pasture Perfect® Mixes.

In recent trials conducted by the University of Wisconsin, Abundant rated #1 in yield, producing 3.52 tons/acre. The Chart below is from trial work at Spooner, WI in 1998.(More University of Wisconsin trial data is available at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/forage.)

The University of Wisconsin has many excellent articles on the use of ryegrass in the Northern states including:
Ryegrass Types for Pasture and Hay
Frost Seeding Legumes and Grasses into Pastures
Other Forage Articles

Spooner, WI 1998 Seeding, 1998 Harvest

yield expressed in tons/acre

Variety	June 25	July 13	Aug 14	Oct 19	Total^
	tons/acre	tons/acre	tons/acre	tons/acre	tons/acre
ABUNDANT	1.17	0.74	1.03	0.62	3.52
URBANA	1.13	0.55	1.40	0.19	3.44
SHOOT	1.39	0.51	0.88	0.64	3.36
PASSEREL	0.81	0.77	1.08	0.77	3.32
PERUN	0.92	0.69	0.99	0.62	3.26
MAJOR	0.97	0.85	0.93	0.50	3.23
JIVET	0.75	0.80	0.95	0.56	3.12
CALIBRA	1.27	0.67	0.76	0.35	3.06
PODIUM	0.85	0.72	0.73	0.69	2.96
MOLISTO	0.74	0.62	0.89	0.61	2.82
STORM	1.13	0.63	0.69	0.39	2.79
AUBISQUE	1.03	0.66	0.75	0.35	2.77
LOFA	0.69	0.76	0.79	0.48	2.76
ANTON	1.03	0.61	0.72	0.39	2.75
ILBERIC	0.85	0.67	0.70	0.38	2.72
SOLITAIRE	0.80	0.73	0.73	0.38	2.64
TURBO TETRA	0.60	0.58	0.66	0.40	2.27
MONGITA	0.52	0.52	0.66	0.46	2.15

Mean	0.92	0.67	0.85	0.49	2.94
LSD(0.05)					0.34
CV%					8.5

^Variety means are LSMEANS derived from nearest neighbor statistical analysis. Therefore, season totals will not be the arithmetic sum of individual cuts

Southern Applications

For the Southern farmer, use of annual ryegrass, especially a tetraploid annual ryegrass, like Abundant, has been well known. Overseeding of dormant warm season grasses creates year-round pasture, for dairiess and beef cattle, as well as hay production. Abundant produces excellent, succulent grazing during the entire forage season from fall to late spring in the Southeastern USA. It will produce even longer at cooler temperatures. Sown in combination with fall-sown small grains and annual clovers, Abundant can provide excellent long-term grazing.

In trials conducted by the North Carolina State University, Abundant rated #1 in yield, producing 6270 lbs./acre. The Chart at right is from trial work at Wake County, NC in 1990. Additional trial work has been conducted at the following sites: (We hope to have this information included in detail on this page soon.)

#2 out of 18 Varieties, Rosepine, LA -
Rosepine Research Station 1993-94

No Rust, Best Leaf spot resistance,
East Baton Rouge, LA 1996

#3 out of 28 varieties, Clinton, LA -
Idlewild Research Station 1994-95

#1 out of 27 varieties, Raymond, MS -
Brown Loam Branch Station 1996-97

#1 out of 17 varieties, Lake Charles, LA -
McNeese State University 1993-94

#1 out of 28 varieties, Pontotoc, MS -
Pontotoc Research and Extension Ctr. '96-97

#1 out of 27 varieties, Newton, MS -
Coastal Plain Branch 1996-97

Wake County, North Carolina 1990-91

yield expressed in pounds/acre

Variety	Dec 11	March 20	April 19	May 23	Total^
	lbs./acre	lbs./acre	lbs./acre	lbs./acre	lbs./acre
ABUNDANT	966	1637	2741	926	6270
Florida 80	1002	1814	2530	848	6193
WVPB-LM-AR-2	866	1814	2770	1068	6192
Tetra-Blend 444	817	1434	2897	853	6001
Jackson	642	1621	2822	910	5995
Surrey	661	1423	2798	1024	5906
Rustmaster	777	1545	2725	807	5854
NCSU 89	443	1546	2748	1066	5803
Nutriblend	690	1524	2790	798	5803
WVPB-AR-90-1	532	1315	2936	1005	5788
Gulf	967	1656	2332	786	5741
Marshall	434	1199	2888	914	5435
NCSU 90	400	1394	2532	1088	5414
OFI AR-42	558	1466	2510	777	5310
PG-32	879	1370	2124	799	5173
X-31	792	1383	2115	861	5150
ETCO-9-88	659	1401	2324	671	5055
Progrow	717	1033	2362	888	5000
OFI-2M-601	807	1234	2134	782	4956
WVPG-LM-AR-22	650	1278	2074	887	4890
WVPG-LM-AR-41	723	1240	1863	830	4655
PG-19	636	1192	1815	790	4433
Tetragold	587	1001	2028	776	4392
Bastion	298	555	2023	776	4392
Citadel	318	564	1518	986	3387
Mean of Test	673	1333	2416	875	5296

Seeded September 7, 1990 on a Cecil clay loam soil at rate of 35 lbs/acre. The trial averaged FIVE replications per variety.