Abstract:
Perennial ryegrass is grown for turf or forage seed on a broad range of soils in western Oregon. All perennial ryegrass varieties are similar in their nutrient requirements. Typical seed yield is between 1,400 and 1,800 lb/acre.
Higher seed yields (up to 2,500 lb/acre) may be produced on better soils, but higher yields do not require additional nutrients. Plant growth regulators often are used to increase perennial ryegrass yields, but they do not increase
the need for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or sulfur fertilizer.
Appropriate management practices from seedbed preparation to harvest must be performed in a timely manner for optimum yield. Low soil pH, poor drainage, insects, diseases, and weeds all reduce seed yield. Increasing fertilizer
rates when nutrients already are in adequate supply
will not compensate for other limiting factors.
