Cocksfoot Growing for Seed Purposes

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 65, Issue 5, 16 November 1942, Page 279

Cocksfoot Growing for Seed Purposes

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A. F. GREENALL,

I Instructor in Agriculture, I i Balclutha. < i imimiiii'm'mimmlmiimiiiimiiiiiiiimiimiii!iii!i!iiim”

COCKSFOOT growing t for seed purposes has not. been generally attempted by farmers in South Otago, but isolated ; cases are known where satisfactory ; crops of cocksfoot seed have been ■ harvested year after, year by growers in this district. ■ Cocksfoot does well on a class of rather dry or well-drained, sharp type of land of which parts of Pukeawa, Greenfield, etc., are typical, and this type of land appears to be ■ desirable although not as essential for seed production as . for good cocksfoot pastures. Consequently a field of this nature should be chosen, or if soil of this type is not available a well-drained, dry,

sunny field ■'which has been adequately limed and not cropped out is recommended. ' ” An important consideration wih cocksfoot, seed production is the maintenance of a standard free of weeds and other grasses,, in particular ryegrass. Ryegrass seed cannot be completely separated from cocksfoot seed, and as a consequence difficulty may be experienced m dressing seed to the standard of purity required for certification. Hence the preliminary preparation of the ground should be planned to germinate land.kill, all grass and weed seeds present and to-i prevent the introduction of fresh grass and weed seed prior to and i after the sowing of the cocksfoot. Winter feed crops such as rape, kale, turnips, or swedes are

probably the best preparation, as intercultivation, followed , by feeding off largely reduces the grass and weeds if properly carried out. It. is inadvisable to feed seeded hay on such fields either before or after cocksfoot is sown as impurities are introduced. ; It is imperative, from, what I have seen, to sow down cocksfoot for seed without a cover crop. ' In particular, rape or turnips should not be sown with . cocksfoot as extensive damage accrues during the slow establishing stage when sheep are feeding off, or the eating of the roots results in weed establishment- - • Seed The ’ best . certified cocksfoot seed available : s recommended and can be either Akaroa, Plains or Certified C 23, a new leafy strain .developed by Lincoln College. It is desirable to sow

from 2-3 lbs. of Certified White Clover with the cocksfoot in order to maintain the nitrogen status of the soil and the v gour of the stand. Red clover or any very leafy clover should not be sown as these form a dense bottom which interferes badly with the cutting and drying of the crop. Examine the Purity and Germination Certificates of the cocksfoot and clover seed sown to

make sure of the absence of'-ryegrass or other undesirable impurities; ' Sowing Early autumn, say, February, is probably the best time for sowing as'the

cocksfoot has a chance to establish during a period when weeds are not so quick growing, and has a good foothold for a quick growth the following spring. Approximately 20 lbs. of cocksfoot seed per acre should be sown, preferably drilled in. The ground should be worked firm and fine and rolled before drilling. Drilling should be as shallow as possible and be followed by a light cover harrowing. As much manure as the fertiliser rotary scheme will allow should be sown. Drilling the cocksfoot results in a better, quicker and denser cover, and tends to eliminate the formation of a tussock standard of cocksfoot. It is inadvisable to attempt to graze the stand of cocksfoot for the first few months. A very light grazing can begin in late winter or early spring, and the stand should be subsequently

grazed only for a month or two each winter. Harvesting The harvesting of cocksfoot is in line with that carried out in respect of other grass-seed crops. The crop is cut with a binder, stocked, and stacked, and after a period -in stack is threshed. During hot weather and the heat of the day it is common to thresh out of stook, but bright weather must occur before stook threshing is attempted. Cocksfoot does not shake as easily as ryegrass but heavy wind alternating with wet weather will cause a serious shake. The tendency to cut on the green side must be avoided however, as low germination and light bushel weight is likely to result.