STATION BULLETIN433 Ocroaea1945 Revised January 1947 Meadow Foxtail H. A. SCHOTH \1 'A '1 Oregon State System of Higher Education, Agricultural Experiment Station Oregon State College, Corvallis Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering, United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperating TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Description 3 Climatic Adaptations 6 SoilRequirements 6 Seedbed Preparation 8 Date of Seeding 8 Rate of Seeding 9 Method of Seeding 9 Utilization 10 Pasture 11 Hay 12 Silage 15 Seed 15 Insects, Diseases, Rodents, and Birds 18 Improvement 19 Special Features 19 Illustration on cover Figure 1.Good type plant of meadow foxtail in bloom. Meadow Foxtail By H. A. SCHOTH* foxtail, Alopecurus pratensis L., is a native grass of MEADOWthe temperate parts of Europe and Asia.It has been cultivated since about 1750 and is grown in Europe to a considerable extent as a hay grass for rather wet lands of high fertility. While no authentic information is available as to when it was introduced into America, the probabilities are that introduction was in the latter part of the nineteenth century in northeastern United State and eastern Canada. During recent years it has assumed increasing importance in the Pacific Northwest and in this region its use for forage and seed production is increasing as rapidly as seed supplies become available. It appears to have possibilities as a satisfactory forage grass in sev- eral sections of the northern half of the United States. Meadow foxtail should not be confused with several minor- value or weedy grasses because of its common name.The word "foxtail" in particular is considered by many persons to be an in- dicator that it may be a grass of little value or possibly a pest.In reality, it differs widely from other grasses quite commonly referred to as foxtail in that its agronomic and utility values are high and there is no evidence whatever of weedy characteristics. DESCRIPTION Meadow foxtail is a long-lived perennial grass.The under- ground branches are short, and individual plants for the most part are in loose tufts.Heavy stands produce medium dense sods as they age. Rootstocks are comparatively few and short.The flowering stems are erect and usually about three feet high. The head is much like that of timothy; in fact, it so nearly resembles that of timothy that many times it is mistaken for it.Note Figures 2, 3, and 4. Meadow foxtail starts growth very early in the spring and is about the earliest of all cultivated grasses.Under some conditions, particularly where winter and early spring climatic conditions are mild, it produces a succession of flowering stems from late winter to Senior Agronomist, Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering, United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperating with Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Forage Crop work at Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station is conducted in coopera- tion with the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering, United States Department of Agriculture, and credit is hereby acknowledged as jointly due to the above-named division, bureau, and department and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. 3 -- I Figtre 2.A: Timothy.B: Meadow foxtail heads in bloom. 4 MEADOW FOXTAIL 5 early summer.Where winter and early spring temperatures are relatively low, production of flowering stems is usually within a comparatively short period. The leaves are clark green, medium broad, smooth, and nu- me rous. The seeds are usually light in color with occasional plants pro- ducing brown or black ones.The caryopsis or kernel is enclosed in a light, fluffy, membranous covering. t Figure 3.A: Timothy.B. Meadow foxtail heads after blooming. 6 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 433. CLIMATIC ADAPTATIONS Meadow foxtail does best where the climate is moist and cool; however, it is not sensitive to heat or cold, as it grows successfully where summer temperatures occasionally reach 1000 F. and where winter temperatures may drop below zero for relatively long periods. Where average mean minimum temperatures are 400500 F., meadow foxtail makes rather continuous winter growth.Growth made dur- ing periods of relatively high mean maximum temperatures depends somewhat on soil moisture but usually during such periods growth is checked. Meadow foxtail is adapted to the moist cool climates of the southern part of Canada but is not suited to southern climates.It will withstand cold weather or frost in early spring and summer, thus being adapted to high elevations where frost may occur any month of the year. SOIL REQUIREMENTS Meadow foxtail makes its best growth on fertile, moist, or swampy soils.It is especially suited to swampy or overflow lands of ii I Figure 4.Mature meadow foxtail heads.Note variations in shape, color, and density. MEADOW FOXTAIL 7 a mucky or peaty nature.It makes very good growth on barns and clays of good fertility when well supplied with moisture.It is being used extensively on diked lands near the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Northwest.Occasionally some of these lands overflow with brackish water.This does little or no injury to established stands of meadow foxtail.In the northern intermountain country of western United States good stands have existed for many years on low wet lands that are quite alkaline with a pH up to 8.5.Growth on such lands de- creases rapidly as the strength of alkali increases over a pH of 8.5, with the limit being near pH 9.0.Figure 5 shows meadow foxtail making satisfactory growth to the edge of a heavy alkali spot in southeastern Oregon. It stands long periods of overflow especially during the dormant period and when the water is cool.Medium long periods of over- flow during the winter seem to be beneficial because practically always there is increased growth afterwards. Although naturally a wet or moist land grass, its use is increasing on high, well drained soils of medium high fertility and well supplied with moisture for winter, spring, and early summer growth. It responds to irrigation in cool climates and is adapted to irri- gated pastures seeded alone or in combination with other grasses and legumes. Figure 5.Meadow foxtail growing at edge of heavy alkali soil in southeastern Oregon. 8 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 433 SEEDBED PREPARATION Most satisfactory stands of meadow foxtail have been obtained when seedings were made on well cultivated land or after burning over of newly cutover or slashed timberland or brushland. The seedbed on cultivated land should be such that the soil is fine, firm, and reasonably free from weeds. The time of the prepara- tion of such a seedbed depends on the character of the soil, especially with reference to its moisture condition where the land is wet or swampy.Late spring, summer, and early fall preparation is usually most feasible.This will make possible early summer or early, fall seeding. Most land that has been well burned over is reasonably free from weeds and the natural ashy seedbed is often as good as or better than can be prepared by machinery. This type of seedbed is quite common in the Pacific Northwest. Rough lands that can be semicultivated and have suitable mois- ture and soil conditions for this grass are being seeded with success. Any cultural operations that stir the surface and form a partial seed- bed are of much help in securing stands of grass.Disk or spring- tooth harrows are usually the most suitable implements for this pur- pose.Favorable natural conditions determine to a considerable de- gree the success of this method. Uncultivated or unburned seedbeds are the most unsatisfactory for meadow foxtail.Stands are usually difficult to obtain on such lands and initial growth is slow because of difficulty in developing good seedling root growth. Weed and other plant competition and competition for moisture are also limiting factors.Occasionally par- tial success in securing stands may be had by "spot" seeding on lands where small areas have been cultivated or logs or brush piles burned. When satisfactory stands develop on such spots and seed is allowed to mature, natural spreading often occurs. DATE OF SEEDING Both fall and spring seedings are successful in the Pacific Northwest, but in the northern and northeastern states early spring seedings are best.Where winter temperatures do not cause heaving and winter overflows do not occur until the seedlings are well estab- lished, fall seeding on reasonably well prepared seedbeds is satis- factory. On burned-over lands fall seedings usually result in better stands than spring seedings, as the land is in better condition, soil moisture is more plentiful, nO further seedbed preparation is neces- sary and the full value of the plant food in the ashes is realized. MEADOW FOXTAIL 9 In general, in most of the sections in which meadow foxtail is adapted spring seeding is most satisfactory on cultivated lands.On these lands a longer seeding season is usually possible, good seedbeds can be more easily prepared, and possibilities of getting stands estab- lished are in less danger of damage from overflow on low lands. Where these conditions exist, seedings may be made from February to June, depending on climatic and soil moisture conditions. Meadow foxtail seed germinates rapidly.The seedlings are small and quite weak.As a consequence, fall seedings in particular should be made as early as possible so that the young plants can make maximum development previous to any adverse climatic conditions and be in best condition to resist washing or drowning out when seedlings are on low and wet or overflow land.