Determining the Effect of Planting Date and Land Preparation Method on Forage Yield and Forage Quality of a Forage Type Brassica When Grown in Georgia.

Forage brassicas (Brassica spp.) are gaining in popularity as a high quality winter forage in the Southeastern USA, yet research that defines best management practices for establishment is limited. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of planting date and land preparation method on forage yield and quality of a forage-type, hybrid brassica (B. rapa subsp. rapa x B. napus). A study was initiated in 2016 to compare four planting methods (conventional till, no-till after burning, no-till after mowing, and no-till with no residue removal) across four planting dates (1 September, 15 September, 1 October, and 15 October) in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Forage samples were clipped at 30, 45, 60 and 90 days after planting (DAP) to determine yield. The 60 and 90 DAP samples were evaluated for forage quality. Preliminary results indicated significant effects on forage yield by planting date, land preparation method, and an interaction of the two factors. For the 1 September treatments at 90 DAP, forage yields in the conventional till were higher than the no-till/burn, and both were higher than no-till/mow or no-till/residue treatments, which were not different from each other (4670, 2150, 116, vs. 0 kg DM ha^-1 respectively). In planting at 15 October, the yields at 90 DAP showed no difference in conventional till and no-till/burn treatments, but both were higher than the no-till/mow or no-till/residue treatments, which again were not different from each other (1610, 1320, 80, vs. 0 kg DM ha^-1 respectively). The nutritive value of the brassica was exceptionally high, and there were no observable differences in forage quality across treatments. Preliminary results show that forage brassica should be planted early September for the highest yields. Regardless of planting date, brassica should be planted into little to no residue for best results.