Production Management of Dual-Purpose Small Grains in the Southern Rolling Plains.

Winter annual small grains, wheat (Triticum aestivum), oats (Avena sativa), barley (Hordeum vulgare), triticale ( X Tritiosecale), and rye (Secale cereale) in the US Southern Rolling Plains are used extensively for livestock grazing and also dual-purpose early season grazing and subsequent grain production. Species, varieties, and management are critical to maximizing forage and grain production.  Forage and dual-purpose grain production trials were conducted in Central Texas in three cropping seasons from 2009-10 to 2011-12.  Simulated grazing or forage clipping was initiated in the winter following tillering (Feekes scale 3)and terminated just prior to jointing (Feekes scale 6).  Plants were then allowed to head and harvested for grain.  A split plot design was used to determine grain yield of non-clipped/grazed plots.  Results during the 2009-10 cropping season using 38 entries indicated that grazing reduced grain production over all entries an average of 27 percent, oats yields saw the most reduction,  averaging 31.3 percent,  while triticale was reduced the least, averaging 12.4 percent.  Varietial differences among species for grain yield and forage production were also observed.  Grain yields ranged from 769 to 4797 kg ha^-1 and forage yields were between 270 and 1668 kg ha^-1 dry matter.  An insecticidal seed treatment, imidacloprid; and seeding rates were also evaluated using a single wheat variety with results differing primarily by the growing season. Additional grain and forage yield components for this and the following seasons will also be presented.