DRY-MATTER PRODUCTION, FIBER COMPOSITION AND PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF COOL-SEASON GRASSES UNDER 2 HARVEST SYSTEMS

Cultivars of Phleum pratense, Festuca pratensis, Festuca arundinacea, Dactylis glomerata and Lolium x Festuca hybrids were exposed to 4- and 3-cut harvest systems in Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 1985-87. Lolium perenne x F. pratensis, Lolium multiflorum x F. pratensis and L. multiflorum x F. arundinacea hybrids and D. glomerata had more uniform growth among the harvests than other grasses during the growing season. L. perenne x F. pratensis and L. multiflorum x F. pratensis had lower contents of neutral and acid detergent fibre than other grass cultivars, particularly early in the growing season. P. pratense cv. Farol had the lowest and L. perenne x F. pratensis cv. Prior the highest tiller population density. The stem apex of all cultivars was above the cutting height of 5 cm in c. 50% of tillers of primary growth. Leaf area per tiller was largest for P. pratense cv. Farol in the primary growth stage but differences were small in subsequent cuts.