In the 1999 Uniform Pea Forage Trial (UPFT), four Austrian winter pea varieties, along with Trapper (a small yellow forage pea) and Arvika (a maple forage pea), were evaluated for forage potential in pure stands and mixed with Haybet hay barley. The trial was seeded at one dryland site (Moccasin), an irrigated site (Corvallis) and a high-rainfall site (Creston). Moccasin - The trial was successfully seeded on May 5, 1999, no-till into winter wheat stubble in field NE3-W. A pre-plant Quizalofop (Assure II) was applied at 8 oz per acre. Due to drill limitations, no innoculant was applied to the peas. Nitrogen (N) was applied post-emergence in two applications, with a total of 90 pounds of N applied in the form of ammonium-nitrate (NH₄NO₃) on June 16^th and 22^nd. The nursery was not rolled. The site was harvested when the barley had reached the milk to soft dough stage (August 2, 1999). Production methods for Creston and Corvallis are reported under Table 41.

    Results and Discussion

Moccasin

Poor stands were observed and are believed to be a result of poor nitrogen (N) management. During seeding drill plugging problems were encountered with peat-based inoculant used on peas. Therefore, no inoculant was placed with the seed and inclement weather forced a late seeding dates and a late application of N on the nursery. Consequently, an N deficiency and lowered forage yields were observed. Haybet hay barley was the top forage producer (Table 38) of the nursery. Sioux Austrian winter pea mixed with Haybet barley was the best pea/cereal mix combination producing just under 2,500 pounds per acre. Melrose Austrian winter pea had the best pure stand forge yield. Overall, peas seeded alone had significantly less forage production then peas mixed with Haybet (Table 39). However, when compared directly with each variety, both Sioux and Wahlechia Austrian winter peas mixed with Haybet had significantly higher forage yields over their respective pure pea stands (Table 40).

Creston

Excellent seedling emergence was reported at Creston. Arvika mixed with Haybet had the top forage production (Table 41). Arvika maple peas had the best pea dry matter yield.

Corvallis

Trapper yellow peas mixed with Haybet had the top forage production at Corvallis (Table 41).

A multi-location summary for the 1999 Uniform Pea Forage Trial can be found in Table 42.

    Future Research

Plans include a closer evaluation of pea/cereal forage mix seeding techniques (timing, methods, rates, etc.) on forage yield and seedling vigor. The question of N-fertilizer requirements and the need for pea inoculant will also be evaluated.

 

 

Table 42. Multi-location pea forage summary; 1999 Uniform Pea Forage Trial (UPFT).^1/
                - Exp. 998700. Central Agricultural Research Center, Moccasin, MT.

			Moccasin		Corvallis		Creston
Id	Variety		Stand	Yield	Stand	Yield	Yield
			(%)	(tons/ac)	(%)	(tons/ac)	(tons/ac)
PFT99001	Haybet Barley		73.80	1.32	97.5	4.07	4.86
PFT98007	Arvika		99.42	1.05	98.8	2.13	2.63
PFT99002	Arvika/Haybet		81.75	1.22	97.5	4.16	4.84
PGT98004	Trapper		48.45	0.91	91.3	1.67	1.91
PFT99003	Trapper/Haybet		68.30	1.02	93.8	3.50	5.37
PFT98002	Granger		81.78	1.07	95.0	1.83	2.22
PFT99004	Granger/Haybet		82.38	1.14	97.5	4.02	4.13
PFT98001	Melrose		100.00	1.08	95.0	1.66	2.15
PFT99005	Melrose/Haybet		87.17	1.12	95.0	3.72	4.41
Experimental Means			82.39	1.07	95.7	2.97	3.52
LSD (0.05 by t)			17.62	0.24	3.9	0.86	0.67
C.V. (S/Mean) x 100%			14.9	15.6	2.8	15.9	----

^1/ - Did not evaluate Wahlechia or Sioux Austrian winter pea