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North Florida Research and Education Center Research Report NF-90-21
 September, 1990


 Grain Yields of Various Small Grain Blends
 by J.B. Hartman, R.D. Barnett, and A.R. Soffes



 Small grain blends are mixtures of different varieties or species of grain in a
 single planting. Many growers in the Southeast value blends as a dependable source
 of livestock feed. The advantages of blends over pure stands are yield stability over
 seasons (i.e. environments), and the superior nutritional value of the resulting mixed
 grain feed. One six year Canadian study showed that grains grown in combination
 outperformed their components grown separately by from 4% (Barley/Wheat blend)
 to 23% (Oats/Barley/Wheat blend).' A recent trip to Europe revealed the widespread
 practice of growing oat/barley blends.

 With this in mind we thought it would be interesting to look at the performance
 of some of our more successful varieties in blends. Florida 303 wheat, Florida 502
 oats, Sunland triticale, Venus barley, and Coker 86-19, a hulless oat, were chosen.
 Single, two, and three component blends of all combinations (excluding any blends
 of the two oats) were planted on an ep al eed sis at Mqrianna (Nov. 15, 1989)
 and Quincy, (Dec. 1, 1989) Florida (Tab'le).

 The 1989/90 growing season wasia particQDly good one for oats, and Florida
 502 outperformed all other pure stands and blends. However, in Quincy Florida 303
 produced the most grain, and a bleqd of florida 303 and Forida 502 outperformed
 pure 502. The performance of iVenus over the two location shows the advantages
 of blends over pure stands. At Marianna a 3244 Ib/A crop was produced, but the
 Quincy crop was hit hard by helminthosporium and gave the lowest grain yield (1524
 Ib/A) for that site. Both two way and three way blends containing Venus were much
 more stable. The stabilizing affect of blends is well illustrated by the Florida
 303/Venus blend. At Marianna where Hessian fly was the primary pest, barley made
 up 66% of the grain yield of the blend. Conversely at Quincy were helminthosporium
 was the problem only 19% of the yield by weight was barley. The barley/wheat blend
 yield for both sites was very stable, and the two location average ranked high(5).
This study will continue through the 1990/91 season in the hope of indicating the
most stable small grain blends for this area. We will also be examining the chemical
composition of the various blends.


'Zavitz, C.A. Ontario. 1927. Agr. Bull. No. 332.