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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.







Table 1. 1989/90 Feed Grain Blend Trials at Marianna and Quincy, Florida.


GRAIN YIELD Ib/A (RANK)
ENTRY / % AT PLANTING MARIANNA QUINCY 2 LOC. AVG.


100% Florida 303(wheat) 2611 (16) 3153 (1) 2882 (9)
100% Florida 502(oats) 3651 (1) 2808 (4) 3230 (1)
100% Coker 86-19(hulless oats) 2439 (19) 2175 (16) 2307 (20)
100% Sunland(triticale) 2405 (21) 2238 (15) 2322 (18)
100% Venus(barley) 3244 (9) 1524 (21) 2384 (17)
50% FL 303 50% FL 502 3421 (4) 2966 (3) 3194 (2)
50% FL 303 50% CK 86-19 2468 (18) 2588 (8) 2528 (15)
50% FL 303 50% Sunland 2736 (15) 2971 (2) 2853 (10)
50% FL 303 50% Venus 3254 (8) 2688 (5) 2971 (5)
50% FL 502 50% Sunland 3421 (4) 2683 (6) 3052 (4)
50% FL 502 50% Venus 3565 (2) 2319 (14) 2942 (6)
50% CK 86-19 50% Sunland 2439 (19) 1931 (18) 2185 (21)
50% CK 86-19 50% Venus 3081 (12) 1538 (20) 2310 (19)
50% Sunland 50% Venus 3086 (11) 2017 (17) 2552 (13)
33% FL 303 33% FL 502 33% Sunland 3292 (7) 2511 (10) 2901 (8)
33% FL 303 33% FL 502 33% Venus 3484 (3) 2683 (6) 3083 (3)
33% FL 303 CK 86-19 33% Sunland 2611 (16) 2487 (11) 2549 (14)
33% FL 303 33% CK 86-19 33% Venus 3095 (10) 2549 (9) 2822 (11)
33% FL 303 33% Sunland 33% Venus 3004 (13) 2429 (13) 2717 (12)
33% FL 502 33% Sunland 33% Venus 3407 (6) 2468 (12) 2937 (7)
33% CK 86-19 33% Sunland 33% Venus 2942 (14) 1878 (19) 2410 (16)