Annual Fescue

• 'Zorro' is commercially available cultivar
• Winter-annual grass
• Introduced from Europe; foxtail fescue is naturalized in the western states; rattail fescue is naturalized in much of the U.S.
• About 23" tall or less.
• Biomass about 6,000-8,000 lb/acre
• Needs little water to produce seed
• Managed without tillage
• Flowers March-June
• Prone to lodging
• Grown as an annual cover crop in low-fertility orchards and vineyards
• Compatible in mixes with winter-annual clovers and medics
• Annual fescue is often included in a separate genus, Vulpia

Common Name

Foxtail fescue is included among several annual Festuca spp. that volunteer in various parts of California (Munz, 1973).

Scientific Name

'Zorro' annual fescue has been variously considered a form of foxtail fescue, Festuca megalura Nutt. (Miller et al., 1989), of rattail fescue, Festuca myuros L. (formerly Vulpia myuros) (Slayback, pers. comm.), or Vulpia myuros (L.) var. hirsuta Hackel (Plant Materials: Grow Vulpia; Hickman, ed. 1993). Slayback (pers. comm.) says that some consider Vulpia a synonym for Festuca, but that others maintain that the former term denotes annual species whereas the latter should be reserved for perennial forms. According to an S.C.S. in-house technical note (Plant Materials: Grow Vulpia), Vulpia myuros now comprises two varieties, one of which, Vulpia myuros var. myuros, subsumes Festuca megalura as a synonym.

Cultivar

Rattail fescue was probably introduced inadvertently into California during the Mission period (SCS, 1977). Cv 'Zorro' was cooperatively released by the Soil Conservation Service and the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 1977 with commercial seed made available in 1978 (SCS, 1977).

Seed Description

On the average, there are about 993,700 seeds/lb. (SCS, 1977).

Seedling Description

Seedlings of 'Zorro' rattail fescue have excellent vigor (SCS, 1977).

Mature Plant Description

This is an aggressive, early-maturing, cool-season annual grass that attains a height of from 20-60 cm. Sheaths and blades are smooth with narrow panicles, 7-20 cm. long. Spikelets are 4-5 flowered, 10-30 mm. long; glumes smooth, unequal, about 3-10 mm. long; lemmas 4-6 mm. long, scabrous and ciliate on upper half; awns are scabrous, 10-20 mm. long (SCS, 1977).

Temperature

'Zorro' fescue is viable in California to an altitude of 4,500 ft (1,365 m) and should be sown between October 1 and November 15 (SCS, 1977), suggesting moderate cold tolerance.

Geographic Range

Foxtail fescue is naturalized from British Columbia to Baja California and is common in the Coast Ranges of California east to Montana and Arizona (Hitchcock, 1971). Rattail fescue, introduced from Europe, is found on open ground on the coastal plain from Massachusetts to Texas; also found in Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, Mexico, and South America. On the Pacific Coast, it ranges from Washington to southern California (Hitchcock, 1971). In California, it has persisted on sites up to 1365 m. (4500 ft.) (SCS, 1977; Hitchcock, A.S. 1971).

Water

This is a drought-tolerant grass that will persist given a minimum annual precipitation of 25 cm. (10 in.), or in areas receiving extra run-off or some supplemental irrigation. (SCS, 1977).

Nutrients

This grass will grow on infertile sites. Applying about 40 lbs of nitrogen per acre during seeding (October-November) will promote growth and quick cover. This rate of application can be repeated during alternate years to maintain healthy self-reseeding, erosion-resistant stands (SCS, 1977).

Soil pH

This grass tolerates highly-acidic sedimentary soils and mine spoils (pH 4.5) (SCS, 1977). It has a wide pH range (Slayback).

Soil Type

This grass establishes better on shallow, poor, and droughty soils than does `Blando` brome (SCS, 1977).

Shade Tolerance

'Zorro' fescue is suitable as a cover crop in almond orchards (SCS, 1977), suggesting some shade tolerance.

Salinity Tolerance

We found no information on salinity tolerance of 'Zorro' fescue.

Herbicide Sensitivity

This grass is readily controlled by several herbicides, which can be used to prevent its becoming a troublesome weed (SCS, 1977).

Life Cycle

This is an aggressive, early-maturing, cool-season annual grass (SCS, 1977). Sowing of cv 'Zorro' should be between October 1 and November 15 (SCS, 1977). Flowering of Vulpia myuros occurs from March through May (Munz, 1973), with maturation occurring from April through May (Bugg, pers. comm.). Day length sensitive, so flowers about the same time each year for a given location.

Seeding Rate

For seeding of critical or wildlife areas, this species can be broadcast at 12 lbs/acre or hydroseeded at 6 lbs/acre. For use as a cover crop, it should be broadcast at 10 lbs/acre, or drilled at 6 lbs/acre (SCS, 1977). Miller et al. (1989) recommend that as a cover crop it be seeded at 10 to 15 lbs/acre.

Seeding Depth

Cv 'Zorro' should be sown at a depth of 0.5-1.0 inch (SCS, 1977).

Seeding Method

Seed can be drilled or broadcast, but because of seed shape and size, the grains tend to stick together. Rice hulls or a good agitator in drills will prevent "bridging over" and insure proper spacing of seed. Good seedling and early growth make 'Zorro' an excellent choice for obtaining prompt initial erosion control cover with minimal seedbed preparation. Loosening the soil surface before seeding and covering lightly produces the best stands. In hydroseeding, seed, fertilizer, and mulch-fiber can be applied in one operation. Best establishment occurs, however, when the seed is in contact with soil. On steep, erodible slopes, 2 tons of straw per acre, applied and anchored following seeding and fertilizing operations, facilitates establishment. Hydromulching could be used, but provides less protection from erosion (SCS, 1977).

Seeding Dates

Optimum time for seeding is between October 1 and November 15 (SCS, 1977). This may be a problem along the coast; rainfall and no fog can cause problems. We've been looking at December 1 to January 1 (Faber pers. comm.).

Inoculation

This is a grass and requires no inoculation.

Seed Cost

Seed is relatively inexpensive (Bugg, pers. comm.). In 1992, 'Zorro' Fescue was $7.50 per lb (Thomas, pers. comm.).

Seed Availability

Seed is readily available from companies dealing in cover crop seed.

Days to Flowering

Vulpia myuros flowers from March through May (Munz, 1973), suggesting a four- to five- month elapsed time between seeding and flowering (Bugg, pers. comm.).

Days to Maturity

Flowering occurs from April through June for Festuca megalura and from March through May for F. myuros. This grass is earlier maturing than most grasses which helps ensure annual regeneration of stands (SCS, 1977).

Seed Production

400-800 lb./ac. seed production (SCS, 1977).

Seed Storage

No information was available on seed storage of cv 'Zorro.'

Growth Habit

This is an aggressive annual grass (SCS, 1977), with a tendency to lodge (Bugg, personal observation). Lodging can be beneficial from a cover crop standpoint since less mowing is required.

Maximum Height

In a replicated study (r=4) at the Blue Heron Vineyard (Fetzer Vineyards), Hopland, Mendocino County, California, May 2, 1991, cv 'Zorro' attained a height of 60.3+/-12.6 (cm, Mean +/- S.E.M.). (Bugg et al., 1996).

Root System

Cv 'Zorro' has "an excellent fibrous root system" (SCS, 1977).

Establishment

Vulpia myuros tolerates shallow, infertile soils, and requires an annual precipitation of at least 25 cm. Best establishment occurs with good seed-soil contact, but hydroseeding with seed, fertilizer, and mulch can lead to establishment (SCS, 1977).

Maintenance

Foxtail fescue is an early colonizer of disturbed and infertile sites. If sites improve, this species will be supplanted by taller and later-successional plants. Mowing or grazing can be used to maintain foxtail fescue stands against such species. (SCS, 1977).

Mowing

Timing of mowing is critical in maintaining stands of foxtail fescue. It can be mowed frequently until seed development has been initiated, but it should not be cut thereafter until full maturation has occurred (SCS, 1977). Otherwise, plants will be killed without seed having been produced to ensure stand regeneration.

Incorporation

Vulpia myuros is usually managed without tillage, so incorporation is not an issue (Bugg, pers. comm.).

Harvesting

No information was available on harvesting cv 'Zorro.'

Equipment

No information was available on harvesting cv 'Zorro.'

Uses

'Zorro' fescue has excellent application in erosion control because of its fibrous root system that provides soil stabilization on disturbed areas. It will provide initial erosion control and as soil fertility improves will allow later-successional species to invade (SCS, 1977).

It is a self-reseeding grass suitable for orchard and vineyard floors (Miller et al., 1989). It is a good cover crop in almonds where its short stature is an asset because it necessitates few mowings. It increases water penetration in problem soils and is self-perpetuating. In comparison trials, it took more abuse than `Blando` brome and produced less residue (SCS, 1977).

In spring, it provides food, nesting site, and cover for wildlife (SCS, 1977).

Foxtail fescue and rattail fescue have little value as forage (Fischer et al., 1978).

Meyer et al. (1992) found that understory rattail fescue led to about 42% death of young peach trees in North Carolina, compared to 0 for bare ground nimblewill or Bahia grass and about 35% for soft chess.

Mixtures

Cv 'Zorro' is sometimes used in mixtures with annual clovers, such as crimson, rose, and subterranean clovers, in orchards (Bugg, pers. comm.). John H. Anderson (pers. comm.) believes that Vulpia myuros competes excessively with first-year native perennial grasses, at least on infertile red gravel soils.

Biomass

In a replicated trial (r=4) at the Blue Heron Vineyard (Fetzer Vineyards), Hopland, Mendocino County, California, May, 1991 total above-ground biomass (dry, cover crop + weeds) was measured as 8.3+/-0.9 Mg/ha (Mean +/- S.E.M.) (Bugg et al., 1996).

N Contribution

This grass does not fix nitrogen, and no information was available on the N content of cv 'Zorro.'

Non-N Nutrient Contribution

No information was available on the non-N nutrient contribution of cv 'Zorro.'

Effects on Water

Cv 'Zorro' can lead to improved permeability of orchard soils (SCS, 1977).

Effects on Microclimate

No information was available on the the microclimatic effects of of cv 'Zorro.'

Effects on Soil

Cv 'Zorro' can be used to stabilize erodible sites and leads to improved permeability of orchard soils (SCS, 1977).

Effects on Livestock

Cv 'Zorro' is apparently of little value as a forage plant (Bugg, pers. comm.)

Effects on Workers

Cv 'Zorro' produces little residue (SCS, 1977) and probably interferes little with orchard or vineyard workers (Bugg, pers. comm.)

Pest Effects, Insects

Cv 'Zorro' apparently harbors few beneficial insects of interest to agriculture (Bugg, pers. comm.)

Pest Effects, Nematodes

No information was available on the nematodes associated with cv 'Zorro.' Given its winter growth period and early maturation, nematodes are probably not much of an issue under normal cultural practices (Bugg, pers. comm.).

Pest Effects, Diseases

No information was available on the pathogens associated with cv 'Zorro.'

Pest Effects, Weeds

In a replicated study (r=4) at Blue Heron Vineyard (Fetzer Vineyards), Hopland, Mendocino County, California, cover crops were seeded in late October, 1990, and biomass harvest was on May 15-16, 1991. Dominant winter annual weeds were chickweed, shepherdspurse, rattail fescue, and annual ryegrass. Based on visual estimation, 'Zorro' fescue provided vegetational cover of 93.7+/-3.7 % (Mean +/- S.E.M.). Total winter weed biomass in plots with 'Zorro' was 0.8+/-0.4 Mg/ha, Mean +/- S.E.M., which was only 16% as much weed biomass as that observed in control plots (Bugg et al., 1996).

Pest Effects, Vertebrates

According to the SCS (1977), cv 'Zorro' provides early green growth that is of some value for wildlife food, nesting, and cover in the spring.

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