Ryegrasses: An Option for an Annual Forage Crop in Alaska

Abstract

Annuals are often planted for a forage crop in Alaska, often on land that is being renovated or on newly cleared land, thus providing a longer opportunity for worldng the soil before seeding a perennial. Oats (Avena sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) , sometimes seeded with a legume, are the most important annuals used for forage in Alaska. Cereals can provide a high-yield , late-summer forage crop, stored as hay or silage. Ryegrass (Lolium), another annual not now in significant use in Alaska , affords an option that merits consideration in forage programs.