Teff grass hay shows promise

Peggy Steward
Capital Press Staff Writer

April 20, 2007

Researchers in Oregon and Washington say teff, an annual grass native to Northern Africa , could be a promising rotation crop in the Northwest. Teff grass also holds promise as a niche horse hay and as a "rescue crop," the researchers say.

Teff grass is native to Ethiopia , where its grain is used for making bread and a beer-like beverage, said Rich Roseberg, Oregon State University professor at the Klamath Experiment Station in Klamath Falls .

Researchers first began to look at teff grass for forage at the Klamath Basin station in 2003, Roseberg said in a telephone interview. By 2005, trials included nitrogen and irrigation requirements in OSU stations in Klamath, Medford and Ontario . Last year, field trials were also conducted by Washington State University Extension in the Columbia Basin , near Othello.

Last year, six varieties were tested at the different test sites, and forage yields ranged from 5 to 6 tons per acre with two cuttings, said John Kugler, WSU Extension, who conducted the Columbia Basin trials.

In each location, seed was planted in early June, with first cutting in late July to early August. Second cutting was in September.

"Teff is a fine-leaf grass that has a sweet smell and taste and appears to be very palatable to horses," Kugler said. Its nutrient value is similar to headed-out orchard grass, he said.

Teff could be an option in several scenarios, Kugler said. For example, a grower with a declining alfalfa stand could take one cutting of alfalfa, then follow with teff for the rest of the season. It could be also used to follow a short-season crop like fresh peas.

It could also work as a "rescue crop," said Steve Norberg, field crops agent at OSU's Malheur Agricultural Experiment Station in Ontario .

Teff could be planted after another crop was cold-killed or was determined to be a weak stand. It could also be an option for farmers faced with low irrigation water supplies late in the season, Norberg said.

Teff is relatively inexpensive to plant - at 5 to 6 pounds per acre and about $3 per pound, the per-acre cost is less than $20, Kugler said. And trials indicate the crop requires relatively little nitrogen - about 50 units after planting and after each cutting, he said.

Generally, teff grows about 2 1/2 feet tall and is easy to put up, but under circles or in strong wind, it can lodge, Kugler said. Roseberg recommended cutting it in the boot stage, before much has headed out, for best quality. He also recommended leaving at least 3-inch stubble to aid regrowth for subsequent cuttings.

The crop is a warm-season grass and susceptible to cold, so it must be planted late, likely around mid-May in the Columbia Basin or the first part of June in cooler areas, the researchers said.

WSU entomologists have found that in the greenhouse, teff appears to be a host for the Columbia root knot nematode that attacks potatoes, Kugler said.

"If this holds true in the field, teff may not be a good choice if the land has a history of this nematode and potatoes are in the rotation," Kugler said.

In Southern and Eastern Oregon , teff acreage is limited, but Kugler said about 5,000 acres of teff grass were planted last year in the Columbia Basin . He said most was put up as three-tie horse hay for feedstores.

Peggy Steward is based in Ellensburg, Wash. Her e-mail address is psteward@capitalpress.com.