INDUSTRY TRENDS
Sports Field Management Trends : Part 3
Photo provided by DLF North America
In an effort to keep the pulse of the industry , SportsField Management recently reached out to industry professionals for their insights regarding current trends in the industry . For Part 3 of our coverage , we delve more deeply into the topic of the seed market . The following is expert insight regarding seed trends , current challenges , and projections for the coming year :
Pratum Seed Companies ( Mountain View Seeds , and Landmark Seed )
Many are aware that 2020 brought a host of challenges to the Oregon seed industry . A gray-tailed vole endemic was followed up by wildfires in September and an ice storm in February 2021 . This left many looking forward to 2021 and a new season . It didn ’ t take long to realize that 2021 would have its own unique challenges . Fields that were struggling to recover from voles had to endure a dry spring , which limited spring growth and nitrogen uptake . This was followed up by the hottest June and July on record , including a 117-degree record high in Salem at the end of June . This saw yields being reduced 10 to 50 percent depending on the crop , soil types , and availability of irrigation .
The drought and heat reduced yields outside of Oregon ’ s Willamette Valley as well . Irrigation limited losses for much of the Kentucky bluegrass crop in the Columbia Basin of Washington and eastern Oregon , but
dryland production areas were severely impacted and saw total crop losses in some fields . The Peace Region of Alberta realized yields one-third of normal , adding to losses of the fine fescue crop from Oregon , and Manitoba estimates perennial ryegrass and tall fescue crops were down 60 percent . Minnesota didn ’ t escape unscathed , and estimates a loss of 20 percent or more on perennial ryegrass due to heat and drought stress .
We expect pressures on the supply chain to continue in 2022 . High pricing on commodity crops has limited
Photo by Jonathan at Pratum Seed Companies
24 SportsField Management | December 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com