Production Of Herbage

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 31, 11 December 1950, Page 5

Production Of Herbage

In producing short-rotation ryegrass the Grasslands Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research made a notable contribution to the farming economy of New Zealand. Since its release to farmers in 1943 short-rotation ryegrass has rapidly grown in popularity until now about 100,000 bushels of seed are produced each year, of which about three-quarters is sown within the Dominion. The Department of Agriculture considers that farmers experience with short-rotation ryegrass, together with the results of many years of experimentation, has shown that it can produce at a high level and be fairly persistent under conditions of reasonably high soil fertility, good moisture supply, and satisfactory management, by which is meant more particularly ’ the avoidance of over-grazing, especially in summer and autumn.

An article to appear in the December issue of “The New Zealand Journal of Agriculture” presents results to date from a trial with short-rotation ryegrass which has been in progress for the past eight years. The Department considers that this trial has shown two main features: —

First, short-rotation ryegrass will persist for at least eight years under sheep grazing conditions provided the management is such that the areas can be spelled periodically and fertility maintained by topdressing. /

Secondly, pastures containing appreciable quantities of short-rota- . tion ryegrass may be expected . to give consistently greater production during winter months, June to August inclusive, than those where perennial ryegrass is the dominant constituent. Though the evidence available cannot be considered conclusive, there is every indication that the yearly production of fields containing short-rotation . ryegrass will not be less than those where perennial ryegrass is dominant under conditions similar to those at Marton.