PEDIGREE PASTURE STRAINS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The main reason for the committee asking me for this paper was to hear some information on Grasslands Division's new longrotation ryegrass. At the outset let me say that although this new strain is still at the field testing and early seed multiplication stage, I am sure that in it New Zealand has another outstanding string to its agricultural bow. This ryegrass strain has been developed over the past 15 years or so by appropriate crosses between perennial and short-rotation ryegrass, with the selection emphasis towards the dense perennial ryegrass type of plant. In other words the effort has been to develop a perennial ryegrass with more palatability and with more winter growth than the true perennial. It is the final step in Sir Bruce Levy's concept of a series of true New Zealand ryegrass strains, from the Western Wolths, Italian, and true perennial to the rotation types suitable for different farming systems. These have all now been produced largely by the genius and painstaking green fingers of Dr Corkill and his team, which team is now led by his protege Dr Barclay. To me it is a classic example of how great a contribution to agriculture can be made by a small group of very high quality scientists provided with good assistance and facilities and knowing what they are looking for. Dr Corkill will, however, agree that the associated pasture and chemical studies at Grasslands, Plant Chemistry Division, and other research centres, and by extension workers and farms throughout the country, have all added their more indirect help, even if only in defining merits and demerits of the various models, and thus in assisting the plant breeder in his clarification of breeding objectives.