The Agricultural Machinery Research Centre, Massey University, undertook pasture renovation with a prototype direct drill at several North Island sites. Banded herbicide application was found to provide an effective medium term (two years) means of introducing ryegrass and clover species into browntop dominant pastures being intensively grazed. Specialist pasture species were introduced into Northland dairy pastures by band spraying and direct drilling. Wana cocksfoot and Pawera red clover were slower to establish than Nui and Ellett ryegrass. All species contributed to greater herbage dry matter production of the sward than the control and appeared to be persisting competitively. Keywords: Direct drilling, overdrilling, band spraying, winged opener, inverted T slot, pasture renewal, pasture renovation, prototype direct drill, Northland, Taranaki, Manawatu, no-tillage.
