EVALUATION OF FOUR PERENNIAL RYEGRASS CULTIVARS IN NEW ZEALAND

Abstract

Four perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) cultivars have been evaluated at a range of summer-autumn drought prone sites in New Zealand. Evaluation has been carried out at seven repllcated large plot grazing trials sown with clover and one trial without clover evaluated under mowing. The cultivars with a low level of lolium endophyte (Acremonium loliae) infection, Ruanui and the majority of Nui lines, have displayed poor persistence. In summer-autumn dry areas, sowing seed with a high endophyte content appears the only alternative to obtain a persistent perennial ryegrass pasture. Within the high endophyte cultivars (Yatsyn 1, Ellett and some Nui lines), Yatsyn 1 has performed consistently well in terms of long term yielding ability, indicating persistence. Keywords: Lolium perenne, endophyte (Acremonium loliae), annual yields, seasonal yields, Ruanui, Nui, Ellett, Yatsyn 1.