Exciting new perennial ryegrass options

Three⁶⁰, like its predecessor ONE⁵⁰ is a late heading, high performing diploid perennial. With a heading date of +20, Three⁶⁰ holds quality well into late spring, supporting peak lactation for a longer period. Paired with its extremely low aftermath seedhead, Three⁶⁰ will return to a leafy state quickly resulting in quality pasture for summer and autumn. Thus making it useful for autumn calving systems as well.

Three⁶⁰ is the result of a cross created from three family groups that have been screened and selected over many years for their performance in Northland, Waikato, Palmerston North, and Canterbury. This broad selection process has created a perennial ryegrass that is highly resilient and offers excellent crown rust tolerance.

Selecting the right endophyte is a vital component for persistency. AR37 endophyte provides exceptional insect protection and, as a result, Three⁶⁰ AR37 has demonstrated excellent persistence in the Waikato, even under challenging conditions and high insect pressure.

Diploid ryegrasses typically produce more tillers per plant than tetraploids, making them more tolerant to pugging and overgrazing¹. Three⁶⁰ diploid perennial ryegrass has a fine yet dense tillering habit, creating a more resilient pasture.

However, research shows that tetraploid ryegrasses can increase intake by about 3% due to their greater palatability². They’ve also been shown to boost milk solid production by up to 7% through increased metabolisable energy³.

In the past, tetraploid ryegrasses were typically less robust and required more careful management. But Agricom’s new tetraploid perennial ryegrass Align, with AR37 endophyte, is changing the game on tetraploids. Align is Agricom’s smartest grass yet, characterised by dense, highly tillered leafy plants. With a late heading date, it offers the ultimate combination of resilience and quality. Align’s ability to remain dense during periods when tetraploids are typically vulnerable (such as in wet soils during winter and early spring) sets it apart. Additionally, its strong ability to remain in a vegetative state through summer, combined low aftermath seedhead and exceptional rust tolerance places Align in a league of its own.

Given that both Three⁶⁰ diploid perennial and Align tetraploid perennial are late heading grasses with low aftermath seedhead make them ideal varieties for mixing. Any farmer looking to maximise their pasture quality, resilience and intake through combining a tetraploid and a diploid should consider mixing these two leading varieties.