The period of under-sowing pastures coincides with summer crop paddocks being fed off and replaced with new pastures. To achieve the best outcomes for pasture performance, detailed early planning is critical, including identifying paddocks that need restoring and the process that needs to be followed.
Pasture paddocks with large areas of under-sowing consider which ryegrass type and cultivar is most suitable to that paddock, questions to consider include pest pressure, expected longevity and cool season versus warm season production. Short lived, winter active ryegrasses promote late autumn, winter and early spring growth. Examples include the newly released Abuzz annual ryegrass, Lush Italian ryegrass and Palliser long-rotation ryegrass.
Undersowing offers a cheaper and quicker solution than going through a full re-grassing programme, providing farmers with a short-term solution to increase their pasture supply needs.
There are several key factors to consider when undersowing pastures this autumn.
- Graze paddocks hard to open up the sward and provide sufficient light and space for emerging seedlings to thrive.
- Ensure you use treated seed (e.g. Superstrike®) to protect against autumn active pasture pests such as black beetle and grass grub.
- In areas of high insect pressure select an endophytic ryegrass (e.g. AR37 or AR128) that will provide the right level of insect protection.
- Monitor for slugs and apply slug bait as necessary as undersown pastures provide the perfect environment for slugs to survive.
- Use a fertiliser containing both nitrogen and phosphorus at drilling – phosphorus is important for root development and nitrogen helps promote early tillering.
- For paddocks with severe damage or high populations of invasive weeds, spray out and go through a full re-grassing programme.
When it comes to sowing date, earlier is generally better, provided there is enough soil moisture. If sowing is delayed into late autumn, there is a risk that ryegrass seedlings can be outcompeted by more vigorous weed species. In these situations, Abuzz annual and Lush AR37 tetraploid Italian ryegrass offer a much stronger cool-season growth than perennial ryegrasses, making them a better choice for later sowings.
For farmers looking for a longer-term solution with more flexibility around cropping rotations, consider using Palliser tetraploid long rotation ryegrass. A recent addition to the hybrid market, Palliser retains the traditional benefits of hybrid ryegrasses, but due to its late flowering, reduced summer seed head presence and strong rust resistance, Palliser offers exceptional summer feed quality.
This autumn Palliser is available in AR128 (the replacement for the long-standing AR37 endophyte) as well as AR1 endophyte.
For personalised advice about your autumn re-grassing decisions contact your local Farm Source TSR.
Article supplied by PGG Wrightson Seeds
