Grass Species - Definitions

 

Grass Species - Definitions

 

MAJOR SPECIES

Italian Ryegrass

  • short lived, low quality, long growing season, very high yields, good after cut recovery.

Perennial Ryegrass

  • long lived, high quality, high yields, good sward density, large choice of varieties.

Hybrid Ryegrass (Italian x Perennial)

  • a combination of qualities

White Clover

  • persistent nitrogen fixing legume, dense growth habit with creeping stolons

MINOR SPECIES

Westerwolds

  • high yielding low quality annual grass.

Cocksfoot

  • low quality grass with extreme drought tolerance.

Festulolium (Ryegrass x Fescue)

  • new hybrid just introduced into the UK
  • high yields, persistent, stress tolerant, good quality available

Timothy

  • cold/wet tolerant grass with good recovery from poaching but poor resistance to hard grazing

Red Clover

  • short lived nitrogen fixing legume, erect growth habit, long tap root

TETRAPLOID vs DIPLOID

  • All Ryegrass sub divided into Diploids & Tetraploids
  • Tetraploids have twice the number of chromosomes
  • Tetraploids are deeper rooting
  • Tetraploids have larger leaves
  • Tetraploids have a higher moisture content
  • Tetraploids have a more erect growth habit
  • Tetraploids are higher in sugar

NIAB Daybrook Annual Yield

Seasonal Growth

Relative Heading Dates

 
 
 
 

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