Annual and seasonal growth of ‘Grasslands 4710’ and Aberystwyth S.170 tall fescues and ‘Grasslands Ariki’ ryegrass at Lincoln and Kirwee, Canterbury

摘要

Abstract Tall fescue cultivars ‘Grasslands 4710’ and Aberystwyth S.170 were compared with ryegrasses under monthly cutting to 2.5 or 5.0 cm on a medium soil at Lincoln and under intermittent sheep grazing on a light soil at Kirwee; both experiments were in years with severe summer droughts. In the cutting experiment, results from G.4710 and S.170 tall fescues were similar after the first year of establishment, yielding 900–1700 kg/ha more dry matter per year than ‘Grasslands Ariki’ ryegrass. The most consistent difference was higher yield in summer. In the grazing experiment yields from G.4710 tall fescue and Ariki ryegrass pastures were similar but lower than from ‘Grasslands Ruanui’ or ‘Grasslands Nui’ pastures. Under close grazing by sheep, G.4710 and Ariki did not persist after the second summer's drought.