Browse Varieties

R2

• Name: R2
• Category: Annual Ryegrass
• Rainfall: 400mm-750mm+
• pH: 4.8-8
• Maturity: Mid
• Soil Type: Most types
• Sowing Rate: 25 – 30kg/ha (Pure) 15 – 20 kg/ha (Mixes) R2, with an open crown and large wide leaves is ideally suited to companion legumes such as Zulu II Arrowleaf, Laser Persian and Bolta Balansa Clover.
• Pest Resistance: R2 generally has no issues with insect pests, but monitoring new stands for RLEM, LF, Cockchafer, Snails and Slugs is crucial. Consult your agronomist and control where necessary.
• PBR R2 has been granted protection under PBR. Unauthorised commercial propagation or any sale, conditioning, export, import or stocking of propagating material of this variety is an infringement under the Plant Breeder’s Rights Act 1994.
• Features:

  Key Features

  • Mid flowering tetraploid ryegrass
  • Exceptional winter growth & vigour
  • Suited for winter grazing, silage & hay production
  • Improved production levels throughout Autumn, Winter & Spring
  • Suitable as a straight or ideally with annual clover mixes
  • Product release 2011

  Key Benefits

  • Has been trialled & benchmarked against leading varieties with first year results showing R2 to be one of the highest dry matter producing variety across Southern Australia
  • The strong establishment and winter/early spring growth of R2 combined with it’s mid late maturity makes it an option across a wide range of rainfall zones
  • Ideal for prime lamb and beef production
  • Outclasses Tetila, Robust and Drummer
• Performance:

  R2, as a new release, has performed well in the field.  Early results show good winter production and great early feed.  All Seedmark trials are cut with a forage harvester and sub samples taken for true forage analysis.  R2 performs well in most zones, especially where winter and early spring feed is required to get stock up to selling specifications.
   
  R2 has exceptional feed value, especially important for lamb operations where small animals can only eat so much per day, and it is critical that every bite contains as much energy as possible.  Feedtest data from R2 plots ready for grazing shows 14.2% Crude Protein, 37.7% NDF, DMD 82 and 12.5 MjME.

• Disease Resistance/Tolerance:

  R2 has standard ryegrass disease resistance and tolerance.

• Variety Management/Agronomy:

  R2 is a vigourous plant that can be sown alone, sown in a mix or under sown with good results.

  Establishment: It is recommended to sow in autumn or spring into a moist, fine seed bed free of broadleaf weeds and other grasses and at a depth of 1-2cm. Can also be direct drill into bare ground or over sown into existing run–down pasture using the correct sowing equipment.  Good seed placement is ideal, and being a tetraploid (large seeded) its suggested seeding rates are kept up to maxmise plant population.

  Fertilizer: Establishment – Confirm with a soil test, but some starter N plus phosphorus Eg 75-100kg/ha MAP or MAP+S, would be ideal. Maintenance -Topdressing with 40 -50kg/ha of Nitrogen after each grazing or cut, and maintenance of P ( ~ 8kg/ha) & K  (~25kg/ha). Correct trace element deficiencies as required based on soil and plant tissue tests.

  Grazing: For new sown pastures avoid grazing while plants may be pulled out or paddock is susceptible to pugging. Once established, rotational graze with grazing intervals of 21 -30 days between grazing, depending on climatic conditions. These ryegrasses perform best when stock introduced at 3 leaf and removed at ½ leaf stage.

  Weed Control: Appropriate weed control strategies should be used. For best results select a paddock that has just been in crop with a suitable seedbed. Spray graze techniques using MCPA and Trifolamine, provide opportunities for good broadleaf weed control. Also selective herbicides for both broadleaf are available and useful, for more effective weed control consult your local agronomist for more information and recommendations.