Browse Varieties

Landmaster

• Name: Landmaster
• Category: Phalaris
• Rainfall: 450mm+
• pH: 4.2–8.5
• Soil Type: Landmaster is adapted to a wide range of soil types, especially shallow acid soils with low fertility ranging in soil
• Inoculant: 3-5 kg/ha (Pure) 2-3 kg/ha (Mixes)
• Pest Resistance: Phalaris pastures can be seriously damaged by Blue Oat Mite (Penthaleus major), Red Legged Earth Mite (Halotydeus destructor), Field Crickets (Teleogryllus commodus), Pasture Scarabs (Seriecsthis spp.), Slugs and Snails. Appropriate management of these insects is vital for successful stands, particularly during the establishment period
• PBR Landmaster 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. Seedmark (Seed Technology and Marketing) has an exclusive licence for the production and marketing of Landmaster.
• Features:

  Key Features

  • Semi erect to erect, winter active variety
  • Adapted to shallow acid soils with low fertility
  • Strong seedling vigour – equal to Holdfast
  • High winter forage production
  • Reduces recharge and helps prevent dryland salinity

  Key Benefits

  • Landmaster is renowned for its ability to grow in more highly acidic, less fertile conditions compared with other Phalaris varieties currently available. It has been shown to have better persistence than Cocksfoot in low fertility soils, particularly during droughts
  • Landmaster has a moderate level of summer dormancy so it can respond to summer rainfall, potentially providing green feed all year round
• Disease Resistance/Tolerance:

  Disease issues are very rare amongst established stands of Phalaris.

• Variety Management/Agronomy:

  Grazing of newly sown pasture should be avoided until plants have become established. Grazing prior to effective establishment can cause plants to be pulled out, reducing the population and pasture performance. Many older Phalaris varieties have high levels of alkaloids which can cause Phalaris Toxicity (Phalaris staggers). New varieties such as Landmaster contain low alkaloid levels in the leaves and therefore provide a safer grazing alternative. However, in areas prone to Phalaris Toxicity plants should be grazed cautiously in the autumn and early winter. Landmaster can be grown with other legume or grass species to help reduce the risk of illness in livestock. Phalaris Toxicity can affect sheep that are grazing on fresh growth of Phalaris at the break. Stock are at the greatest risk when grazing short, frosted plants, which mainly occurs during the autumn or early winter period. To counter the potential problem, Cobalt bullets can be orally administered or by ensuring stock are not hungry when introduced to lush, green feed. The greatest risk to animals is when they are able to ingest a high level of herbage in a short period of time. Toxicity levels in the plant increases if plants are subject to stresses such as drought and frost.

  Once stands are established it is recommended that you follow the points below to maximise the benefits and persistence from your Phalaris stands:

  • Lime acid surface soils if CaCl2 extractable Al is 8+ppm
  • Sow Landmaster rather than any other cultivar if Al is marginal
  • Apply superphosphate if Olsen P is 8ppm or less
  • Graze winter active cultivars rotationally with 4–6 week spells in autumn–winter
  • Set stock in spring
  • Do not heavily graze new stems from summer regrowth
  • Clean up stem residues in summer to increase clover germination and growth
  • Do not graze too hard or too often after stem growth starts in spring, especially in a dry year.