Better and more on the herbage list

8 May 1998




Better and more on the herbage list

NEW varieties on NIABs 1998/99 herbage recommended list, the highest number for five years, show better quality and yield, according to head of grass and forage trials, Jim McVittie.

"We have seen some high quality early and intermediate perennials added, and some high-yielding later varieties," he explains. Twelve new varieties join this years list, selected from 42 considered for recommendation.

Early varieties added to the provisionally recommended category include Donard and Session. "These are both very promising – showing early spring growth but good mid-season digestibility."

"Donard, a diploid, is particularly good compared with its older contemporaries. It has over 1% unit better mid-season digestibility than Moy – which was the best variety in this class – and very good early spring growth."

Session – a tetraploid early perennial – also has very good early spring growth and mid-season digestibility, says Dr McVittie.

New to the intermediate class are Abergold, Tireno, Premium, and the tetraploid Magician.

Abergold has very good ground cover and mid-season digestibility – giving average annual yields with good quality. "It looks as if it is slightly better than Glen, the best intermediate at the moment," says Dr McVittie. It shows good resistance to mildew but is slightly susceptible to winter damage.

Magician is a borderline intermediate/early, showing exceptionally good early spring growth. "It has better spring growth than the earlies, but, unfortunately, is moderately susceptible to crown rust."

High yields are offered by the three late perennials on the new list – Sponsor, Cancan, and Abercraigs – but all have slightly lower mid-season digestibility.

The only new Italian variety added to the list, Ligrande, is very high yielding in its second year. "It producers 3% more than any other variety in the second year.

has better ground cover than other diploids, and has all round good disease resistance, he says of this German bred variety which will be available from Nickerson Seeds.

NEW VARIETY TRENDS

&#8226 Earlies/intermediates good digestibility.

&#8226 High yielding lates, but lower D-value.

&#8226 Some with good disease resistance.

NEW VARIETY TRENDS

&#8226 Earlies/intermediates good digestibility.

&#8226 High yielding lates, but lower D-value.

&#8226 Some with good disease resistance.


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