Turning Australia
Back to GrassI
Bare Seed verses Coated - the facts & the myths
Super-Brew Pasture Blends
How much seed are you actually purchasing?Bare seed; 1kg purchased = 1kg of seedCoated Seed: 1kg purchased = 200 to 300 grams of seed. (Depending on the variety)
Will coated seed protect against ants?No, in fact most coated grass seed on the market is only treated with an insecticide on request. The coating by itself will not protect against ants, so ensure the seed you are purchasing is treated for ants.
Is there a place for coated seed in the market?Yes, coated seed provides an option for those who do not have access to the specialised planting equipment required for fluffy pasture seed. The weight of coated seed also gives it improved ballistic qualities.
Do you have to increase the planting rate of coated seed?Yes, ignore the fancy marketing; planting pasture seed is a numbers game so the more viable seeds per square metre the better. Establishment failures of coated pasture seed are rarely due to the coat, generally the planting rate has been to light.
Will fertiliser in the seed coat help with seedling development?No, it is not possible to place enough of the major elements into the coat to assist the seedling.
Illing Pastures provides our customers with the option of both bare seed and our flowcote (tm) coated seed.
The “Super-Brew” pasture blends have been put together from specially selected cultivars of grasses, and can be customised to suit your requirement.
A. All the selected species have varying maturity times through the main growing season, giving a wide window of peak nutrition.
B. This blend has an adaptability to a wide range of soils, from the best of brigalow scrub soils through to bulloak sands.
C. All of the grasses in this blend are kind to the soil. ie. They do not tie up nutrients in the root system as some grasses do.
D. All the grasses in the “Super-Brew” pasture blends are “drought hardy” and are performing well in Western Queensland and Northern and Western New South Wales.
Bisset Creeping Bluegrass
Strickland - Digitaria Milanjiana
Creeping Bluegrass is a warm season perennial growing to about 1.5 metres tall. It is leafy, late flowering and will grow into early winter until cut by frost.
FLOWERING:Creeping Blue is late maturing grass, the first seed heads emerge in mid-April in north Queensland, but are delayed until early in the following spring in Southern Queensland. Produces high quality feed right up until the first frost.
Strickland (Digitaria Milanjiana) is a perennial, stoloniferous summer growing grass adapted to a range of soils but finding special application on light and medium textured soils.
Strickland is blue green in appearance, produces runners to 2.5m long in a wet season, foliage to 70cm and flowering stems to 3m. Seeds are small, approximately 2 million per kg.
Strickland is a drought tolerant grass species. It has been successfully trialled in central and north coast New South Wales, southern inland Queensland, coastal southern Queensland, sub coastal north Queensland and the top end of the Northern Territory.
IMPORTANT FEATURES:• Vigorous, spreading growth habit: Strickland is a vigorous perennial that will grow up to 1.3m high if left ungrazed. As well
as spreading by stolons it is also a prolific seeder.
• Drought tolerant: Once established, Strickland pastures can survive prolonged periods of drought.
• Waterlogging: It will withstand waterlogging but not prolonged flooding.
• Very low phosphate requirement: Strickland will remain productive on soils with very low phosphate levels. This has been
demonstrated by its persistence for more than 10 years in the Roma and Augathella districts.
• Palatability: Strickland is palatable to all types of stock, particularly in the early stages of growth.
• Long term pasture: Strickland persists well under heavy grazing despite being palatable to stock.
• Stricklandisamid-seasonmaturinggrassandcombineswellwithothergrassesinthesuper-brewpastureblend.
• Kindtosoilsoflowfertility.
• Persistswithlowsoilnitrogen
• Hardy
• Droughtresistant
• Growsonawiderangeofsoils
• Easytoestablish
• Respondstofertiliser
• Spreadsbyseedandcreepingstolons
• Rootsdownreadily
• Quicklycoversbareground
• Valuablegrassforsoilconservation
• Resistsweedinvasion
• Palatableandnutritious
• Withstandsheavygrazing
• Lateflowering
• Greenleafyfeedintolateautumn
• Tolerantoffire
GrazingFinecutRhodesGrassisanewcultivarbredprimarilyforimprovedgrazingandhayproduction.Basedonfloweringrecordsandvisualassessments(leafiness,stemdiameter,diseaseresistance,productivity).FinecutRhodesGrasswasbredfromKatamboratypes.Description:FinecutRhodesGrass isa leafyextremelyfinestemmed,earlyfloweringdiploidcultivarwithimproveddrymatterproduction(TrialshaveshownFinecutyieldingupto23%moredrymatterthanKatambora).FinecutRhodesGrassisasummergrowing grass which spreads rapidly to form a dense mat over the ground. Because of its strong creeping habit it binds the soil and isverygoodforcontrollingsoilerosion.FinecutRhodesGrassisadaptedtoawiderangeofsoilsfromlightsandysoilstoheavytexturesoils.OneofthemainattributesofFinecutRhodesGrassisitsabilitytotoleratesaltyconditionscomparedwithothergrasses.
Hay ProductionPaddocks that are level (no depressions for water to lie) and free of sticks and stones are best suited for hay production. It is also important to check the paddock history to ensure that no damaging residual chemicals are present. Finecut is suited to a wide range of soil types from light sand to medium textured clay. A paddock with a uniform soil type across it is preferred for ease of crop management.Once a suitable paddock has been selected first consideration should be given to potential weed problems. Finecut will establish veryquicklyandcompeteaggressivelywithmostweeds,however it isalwayspreferable tostartwithacleanpaddock.Grassweeds are of most concern, as they cannot be selectively sprayed post planting. While not desirable, most broadleaf weeds can be controlled post planting. The ideal seedbed for Finecut is fine and firm. The seed is very small and will establish best in a well-prepared seedbed.
PlantingThe planting rate should be 6 – 8 kg/hectare for bare seed and 15 – 18 kg/hectare for coated seed. Finecut seeds are very small and will not establish effectively if sown too deep. It is best to sow the seed on to the soil surface. It is preferable to sow the seed onto dry soil and water it up. Once sown, the paddock should be given frequent light watering until the seedlings have all emerged. It is important that the soil surface does not dry out until the seedlings emerge (this should take approximately 7 to 10 days).
FertiliserAs with all grasses, Finecut will respond well to Nitrogen (N) applications. Depending on soil type and paddock history the addition ofphosphorus(P)andpotassium(K)willalsoberequired.Typically200kg/hectareofNPKstarterfertiliserisappliedaroundplantingaswell as an extra 50 units of N. This rate of starter fertiliser should only have to be applied annually. N will have to be applied at a minimum of 50kg/hectare/cut.These fertiliser rates are to be used as a guide only. For individual recommendations consult your local agronomist for more information. A well-fertilised crop will ensure high yielding high quality hay.
Cutting and BalingThe quantity and quality of hay produced from Finecut depends on when it is cut. Cutting prior to flowering will produce the highest quality hay. The greatest dry matter will be produced following full flowering of the crop. Cutting just prior to flowering will strike the best balance between quality and quality. Cutting intervals vary from 40 to 55 days depending on seasonal conditions. A well-managed crop of Finecut will produce hay with crude protein levels of 8 – 10% (some experienced growers have recorded levels as high as 15%). Dry matter yields vary from 5 to 8 tonnes per hectare per cut. 4 to 6 cuts per hectare per year can be achieved.Cut the crop using a conventional mower conditioner at least 100mm above ground level to prevent damaging the crown of the plants. Conditioning will help achieve faster and more even drying of the plants. Rake and bale as for other crops depending on dry downtimes.
Finecut Rhodes
Premier Digitaria
Floren Bluegrass
Digit grass (Digitaria eriantha ssp. eriantha formerly Digitaria smutsii) is a perennial summer growing grass that produces good quality feed. It is suited to a wide range of soils and climatic environments throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Digit grass is one of the few tropical grasses that grow well and persist on soils of low fertility derived from sandstone (solodic), granite and traprock as well as clay and clay loam soils carrying brigalow (Acacia harpopophylla), belah (Casuarina cristata) and poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea).
FEATURES:• It is tolerantofcoldconditions.Althoughthe leavesarefrosted,green
material can be found close to the ground in winter.
• Ithasagreatabilitytomakeearlyspringgrowth,thoughinmostyears,
growth is frosted.
• It’sproductionwillimproveinresponsetoimprovementinsoilfertility.
• Itisdroughtandfiretolerantandcanstandheavygrazing.
• Itcontainslowlevelsofoxalate.
• Extremelypallatable,persistantandkindonsoilsoflowfertility.
Floren Bluegrass (Dicanthium aristatum) is a perennial, summer growing grass. It is especially suited to alkaline, cracking-clay soils and has been outstanding in floodplain environments in inland Queensland and northern NSW (the upper Murray-Darling Basin). It is an extremely competitive grass in floodplain or water¬course country, especially where the pasture is flooded or inundated every 12-18 months. Floren also appears suited to the high rainfall areas of coastal Queensland and the tropical north.
The grass was introduced from India by the Queensland DPI in 1984 and officially released in Australia during 1995. Floren is protected by PBR legislation.
IMPORTANT FEATURES:• Vigorous spreading growth habit. Floren is an extremely vigorous
perennial, growing up to one metre high. Its ability to form dense
sward and dominate other species is seen as a major advantage
in managing aggressive floodplain weeds such as Lippia. It is
generally a prolific seeder, although this can be limited in some
areas of northern NSW by relatively milder autumn conditions.
• Very tolerant of flooding.
Floren is similar to Bambatsi in
its flooding tolerance and capable
of surviving periods of up to eight
weeks of submergence under
water. It is adapted to high rainfall
situations, floodplains and melon-
hole country in the brigalow belt.
• Good seedling vigour. Establishes easily from seed.
• Drought tolerant. Established Floren pastures can survive prolonged
periods of severe drought.
• Salt tolerant
• Very low phosphate requirement. Floren will remain productive
on soils with very low phosphate levels ie. Poplar box and
brigalow soils.
• Long term pasture. Floren persists well under heavy grazing
despitebeingpalatabletostock.Goodautumnproduction.Florenis
very late maturing in southern Queensland and can provide green
feed well into early winter. While heavy frosts will cut back the
plant, Floren is still very palatable to cattle, sheep and horses even
after frosting. Its value as stand-over dry feed is considered an
important attribute.
10 Point Guide for Pasture Establishment
Caatinga Stylo
1. Note your rainfall and the requirements of species to be planted.2. Assess soil type - is it alkaline/acidic or does it have a salting problem?3. Assesssoilstructure-hardsettingorself-mulching?Hardsettingshouldnotbeharrowedorrolled.4. Check the paddock history - has it been farmed for a long period or grazed? This will have a bearing on the amount of organic material in the soil, and consequently, the ability of the topsoil to hold moisture.5. Assess the slope, if any - the degree of the slope will have a bearing on the amount of water penetration, and hence, the speed and success of pasture establishment.6. Assess the chances of short, medium or long-term flooding.7. Plan 12 months in advance - select the best establishment method.
Remember, the two biggest hurdles to establishment are Run-off and Evaporation.By planning in advance we can: • Accumulatedeadstubblefromapreviouscroptoactasamulchcovercrop.Neveruseagreencovercrop. • Deepripacrosstheslopeatthreefootintervals;or • Contourhillacrosstheslope,plantingdirectlyintofurrows.Surfacesowseedonlywiththistechniqueanddonotharrowin.
8. a) Select the species to suit the soil type, b) Purchase good quality seed, c) Do not skimp on the planting rate - it is better to have a dense establishment over a smaller area than a sparse establishment over a larger area, d) Accurate seed placement - not too deep, e) Use seed that has been treated for ants. This is important. f) Plant into a good seed bed. g) Split planting times - this will reduce risk.9. Firstgrazing-Grazelightlyafterthefirstseeddropwhenthenewly-establishedpastureshavebecomeanchoredinthesoil.10. “Commitment” - the most important requirement of all is to have the commitment to lock-up a paddock for as long as it takes and after having done all of the above. In poor seasons, pastures can take several years to establish.
A SUMMER PASTURE LEGUME FOR HEAVIER CLAySSUMMARy• isaperennialstylodescribedasbeingmidwaybetweenSecaandVeranoStyloingrowthandshape.
• isastrongerperennialthanVeranoandhasafinerstemthanSeca.
• will grow in South Queensland and Northern New South Wales regions on heavier soils than any of the existing stylos. It is best suited to light brigalow clay soils, the Downs country and moderate fertility soils such as box, belah and box woodlands.
• is showingbetter frost resistance, survival, seedling regeneration and yields than theexisting styloswhile it’s resistance to anthracnoseissimilartoSeca’s.
• is a prolific early seeder which gives it good tolerance to drought and cold winters.
• is suited to the dry sub-tropics.
• has a highly specific rhizobium requirement and must be treated with a newly developed inoculant. Failure of the plant to nodulate can result in thin, pale growth, poor branching and poor seed set.
Caatinca Stylo has been given the credit of increasing the daily weight gains of steers by 85kgs per annum, compared to steers running on straight grass. Trials done by the Department of Primary Industries have achieved these figures. Similar trials had Caatinca out-performing Milgarra Butterfly over 324 days by 25kgs/head.
A SUMMER PASTURE LEGUME FOR LIGHTER SOILS SUMMARy• isasummer-growing,free-seedinglegumesuitablefornativeandsownpastures
• establisheseasilyandspreadsquicklyundergrazing
• tolerateslowfertilityandisfairlydroughttolerantwhencloselygrazed
• growsonwell-drainedsoils
• isperennialincoastalandsub-coastaldistricts;butanannualinareaswithshortgrowingseason
• canbesownbetweenSeptemberandMarch
• isoftennoteatenreadilyuntilthecompaniongrassesmature
DESCRIPTIONWynnCassiaisavigorous,short-livedperennialorannualthatflowersthroughoutmostofthegrowingseason.Growthhabitvaries
with grazing pressure and stand density; ungrazed plants sprawl to 1m across and 30cm high, under heavy grazing, plants become
low rosettes 5-1 Ocm in diameter.
ADAPTIONWynn Cassia can grow in areas from far North Queensland to northern New South Wales. It grows on soil with good drainage, best on
sandy soils, but also on light clays. Although Wynn is tolerant of infertile conditions, it responds strongly to phosphorous and sulphur.
Wynn Cassia is quite drought tolerant when heavily grazed, but drops leaf prematurely when ungrazed and tall. Top growth is cut
by light frost while heavy frosts can kill the plant. Surviving plants regrow rapidly from the crown, with massive regeneration from
abundant seed reserves in the soil.
IT’S GOOD POINTS• Fastestablishmentfromseed.
• Itseedsprofuselyandcontinuouslyandripeseedhasbeen
produced within eight weeks after planting.
• WynnCassiastanddensitiesincreaserapidlyafterplanting.This
is achieved by high seed yields and seed dispersal through
the grazing animal.
• Ittoleratesheavystockingevenassmall,youngplants.
• In the summer growing seasonwhile there is green grass
available, Wynn Cassia is not eaten readily. Good animal
performance occurs normally in summer when grass is
green, but Wynn Cassia provides high quality forage during
the dry season.
• As with other pasture legumes, Wynn Cassia has a high
nutritive value.
• Itgivescattlelightweightgainsoverthedryseasonwhenthe
native grass quality is low.
WHERE TO SOWBest performance occurs on sandy to loamy, well drained soils
with adequate phosphorous levels (>10pmm bicarbonate P).
Wynn Cassia is not well suited to heavy clay soils or shallow,
hard setting, duplex soils with impervious clay subsoil. It grows
well on read earths although superphosphate will be required.
Wynn Cassia
Turning Cultivation Back to Grass
Turning cultivation back to grass can be a challenge. Usually pasture improvement is not considered until grain production drops to
an unviable level due to a lack of soil fertility, high weed populations, and poor soil condition. Unfortunately, when the soil reaches
this stage, then it is also in poor condition for pasture establishment.
A lack of weed control both pre and post plant is a major cause of establishment failure, so it is important that preparation is in place
priortoplanting.AnnualspringandsummergrassessuchasUrocloa,BarnYardMilletandButtonGrassarejustthreeofthegrass
weeds that cannot be selectively sprayed out after planting grass seed, so care must be taken to cultivate at least three times after
every rain fall event before planting to reduce the seed bank of these species.
Preparation Program: 1) Rainfall in September/October
2)Germinationofweeds X 3
3) Cultivation
If Couch grass is also present the same program is followed with the addition of an application of glyphosate prior to cultivation.
Don’tsubstitutecultivationwithspraying,cultivationwillberequiredpriortoplantingandweedseedwillbebroughttothesurface
and nothing will have been gained. If there is a broadleaf weed problem then all legumes must be excluded, selective herbicides
can then be used if required and the legumes can then be over sown at a later date.
Poor soil condition will also create establishment problems, years of ploughing has resulted in the loss of fine dust and silt particles
through wind and water movement (micro sheet erosion). These fine particles are very important for storing moisture at the soil
surface where the pasture seed will be placed. Eventually larger and coarse clay particles of soil will dominate, trapping air around
them and allowing the moisture to escape. The result is extremely slow germinations, increased weed competition and lost
production. We can assist the seed by leaving freshly worked furrows for the pasture seed to be planted into, any fine silt particles
still in the soil will find their way, along with the seed and water, into the bottom of the furrow. Seed soil contact is increased,
moisture is trapped and a microenvironment is created for the seedling. Do not harrow, as this will only increase run-off.
Utilising stubble from a previous cash crop is also worth considering, this process can reduce run off and evaporation. Sub-tropical
grass species need 3 to 5 days moisture around the seed kernel to trigger the germination process, so if the moisture escapes
then the seed will remain inactive. There
must be a fallow period between the last
crop and when the pasture is to be planted
to allow the moisture levels to build up in
thesoilprofile.Note-:Don’tplantoatswith
the intention of planting grass seed into
the stubble in spring, the new generation
of oats are very late maturing, and if the
season permits will remain growing until
November or later.
Virgin country often only requires one
cultivation and then plant directly behind
the plough. An application of glyphosate
prior to cultivation will accelerate the
organic breakdown of the native grasses
and subsequently increases the availability
of nutrients for the new grass seedlings.
Managing Lippia
LippiahasbecomeagreatconcerntoalllandholdersalongtheinlandriversystemsofSouthernQueenslandandNewSouthWales.At this stage little can be done to control it in the creek and riverbeds and along the banks. We desperately need government assistanceandscientificresearchtocomeupwithsomesortofbiologicalcontroltoeradicateLippia. ThereishoweveraprogramthatworkswellinkeepingLippiaundercontrolinpaddocksituationsandallowsaffectedcountrytoreturn to its full grazing potential. River country on the Condamine, that was planted back to pasture over 15 years ago is still in peakproductionwithlittleornosignofLippia,thoughtheweedisallaroundthepastures.
OutlinedbelowarethecrucialpointsrequiredtobringcountrybackfromsevereLippia infestation. However, it is importanttoremember that only a high level of commitment and good management is going to enable you to succeed.
THE CRUCIAL POINTSTiming & Preparation• Cultivation is thecheapest formofpreparationalthough if rainfall is likely, spraywith2-4Dat1.5 to2 litres/hectarebefore ploughing to prevent trans planting.• Cultivateat least three timesaftereach rainfall event to reduce the Lippia seedbank (allowenough time for the Lippia to germinate prior to cultivation).• Lippiahasanallelopathic(toxic)effectonthesoilthatinhibitsthegrowthofotherplants.Aminimumofthreemonthsfallowis required to allow for this toxic effect to dissipate. • Deepwashoutsandguttersshouldbebattereddownorlevelledwithadozerpriortopastureseeding.Thisisimportant,as pastureswillnotcompetewithLippiainthesesituations.
Planting • Pastureseedshouldthenbeplantedatanabovenormalplantingratefortherainfallinquestion,asaguideitshouldbeabout doublethenormalplantingrate.ItisimportanttogetaquickestablishmentandstronggroundcovertosuppressfutureLippia germinations. Thought should be given to including a pioneer species (short term varieties) within the blend. Silk sorghum is excellent; it is inexpensive, reliable and highly competitive. After slashing or grazing it is not unusual to see 25 to 30 tillers on one plant. Silk should even be used in flood prone areas, if a flood does occur and the Silk dies, the root systems will still stabilise the soil at no great financial loss. Silk may not be an option in some shires of NSW due to local government restrictions. Finecut Rhodes establishes well on heavy soils and has the ability to give incredible ground cover, it can also be used as a pioneer species in the not so wet areas.• Thelong-termvarietiesshouldconsistofBambatsiPanicandavarietycalledFlorenBlueGrass.Florenisanimportantweapon in the fight against Lippia, it is a tough, latematuring variety that produces large amounts of drymatter andwill survive underwaterforlongperiodsoftime.EvenPurplePigeon,withgoodmanagementandtherightfertilitywillhandleLippiaas long as it is submerged for no longer than three or four days.
Slashing & Mulching:• SlashingormulchingisveryimportantforthecontrolofLippiaandotherweedsduringtheestablishmentphase,italsobuildsup thegroundlitterlevelswhichrestrictstheLippiagrowth,andalsoassistsintheconservationoftopsoilandmoisture.
Grazing• Paddocksshouldnotbegrazeduntil100%establishmenthasbeenachieved.Grazingearlierresultsinalossofvaluableground litter. All future grazing should be based on “crash graze – fast rotation basis”. Pastures should not be eaten down below 30cm; this type of grazing management will produce high dry matter production.
Legumes• Nitrogenisimportanttokeepthestandstrong.Onceestablished,heavyratesofvetchandmedicshouldbeintroduced.These legumes do well in heavy watercourse country. In extremely wet areas, strawberry clover is very good and will last indefinitely.
Maintenance• Always be alert for small infestations of Lippia. Spot spraywith either 2-4D, amine or DP600. Don’t be afraid to fertilise occasionally, good pastures should be treated like a crop rather than just like another grass paddock.
Commitment• Thisisveryimportant.YouneedtobetotallycommittedtotheeradicationofLippia,ifyouhaveanunderstandingoftheproblem, a positive attitude, and be prepared to use good management, you will win the fight.
Sow
ing
Gu
ideDo you want the advantages of planting bare
seed but don’t have the equipment? We can plant it for you!
Turning Cultivation Back to Grass
10m swath close to the
ground that eliminates drift
and puts the seed where
you want it.
Our contract planting
service is a fast, hassle free
planting alternative with
GPSprecision.
Planters based in
Goondiwindiand
Toowoomba
Our planter can plant both small smooth seeds and fluffy sub-tropical grasses.
Sow
ing
Gu
ide
Vari
ety
Rai
nfal
lR
EQ/
mm
Sow
ing
Rat
e (k
g/h
a)So
il Ty
peR
emar
ksB
are
Flow
cote
Buf
fel
Am
eric
an, G
aynd
ah, B
iloel
a30
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ght
to m
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extu
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uite
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wes
tern
are
as. I
n SQ
don
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ant ea
st o
f the
Con
dam
ine
river
. Bilo
ela
mor
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lera
nt o
f hea
vy s
oils
.
Cree
pin
g B
lueg
rass
Biss
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atch
600
1 -
4kg
6 -
8kg
Solo
dics
and
Cla
ysId
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or lo
w n
itrog
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ituat
ions
, tol
eran
t of
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t w
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nod
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than
Hat
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Indi
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roug
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pla
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il ty
pes.
Goo
d er
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n co
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Kik
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Whi
ttet
800
1 -
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2 -
6kg
Red
loam
, Bas
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A s
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rous
and
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s pl
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at is
bes
t su
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soi
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hig
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rass
Bam
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Will
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win
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rant
to fl
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ng a
nd h
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sto
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Pan
icG
atto
n, G
reen
600
2 -
4kg
6 -
8kg
Ligh
ter
text
ured
hig
h fe
rtili
ty s
oils
Gre
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anic
is s
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hig
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rtili
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t ca
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ontin
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atto
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at is
mor
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to h
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soi
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long
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n G
reen
.
Dig
itar
iaPr
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r, St
rickl
and
450
2 -
4kg
6 -
8kg
Vers
atile
Extr
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y w
ell s
uite
d to
low
fert
ility
soi
ls, i
t w
ill p
ersi
st o
n cy
prus
bul
loak
soi
ls b
ut e
stab
lishm
ent ca
n be
slo
w o
n he
avy
clay
soi
ls. H
as
been
repo
rted
as
grow
ing
succ
essf
ully
in re
d sa
nd in
a 3
75m
m ra
infa
ll ne
ar B
roke
n H
ill.
Pur
ple
Pig
eon
500
2 -
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6 -
8kg
Self-
mul
chin
g cl
ayPr
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s he
avy
crac
king
cla
ys. E
asy
to e
stab
lish
and
can
be p
lant
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to m
oist
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up to
2 in
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dee
p.
Rh
odes
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ssFi
necu
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pcut
, Kat
ambo
ra,
Pion
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Calli
de60
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rsat
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necu
t is
a fin
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elec
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from
Kat
ambo
ra p
rodu
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up
to 2
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ore
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mat
ter.
Topc
ut is
a fi
ne le
af s
elec
tion
from
Pio
neer
pr
oduc
ing
up to
20%
mor
e dr
y m
atte
r. Ka
tam
bora
cre
eps
and
root
s do
wn
at the
nod
es id
eal f
or le
ss fe
rtile
soi
ls. P
ione
er is
the
firs
t co
mm
erci
al v
arie
ty n
ow m
ainl
y fo
r ex
port
mar
kets
. Cal
lide
is the
mos
t pa
lata
ble
of a
ll th
e Rh
odes
, sui
ted
to h
igh
fert
ility
coa
stal
are
as.
Sabi
500
1 -
4kg
3 -
8kg
Vers
atile
Usef
ul in
the
dry
tropi
cs b
ut re
quire
s fe
rtilis
er o
r a c
ompa
nion
legu
me.
Agg
ress
ive
quic
k fe
ed a
fter r
ain,
but
has
ver
y lo
w fe
ed v
alue
afte
r fro
st.
Seta
ria
800
2 -
4kg
6 -
8kg
Vers
atile
Nar
ock
and
Sola
nder
are
the
fros
t to
lera
nt v
arie
ties.
Mai
nly
suite
d to
hig
h ra
infa
ll co
asta
l are
as.
Sign
al G
rass
1000
2 -
4kg
6 -
8kg
Vers
atile
Cons
ider
ed a
val
uabl
e gr
ass
in the
tro
pics
as
long
as
nitr
ogen
is a
pplie
d. C
an s
uppr
ess
com
pani
on le
gum
es.
Trop
ical
Leg
umes
Sira
tro
Azt
ec75
02
- 4k
g3
- 8k
gVe
rsat
ileA
vin
ey p
eren
nial
whi
ch re
quire
s ca
refu
l man
agem
ent fo
r be
st p
ersi
stan
ce. A
ztec
is r
ust re
sist
ant.
Self
rege
nera
tes.
Wyn
n C
assi
a75
02
- 4k
g3
- 8k
gVe
rsat
ileH
ardy
wid
ely
adap
ted.
Sta
nds
heav
y gr
azin
g w
ell,
but no
t ve
ry p
alat
able
whe
n lu
sh. S
uite
d to
ligh
ter
soils
.
Styl
oSe
cca,
Ver
ano,
Fin
e St
em45
02
- 4k
g3
- 8k
gSa
nd/S
andy
Loa
ms
Stan
ds h
eavy
gra
zing
, fro
st, d
roug
ht a
nd fi
re w
ell o
n fr
ee d
rain
ing
soils
in the
sub
tro
pics
. Sui
ted
to li
ght so
ils a
nd s
oils
of p
oor
stru
ctur
e.
Bur
gun
dy B
ean
400
N/A
3 -
4kg
Vers
atile
A le
gum
e fr
om th
e Si
ratr
o fa
mily
. It ha
s a
high
er le
vel o
f dro
ught
tole
ranc
e bu
t is
sus
cept
ible
to o
verg
razi
ng.
Tem
pera
te L
egum
es
Luce
rne
400
Dry
land
10
- 15
kgIrr
igat
ion
10 -
20k
gW
ell d
rain
ed n
eutr
al t
o al
kalin
e -
fert
ile s
oils
The
mos
t wid
ely
used
legu
me
avai
labl
e. S
hort
live
d pe
renn
ial i
deal
for
hay
prod
uctio
n or
gra
zing
. Whe
n gr
azin
g, g
ood
man
agem
ent to
pr
even
t blo
at m
ust b
e em
ploy
ed. R
aely
a p
robl
em in
mix
pas
ture
s as
long
as
plan
t po
pula
tion
is n
ot to
o hi
gh.
Med
ic
Barr
el40
01
- 4k
g2
- 8k
gN
eutr
al t
o al
kalin
e so
ilsM
ostly
wid
ely
grow
n of
all
the
med
ics.
The
pre
ferr
ed s
peci
es fo
r th
e lo
wer
rain
fall
area
s. A
ll th
e m
edic
s ar
e se
lf re
gene
ratin
g.
Snai
l60
01
- 4k
g2
- 8k
gN
eutra
l to
alka
line
soils
incl
udin
g se
lf m
ulch
ing
clay
Not
reco
mm
ende
d fo
r tig
ht s
ettin
g so
ils d
ue to
see
d si
ze. R
egen
erat
es b
ette
r se
lf m
ulch
ing
clay
s.
Burr
400
1 -
4kg
2 -
8kg
Neu
tral
to
alka
line
soils
Prol
ific
seed
er -
will
per
sist
on
slig
htly
aci
dic
soils
Hia
fia
Wh
ite
Clov
er80
01
- 4k
g1
- 4k
gW
ell d
rain
ed a
cidi
c so
ilPe
renn
ial l
egum
e re
stric
ted
to h
ighe
r ra
infa
ll ar
eas.
Nam
oi W
oolly
Pod
Vet
ch60
02
- 10
kg–
Vers
atile
Har
d se
eded
sel
f reg
ener
atin
g le
gum
e
Fora
ge C
rops
(Sp
rin
g So
wn
)
Fora
ge M
illet
s -
Japa
nese
Sh
irohi
e, P
earl
–7
- 15
kg–
–Ea
rlies
t sow
n of
the
sum
mer
gra
ss fo
dder
s. S
own
Sept
embe
r on
.
Cow
peas
Cal
oona
–12
- 2
0kg
––
Dro
ught
tole
rant
sum
mer
legu
me.
Col
d se
nsiti
ve.
Dol
icho
s La
b La
b–
15 -
25k
g–
–Su
ptro
pica
l ann
ual f
orag
e le
gum
e. D
roug
ht T
oler
ant.
Silk
Sor
ghum
–1
- 5k
g–
–A
dapt
ed to
a w
ide
rang
e of
soi
ls, r
apid
gro
wth
and
hig
h ca
rryi
ng c
apac
ity.
Suga
rdrip
–3
- 6k
g–
–Lo
w c
ost f
orag
e, s
uite
d to
a w
ide
rang
e of
soi
ls.
Vari
ety
Rai
nfal
lR
EQ/
mm
Sow
ing
Rat
e (k
g/h
a)So
il Ty
peR
emar
ksB
are
Flow
cote
Trop
ical
Leg
umes
Tem
pera
te L
egum
es
Fora
ge C
rops
(Sp
rin
g So
wn
)
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