DO PLUS-GRASSES HAVE A BETTER YIELD? The answer depends on which grasses you compare them to. In general, PLUS-grasses produce a higher dry- matter yield than either perennial ryegrass or fescues. They also start producing earlier in the season for an earlier first cut. WHAT IS THE GROWTH PATTERN FOR PLUS-GRASSES? The growth pattern is similar to that of the parental material. Ryegrass PLUS has a very early and a high spring production. You can find PLUS grass varieties with early heading, intermediate heading, and late heading. Tall fescue PLUS has a slower spring start, but produces more during summer and autumn. Its growth pattern is similar to fescues. CAN I MIX PLUS-GRASSES WITH OTHER FORAGE SPECIES? Yes, you can mix PLUS-grasses with other grass species as part of a forage mix. Mixing different grass species lets you create forage mixtures that are ideally suited to the weather and soil of your farm. A blend of PLUS-grasses and other grasses or legumes could, for example, give you a more diverse and resilient forage mixture. CAN I USE PLUS-GRASSES FOR OVERSEEDING? Yes, PLUS-grasses establish so vigorously, you can sow them to strengthen thin pastures and hay fields. Ryegrass PLUS is exceptionally good for overseeding because it’s so competitive. It reinvigorates winter-damaged swards to improve dry-matter yield and digestibility. Tall fescue PLUS is less competitive in already established swards. WHAT IS THE SEEDING RATE OF TALL FESCUE PLUS AND RYEGRASS PLUSGRASSES? In pure stands: 25 kg to 40 kg/hectare In mixed stands: 15 kg to 25 kg/hectare DLF PLUS Festulolium Ryegrass PLUS How do I get the maximum yield and highest digestibility with Ryegrass PLUS? The more you cut, the higher the quality. Cutting up to six times, with about 25 days between each cut, gives you the highest and finest forage quality you’ll ever need. What is the ideal cutting height for Ryegrass PLUS? For maximum persistency in a Ryegrass PLUS sward, cut to between 7 cm and 8 cm – exactly as recommended for many other grasses. If you cut below 7 cm, you lose out on Ryegrass PLUS’s ability to regenerate fast enough to give you a high yield. How should I treat a Ryegrass PLUS sward before winter? Avoid cutting too late in the year. Your last cut must allow enough time for the sward to achieve a height of 10 cm to 15 cm medio/ultimo October before winter sets in. What increase in yield would I gain by replacing perennial or hybrid ryegrass with Ryegrass PLUS? The answer depends on which variety of Ryegrass PLUS you choose. The following are general estimates. If Ryegrass PLUS accounts for 40% to 50% of your grass- seed mixture, you can expect to gather up to 60% of your total annual yield in the first and second cuts. Tall fescue PLUS Is Tall fescue PLUS as persistent as tall fescue? Yes, when tested in official trials, Tall fescue PLUS exhibited an excellent high persistency for years. Can I improve digestibility by replacing tall fescue with Tall fescue PLUS? Yes, the digestibility of Tall fescue PLUS is higher than that of tall fescue. The ryegrass genetic component of Tall fescue PLUS increases the digestibility of your sward. Does Tall fescue PLUS establish faster than tall fescue? Yes, the ryegrass genes provide for much faster establishment. The speed with which Tall fescue PLUS covers the ground leaves no space for weed. Does Tall fescue PLUS grow faster than ordinary tall fescue? Yes, Tall fescue PLUS grows faster than tall fescue. It doesn’t take long to produce a dense sward with a deep rooting system and no stem formation during summer. You will occasionally find stems in the first cut, but no more than you would find in tall fescue. 3
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