Establishing and managing recent cultivars in arable dryland pastures

Grass and legume species/cultivars available to farmers in the summer dry east coast of New Zealand, other than the traditionally used perennial ryegrasslwhite clover, fall into 3 categories: 1. drought tolerant species/cultivars which will maintain production later into summer and respond quickly after drought, e.g. cocksfoot, tall fescue, lucerne, prairie grass. 2 . species/cultivars which will maximise production in winter and spring, e.g. prairie grass, phalaris, subterranean clover. 3. species/cultivars compatible with summer crop programmes e.g. annual ryegrasses.