Introduction, production, and persistence of five grass species in dry hill country

A trial was conducted on a seasonally dry slope near Taupo as part of a national series investigating the persistence and productivity in dry hill country of five grass species established from oversowing under contrasting nitrogen (N) and summer grazing regimes. The average annual total herbage accumulation (HA) (1983–87) was greatest from phalaris ( Phalaris aquatica L. ‘Grasslands Maru’) swards (12100 kg DM/ha, 65% Maru); followed by a species mixture (11700 kg DM/ha); tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb. ‘Grasslands Roa’) (11700 kg DM/ha, 47% Roa); prairie grass ( Bromus willdenowii Kunth ‘Grasslands Matua’) (11300 kg DM/ha, 25% Matua); cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata L. ‘Grasslands Wana’) (11100 kg DM/ha, 56% cocksfoot); resident swards (10640 kg DM/ha); and was least from ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L. ‘Grasslands Nui’) (10200 kg DM/ha, 73% ryegrass). The average response from a split application of 50 kg N/ha in each of autumn and spring, was a 14% increase in annual HA. Summer grazing treatments had no effect on annual HA; however, sown grass HA showed a 8% increase for rotational compared with continuous summer grazing. It was concluded that pasture improvement with these grass cultivars can increase pasture productivity in the Central Plateau.