He echoed concerns held by Agriseeds’ Graham Kerr of the DairyNZ-led Pasture Renewal Leadership Group, over farmers opting for grass seed with the old standard “wild type” endophyte in it.
“There are uncertainties around buying some of this cheaper seed with that endophyte in it. The major problem is ryegrass staggers and heat stress that develops in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty with this endophyte,” Fraser said at a field day on the Te Teko property of Ian and Bruce Murray.
He pointed to the novel endophytes now available to deliver insect protection to pastures, without the ensuing health issues the traditional endophyte brought. These include AR37 and AR2 endophytes.
Kerr acknowledged the frustration farmers had felt over pasture losses due to insect damage in past years, particularly black beetle. However, often the cause has been sowing grasses with an inappropriate endophyte, resulting in less insect control than desired.
Fraser said while AR1 endophyte did not bring health problems it still left ryegrass pastures susceptible to being wiped out by black beetle.
The AR37 and AR2 endophytes were proving effective in insect control without undue health impacts.
A four-year DairyNZ trial run on Scott Farm in Waikato measured ryegrass persistence and yields, cow health and milk production on ryegrass treated with either AR37, AR1, standard or no endophyte. The trial concluded that AR37 was more persistent than AR1 and there was no sign of ryegrass staggers in cows grazing pastures with AR1 or AR37.
Fraser urged farmers to ensure seed purchases this autumn were certified.
“Each certified seed purchase will have its own certificate with information including purity percentage, and even tell you what the impurities or weeds present are.”
For the sake of saving a few hundred dollars, the cost of buying uncertified seed simply was not worth it. Re-grassing costs are about $1300/ha, and the difference in seed quality could mean having to incur such a cost again only a few years later if poor quality seed were used.
“So a certificate is free with certified seed, and it is a guarantee, based on an independent standard.”
Perennial ryegrass certification should indicate germination rates of 90%-plus, seed purity of 99%-plus and endophyte of 70%-plus.
He also cautioned about checking where seed had been stored.
“If the seed you are buying is greater than 12 months old, and much of it probably will be this autumn, then you need to check that it has been stored properly, in a cool store.”
Cool storage was critical for preserving the endophyte in an active state within the seed.
