New Grass Varieties

Three new forage grass varieties from Barenbrug UK appear on the new Recommended Grass and Clover List for Scotland, it was revealed at the end of last week. Selecting products for its 2018/19 list, SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) included a brand new Italian tetraploid grass from Barenbrug plus two of the company’s latest diploid perennial ryegrasses: an intermediate and a late.

The three new varieties on the list are:

• Barimax – Barenbrug’s latest tetraploid Italian ryegrass. The result of a breeding programme in Holland and extensive UK trials, Barimax heads on the 20^th May, and offers high yields of high quality silage, with a first year total silage of 103% of control, and a second year of 105%. Second and third cut D values are 1.7D and 2.2D higher than control.
• Galgorm – an intermediate heading perennial diploid from Barenbrug’s prolific breeding partnership with Agri-Food and Bio-Sciences Institute (AFBI). Extensively trialled throughout the UK, Galgorm heads on the 22^nd It produces exceptional early spring growth under grazing (116% of control) and a second cut yield of 110% of control. Quality is also very high with grazing over 75D and a second cut of well over 70D.
• Callan – a late heading diploid perennial ryegrass that heads on the 1^st Also bred in partnership with AFBI, Callan offers excellent quality silage (first cut of 5.1D above control) and grazing with good yields, particularly under grazing management; 125% of control for early spring growth. Callan’s first cut yield is 111% which is excellent for a late heading variety.

Barimax, Galgorm and Callan also appear on the English and Wales Recommended Grass and Clover List - which was published earlier this month. Mhairi Dawson, R&D Manager at Barenbrug UK, said: “The fact that our grass varieties regularly appear on Recommended Lists across the UK is testimony to the expertise of our grass breeding team. Year after year, their understanding of grass and their knowledge of grass-growing conditions across the UK ensures the development of top qualities varieties that can make a significant difference to a farmer’s bottom line.”