Description

Concord® II is an outstanding Italian ryegrass with exceptional speed of establishment. It delivers increased winter production and solid seasonal dry matter production with the ability to carry through to the second year where conditions allow.

• Ready to graze in 45-70 days
• Exceptionally fast to establish
• Even growth over the season
• Regrowth into the second season is very good, given favourable conditions
• Sowing rates should be 10-30kg/ha
• Sow as early as possible to maximise winter feed in the first year
• Can be sown with other ryegrasses and clovers to maximise forage opportunities
• Minimum 500mm rainfall per annum unless irrigated

The speed of establishment of Concord® II allows for greater flexibility of the variety, allowing it to be used in many more situations than its predecessor. While traditional autumn sowing is the primary use of Concord® II, its speed of establishment allows it to be used successfully in over-sowing situations, pugged pasture recovery programmes, spring sowing where irrigation is available or where Italians have been used in a more annual sowing programme.

When used in an autumn sowing, the increased growth through the winter months is where Concord® II will return the greatest benefits to your farming situation by delivering excellent feed volumes to support grazing animals. Another improvement that has been made with Concord® II is increased second year production which has been a trait that other Italian ryegrasses, coming to the market seem to have lost over the past few years.

Sowing & Establishment

Concord® II is a diploid, so sowing rates should be between 10-30kg/ha using Ultrastrike® seed treatment.  Sow as early as possible to maximise winter feed in the first year and monitor fertility levels to optimise production. Test the plants for anchoring approximately 40-45 days after sowing as a light grazing as early as possible will aid tillering and further root development. This will result in increasing overall productivity and the plants ability to withstand stress periods such as dry periods during the warmer months of the year. Pasture Life 6 mths – 2 years