Ryegrass: Best Practices for Sowing

Are you sowing the ryegrass the right way?

Proper ryegrass sowing ensures lush growth and optimal pasture performance.

Tips on Sowing Ryegrass

1. Soil test 

Paddocks selected for renovation or new sowing should always be soil tested 6-8 months before sowing to identify possible fertility deficits, and if you are going grass to grass best to include a herbage test also. More on soil testing Here 

2. Which ryegrass cultivator will work for my farm? 

When selecting a ryegrass cultivar to match a specific farm system, some key decisions include... 

• Ryegrass variety - Perennial, Hybrid, Italian or Annual 

• Seed Treatment – Insect treatment to protect during gemmation and establishment 

• Endophyte choice - Insect control, longer-term persistence or nil- Endophyte 

• Ploidy choice - Diploid or Tetraploid cultivar or a mix of both 

• Heading date - Early, Mid, Late, or a mix. 

3. Paddock preparation 

Paddocks should be even and weed-free to create a level, fallow seedbed, giving the ryegrass little competition to establish and to ensure the seed is drilled at the correct depth across the paddock, A level seedbed greatly improves pasture establishment, 

4. Sowing Rate 

A guide to sowing rates for individual cultivars is different. As a general rule, Ryegrass should be sown at rates of 20-35 kg/ha. The actual rate sown will depend on species used, sowing method, seed size, seed treatment and specific local conditions, and your previous experience of your land and or system. 

5. Sowing methods 

• Cultivation and roller drilling:  

Pasture species require a fine, firm seedbed for optimum establishment. Excess trash and large clods will diminish results. 

• No-tillage direct drilling:  

Pasture can be successfully established through no-tillage systems. The use of a total vegetation killer preliminary spray such as glyphosate will provide the best results. Add a broadleaf herbicide if necessary. A delay between spraying and drilling could help with moisture retention and reduce pest populations. 

• Drilling:  

Ryegrass pastures should be sown at a depth of 10-20 mm. The establishment of clovers will be adversely affected by sowing at a depth greater than these levels. Under all cultivation systems, the use of harrows behind the drill will improve seed-to-soil contact. 

6. Pest control

New pastures can be subject to pest and disease pressure. Seed treatments are available to protect the seed during gemmation and emergence.  for more information and an overview of the seed treatments available see Here. 

7. Grazing management  

New pastures often benefit from light grazing 6-8 weeks after sowing. This encourages the grass plant to tiller and also assists clover establishment by allowing more light into the base of the sward. Ensure that the pasture is consolidated enough so that “pulling” and “pugging” are negated. 

8. Fertiliser 

New pastures benefit from early applications of fertiliser applied from 3-4 weeks. Regular, subsequent applications of fertiliser based on soil and herbage test results will prolong the life and improve the performance of new pastures.  

Ryegrass selection for farm systems involves key decisions:  

Choosing the right ryegrass variety (from annual to perennial), picking an endophyte for insect control, and selecting ploidy (diploid or tetraploid) and a heading date. Ryegrass varieties differ in persistence; for instance, annual ryegrass lasts less than a year, while perennial can persist for 5 years or more. Ploidy relates to the number of chromosomes a plant has. Diploids are robust and tetraploids are more palatable but require more management. Endophytes are fungi in ryegrass that offer protection against insects but can affect animal health. Heading date indicates when seedheads emerge, impacting feed quality times.