Diploid ryegrasses have two sets of chromosomes per cell, compared to a tetraploid which has four. Diploids combine yield and robustness, ensuring that even in less than ideal conditions, they will deliver for your stock.

Dependable Diploids:

• Densely tillered
• Competitive with weeds
• Cope with lower fertility
• Ideal for grass to grass situations
• Can handle wetter environments
• Can be set stocked or rotationally grazed

PGG Wrightson Seeds Diploid Breeding Programme

Delivering New Zealand-bred and trialled ryegrasses that you can depend on:

• Excess perennial ryegrass
• Rely perennial ryegrass
• Expo perennial ryegrass
• Extreme® perennial ryegrass
• Maverick GII short rotation ryegrass
• Supercruise Italian ryegrass

Intensive farming systems require ryegrasses that produce bulk, high quality feed, to drive animal performance and productivity. Tetraploid cultivars are a significant tool in helping achieve this goal, being naturally high in sugars (water soluble carbohydrates).

A tetraploid plant has four sets of chromosomes per cell (a diploid has two sets) which simply means tetraploid ryegrasses are more palatable for livestock. Stock prefer tetraploids over diploids if they have a choice and are more quickly and completely eaten by livestock.

More feed eaten = better animal performance.
Better animal performance = more bottom line dollars.

Tasty Tetraploids:

• Fast to establish
• Extremely tasty and palatable
• Excellent pasture utilisation
• Very high quality
• Higher animal dry matter intakes
• Better animal performance
• Great for silage quality
• Clover friendly

PGG Wrightson Seeds internationally acclaimed tetraploid breeding programme – delivering New Zealand-bred and trialled tetraploids:

• Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass
• Banquet® II tetraploid long rotation ryegrass
• Delish® tetraploid short rotation grass
• Lush tetraploid Italian ryegrass
• Feast®II tetraploid Italian ryegrass
• Winter Star®II tetraploid annual ryegrass

Animal Performance Benefits

• Improved palatability and intake – greater intake can lead to increased production and/or improved body condition
• More efficient rumen function – tetraploid ryegrasses can be broken down more quickly and completely in the rumen, due to the high ratio of cell contents to cell wall
• More clover – tetraploid ryegrass allows about 10% more clover in the pasture, further increasing pasture quality and animal performance

Farm Management Benefits

• Improved pasture utilisation – improved palatability means more grass is utilised. This can lead to easier pasture management by reduced topping requirements, less seed head development and improved animal performance
• Reduced stocking rates – improved palatability means greater intake and production per head and the potential to reduce stocking rates. A lower stocking rate may mean a reduction in farm costs (e.g. mating, vet costs)

Grazing Management Tips

• Avoid persistent overgrazing – because of excellent palatability, animals can overgraze tetraploid ryegrasses. If grazed to a lower residual than diploid ryegrasses, persistence may be compromised
• Apply nitrogen as normal – tetraploid ryegrasses are naturally darker in colour than diploids, but still require similar amounts of nitrogen

PGG Wrightson Seeds are specialists in tetraploid technology, breeding market leading cultivars since 1989.
We offer a complete tetraploid portfolio of annual, Italian, short rotation, long rotation, and perennial ryegrasses, with a range of endophyte options. These cultivars have built an impressive reputation with New Zealand farmers, due to their palatability, resilience, and animal performance benefits.