The production of four ryegrass cultivars oversown at various seeding rates into irrigated kikuyu

Abstract

An irrigated kikuyu pasture was oversown, in late March, with four ryegrass cultivars at four seeding rates at Cedara (Natal Mistbelt) and n'Tabamhlope (Highland Sourveld). The oversowing procedure shows promise with the cultivars producing well at both sites. There were no significant increases in dry matter yield from seeding rates greater than 30 kg ha⁻¹ . Oversowing at Cedara provided some winter dry matter production, whereas dry matter production at n'Tabamhlope commenced only in August. Kikuyu regrowth was suppressed, especially in January, but appeared to recover its yield potential by March.