Comparison of ryegrass and kikuyu grass pastures under mowing

Abstract

A field experiment at Kaikohe compared the performance of perennial ryegrass- and kikuyu grass-based swards separately and in combination over 4 years. The combination of ryegrass and kikuyu produced higher yields and a more uniform seasonal distribution. However, when either grass was sown separately, white clover and volunteer species tended to make up the deficit and mask treatment differences. The better performance of the ryegrass-kikuyu mixture was probably a result of their different growing seasons and more efficient utilisation of available moisture over summer.