Over the 2013-14 summer period, the New Zealand Institute for Forage Innovations Limited (FIL) found that Pallaton thrives in dry conditions in comparison to forage rape^. Considering Australian conditions and the potential for a dry spring/summer, these findings may help farmers increase their seed return on investment with lower water use and more grazing potential.
It was found that Pallaton offers farmers a 38.2 per cent (pc) increase in water use efficiency (WUE) relative to forage rape^.
But what does this mean for the Australian market during a dry spring/summer?
Once established and under drought/heat pressure, Pallaton offers similar nutrition compared to a forage rape^, but has the potential to offer higher dry matter yields per hectare per unit of water.
Of these results, the team at DLF Seeds states that "troughout the trial, Pallaton achieved 12.3 kg DM/ha/mm compared to 8.9 kg DM/ha/mm of forage rape^. This means, more dry matter per hectare, per unit of water."
Pallaton Raphno® raphnobrassica seed is a hybrid between Brassica oleracea (kale) and Raphanus sativus (radish).
Ultimately, Pallatons’ WUE in comparison to forage rape, in conjunction with its potential of *5+ grazings, gives farmers the ability to manage risk under dry conditions.
DLF Seeds suggests "sowing a forage rape if your goal this spring/summer is early feed. To achieve 1 to -3 grazings and, experience all the benefits a traditional forage rape offers, consider sowing a high-quality forage rape such as Mainstar.
"However, if you are an experienced brassica grower, and your goal is to extend your feeding period, achieve up to 5+ grazings, manage risk, and increase WUE, consider sowing a high-performance crop such as Pallaton Raphno®”.
This article was written by DLF Seeds for Seasons magazine.