Empire Grasslands and the Value of Pedigree Seed

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 10 November 1934, Page 13

Empire Grasslands and the Value of Pedigree Seed

THE importance of pedigree seed for grasses and clovers is the burden of the report on grassland' seeds issued by the Imperial Economic Committee. Throughout the report, frequent references are made to the improvement of grasses and clovers in New Zealand, especially as a result of the work carried on at Palmerston North and the development of the certification schemes for New Zealand regional strains of white clover, ryegrass, and ot her species. In 1932, grassland products such ns beef, mutton, milk, cheese, wool, hides and skins (which may well bo called transmuted grass) accounted for more than 20 per cent, of the value of all merchandise imported into the United' Kingdom. In Empire countries overseas, the proportion of grassland products in total export values was more than 43 per cent, in South Africa, more than 4S per cent, in the Irish Free State, more than 34 per cent, in Australia, and more than 90 per cent, in New Zealand. Of First Importance.

The report points out that the close study of grassland seeds and the production of pedigree strains, although comparatively recent developments in agricultural science, arc of the first importance for the improvement of pastures, and' thereby for the wellbeing of the live-stock industries. Systematic trials at Palmerston North, at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station at Aberystwyth, and also in a number of other countries, all show that grasses arid clovers are highly sensitive to the influences of environment, and that several local strains developed from old pastures are, for their own localities, much superior in leafiness and persistency to ordinary commercial seed. Yet regional strains are only the first stages in the advance. Still better results are shown by the pedigree strains now being produced at plant breeding stations, and ir, is on these pedigree strains, says the report, that the future of herbage seed improvement chiefly depends. If, however, economic benefit is to be gained from the work of the plant breeder, far-reaching changes in organisation will be needed in some Empire countries. The primary task is that of ensuring an adequate supply of stock seed of the pedigree strains, and of maintaining tlfoso strains true to type when they pass in commercial quantities through the ordinary channels of trade. This two-fold problem will require, says the report, the united attention of plant breeding stations, seedsmen, farmers, and' agricultural departments. Certification of Seed Crops.

In this connection, in addition to a full account of the New Zealand schemes, the report gives particulars ol certification schemes and .other methods which have been adopted elsewhere, notably in Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom, all designed to ensure that the pastoral farmer shall have greater certainty tliut the seed he buys is of a strain best suited to his local conditions. The rapid progress of certification in New Zealand, where the schemes now cover several species, is specially noted as showing the practical value of such schemes. !The area producing certified Hawke's Hay ryegrass alone has risen from 2000 acres in 1928 to more than 20,000 acres in 1933. This success suggests, adds the report, that Northern Ireland (which produces 25,000 tons of ryegrass sood annually) might benefit from a suitable scheme if combined with experiments now in progress with improved stock seed’. On the development of the export trade the report strikes a note of caution. In view of the general superiority of locally-grown seed over imported seed, improvement in the local supply, especially of high quality strains, is the primary task. Climatic similarity between any two countries (e.g., Now Zealand and the United Kingdom) is of course an advantage for their mutual trade in herbage seed, but the imported seed cannot take the place of improved local strains. The best openings in the export trade wilt lie for strains which show marked characteristics useful for special purposes, and which are maintained true to type by adequate organisation and control. As an example the committee mentions that the New Zealand certified white clover should be specially useful for short leys in England, since there is good authority for the belief that no other white clover of commerce will, under English conditions, normally surpass it in the first year of growth.