Pasture Seed Crops and Seed-potato Varieties

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 1, 15 July 1950, Page 52

Pasture Seed Crops and Seed-potato Varieties

SEASONAL NOTES Contributed by the EXTENSION DIVISION A BROAD outline of the normal management practices * required for pastures intended for seed production is given in this month’s notes, but local and seasonal conditions may necessitate certain modifications. Advice 'on these may be obtained from Instructors in Agriculture in the various districts.

PERENNIAL RYEGRASS

* * * Paddocks for perennial ryegrass seed crops should not be closely grazed during late autumn, winter, and spring.

If growth is backward, it is advisable to remove stock toward the end of September and to apply lewt. of sulphate of ammonia at that time. Under average conditions the area can be grazed until midOctober, though, if conditions are favourable for quick growth, grazing may be carried on into November. *' * *

ITALIAN RYEGRASS

It is seldom that any but a first-season crop of Italian ryegrass is saved for seed; it is usually sown in early autumn after

ll ID IIOIICLXIJ' BVVVII ,111 VUIJ.J CVUCUIIIII LVI vv x a summer fallow. Grazing is carried out during winter and early spring, but at no time should it be severe. Concentrated stocking for short grazing periods is advisable. Paddocks are usually . closed from stock in late September or early October. *'• ■ * *

WHITE CLOVER

Areas intended for white clover seed crops should be well supplied with lime and topdressed with superphosphate in autumn.

Even grazing should be practised during autumn and winter, as it is advisable to keep growth down to about -Jin. No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down regarding the best time to close paddocks from stock, but it will usually be found necessary to keep the area closely grazed until the first flower heads appear. If excessive growth occurs after fields are closed, the crop may be grazed with a big mob of sheep or topped with the mower. * * *

MONTGOMERY RED CLOVER

In most cases Montgomery red clover areas intended for seed production are lightly grazed in early

spring and then stock numbers are increased with the flush of growth in October and November. Stock are removed toward the end of November. Paddocks which have been handled in this way should be topped with the mower if grazing has been uneven. On heavier land a hay crop may be taken before the paddock is closed for seed in early December. Topdressing with superphosphate increases'seed yields and hastens maturity. * * . *

COWGRASS

Cowgrass makes earlier spring growth fhan Mnnf.cnrnprv ml dnvpr nnd it i«

man Montgomery reci ciover ana it is usual to take a hay crop before closing paddocks for seed production. ■ * * *

POTATO VARIETIES

If any prospective potato grower were to look through the apparently unending licF nf' va 1 a •fr* vari#»f?Ao onrl cxrnhnvmc •fm*

list or potato varieties and synonyms tor a choice of what to plant, he might well be bewildered. In New Zealand farming practice, however, the number of varieties of real commercial importance does not reach double figures, though a few more are of significance as a source of seed tubers for the garden trade.

AUCKLANDER SHORT TOP

The most important variety is Aucklander Short Top, which is grown to produce about one-third of

the Dominion’s crop. This variety is the main one planted in ' the lighter soils of Canterbury and also in the North Island for digging from December onward' It is of good quality, produces a high proportion of table tubers even under unfavourable conditions, and withstands blight attack fairly well. On heavier soils it is prone to produce misshapen tubers. The chief defect of the variety is the liability of the tubers to mechanical damage during . handling and subsequent' infection by dry rot fungus. * * *

ARRAN CHIEF

Arran Chief is the next most important variety, it being most widely grown on the heavier Canterbury soils and in Otago and .Qrm-Fhl nti fl Vai*v lipqvv ■virdrla non hp nhf nin afl

boutmana, very heavy yields can oe obtained on the best soils, but on lighter soils where Aucklander Short Top does well Arran Chief produces a large number of small tubers. The variety is subject to late blight attack. The tubers are firm-skinned and do not bruise as easily as some varieties, so that there is less storage loss due to this cause. *. * »

DAKOTA

V Dakota, a red-skinned variety, is next in importance, and is the only coloured variety

1111 ] } xj i ixui vv 9 emu 10 iut V7IIAJ' vvyn/uivu vciixvij grown on a commercial scale. It is seldom grown on other than the light to medium Canterbury soils. The variety is later in maturing than Aucklander Short Top, and, contrary to most other varieties, its quality appears to improve during storage over the winter. It is consequently most sought after late in the season, but is not favoured for use immediately after digging. The tubers have very deep eyes, a disadvantage when preparing them for the table. * * *

ARRAN BANNER

* * * Arran Banner is, in maturity, equivalent. to Aucklander Short Top, but it has a place in New Zealand because it can be dug before

the latter is ready. Thus it is grown com*, mercially in the South Island as a second early, but more particularly to supply seed for garden and North Island commercial plantings. The crop from the latter is marketed mainly before Christmas. Though its quality is good when tubers are immature, quality falls away rapidly with maturity. Large tubers are prone to hollow heart. It is subject to late blight, but is not frequently grown under conditions where this disease assumes significant proportions. * * * ■

OTHER VARIETIES

Plantings of the King Edward variety are confined almost entirely to Otago and Southland, where it yields better

. -—y ■ ■ * v ~ J ~ than it does elsewhere. Crops of King Edward generally are used before the Arran Chief crops are ready for lifting. Inverness Favourite is grown sometimes as an alternative to Arran Chief, while Aucklander Tall Top, which is similar to but later maturing than Aucklander Short Top, is grown to a. limited extent on areas also suited to the latter, but where the late summer moisture supply is more assured. The main use for Northern Star today is in association with the system of potato growing employed in the Pukekohe district. Elsewhere it is not favoured. Other varieties, such as Epicure, Jersey Bennes, Cliff’s Kidney, and Majestic, are little grown except to supply seed for private gardens. Several varieties of more recent introduction are being grown on a small scale,' but there is little evidence yet to recommend them unreservedly in preference to standard varieties.