View Te Ara in

Story: Pastures

New ryegrasses

New ryegrasses

Breeding and selection of ryegrasses has produced plants with improved qualities. The grass on the left on the left is a hybrid that has been produced by crossing the standard ryegrass (Lolium perenne) with the annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). It has four sets of chromosomes in each cell, which produces larger plants that grow better in the winter and early spring. This one is called Grasslands Greenstone.

The grass on the right is a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) that has been especially bred as a turf grass for sports grounds. This is called Grasslands Coronet, and is a dwarf ryegrass with small leaves and the standard two sets of chromosomes per cell.

About this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photographs by Melanie Lovell-Smith

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page:

Deric Charlton. 'Pastures', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 27-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/pastures/3/4