This FAR Focus outlines the key practices required to grow cocksfoot seed crops, covering topics such as crop establishment, nutrient requirements, crop management and harvesting. Topics outside the scope of this booklet include emissions profiles and off-farm considerations such as seed cleaning etc.
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) can be certified for up to eight harvest seasons. Cocksfoot has a small seed size (thousand seed weight 0.55-0.8 g) and is slower to establish than many other grasses, including grass weeds.
Cocksfoot can be grown on a wide range of soils, but for seed production it is susceptible to drought stress so access to irrigation is advantageous on lighter soil types or areas prone to summer drought. Soils with a pH in the range of 5.8-6.2 are ideal for cocksfoot seed production, while moderate nutrient fertility is adequate where additional fertility can be applied as required in subsequent seasons.