From the Ground Up, Issue 101

Plantain has become an increasingly important component of pasture seed mixes, driven in part by heightened environmental concerns regarding nitrate leaching from grazed pastoral systems. Nitrogen (N) fertiliser management is widely regarded as the principal agronomic lever for increasing plantain seed yield, especially in environments with low inherent soil fertility. This project aims to improve the agronomy of plantain seed production by identifying optimal biological and economic N application rates.

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is the main ryegrass species grown for seed in New Zealand, supporting both pasture and turf markets. Canterbury leads production, with around 12,000 ha sown annually. This study pulls together results from ten Canterbury field trials to assess how different fungicide programmes and timings affect seed yield. It compares early versus late applications and offers practical advice to help growers improve rust control and maximise returns.

This book outlines trial-specific yields and individual cultivar disease ratings for autumn sown wheat and barley cultivars included in the 2025-2026 CPT trials.

Catch up on the booklet for the white clover seminar held April 2026. 

A large-scale research project is establishing a diverse and sustainable toolkit of weed management strategies for cropping farmers in the face of rising rates of herbicide resistance. 

This arable extra discusses how emergence timing influences Vulpia development, flowering, and seed production Canterbury field conditions.

Read this autumn black grass update here. 

Welcome to the autumn 2026 edition of From the Ground Up. 

Find the booklet for the autumn round up 2026 event series here.

Harvest Snippets provides a harvest season summary of the Cultivar Performance Trials. Find all the 2025/2026 season harvest snippets here.