H85 Plantain seed crop responses to spring nitrogen in Canterbury

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.

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

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

Sometimes, the only way to bring in a crop is to harvest in conditions that are less than ideal. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s a good idea to think about your combine settings to help reduce losses and prevent unnecessary breakdowns. This Technical Update  covers some of the key points for getting the job done .

The moisture probe trial is back for 2025-26 season. We have moisture probes from different providers installed at our Chertsey research site. View the different companies dashboards here.

Ever wondered about your crop’s nutrient status? Grain nutrient analysis measures the final results of all the decisions you have made in growing your crop. FAR is again supporting growers who wish to submit grain and seed samples for nutrient analysis from the 2026 Harvest.

Stem rust (Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola) is the most damaging of the ryegrass diseases. This update discusses 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 Herbage Update defines a more accurate harvest window for perennial ryegrass seed crops. Read more here.

Welcome to the revised 2025 version of  The drying and storage of grain and herbage seed, first published in 1999. The book comprises six chapters that cover grain characteristics and their reaction to climate, the importance of seed moisture, the drying system, the storage environment, storage pests and their control, and construction considerations. These have been edited and updated by FAR staff and independent experts from the original chapters written by the late Murray Hill.

Between January and May 2025, FAR and harvester specialists conducted a comprehensive study to quantify the grain and seed left in the paddock by New Zealand growers and identify opportunities to optimise harvester performance.