Ibex and Rusa: high yielding cultivars of hybrid ryegrass

By intercrossing Italian and perennial ryegrass, breeding progress within each of these two Lolium species can be combined into new cultivars of hybrid ryegrass. Here, we are presenting Ibex and Rusa, two new, very persistent cultivars bred by the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture (FAL), Reckenholz. Both cultivars produce almost equally high yields. They are 3.5 and 5.9 % higher yielding than the previously best ranked cultivars in the first and second year after the year of sowing, respectively. However, Ibex and Rusa differ in the tendency to form inflorescences in the aftermath growth. This leads to differences in the annual yield distribution and in digestibility. During summer, Rusa forms less reproductive tillers and is better digestible but lower yielding than Ibex. Both cultivars have high levels of disease resistance, particularly against crown rust and bacterial wilt.