Three60

OUTSTANDING SUMMER & AUTUMN PERFORMANCE WITH LATE SPRING QUALITY.

Three60 perennial ryegrass logo
  • Heading Date Late (+20)
  • Ploidy Diploid
  • Suggested sowing rate (kg/ha) 18-20
  • Endophyte AR37, AR1
  • Rust Tolerance Excellent
  • Pasture Life Perennial

Three60 is a late heading diploid perennial ryegrass of medium to fine tiller size. It has a very similiar heading date to the highly popular ONE50 and this is what makes Three60, its natural successor, so interesting.

• Very high annual drymatter production
• Excellent spring quality and summer leafiness
• Outstanding use of summer irrigation or natural rainfall
• Excellent crown rust tolerance​

7 month old Three60 paddock

This is a 7 month old Three60 paddock that has had multiple grazings and silage cut since establishment. The photo shows ten days of regrowth taken in April 2023.

Three60 is the result of a cross created from three family groups that had been screened and selected over many years for their performance in Kerikeri (Northland), Ruakura (Waikato), Palmerston North (Manawatu) and Lincoln (Canterbury). This broad selection process has created a perennial ryegrass that is highly resilient. Three60 like ONE50 before it has demonstrated a staygreen habit through dry summer conditions and this is particularly noticeable in the hot northern areas of New Zealand where Three60 has been very visual in its tolerance to hot and dry summer conditions. A significant forage trait of Three60 is that it is a highly vegetative cultivar that with regular grazing produces minimal seed heads, making late spring and summer pasture management an easy process. 

We recommend Three60 to be used in irrigated and natural rainfall dairy and beef systems.

Three60 has demonstrated excellent persistence in the Waikato in very difficult conditions and also has shown high tolerance to crown rust during periods of stress. Another significant performance trait is that Three60 is a highly vegetative cultivar that exhibits very little seed development in a grazed system, making it an ideal cultivar for easy spring and summer pasture management. While Three60 is a new grass that has excellent data to support it from these initial trials, Agricom has continued to invest in further NZPBRA National Forage Varity Trials (NFVT) with Three60 AR37 being entered in a further 9 NFVT's still to be completed. 

Key tips: 

  • Ideally hard grazing in late November – December (regardless of seed head presence) to maximise January and February quality
  • Consider including Relish red clover to increase typical clover content, as Relish is more competitive and productive over time 
  • Three60 benefits from late autumn nitrogen as it helps maintain its strong winter activity and assists with early spring vigour

Suggested Mixes

Dairy Pasture Mix 

Three60 is perfect for dairy production due to its outstanding summer, autumn and winter growth, quality and persistence. 

  Rate (kg/ha)
Three60 AR37 or AR1 perennial ryegrass*  20
Brace white clover 3
Attribute white clover 2
TOTAL 25

 

 

 

*It is not advisable to mix AR37 and AR1 varieties. AR1 is not recommended for areas where black beetle, porina or root aphid are common problem pests.

Dairy Support & Beef Finishing Mix 

Three60 is an ideal ryegrass for summer silage and autumn saved feed, while its late heading in spring helps maintain silage quality for longer.

  Rate (kg/ha)
Three60 AR37 or AR1 perennial ryegrass*  18
Brace white clover 3
Attribute white clover 2
Relish red clover  4
Ecotain® environmental plaintain 2
TOTAL 29

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