Denise Rae Blog Site 2.

Phalaris varieties Murmungee

Highlights:
Phalaris varieties
Weed control
Paddock preparation techniques
Sowing techniques

Paddock history
2006 Lime 2.5 tonne/ha
2007 Oats/Ryegrass, 200kg single super. Cut for hay.
2008 Oats/Ryegrass, 200kg single super. Cut for hay.
2009 Oats/Ryegrass, 200kg single super. Cut for hay.

Treatment 2010
Date Action
8/04/10 Roundup CT @ 2l/ha
Li 700 wetting agent @ 300ml/ ha
Water @ 100l/ha
10/05/10 Roundup CT @ 500ml/ha
Cavalier @ 75ml/ha
19/05/10 DAP spread at 80kg/ha
20/05/10 Sown with triple disc drill to work up
and seed dropped from the small seeds
box
Sowing rate
Phalaris 4kg/ha
Riverina sub- clover 3 kg/ha (High
levels of hard seed, early - mid season
variety).
Goulburn sub -clover 2 kg/ha (Moderate
levels of hard seed, Mid – late season
variety)

23/05/10 Pre- emergent spray

Talstar 250EC 40ml/ha – long acting
Astound Duo 100ml/ha – short term
Dual Gold 250 ml/ha – controls toad
rush (see photo)
25/05/10 41mm Rain
to
29/05/10

Tim Ekberg Co-ordinator Ph 0357273931 Mobile 0427573535

tim@farminganswers.com
96 Milawa- Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa, Victoria, 3678
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
under its FarmReady program
Soil test (November 2009)

Compare demonstration site paddock “Oats”

to unimproved paddock next door.

Are these soil test levels suitable for phalaris?

Sowing plan

Discussion Points
If you want to sow phalaris into the unimproved paddock what process could be used?
What would you do now?
What would you do next year?

Tim Ekberg Co-ordinator Ph 0357273931 Mobile 0427573535

tim@farminganswers.com
96 Milawa- Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa, Victoria, 3678
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
under its FarmReady program
Discussion points
How could this paddock have been better prepared to sow phalaris?

Given our variable climate was this a risky sowing method?

Tim Ekberg Co-ordinator Ph 0357273931 Mobile 0427573535

tim@farminganswers.com
96 Milawa- Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa, Victoria, 3678
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
under its FarmReady program
 Phalaris varieties

Phalaris cultivars can be divided into two types; semi winter dormant and winter active. The
cultivar to sow will depend on your grazing management, soil fertility and pH and when you
need to grow the feed. If you plan to set stocking the paddock, the prostrate, semi winter
dormant cultivars will ensure pasture survival but will have poor winter growth. If you can
rotationally graze, the more erect, winter active cultivars will persist and give you better
winter growth rates.

Semi winter dormant varieties

Australian – Suitable for set-stocking situations

• Prostrate habit
• Low summer dormancy
• Lower winter production
• Regarded as the most persistent under continuous grazing due to its prostrate growing
habit.
Australian II – Similar to Australian but has better seed retention and therefore better seed
yields

Grazier - derived from original Australian phalaris.

Winter active varieties

This group can produce up to 50-100% more growth than the semi winter dormant cultivars.
Sirosa - was the standard winter-active phalaris it has now been replaced by Holdfast.

Holdfast – General purpose

• Semi-erect to erect, winter active
• Good seedling vigour
• Slightly more acid soil tolerant relative to Sirosa
• Lower level of alkaloids (toxins that cause Phalaris staggers) than Sirosa.
Landmaster – For lighter, shallow, acidic soils
• Semi-erect to erect, winter active
• The most tolerant of acid soils
• Sow on mid to upper slopes on shallow soils.
Atlas PG – For drier, marginal areas
• Erect habit, winter active
• Improved persistence in dry marginal phalaris areas (400-500mm minimum)
• Early flowering, stronger summer dormancy
• Strong seedling vigour.

Newer winter active cultivars

These varieties have recently been released.
Holdfast GT
• Semi erect
• More tolerant of set stocking than Holdfast

Tim Ekberg Co-ordinator Ph 0357273931 Mobile 0427573535

tim@farminganswers.com
96 Milawa- Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa, Victoria, 3678
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
under its FarmReady program
 Advanced AT
• Better adapted to strongly acid soils with high exchangeable aluminium levels than
other cultivars Including Landmaster
• Higher seedling vigour and first year survival rates than Landmaster.
•

Tim Ekberg Co-ordinator Ph 0357273931 Mobile 0427573535

tim@farminganswers.com
96 Milawa- Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa, Victoria, 3678
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
under its FarmReady program