The deep, powerful roots of PLUS-grass strengthen your fields’ ability to handle drought
Spring and summer droughts are here to stay. But that does not mean that outcomes and profits should fall. Adding PLUS grasses to your grass mixtures improves the field’s ability to handle drought. The PLUS grasses guide you safely through a dry spring and a summer with only a little rain.
Improved drought resistance ensures your yield
During hot, dry summers, the significant clover grass fields lose their color. The longer the drought lasts, the more brown the grass becomes. Week after week, the grass loses biomass and the dry matter yield decreases. The more and more common spring and summer droughts in Europe are creating feed shortages, which are weakening the farmer’s profits.
The solution is to sow grass, which is extra drought tolerant. During dry periods, it will help maintain yields and reduce losses.
Research confirms that PLUS grasses are more drought tolerant
DLF’s goal is to get drought-tolerant grasses to the market to ensure a certain outcome. Rajgræs Plus and Strandsvingel Plus’ superior drought tolerance have been documented in two areas: In the ongoing research at the completely unique root screening plant RadiMax and in trials at DLF’s worldwide processing stations. The results from both RadiMax and the test trials clearly shows that Rajgræs PLUS and Strandsvingel PLUS are effective solutions to the future drought challenges.
Drought tolerance and increased yield potential with PLUS grasses
DLF’s researchers are collaborating with established experimental institutes to find solutions to the damages caused by drought. They both examine above and below ground. They look at what happens to the grass and how the mechanisms behind root growth works, to develop robust drought tolerant grasses.
Rajgræs PLUS: Ryegrass PLUS combines clear characteristics of ryegrass with the benefits of fescue. The mixture of the two species enables the grass to set deeper roots. This makes Rajgræs PLUS ideal for boosting drought tolerance and feed quality in sowing mixtures. Mixtures containing Rajgræs PLUS increase the potential of the outcome and durability of the field.
Strandsvingel PLUS: Beach fescue PLUS combines distinct fescue properties with the benefits of ryegrass. When you use the deep roots from Strandsvingel PLUS in a mixture, you strengthen the mixture’s tolerance to climate change while increasing the yield potential and feed quality.
About RadiMax
Together with the University of Copenhagen, DLF investigates the secret world of grassroots at the RadiMax facility. RadiMax is the world’s most advanced root screening system. Here, researchers can take photos of growing roots down to a depth of 3 m. At the same time, the plants may be exposed to an increasing drought over a moisture gradient that can be induced in the system. The researchers are investigating how different grasses cope during drought and relate their performance to their root system.