(Lolium multiflorum L.)

Italian ryegrass is a short-lived  grass with a high yield potential upon sowing. The first harvest of Italian ryegrass, which has a very early spring growth, is especially large. Italian ryegrass rarely survives more than one hard winter. The quality of the feed is very high because the leaves comprise a relatively large proportion of the plant, and both sugar content and digestibility are high. As in the other ryegrasses, there are diploid and tetraploid varieties. Both are suitable for the production of silage, especially in mixtures with red clover, which has the same short and intensive production period, or in pure stands as a rotation crop.  

The development of new varieties is focused on:

• High sugar content and digestibility
• Resistance to diseases such as xanthomonas, rust and snow mold
• A growth pattern optimally suited to climatic conditions
• Increased persistence and frost tolerance 
• Less stem regrowth

Westerwold ryegrass (Lolium multiflorium var. westerwoldicum)  

This is the annual version of Italian ryegrass which sets stems in the year of sowing, and is used especially for silage. 

Breeding is focused on increasing yields, and two types are under development, one with most of its growth in spring, and one with a more evenly distributed yield over the whole growth season.

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