Cortez Lucerne shows extensive production through the season with a dormancy of 9. Not only does it produce strong hay yields, it can also withstand heavy grazing and shows good adaptability to varying climatic conditions.
Finer stems and solid disease resistance deliver quality hay. High resistance to Pea, Spotted and Blue aphid as well as Phytophthora root rot.
AGRONOMY GUIDELINES
| Paddock preparations | Can be direct drilled or sown into cultivated seedbed. Can be over sown into existing pasture sward. Cultivate seed bed if ground is uneven. |
| Sowing depth | Shallow (10-15mm), using a roller will ensure good seed-soil contact and improve germination rates. |
| Weed control | A weed free seedbed allows for better establishment results. The use of herbicides prior to sowing can alleviate competition from weeds. Speak to your local agronomist for herbicide recommendations. |
| Fertiliser | The use of fertiliser at sowing may improve the establishment. The use of phosphorus fertiliser annually may improve the longevity of the stand. |
| Grazing management | Avoid grazing during establishment, first grazing may occur when in full flower. Once established, lucerne is suited to rotational grazing. To ensure longevity of the stand, lucerne requires a recovery period after grazing. Avoid grazing too low to the base of the plant as this may damage the basal buds from which new stems grow. |
