The Wrightson Seeds lucerne portfolio will provide a market leading variety suited to your requirements and situation.

Improvement is ongoing in the research and development program, meaning that even better varieties will be available into the future. Wrightson Seeds sources breeding material from different backgrounds and then screens it under a range of conditions in Australia for several years. This process ensures that the requirements and potential of a new variety are well understood, and recommendations can be made for almost any situation in which lucerne may be grown.

The Wrightson Seeds lucerne portfolio will provide a market leading variety suited to your requirements and situation.

Improvement is ongoing in the research and development program, meaning that even better varieties will be available into the future. Wrightson Seeds sources breeding material from different backgrounds and then screens it under a range of conditions in Australia for several years. This process ensures that the requirements and potential of a new variety are well understood, and recommendations can be made for almost any situation in which lucerne may be grown.

Lucerne Breeding Approach

In 1997 Wrightson Seeds established a long-term commitment to lucerne research and development in Australia. The program was introduced to develop new lucerne  varieties to replace older varieties such as WL 320, WL Southern Special, WL 516 and WL 612.  In a new approach to the selection of lucerne varieties, Wrightson Seeds focussed on the specific needs of lucerne growers in Australia. This recognised that the requirements for irrigated lucerne hay production were clearly different to the  requirements for lucerne grown in a dryland, mixed cropping rotation.

In the new program, Wrightson Seeds sources breeding material from different backgrounds and then screens it under a range of conditions in Australia for several years. This process ensures that the requirements and potential of a new variety are well understood, and recommendations can be made for almost any situation in which  lucerne may be grown.

Lucernes with Stamina

The Stamina® lucernes compel a rethink on how lucerne is used by farmers in mixed farming zones. The reality is, that the demands of sheep grazing, such as set stocking for lengthy periods and hot, dry seasons are not conducive to lucerne persistence. The Stamina® lucernes change that. Croppers may prefer winter-active lucernes which  produce very well between their three and five year cropping rotation. However, many growers require a longer term lucerne stand that is productive through the warmer months when quality feed is in short supply. Also, a lucerne stand that tolerates the rigours of dryland sheep grazing for up to 10 years. Stamina® 5 and Stamina® GT6 fulfill these criteria.

Like all lucernes, Stamina®5 and Stamina® GT6 lucernes will persist and produce better if rotationally grazed. Once established, they tolerate continuous and close grazing better than other lucerne varieties.

Stamina® lucernes are also good companions for phalaris, winter-active tall fescues and sub and annual clovers,producing a robust year-round legume based pasture. The Stamina Lucernes have low broad crowns and are naturally of high forage quality with fine stems and high vleaf/stem ratio. Stamina lucernes are able to maintain this quality by remaining a dense, leafy stand rather than opening up and becoming stalky and weedy.

Stamina® lucernes are suitable for grazing, or production of quality hay.

Lucernes for Cropping Rotations

Producers growing lucerne in rotation with cropping in Australia require a lucerne variety that will establish quickly, provide good winter and warm season production and fix maximum nitrogen over the short 3–5 year lucerne phase. In many cases it will be sown under a cereal or pulse crop highlighting the need for excellent  establishment vigour. Cropper 9.5 has succeeded Cropper Nine® as a high producing, highly winter active (9+) variety, featuring high forage yield during all growing seasons and excellent persistence.