AA #15: Is it the Rye-t Grass?
The cache, a camo-taped 35mm film canister, is hidden close to where the trail exits the fields to pass a short distance down Askwith Lane.
Following on from AA #2 which looked at grasslands in general, having traversed or passed substantial forage and fodder (F&F) grassland in the course of your amble, it may be of interest to look at the most popular common species and some associated issues . . .
In the UK, the most popular F&F grass seed mixtures comprise several distinct species, including various types of ryegrass, as well as cocksfoot, Timothy and red or white clover. These species have a range of attributes as single species, but when combined, the benefits are significantly increased and improved, and drawbacks of some species may be overcome.
Ryegrasses can be highly productive, often producing bumper yields with high sugar levels. They respond very well to nitrogen fertiliser inputs especially on moisture retentive soils. After 60 years of improved plant breeding there are a wide range of varieties to fit many different situations. This has made them very popular because growers can select varieties with a life span and growth habit to suit a range of different farming systems. Hence, adaptable ryegrass is often used for grazing, or in conservation situations like silage, haylage (early mown and chopped grass) and hay (mown and dried grass).
From the 1960 onwards, substantial grass breeding work has led to a comprehensive range of ryegrass strains available today. They come in 4 distinct types with different growing characteristics and lifespans: Westerwold (1yr duration), Italian (1-2yr), Hybrid ryegrass (a cross between Italian and perennial (3-4yr) and perennial (5-7yr) (Lolium perenne). See short video here.
The latter is one of the most popular species in the UK, sown to provide a long term cutting or grazing option. It can also be formulated to provide a versatile cutting and grazing mixture. This grass will often be grazed in the early spring and then ‘shut up’ for later season hay or silage cuts.
A wide range of perennial ryegrass varieties is available, with different heading dates (date of seed head development), which is important when deciding on the optimum mowing times for quality in a silage system, or to provide the maximum amount of grazing before the plant throws up a seed head and reduces quality.
Within the ryegrass family, each species comes in the form of a tetraploid or a diploid. A tetraploid has twice the number of chromosomes per cell than a diploid, which means that it is often a more aggressive fleshier plant, while the diploid has a lower water content with more tillers and longer persistence. A high water content can be a drawback when drying grasses for hay crops, however an aggressive growth habit can be useful when used to improve existing swards, as part of an over-seeding mixture.
Although ryegrass is the most popular grass species in UK agriculture, other grass species have positive qualities different to ryegrass. When species like cocksfoot and Timothy are included as part of a mixture, for instance, they can provide deeper root structures, or plant growth earlier and later in the season. Red and white clovers may also be added to grass mixtures for inter alia improved protein content and nitrogen fixing properties.
However . . . climate change and loss of biodiversity may force a rethink on the (over)reliance on rye grass for forage and fodder. Environmentalist argue that ryegrass is a malign influence in our farming system. When not drought-stricken, Britain’s grasslands may still look green and pleasant, but 98% of English and Welsh pasture has been stripped of life over the past century. Heavily fertilised grassland quickly loses its botanical diversity, with experiments showing that fertilised plots rapidly change from containing 50 different species of grass and herb prior to fertilisation to just 2-3 species.
Across the country, such 'improved' grasslands have delivered more grass for livestock, but much less for nature. Flower-rich hay meadows have also been ploughed up and re-sown with juicy, fast-growing ryegrasses. Under 2% of traditional 'semi-natural' hay meadows, whose wildflowers support a vast array of insect and bird life, survive today.
There has been a bias towards highly productive, sugary ryegrass varieties but some native grasses can do just as well. While it is not necessary to demonise ryegrass, experts advise that a mix of other grass species is needed in farmed grassland.
During the 2022 drought in SE England, some farmers with more diverse swards managed to remain greener a lot longer than farmers growing shallow-rooted ryegrass. Different native grasses, herbs and legumes have deeper roots, adding organic material to the soil and making passages for water to be drawn down into the soil. This makes more naturalistic, diverse grassland better at retaining water in times of floods (another useful attribute) and a superior store of carbon. Ryegrass mixes also tend to be ploughed up and re-sown every five to 10 years to maximise their productivity, and ploughing releases carbon stored in the soil.
Some other QI info: Ryegrass pollen is one of the major causes of hay fever. Tennis courts, including those at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the venue for Wimbledon, are planted with ryegrass because of its wear resistance and regeneration ability.
