Download the Samurye NEA12 tech sheet
Samurye NEA12 Hybrid Ryegrass
Lolium hybridium
pH 4.8 – 8.0, min rain 700mm, most soil types
Samurye NEA12 hybrid ryegrass introduces the DairyBio® developed NEA12 endophyte to elite ryegrass breeding. The grass is a selection from a 50/50 Italian and Bealey perennial ryegrass cross. The result is a variety with the yield potential of the best Italian ryegrasses with improved persistence.
Samurye hybrid ryegrass is partnered with NEA12 endophyte. This symbiosis confers improved yield through increased cool-season performance and improved persistence under pasture pest pressures.
Samurye NEA12 has been trialled for eight years in Australia with the aim of making substantive improvement over the very productive variety Shogun. Shogun remains highly productive in all high-performance situations. Now Samurye NEA12 offers an increased level of potential for dairy and beef systems seeking the highest possible performance.
Where to use Samurye NEA12
- 2–4-year pasture for highest productivity temperate systems
- Grazing high quality pastures well into summer
- Silage and hay production
- Temperate higher rainfall zone (>700mm) or irrigation
- Tetraploid grass component in a high-performance ryegrass/clover pasture
- Use a sole grass high performance pasture.
- Also ideal for over-sowing existing perennial, hybrid, or Italian ryegrass swards.
- Improvement and/or replacement for Shogun and similar types.
- Dairy and beef cattle only.
Benefits of sowing Samurye NEA12
- Next jump up in productivity over Shogun and similar types.
- Significantly improved autumn, winter, and early spring feed – when it is needed most.
- 8% total yield improvement over Reward AR5, and 4% improvement over Shogun NEA in 12 years’ worth of trial data (four trials x three years, multi-year LSD 5%, CV=4.8%)
- Very late heading (+26 days): retains feed quality deeper into spring
- Ideal for rotational grazing and maximising yield potential
- Improved late spring quality and summer growth than earlier heading types.
- Supports a high legume content through tetraploid palatability.
- NEA12 endophyte:
- Janthitrem producing endophyte – high level of pasture pest tolerance
- Excellent for managing black beetle, Argentine stem weevil and root aphid.
- Dairy and beef cattle only
* Four trials in Australia over three years each – see over.
“Samurye NEA12 just stands out every time you enter one of the trials. It always looks good. When we are measuring the trials, we see Samurye NEA12 always performing, as it tops the scales all-year round. Even just cutting it with the trials mower you can sense the machine working a bit harder in the Samurye NEA12 trial plots. Shogun is really good, but Samurye is yielding more again. This is up to 15% more in some seasons, especially from late summer, autumn through to later winter. Samurye NEA12 is really something else.”
Dustin Cundy
Farm Operations Manager – Howlong Research Farm
Mean of four 3-year trials: Warragul, 2016-2019, 2017-2020, 2018-2021, 2019-2022. LSD (5%). Yields with the same letter are not significantly different. CV=4.8% (581 kg/ha total yield)
Management and Agronomy
Samurye NEA12 hybrid ryegrass is suited to temperate higher rainfall or irrigated locations with optimal growth between 10-30oC. Good paddock preparation will aid establishment. Use methods such as stale-seed bed, or a targeted herbicide program to reduce the weed-seed burden in the paddock, especially grass weeds. Application of slug bait may be an important consideration. Samurye NEA12 is best sown with soil temperatures of at least 10-12oC in early-mid autumn or in early spring as establishment below 8oC may be slower. Companion grasses should be sown at rates to compliment the performance of Samurye NEA12. Diploid Italian ryegrass such as Tempo can be included to offer a denser sward as well as assist with preventing over-grazing. Clovers should be sown at robust rates that provide opportunity for satisfactory pasture composition. Grazing management that seeks to avoid selective grazing will enhance and retain good pasture composition.
Sowing rates:
Sole grass, drilled: 25-30 kg/ha
Over-sowing: 15-20 kg/ha
In ryegrass mixes: 15-20 kg/ha
Sowing depth:
10 - 15 mm
Samurye NEA12 will require well-maintained pasture fertility levels to offer full productivity benefits. Samurye NEA12 and companion species will need maintenance of phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, and other elements provided to ensure continued performance and persistence. Initial and regular soil testing is recommended. Once established, Samurye NEA12 pastures should be rotationally grazed to from 2½-3 leaf stage to optimise feed quality. Graze down to 3-5cm residuals within 2-3 days and remove stock to allow rapid recovery and yield maximisation. Samurye with NEA12 endophyte has excellent tolerance to black beetle, root aphids, and Argentine stem weevils. Samurye NEA12 is recommended for beef and dairy (cattle) pastures only.
Typical co-species
Other pasture grasses
Tetraploid perennial ryegrasses: 4front, Bealey, Viscount
Italian ryegrasses: Tempo (diploid), Arise (tetraploid)
Clovers and forage herbs
White clover, red clover, plantain, chicory.
Seed Presentation
Treatment: Available as bare, untreated seed. Treatment available on request.
Pack size: 25kg net weight.
Additional Links
Perennial Extensive Pasture Guide