Megamax 059

The newest perennial C4 grass suited to tropical and sub-tropical environments. A Gatton Panic type, it has superior growth, persistence and quality characteristics than other Panic Grasses.
A very high quality grass, it maintains quality longer into the season than other panic grasses. Megamax ® 059 suits a wider range of soil types and can handle much tougher conditions than traditional Gatton Panic.
Being a standout performer in production and quality, it is an exceptional inclusion in any tropical or sub-tropical pasture.

Key Features

• Use pattern 5-20+ tear tropical grass pasture systems
• Tropical and Sub Tropical medium rainfall zone (>550mm) or high rainfall and irrigation
• Grass component in a high-performance tropical finishing mix
• Ideal for more variable summer rainfall environments
• Dairy and beef finishing, silage and hay
• Highly recommended for sub tropical systems for higher animal productivity.

Benefits of sowing Megamax 059

Long term persistent option that has good drought recovery

• Responsive to rainfall, with higher leaf production and finer stem
• Highest quality, and maintenance of quality into the growing season of all the panic cultivars
• Exceptional annual and long term yield: Increases of up to 10.5% more DM vs Gatton, 11.9% more DM vs
  Green annually
• Exceptional cold tolerance and production early and late in the growing season
• High quality feed production: Increased stock performance compared to Gatton.

Persistence

Megamax ® 059 is a strong perennial, demonstrating improved persistence over Gatton and Green Panic under 3 years of grazing trials in Bingara and Tamworth NSW, along with Badgingarra field Station in WA. All panic grasses require well drained soils and rotational grazing to persist in the short to medium term. Poor persistence occurs in areas with a combination of frequent frosts and cold, wet soils. This variety re-establishes quickly after long dry periods due to its robust root system. Being a prolific seed producer, regeneration from new seedlings will aid in persistence. Long term persistence is dependent on adequate nutrition, moisture and ideal grazing management.

Agronomy and Management

Megamax ® 059 is very well suited to Tropical and Sub-Tropical regions, with exceptional performance where cooler winters are experienced such a southern QLD, Northern NSW and WA. It has best performance and persistence on deeper, more fertile soils but tolerates varying soil texture types. 

Megamax ® 059 is not tolerant of prolonged water logging, and is not persistent on salinity or acidic soils.
Megamax ® 059 is extremely cold tolerant, and can tolerate light frosts. It will enter winter dormancy once cold enough conditions are experienced, however it will exhibit much earlier season growth compared to other panic grasses and maintain quality later into Autumn, extending the growing season and improving farm productivity. Megamax ® 059 exhibits good shade tolerance, and can be a great inclusion species for semi open woodland areas including wider row Leucaena plantation systems.

Megamax ® 059 is very drought hardy, and can tolerate extended dry periods. It is a standout performer following drought conditions with rapid responsiveness to rainfall providing quick growth and is a prolific seed producer, recruiting readily from seed.

Growth Habit 
Megamax ® 059 is a short-medium panic grass type. It is erect and loosely tufted perennial that forms clumps. It has a low crown and roots down at lower nodes, which improves persistence under grazing. Megamax ® 059 has a significantly wide leaf blade compared to Gatton and Green Panic, with extensive tillering habit, this has lead to a high leaf to stem ratio, dramatically improving dry matter digestibility and feed quality.
It has a good synchronisation of flowering, allowing easier management of grazing quality throughout the season.

Optimal Sowing Conditions
Megamax ® 059 has optimal germination with soil temperatures of at least 21°C with a critical temperature of 16°C and rising for germination. Temperatures above 35°C will greatly reduce successful germination and
survival of juvenile seedling, care should be taken not to plant in the hottest summer weather – the seed must maintain close contact with wet soil for about 3-4 days. Most Panic cultivars have some level of fresh seed dormancy.

The use of AgriCOTE will greatly improve establishment success and allow the grass to break dormancy and establish with a higher degree of success. AgriCOTE also provides increased insurance for seed by provide both insect and disease protection of the seed and the juvenile plant.

Agronomic Advice
For grazing, Megamax ® 059 Panic provides an excellent co species, and still provides a hay cutting option.
Tropical legumes should be sown at robust rates that provide opportunity for satisfactory pasture composition. Its growth habit allows for inclusion and good persistence of both herb (Chicory and Plantain) and Tropical and Temperate legumes.

This makes it a perfect fit for more dynamic pasture swards especially in Sub-Tropical cross over zones.

Megamax ® 059 Panic is very responsive to Nitrogen (N), Growth rates will continue to respond dramatically to increasing linear rates of N. In lower fertility soils, very responsive to phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). A maintenance fertiliser program is recommended to replace nutrient(s) removed by grazing or hay cutting over time, particularly at high stocking densities or under intensive hay cutting activities. Split applications of 50-150Kg/Ha N are used often. Soil test should be used to form foundation of fertiliser program.

Grazing Management 
Avoiding selective grazing will enhance and retain good pasture composition, The higher palatability of Megamax ® 059 often results in it being preferentially grazed compared to less palatable species in the mix. Megamax ® 059 once established can handle heavy grazing however like all improved species will have highest persistence and production under a spelling/rotational grazing system. Persistence will ultimately depend on the quality of rest between grazing’s.
Under ideal growth conditions, cutting or grazing should occur at 4 weekly intervals to obtain the best balance between quality and quantity, however unlike Rhodes Megamax ® 059 will hold quality under a longer cutting interval (6-8 weeks). Adequate recovery after grazing and spelling before onset of winter or the dry season will greatly improve persistence and following season productivity.

Tropical Co-Species

Grazing Mixes
Megamax ® 059 is a great inclusion in any grazing operation, the significant improvements in cold tolerance allows for a large increase to the growing season compared to other panics. This coupled with stand out feed quality and digestibility allows for improved animal performance. It combines well with legumes such as burgundy bean, siratro, desmodium, butterfly pea, centro, glycine, stylo, desmanthus, lucerne, medic,
serradella and temperate clovers and herbs.

Hay Cutting Mixes 
Megamax ® 059 is an excellent option for a tropical grass hay cutting operation, both as a straight stand and in a mix with grasses like Endura & Mariner Rhodes.
Megamax ® 059 maintains good Dry Matter Production per hectare as well as lifting overall quality and digestibility of the hay compared to species such as Rhodes and Setaria.

Animal Health & Toxicity Issues
Pure stands of panic grasses have been known to cause photosensitisation (more so in sheep). Panic Grasses also have low to medium levels of Oxalates, which can result in big head in horses. For grazing it is recommended to have a mixed sward.