Annual ryegrass, image via mccc.msu.edu

     Glenariff, the latest variety of ryegrass, is the result of almost fifteen years of development by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), funded by the UK’s Department of Agriculture grass breeding program. Bred specifically for use on local farms, Glenariff is designed to replace Glen, another variety which has similarly leafy, dense growth habits.

     The newest variety provides on average 6% more yield, with better spring growth and very few seed heads in mid-summer. With genetic material from grasses in Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, Glenariff marked a new, cooperative approach by the AFBI, with tests carried out on sites in England, France and the Netherlands.