With summer almost upon us, it is the time to start thinking about brassicas. A variety of factors come together to achieve the best outcome for your crop, so detailed planning is essential.
Condition of the seedbed, sowing date, soil temperature, cultivar selection, sowing rate, row spacing and depth, and timing of pre-emerge herbicide all influence the yield potential of the crop.
Catalyst’s team of agronomists are specialists in bringing all of these pieces of the puzzle together with a high level of attention to detail. Growing exceptional brassica crops in the South Island has been a major focus for the business for many years. Catalyst agronomists have the passion to achieve the best outcome for their customers.
The brassica cultivars Catalyst will be managing for its customers in the 2024-2025 season include:
Kale Varieties
- Coleor Kale: A reliable option with excellent establishment and disease resistance. Perfect for harsh Winter environments where snow-loading is a potential issue.
- Corsa Kale: A high yielding giant kale that boasts robust stems and a high leaf-to-stem ratio, making it an excellent choice for maximising dry matter production, with yields up to 17,000 kgDM/ha. Most suited to Dairy/R2 Cattle
- Kestrel Kale: A short height variety with soft, digestible stems and high energy content, designed for superior animal performance and winter grazing. Suitable for youngstock, deer and sheep.
- MD Kale: Intermediate in height and offering a balance of yield and feed quality, this kale is treated for optimal establishment.
Leafy Turnips
- Hunter Turnip: A fast-growing option, treated for superior establishment, ideal for summer grazing and rapid regrowth in rotational systems.
- Pacer Turnip: Known for its flexibility and high quality forage, suited to various grazing conditions. Low susceptibility to bolting.
- Pasja II Brassica: Combines the benefits of rape and turnip, offering excellent regrowth potential for multiple grazing cycles. Can be grazed in as little as 45 days.
Rape Varieties
- Pillar Rape: A versatile and productive forage, with strong regrowth and adaptability across grazing systems.
- Spitfire Rape: Higher yielding variety with 90-day maturity, offering excellent utilisation for multi-graze scenarios.
- Vixen Rape: An early (75 day) maturing variety with a high leaf-to-stem ratio, providing consistent performance and quality forage.
Swedes
- Major Plus Swede: A high yielding traditional winter feed option, treated for improved germination and early growth. Highly renowned and proven cultivar, suited to direct drilling and ridging.
Turnips
- Appin Turnip: Quick maturing and high yielding, this summer feed option is ideal for meeting feed shortages.
- Green-globe Turnip: Suitable for summer, autumn, or winter grazing, with excellent adaptability and consistent yields.
- Marco Turnip: Tetraploid type providing nutrient rich forage for cattle and sheep during key growth stages, ensuring high productivity.