INTRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, AND PERSISTENCE OF 5 GRASS SPECIES IN DRY HILL-COUNTRY .5. CENTRAL WAIRARAPA, NORTH-ISLAND, NEW-ZEALAND

Production under sheep grazing from five grass species introduced into dry hill country, central Wairarapa, was compared with that from resi dent pasture. Treatments also included levels of nitrogen and phosphat e fertiliser application, and three intensities of summer grazing. Mea n annual herbage accumulation (HA) during the 5-year trial was greates t from phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L. 'Grasslands Maru') swards (10965 kg DM/ha). This was followed by resident swards dominated by ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (10040 kg DM/ha), swards sown with ryegrass ('Gra sslands Nui') (9050 kg DM/ha), prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth 'Grasslands Matua') (9040 kg DM/ha), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L. 'Grasslands Wana') (8693 kg DM/ha), and tall fescue (Festuca arundina cea Schreb. 'Grasslands Roa') (8270 kg DM/ha). Variation in this order occurred for different years, seasons, and fertiliser and grazing tre atments. Persistence varied between species, with the average sown gra ss species contribution in the fifth year being 77, 74, 31, 31, and 9% of HA for Nui, Wana, Matua, Maru, and Roa plots, respectively. The av erage response to fertiliser application was a 20% increase in annual HA, and responses to summer grazing management were generally small.