Profile
AstonCrusader is DSV’s first own bred hybrid ryegrass. It is a tetraploid variety which is officially recommended in England and Wales as well as in Germany. The recommendation in England and Wales directly shows that AstonCrusader produces very high total annual yields with an extraordinary early spring growth (rel. 106). Combined with excellent disease resistance, AstonCrusader is an absolutely top variety in this segment.
The official German BSA marks confirm the strong yield potential of this variety. AstonCrusader achieves strong and stable dry matter yields in the first and subsequent cuts. These characteristics are combined with good persistence, sward density and rust resistance. All in all, these were the most important characteristics that led directly to the variety being recommended in the low mountain region in Germany. AstonCrusader is yet another strong variety in the DSV portfolio suitable for broad use on the international markets. AstonCrusader is also an interesting variety for our farmers in grass seed multiplication.
National listing/Official recommendation:
CO, DE, LU, BE, UK
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very high yield potential
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excellent early spring growth
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intermediate type (Lm/Lp)
Suitability
| Ploidy | tetraploid | |
|---|---|---|
| Mature | early to inter | |
| Ploidy | tetraploid | |
|---|---|---|
| Mature | early to inter | |
| 1st harvest year (% of 18.22 t DM/ha) | 100 |
| 2nd harvest year (% of 13.53 t DM/ha) | 102 |
| 3rd harvest year (% of 12.41 t DM/ha) | 103 |
| Total yield: Mean (% of 14.85 t DM/ha) | 102 |
| 1st and 2nd cut ME yield, first harvest year (% of 119 000 mj/ha) | 100 |
| Year of Sowing (% of 1.63 t DM/ha) | 101 |
| Ground cover% (2nd harvest year) | 61 |
| Ground cover% (3rd harvest year) | 57 |
| Autumn ground cover (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 4.2 |
| Winter hardiness (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 7.4 |
| Early spring growth (% of 1.57 t DM/ha) | 106 |
| 1st conservation cut (% of 6.50 t DM/ha) | 103 |
| 1st conservation cut D-Value | 71.8 |
| 2nd conservation cut (% of 3.95 t DM/ha) | 94 |
| 2nd conservation cut D-Value | 68.7 |
| Monthly cuts ( % of 6.04 t DM/ha) | 99 |
| Ryegrass mosaic virus (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 6.8 |
| Mildew (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 7.0 |
| Brown Rust (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 7.2 |
| Crown Rust (1-9, 1=poor 9=good) | 6.3 |
Source: AHDB Hybrid Ryegrass Varieties Recommended List 2023/2024