Persistent yields with Stampede CM142

Kiwis know a thing or two about persistence, toughness and high performance. It’s the same qualities you’ll find in our new Stampede CM142 diploid perennial ryegrass with the CM142 endophyte. 

In Brand Spotlight3 Minutes

We understand that resowing perennial ryegrass is a significant investment and Kiwi farmers and agronomists demand persistent, high-yielding performance. They also seek assurances against common issues such as ryegrass staggers and persistence under insect pest pressure. To overcome these issues, we’ve developed Stampede diploid perennial ryegrass with CM142 endophyte.   

The journey to Stampede CM142 has been one of perseverance. Developed by Cropmark’s breeding team in Canterbury and incorporating insight from farmers, it represents many years of research and development, combining New Zealand’s best ryegrass genetics with a new and unique novel endophyte.   

Stampede CM142 is more than just another ryegrass cultivar says Cropmark’s Plant Breeder Stephane Montel.

“This late heading diploid perennial ryegrass boasts consistent yield performance validated through rigorous on-farm trials across New Zealand and Australia. It’s a very nice looking grass, dark coloured with very high tiller density to improve its persistence and ensure a reliable source of high-quality forage throughout the year”.   

Central to Stampede’s remarkable persistence is the CM142 endophyte. Harnessing the natural insect deterrent capabilities of EpoxyJanthitremalkaloids, CM142 combined with Stampede’s robust genetics “offers a natural defence mechanism to increase pasture persistence, which is a key attribute for perennial pasture” says Stephane. “Our main effort in developing CM142 was to maintain the component around insect protection while increasing livestock performance, due to lesser toxicity and better forage production”.   

However, the benefits of Stampede extend beyond insect pest tolerance. “CM142 has consistently shown a reduced potential to induce ryegrass staggers and heat stress.

 In animal safety trials, no ryegrass staggers symptoms whatsoever were noted in lambs grazing Stampede CM142 ryegrass.. We believe this is a result of its unique alkaloid levels” says Stephane.   

In anticipation of its launch to the market this spring, seed has been distributed to participating farms throughout New Zealand and Australia to further assess its on-farm performance. It’s an exciting achievement for the wider industry, providing farmers an alternative to support them in what they do best.  

Talk to your nearest Cropmark forage seed supplier to secure your seed today.