Initial findings by Dairy UP researchers indicate that all three lines have promising dry matter production, genetic diversity, disease resistance and nutritional value.
For farmers whose pasture lands are increasingly subject to moisture stress and warmer temperatures, new climate-ready kikuyu grasses could provide greater flexibility.
Dairy UP researchers in collaboration with Hatton’s Turf Research are now conducting further trials on the candidate varieties.
Project lead Professor Richard Trethowan from the University of Sydney said only two new kikuyu cultivars had been released for grazing since the launch of the initial grasses more than 50 years ago.
Prof Trethowan said compared to the varieties currently used on NSW dairy farms, the new lines potentially have better disease resistance, good biomass production, tolerance to salinity and drought, and represent significant new diversity for nutritional factors.
“Current kikuyu pasture cultivars are limited in adaptation, nutritional quality and scope,” he said.
The University of Sydney in collaboration with Hatton’s Turf Research has been breeding improved kikuyu grasses for more than 15 years.
Thirteen kikuyu genotypes developed by the university and owned by Hatton’s were evaluated in small, replicated plots at the Plant Breeding Institute at Cobbitty during 2021-22, leading to the three lines being identified as candidates with potential commercial value for dairy pastures.
These three lines were further assessed in 2024-25 through replicated strip trials on three dairy farms in southern NSW at Bega, Berry and Camden.
The trials ran from November to May with the strips managed as closely as possible to the farm’s practices.
Dry matter produced at on-farm trials varied between 8 tonnes/ha and 14 tonnes/ha, but the unusually wet season meant there wasn’t an opportunity to observe differences in ability to tolerate dry conditions and subsequent impact on yield, Prof Trethowan said.
The lines were assessed for disease resistance, with all three appearing more resistant than current varieties.
Further field trials will be conducted over the 2025-26 summer to better understand the performance of the lines under different seasonal conditions.
This will also include a field inoculation trial of black spot and kikuyu yellows.
The project is a collaboration between researchers from Dairy UP, University of Sydney and Hatton’s Turf research.
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