Play it cool
A big new facility in Hamilton will put premium grass seed on farm faster this autumn, and in peak condition for sowing.
Think of it like the fridge you use for animal vaccines, only in this case it’s to protect something just as important – the live endophyte in ryegrass seed.
Vaccines lose viability if they’re not stored correctly, and endophyte is the same.
Heat and humidity can kill this tiny organism faster than most people realise, so seed containing endophyte should stay cool and dry for as long as possible before it goes in the ground.
That’s easier said than done at this time of year, especially when truckloads of South Island seed have to travel half the country to be in the right place at the right time for North Island autumn sowing.
The solution for one leading supplier?
Invest in five times more cool storage space in the heart of the Waikato and hold autumn seed orders there at perfect temperature and humidity until they’re required.
Want to read more? Click to read the full article here.
