PGG Wrightson Seeds

Ecologically, New Zealand presents a unique challenge for long-lived ryegrass-based pastures. Unlike other ryegrass-growing areas of the world, our native or exotic insect pasture pests have not co-evolved with natural control mechanisms, meaning as a country we are more vulnerable to insect attacks than other pasture-growing areas of the world.

Fortunately, mother nature provided us with an answer in the form of a fungus called an endophyte, which can co-exist in our ryegrass and produce alkaloids that deter or kill certain pasture pests.

During the 1980s, ‘wild type’ (standard) endophyte in ryegrass became more understood, including its detrimental effects on grazing livestock, which became known as endophyte-associated ‘ryegrass staggers’ and heat stress.

Once the relationship became more understood, the research and pastoral industry responded, discovering and commercialising novel endophytes such as AR1 and AR37 that transformed the grazing pastures of New Zealand.

In an upcoming series, we will look into endophytes and the value they can create on farm.

Long service milestones deserve to be celebrated because they remind us that great organisations are built by great people who consistently show up, support others and make a difference over many years. They inspire the next generation to recognise the loyalty, hard work and passion that go into being highly successful at your job.

Chris Sanders clicks over 20 years of outstanding service with PGG Wrightson Seeds, and over these two decades he has made a lasting impression on the team, the company and the myriad of retailers and farmers that he has met, found solutions for and done business with. Starting just six months after the merge between PGG and Wrightsons, Chris covered off an area from Oamaru north to the top of the south as a Sales rep alongside Dick Arnst, who was the Extension Agronomist. When PGG Wrightson Seeds and Corson Maize split into two different business units and teams, Chris retained one of his old duties and, to this day, covers off the South Island in the maize space while servicing the Northern South Island as the Extension Agronomist for the Seeds brand.

Chris is passionate about his region as he services some of the driest places in the country (Marlborough) to some of the wettest (West Coast), and this allows him to bring his extensive knowledge and skills to utilise the entire product range to ensure the right fit for the farm and the environment. Chris’s core values and passion for the job continue to be helping farmers and retailers to achieve success. He has worked with many retailer reps across two decades and enjoys helping them with their customer bases, along with seeing them grow into their roles.

When asked about favourite memories, it comes down to ‘People and Places’. He feels fortunate to have visited some fantastic farms in the magical places throughout the country. Along with this, he has met and worked with some amazing people who he credits for his own learning. He notes Dick Arnst as his earliest mentor and hopes that, in the future, he can give back some of his own knowledge to the next generation coming through. The true measure of a career isn’t just the work completed but the people that have been positively impacted. Through Chris’s knowledge, generosity, good humour and willingness to help others succeed, he has left a lasting mark on our team, his customers and plenty around the industry.

Congratulations, Mr Sanders, on a fantastic 20 years!

PGG Wrightson Seeds PGG Wrightson Seeds has been supporting New Zealand farmers for over 160 years. With more than $18 million invested annually in research and development, we’re leading the way in forage and endophyte innovation.

Maximise your swede yield potential with Ultrastrike® Pelleted swede seed.

Designed for precision drilling, Ultrastrike® Pelleted swede seed helps optimise establishment and supports yield potential by ensuring even seed distribution when sown at the correct rate and depth. This method facilitates uniform seedling emergence and consistent bulb growth.

Additionally, the phosphate, systemic insecticide, and two contact fungicides in the Ultrastrike® Pelleted seed support early growth by providing critical nutrients and insect and disease protection during the establishment phase.
Ultrastrike® Pelleted Swede is available in Cleancrop™ Hawkestone, Cleancrop™ Aspiring, Earnslaw, and Clutha Gold.

Read more by visiting our website.
https://f.mtr.cool/gxvifnxilq

PGG Wrightson Seeds PGG Wrightson Seeds has been supporting New Zealand farmers for over 160 years. With more than $18 million invested annually in research and development, we’re leading the way in forage and endophyte innovation.

Taking the category win for the cultivated kale section in the 2026 Taieri Winter Feed Competition was Graeme Wallace of Hopehill at his finishing block at Momona, Otago. Yielding at least 18 t DM/ha, the Cleancrop™ Sarge kale stood out to the judges not only for its total yield but also for the amount of leaf present on the crop.

Local PGG Wrightson Seeds field representative Lucy Bell explains that Cleancrop™ Sarge is a relatively recent release in the Cleancrop™ Brassica system, and to date, it has exceeded expectations. As seen in this crop, yields are high, but what has been particularly noticeable here and elsewhere is the high utilisation afforded not only by the high leaf yield but also by the softer stems associated with the cultivar.

Graeme acknowledges the support he received in growing the crop from his local Highland Agri Solutions representative, Drew Curruthers, and Superior Minerals representative, Tim Adcock. Graeme cultivated and sowed his Cleancrop™ Sarge kale after the paddock was in swedes last season. Importantly for him, the Cleancrop™ brassica system allowed control of w**ds carried over from the previous crop and helped mitigate the risk of w**ds in newly sown pasture after the crop is finished.

To grow good crops requires the right crop selection, along with attention to detail throughout the entire process, from establishment through to feeding. One of the advantages Graeme is capitalising on with Cleancrop™ Sarge kale is its flexibility to feed from autumn through to late winter; in his case, he already had two-year-old cattle grazing the kale from mid to late May.

Given the results he achieved this year, Graeme fully expects to be using the Cleancrop™ Brassica system again this coming season and utilising his local support networks to grow next year’s winning crop. From PGG Wrightson Seeds, we congratulate Graeme on his category win and all those involved with the Taieri Winter Feed Competition.

PGG Wrightson Seeds PGG Wrightson Seeds has been supporting New Zealand farmers for over 160 years. With more than $18 million invested annually in research and development, we’re leading the way in forage and endophyte innovation.

Nick Roulston, who farms near Outram, Otago, on his sheep and beef property Dusky Farms, is seeing outstanding results from using Cleancrop™ in his forage cropping programme. At this year’s Taieri Winter Feed Competition, Nick delivered an impressive performance, taking out both “Up the Hill” categories for direct-drilled swede and kale, as well as runner-up overall for his kale crop.

The competition also serves as a fundraiser for local charities, with goods donated by local businesses auctioned off and organised by the community Lions and Rotary clubs. This year, the event raised an all-time high of $100,500, many thanks to everyone involved.

Nick acknowledges the support of local field representative Richard Doherty from Highlands Agri Solutions, along with the work carried out in the region by PGG Wrightson Seeds. Their demonstrations have shown how these crops can be successfully grown and highlighted the value of Cleancrop™, especially the Hawkestone swede cultivar, which won this year’s category and has previously been used on farm.

To grow his Cleancrop™ Hawkestone swede crop, Nick uses a straightforward system. He begins by spraying out early with glyphosate to lock in soil moisture, an essential factor in this environment, and to remove existing vegetation. Approximately 4 to 6 weeks later, before sowing, he applies a second clean-up spray using glyphosate along with Telar® herbicide, which is part of the Cleancrop™ package.

The crop is direct drilled using every second coulter with 250kg/ha of boronated DAP applied, with timing and simplicity key to successful establishment. Ongoing monitoring, fertiliser and pest control delivered strong results, with yields exceeding 15t DM/ha, something that would have been unheard of in the region just a few years ago.

By mid-May, lambs were already grazing the top leaves of the swede crop, with dry hoggets utilising it as the region’s cold winter set in. The use of Cleancrop™ brassicas is targeted to paddocks with known w**d issues that the technology can control.

On behalf of PGG Wrightson Seeds, a long-term supporter of the Taieri Winter Feed Competition, congratulations to Nick, everyone who supports and runs the event, and all other competitions across local communities.

PGG Wrightson Seeds PGG Wrightson Seeds has been supporting New Zealand farmers for over 160 years. With more than $18 million invested annually in research and development, we’re leading the way in forage and endophyte innovation.

Tag the hardest-working farmer you know and tell us why.

We all know someone who's first up and last to leave, putting in the hard yards no matter the weather. Tag the good bu**er in your life and tell us why they deserve a bit of recognition this winter.

We'll choose one deserving winner to receive a Kaiwaka Stormforce Jacket.

Terms and conditions apply.

PGG Wrightson Seeds PGG Wrightson Seeds has been supporting New Zealand farmers for over 160 years. With more than $18 million invested annually in research and development, we’re leading the way in forage and endophyte innovation.