Rouse is a more productive and persistent replacement for the variety Gosse. Across all trials Rouse produced higher total biomass, higher seed yields and higher seedling regeneration densities than Gosse. It also has higher resistance to both Races 1 and 2 of clover scorch disease and to leaf rust than Gosse. Rouse is suitable for permanent and semi-permanent pastures and to mixed farming. Its upright, vigorous growth makes it well suited to hay and silage production, as well as grazing by cattle or sheep.
Origin
Rouse is derived from a cross between the variety Riverina and a wild plant collected in Greece. It was the most productive and persistent of 13 ssp. yanninicum breeding lines and five commercial varieties in trials in WA at Manjimup and Mt Barker and two sites in eastern Australia.
Varietal characters
Rouse flowers approximately 131 days from an early May sowing in Perth (Table 1). It has only a very low level of the oestrogenic compound, formononetin, and will not cause infertility problems in ewes. Rouse is also more hardseeded than Gosse and Trikkala, resulting in greater persistence, particularly after a year in crop.
| Variety | Flowering time | Formononetin | Hardseededness |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| (days from sowing in Perth) | (% of dry matter) | (% hard seeds in laboratory measurements) |
| Rouse | 131 | 0.1 | 23.9 |
| Gosse | 128 | 0.1 | 16.1 |
| Monti | 115 | 0.1 | 21.7 |
| Napier | 140 | 0.1 | 41.7 |
| Riverina | 122 | 0.1 | 24.3 |
| Trikkala | 117 | 0.1 | 14.0 |
| Yarloop | 113 | 1.2 | 12.0 |
*Percent hard seeds remaining after 4 months in a 60/15 °C diurnally fluctuating temperature cabinet
Disease resistance
Rouse is highly resistant to both Race 1 and 2 of clover scorch (Kabatiella caulivora), leaf rust (Uromyces trifolii-repentis) and cercospora leafspot (Cercospora zebrina) (Table 2). Field observations suggest Rouse has similar susceptibility to powdery mildew (Oidium sp.) as Gosse, Monti, Trikkala, Riverina and Napier. Rouse has resistance to Race 001 and Race 173, two of the major races of the important root rot pathogen (Table 2), but screening has not been conducted for resistance to other root rot pathogens.
| Variety | Clover scorch | Rust | Cercospora | Phytophthora root rot* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Race 1 | Race 2 |
|
| Race 001 | Race 173 |
| Rouse | HR | HR | HR | HR | R | MR |
| Gosse | R | R | R | HR | n.a. | n.a. |
| Monti | R | n.a. | MR | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Napier | HR | R | HR | HR | R | R |
| Riverina | MR | MR | HR | HR | R | R |
| Trikkala | MR | R | MR | MR | R | S |
| Yarloop | HS | MS | MR | HR | n.a. | n.a. |
* HR= highly resistant, R = resistant, MR = moderately resistant, MS = moderately susceptible, S = susceptible, HS = highly susceptible, n.a. = not available
Field performance
Across all sites and years Rouse produced 15% more total biomass than Gosse, 26% more than Riverina, 16% more than Monti, 12% more than Trikkala and 9% more than Napier (Figure 1). In terms of seasonal distribution, Rouse produced 28% more autumn-early winter biomass than Gosse, 15% more winter biomass and 11% more spring biomass.
Figure 1 Total biomass across all sites and seasons of Rouse and other ssp. yanninicum varieties, expressed as a percentage of Gosse
Seed availability and PBR status
Seed of Rouse can be purchased through Seed Force agencies.
Rouse is protected under the Plant Breeders Rights Act 1994. Under the Act sale of Rouse seed can only be carried out by agreement with the licensee, Seed Force Pty Ltd. However, this does not restrict sale of produce, such as hay or silage, provided seed was legally purchased.
For seed sales information visit seedforce.com.au
