Katambora Rhodes Grass

We recommend Katambora Rhodes Grass for sowings south of Perth, as it is more cold tolerant than Callide Rhodes Grass. It is widely adapted, establishes easily and suits light sands through to loams with pH 5 or higher. Sow in early spring once soil temperatures reach 16 to 18°C and are rising.

Katambora Rhodes Grass tolerates heavy grazing once established. It is an older variety with a prostrate, spreading habit. We still recommend rotational grazing, starting at 25 to 30cm and leaving a residue of 12 to 15cm for good regrowth. Forage quality is highest when grazed before flowering, and avoid overgrazing over summer to keep the stand persistent.

Wait until soil temperatures are 16°C and rising, which usually means spring. For our Katambora Rhodes Grass, make sure there is good soil moisture and a chance of follow-up rain. Sow 4 to 8 kg/ha onto or just below the surface, no deeper than 2cm. Spraying out weeds and existing pasture first reduces competition.

Katambora Rhodes Grass provides nematode resistance, which makes it a useful perennial in paddocks where nematodes are a concern. It is widely adapted and easy to establish, suits pH 5 or higher and handles mild waterlogging and mild salinity. We recommend sowing it with other sub-tropical grasses for better production through the season.

Remove the weed burden before sowing where practical and prepare a fine, firm seedbed. For Katambora Rhodes Grass, sow in early spring when soil temperatures are 16 to 18°C and rising, with a good chance of follow-up rain. If broadcasting, run drag harrows, mesh or a light roller behind for seed-to-soil contact, but not on wet soils that may crust. Fertilise to encourage establishment.

Katambora Rhodes Grass has only limited tolerance to salinity and handles mild waterlogging. It suits paddocks with slight problems, but not serious salt scald. For saline country we recommend Reclaimer Rhodes Grass, and for wetter paddocks north of Perth, Callide Rhodes Grass. Katambora grows best on light sands to loams with pH 5 or higher.

We suggest Katambora Rhodes Grass. It is widely adapted, easy to establish and suits areas with 300mm or more of rainfall, needing less rain than Callide Rhodes Grass. It is summer active where soil moisture is available and forms a spreading, prostrate stand. Give new pastures 8 to 10 months, or until plants go reproductive, before the first grazing.

We recommend broadcasting or sowing legumes into Katambora Rhodes Grass in the first autumn after its first grazing. Then bring livestock back in to push the seed into the soil. Choose legumes that suit your soil and rainfall, and keep up a fertiliser plan so both the grass and the legume stay productive. Talk to us about which clover suits your paddock.

Finecut Rhodes Grass was bred from Katambora Rhodes Grass and gave 23% more dry matter in trials, with finer stems, higher palatability and more uniform flowering, so it is the better choice for hay. Katambora is coarser and less palatable, but it is cold tolerant enough to sow south of Perth, takes heavy grazing and provides nematode resistance. Both are best sown with other sub-tropical grasses.

Yes, our Katambora Rhodes Grass is coated and treated with Gaucho, which makes it easier to sow and improves seed placement. It is supplied as Certified Quality Assured Seed under the Australian Seed Federation Code of Practice. We recommend 4 to 8 kg/ha for general sowings, or 12 to 20 kg/ha under irrigation.