Perennial ryegrass is a long-lived plant (3 to 6 years), depending on the soil, climate conditions, and variety. It easy and quick to establish and particularly suited to grazing (it resists trampling well), although it is sensitive to both high and low temperatures.

Perennial ryegrass is the typical forage grass of many northern areas and is among the most widespread grasses in stable well watered meadows. It’s is used as the main constituent of poliphyte and oligophyte meadows, and lawn.

As for Italian ryegrass, also for perennial ryegrass there are diploid and tetraploid varieties, with the second ones having generally more leaves, and being more productive than the first ones. The selection of the variety must be based on the capabilities of adaptation to soil and climate conditions, the type of crop (meadow or lawn), the period of use, and the final consumption (fresh, hay, or grazing).

Sowing may be both mechanical and by scattering, at a depth of 1 to 2 cm. The sowing bed must be well prepared, to a fine texture.
Perennial ryegrass is suitable for soils at risk of flooding, deep, fresh, clay, lime or neutral soils, with medium fertility levels. It dislikes very light and dry soils.
It may be sown in spring, with the exact period depending on the area, and the last winter frost, or in the autumn.

For the planting and the good management of a poliphyte or oligophyte meadow, suitable fertilisation is necessary, both at the bottom of the bed during sowing, and during the year, in quantities of approximately 70-100 kg/ha nitrogen and 60-10 kg/ha both for P205 and K20. In view of its small size, the quick re-sprouting, the good bunching properties, and the good resistance to trampling, perennial ryegrass is mainly a grazing product, although it may also be used as:

• Green forage.
• Ensilage forage
• Haying forage

The productivity of the pure crop can reach annual levels of 70-90 ql./ha of dry matter, while in poliphyte or oligophyte meadow it can reach 120-140 ql./ha of dry matter.