Mantis Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass
Mantis grows quickly and provides abundant leafy forage throughout the peak cool-season forage window.
Medium-Late Maturity
Mantis is ideally matched for the primary cattle production areas of the south. Bred to provide peak performance mid-season, Mantis doesn't start too early and doesn't continue on too long, but is just right for providing abundant grazing and multiple high-tonnage hay cuts.
Mantis Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass | Headland, AL | March 2024
Uses
Grazing
Expect good, consistent animal gains when grazing Mantis, especially when practicing rotational grazing. Mantis is safe for all livestock and can be planted straight or with other grasses and legumes.
Hay and Silage
Mantis can provide multiple harvests all season long, as well as a valuable large late season single-cut for silage production with abundant yields and tetraploid-quality feed value.
Wildlife
Tetraploid-sweet Mantis is a great addition to wildlife blends. Mantis can draw in the fall game, as well as feed next year's targets with abundant spring forage production.
Yield Data
Mantis has been trialed in numerous regions throughout the country.
Alabama
Auburn University - Black Belt
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
Marion Junction, AL
|2023-2024
| Variety | 3/14 (1st Cut) | 4/8 (2nd Cut) | 5/1 (3rd Cut) | 5/24 (4th Cut) | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Score | 1712 | 2617 | 2346 | 1121 | 7033 |
| Mantis | 1631 | 2297 | 2269 | 837 | 7033 |
| TAMTBO | 1468 | 2443 | 2054 | 947 | 6912 |
| Jumbo | 1489 | 2180 | 2346 | 782 | 6797 |
| FrostProof | 1532 | 2434 | 2122 | 611 | 6700 |
| WAX Marshall | 1029 | 2524 | 2190 | 916 | 6659 |
| Nelson | 1624 | 2109 | 2032 | 862 | 6627 |
| Sweet T | 1205 | 2301 | 2207 | 883 | 6597 |
| Big Boss | 1379 | 2232 | 2181 | 796 | 6588 |
| Ranahan | 1080 | 1865 | 2249 | 1020 | 6214 |
| Gulf | 1039 | 2334 | 1999 | 255 | 5628 |
| LSD at 10% level | 279 | 340 | 259 | 173 | 510 |
Auburn University - E.V Smith
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
Tallassee, AL
|2021-2022
| Variety | 1/12 (1st Cut) | 3/2 (2nd Cut) | 3/28 (3rd Cut) | 4/21 (4th Cut) | 5/24 (5th Cut) | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Score | 1915 | 1729 | 2925 | 1898 | 1602 | 8707 |
| FrostProof | 1581 | 1695 | 2243 | 1697 | 1000 | 8217 |
| Mantis | 1622 | 1729 | 2190 | 1492 | 1154 | 8187 |
| Ranahan | 1240 | 1465 | 2296 | 1835 | 1263 | 8099 |
| Wax Marshall | 1234 | 1448 | 2310 | 1766 | 1080 | 7838 |
| TAMTBO | 1647 | 1094 | 2285 | 1610 | 1200 | 7836 |
| Nelson | 1587 | 1396 | 2351 | 1486 | 1010 | 7830 |
| Big Boss | 1626 | 1376 | 2065 | 1535 | 944 | 7546 |
| Winterhawk | 1024 | 1077 | 2377 | 1647 | 939 | 7065 |
| Fria | 833 | 1330 | 2554 | 1555 | 761 | 7034 |
| Gulf | 1235 | 1212 | 2493 | 1592 | 483 | 7015 |
| LSD at 10% level | 596 | 394 | N.S. | 250 | 426 | 1031 |
Auburn University – Gulf Coast
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
Fairhope, AL
|2021-2022
| Variety | 12/16/2021 | 1/7/2022 | 2/10/2022 | 3/7/2022 | 3/25/2022 | 4/19/2022 | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Harvest | 2nd Harvest | 3rd Harvest | 4th Harvest | 5th Harvest | 6th Harvest | ||
| Highest Score | 1290 | 902 | 1188 | 1841 | 1747 | 2078 | 8550 |
| Mantis | 1290 | 751 | 1065 | 1532 | 1557 | 1771 | 7967 |
| FrostProof | 931 | 761 | 1041 | 1662 | 1679 | 1692 | 7766 |
| Nelson | 1029 | 740 | 988 | 1574 | 1509 | 1671 | 7511 |
| Big Boss | 921 | 762 | 1062 | 1479 | 1436 | 1788 | 7447 |
| Ranahan | 900 | 703 | 914 | 1561 | 1560 | 1806 | 7444 |
| Wax Marshall | 721 | 759 | 842 | 1599 | 1642 | 1869 | 7431 |
| Bashaw Tetraploid | 875 | 826 | 950 | 1380 | 1632 | 1754 | 7416 |
| Double Diamond | 712 | 694 | 994 | 1586 | 1448 | 1688 | 7122 |
| LSD at 10% level | N.S. | 137 | 167 | 163 | 158 | 163 | 575 |
Auburn University - Chilton
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
Clanton, AL
|2023-2024
| Variety | 2/26 (1st cut) | 3/13 (2nd Cut) | 4/5 (3rd Cut) | 4/29 (4th Cut) | 5/28 (5th Cut) | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Score | 1886 | 1696 | 2879 | 3545 | 2144 | 11190 |
| FrostProof | 1496 | 1398 | 2460 | 3545 | 1654 | 10553 |
| Big Boss | 1551 | 1401 | 2343 | 3003 | 1856 | 10154 |
| Mantis | 430 | 1360 | 2343 | 2891 | 1677 | 9795 |
| Jumbo | 1346 | 1270 | 2283 | 2889 | 1798 | 9586 |
| Gulf | 1171 | 1462 | 2395 | 3232 | 1133 | 9393 |
| TAMTBO | 948 | 1279 | 2484 | 2848 | 1827 | 9386 |
| Nelson | 1091 | 1313 | 2347 | 2753 | 1501 | 9195 |
| Ranahan | 897 | 1173 | 2028 | 2872 | 1787 | 8755 |
| WAX Marshall | 439 | 1077 | 2491 | 2747 | 1333 | 8087 |
| Lowest Score | 342 | 928 | 1776 | 2612 | 699 | 7361 |
| Average | 988 | 1274 | 2269 | 2910 | 1564 | 9006 |
| LSD at 10% level | 527 | N.S. | 442 | N.S. | 483 | 1479 |
Mississippi
Mississippi State University
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
3 Locations
|2023-2024
| Variety | Coffeeville | Brooksville | Newton | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvested 4/5 and 5/2 | Harvested 3/13 and 5/1 | Harvested 4/5 and 5/2 | Average of 3 sites | |
| Highest Score | 8,787 | 8,516 | 10,808 | 8,664 |
| Mantis | 8,055 | 6,781 | 9,842 | 8,226 |
| EarlyPloid | 7,330 | 7,162 | 10,066 | 8,186 |
| FrostProof | 7,566 | 7468 | 9266 | 8,100 |
| Big Boss | 7,461 | 7,662 | 7,985 | 7,703 |
| Gulf | 7,249 | 6,057 | 9,719 | 7,675 |
| Nelson | 8,878 | 6,365 | 7,717 | 7,623 |
| Marshall | 7,090 | 6,672 | 8,910 | 7,558 |
| Prine | 6,189 | 6,652 | 9,103 | 7,315 |
| TAMTBO | 7,546 | 7,081 | 7,190 | 7,272 |
| LSD (0.05) | NS | NS | NS |
Mississippi State University
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
4 Locations
|2022-2023
| Variety | Newton | Brookville | Starkville | McNeill | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvested 2/20, 3/16, 4/11 and 5/8 | Harvested 3/22 and 5/11 | Harvested 3/6, 4/12 and 5/10 | Harvested 3/20 and 5/12 | Average of all 4 sites | |
| Highest score | 6,592 | 9,215 | 6,941 | 10,008 | 7,216 |
| Mantis | 5,670 | 6,439 | 6,941 | 8,301 | 6,838 |
| Marshall | 6,592 | 6,470 | 6,445 | 7,272 | 6695 |
| Nelson | 5,483 | 5,876 | 5,970 | 9,268 | 6649 |
| FrostProof | 6,174 | 6,330 | 5,355 | 7,717 | 6394 |
| TAMTBO | 5,404 | 5,422 | 6,096 | 8,064 | 6247 |
| Earlyploid | 5,702 | 4,954 | 6,156 | 7,173 | 5996 |
| Gulf | 4,755 | 4,588 | 6,185 | 3,853 | 4845 |
| LSD (0.05) | 990 | NS | NS | 2466 |
Mississippi State University
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
3 Locations
|2021-2022
| Variety | Starkville | Newton | McNeill | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvested 2/11, 3/14, and 4/21 | Harvested 3/7 and 4/12 | Harvested 2/1, 3/29, and 8/13 | Average of 3 sites | |
| highest yield | 5,945 | 3,824 | 10,380 | 6,716 |
| Mantis | 4,676 | 3,473 | 10,070 | 6,073 |
| Earlyploid | 5,592 | 3,407 | 9,028 | 6,009 |
| FrostProof | 5,173 | 3,102 | 9,049 | 5,775 |
| Trinova | 5,081 | 3,435 | 8,646 | 5,721 |
| TAMTBO | 4,515 | 3,155 | 9,456 | 5,708 |
| Big Boss | 4,809 | 3,145 | 8,966 | 5,640 |
| Nelson | 4,695 | 3,364 | 8,712 | 5,590 |
| Marshall | 2,640 | 3,465 | 7,665 | 4,590 |
| LSD (0.05) | 1,812 | 872 | 2,117 |
Texas
Texas A&M
Forage Yields (Lbs DM/A)
Overton, TX
|2021-2022
| Variety | March 25 | April 12 | May 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Score | 2,163 | 2,542 | 3,162 | 7,011 |
| TAMTBO | 1,353 | 1,647 | 2,640 | 5,639 |
| Mantis | 1,660 | 1,379 | 2,587 | 5,626 |
| WAX Marshall | 882 | 2,195 | 2,548 | 5,626 |
| Frostproof | 1,653 | 2,071 | 1,875 | 5,600 |
| Winterhawk | 1,496 | 2,065 | 1,960 | 5,521 |
| Gulf | 1,163 | 1,353 | 1,405 | 3,920 |
| LSD (.05) | 710 |
Kentucky
University of Kentucky
Forage Yields (Tons DM/A)
Lexington, KY
|2022-2023
| Variety | April 19 | May 19 | June 14 | July 7 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Score | 2.73 | 1.51 | 0.59 | 0.29 | 4.94* |
| Mantis | 2.47 | 1.43 | 0.54 | 0.17 | 4.61* |
| Marshall | 2.51 | 1.27 | 0.41 | 0.11 | 4.3 |
| Bruiser | 2.34 | 1.07 | 0.38 | 0.13 | 3.91 |
| Bendix | 1.89 | 1.26 | 0.51 | 0.2 | 3.86 |
| Feast II | 1.75 | 1.19 | 0.45 | 0.29 | 3.68 |
| Gulf | 1.99 | 0.99 | 0.35 | 0.09 | 3.41 |
| LSD,0.05 | 0.42 | 0.21 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.59 |
New York
Cornell University
Spring Planted Annual Ryegrass Trials
Ithaca, NY
|2022-2023
| 2022 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variety | 1-Aug | 12-Oct | 23-May | 10-Jul | Total Yield |
| Halsey | 0.89 | 0.90 | 2.17 | 0.86 | 4.82 |
| Mantis | 0.95 | 0.85 | 2.14 | 0.55 | 4.48 |
| Meroa | 0.65 | 0.85 | 2.14 | 0.81 | 4.45 |
| Dexter | 0.58 | 0.70 | 2.12 | 0.91 | 4.30 |
| FrostProof | 0.68 | 0.83 | 2.17 | 0.60 | 4.28 |
| GrazeKeeper | 0.63 | 0.67 | 2.03 | 0.84 | 4.17 |
| Green Spirit | 0.59 | 0.73 | 2.01 | 0.76 | 4.09 |
| Feast II | 1.07 | 0.79 | 1.53 | 0.68 | 4.06 |
| Gulf | 0.66 | 0.61 | 1.73 | 0.56 | 3.57 |
| Lsd (0.5) | 0.44 | 0.15 | 0.23 | 0.08 | |
Mantis In Multiple Locations
Planting Instructions
Prior to Planting
For optimal performance, prior to planting, obtain a soil test. Amend soil according to recommendations and fertilize after planting according to recommendations and use.
When to Plant
Plant in the fall as adequate moisture is available to obtain maximum forage yields. If planted at other times of the year, performance will be limited.
How to Plant
Mantis can be drilled or broadcast into either a prepared seedbed or an existing sod bed. For prepared seedbed, lightly disc and pack well. For existing sod bed, reduce existing sod height as much as possible.
Fertilization
Apply per soil test recommendations at time of planting and after each cutting. Use of legumes can reduce applications of commercial nitrogen.
Seeding Rate
Planting Dates
Plant in the fall as adequate moisture is available to obtain maximum forage yields. If planted at other times of the year, performance will be limited.
Planting Map
Planting Depth
1/8–1/2"
Optimal pH
6.0 - 7.0
Germination
5-10 days
Fertilizer
Apply per soil test recommendations at time of planting and after each cutting. Use of legumes can reduce applications of commercial nitrogen.