Forage

Today and Tomorrow

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Recently, the UF/IFAS forage breeding program has focused on improving annual ryegrass, red and white clover and alfalfa, rhizoma perennial peanut, bermudagrass, and bahiagrass. Today, more than 30,000 acres of perennial peanut have been established from UF/IFAS cultivar releases throughout the southern U.S.Traditional breeding (as well as modern molecular genetic DNA-sequencing techniques) are being employed to improve the efficiency of these breeding programs.

Currently, 12 tetraploid apomictic hybrids are being evaluated for seed production, with the goal of releasing a new tetraploid bahiagrass cultivar that has superior spring and fall forage production to replace the cultivar ‘Argentine’. Recent clover releases that are becoming popular commercially include ‘Barduro’ (a mediummaturity red clover), 'FL24D' (an early maturity 2,4-D tolerant red clover), and ‘Ocoee’ (a root knot nematode-resistant white clover).

Earlyploid, 'FL PE 2X', and 'FL Red 4X LATE' are three recent annual ryegrass releases. ‘Kenhy’ and ‘GibTuck’ limpograss cultivars are becoming established on significant Florida acreage for use by the beef-cattle industry. Foragetype triticale and oat cultivars have also been released from these programs and have been widely grown throughout the southeastern U.S. for winter grazing and silage. Current efforts on final testing of a new Florida-adapted alfalfa and a new early-season, high-quality bermudagrass are ongoing in the UF/IFAS forage breeding program.

High Impact Releases

Osceola (1977): This ladino-type, white clover variety has been widely grown over the past four decades due to its superior persistence and high forage yields.

Florigraze (1981): This perennial peanut variety has been widely planted in Florida over the past three decades due to its high yield, quality, persistence, disease resistance, and drought tolerance.

Big Daddy (1996): This vigorous, tetraploid annual ryegrass variety has been widely planted as a forage over the past two decades. It has excellent crown- and stem-rust resistance and produces excellent yields with outstanding regrowth.

Jumbo, US PVP 200000196 (1999): This tetraploid annual ryegrass variety has been widely planted around the world due to its excellent rust resistance, great cold tolerance, and high forage yields.

Prine (2001): This late-maturing, tetraploid annual ryegrass variety has been widely planted in the southern U.S. over the past decade due to its excellent disease resistance and high forage yields.

Fria (2004): This late-maturing, diploid annual ryegrass variety has been widely planted over the past decade. It has excellent forage yields and cold tolerance that helps with fall establishment and winter survival throughout the transition zone and further north in the U.S.

Ocoee (2006): This ladino-type, white-clover variety has been widely grown over the past decade due to its resistance to the southern root knot nematode, a pest that causes decline in clover stands.

UF-Riata (2007): This bahiagrass variety was released due to its improved forage growth during short daylengths and the cool season, which allows grazing longer into the fall and earlier in the spring.