AFBI seminar - The future of grass breeding at AFBI

Dr Gillian Young (AFBI) will be giving a lunchtime seminar on Wednesday 18 January 2016 at 1.30pm, in G5, AFBI Headquarters, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX entitled "The Future of Grass Breeding at AFBI".

Grass is the most important resource available to livestock farmers in Northern Ireland. One way of improving productivity from grass is to exploit the wide genetic potential available and to breed varieties which are well adapted to local farming conditions. By delivering a successful forage breeding programme, AFBI Loughgall has played a vital part in increasing grassland productivity locally and further afield.

Since it was set up at Loughgall 63 years ago, a primary focus of the breeding programme has been the production of higher yielding varieties. Over the last 30 years, yield increases of approximately 0.4% per annum have been recorded. This means that the best varieties being commercialised now are at least 24% higher yielding than the best available varieties 30 years ago.

In this seminar, an overview of the programme to date will be presented and the future outlook for grass breeding at AFBI will be discussed. This will include the importance of various additional grassland-based parameters, such as disease resistance and palatability, and the potential to incorporate new technologies such as genomic selection and intraspecific hybridization into the programme.

Notes to editors: 

AFBI carries out high quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DARD and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.

AFBI's Vision is “Scientific excellence in Northern Ireland … serving the world”.

All media enquiries to AFBI Press Office

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