Scientists Want Pasture To Pack More Punch
AUSTRALIA - A new research project aims to boost productivity in the livestock industry by creating more nutritional and higher-quality pastures.
4 May 2007
1 minute read
In clover.
The research focuses on the discovery of genetic markers in perennial ryegrass and white clover.
The Molecular Plant Breeding Co-operative Research Centre has received an extra $6 million for the research, bringing investment in the project to $11 million.
The centre's chief executive, Glenn Tong, said the project was not about genetically modifying pastures, but aimed to use a DNA fingerprint to help traditional genetic breeding and produce better-quality grasses.
Dr Tong said understanding the genetics of pastures was more difficult than it was for food crops such as wheat.
"But we now have a good genetic understanding of quality and disease resistance — both traits of major importance to industry," he said.
