NexTim - Securing adaptation of timothy cultivars under climate change and during seed multiplication using genomics and big-data approaches

Breeding forage grasses is complicated and the genetic gain is slow. Genomic selection will produce new improved and robust timothy cultivars more rapidly, making grassland-based agriculture more sustainable, and improve the competitive ability of Graminor cultivars. New knowledge on adaptation of timothy cultivars will enhance yield stability and make forage production more robust. This is especially important for the farmers in the northern Norway, where winter damages are of increasing concern. Seed companies will benefit by information on how to secure unique cultivar characteristics during seed multiplication of cultivars. Identification of more robust cultivars with better winter survival in a changing climate will increase the persistence of short-term leys and meadows. This will reduce the need for re-establishing swards due to winter damage, with greatly reduced carbon emissions from swards as the result. The project supports several of the UN sustainable development goals.