'Alfagraze' alfalfa was developed by UGA forage breeder Joe Bouton and released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations in 1990. It was the first true grazing-tolerant alfalfa cultivar. Under continuous grazing, it was more persistent than other cultivars when extensively tested across 27 states; yet was similar in yield, palatability, and animal performance allowing its dual purpose use throughout the east central and southeastern USA for direct grazing, hay, or silage production.
Alfagraze was favorably reviewed by the National Alfalfa Review Board and granted Plant Variety Protection (PVP) in 1993. Marketing and seed production rights were exclusively assigned by the Georgia Seed Development Commission and University of Georgia Research Foundation initially to Agripro Biosciences, Inc., and the license later transferred to ABI Alfalfa and sold under the America’s Alfalfa brand. Alfagraze had high commercial sales for 17 years; a unique record in the alfalfa seed industry where 5 years is the normal sales life of most cultivars. Alfagraze also became the parent material for several future grazing tolerant cultivars such as Alfagraze 600RR; the first cultivar to combine grazing tolerance and high yield with Roundup Ready technology.
Alfagraze 600RR is still sold and used today throughout Georgia and the Southeastern USA under the America’s Alfalfa brand.
