New Resource: Comparison of Commercially Available Novel-Endophyte Tall Fescue Forage Varieties

Novel-endophyte (NE) tall fescue is a productive, persistent grass plant for the Fescue Belt of the United States, where the soils and climate support tall fescue. Novel-endophyte tall fescue supports a high level of animal performance comparable to endophyte-free (EF) tall fescue, while delivering the agronomic performance expected from toxic KY-31 tall fescue. The NE tall fescue varieties described here are subjected to quality control through the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, which has set standards for marketing this technology. When creating a pasture renovation plan, select an appropriate variety carrying the Alliance for Grassland Renewal label, which confirms that the specific lot of seed passed stringent quality-control tests.

See the full publication including a history of tall fescue and a breakdown of each novel endophyte tall fescue variety currently available here.

The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a national organization focused on enhancing the appropriate adoption of novel endophyte tall fescue technology through education, incentives, self-regulation and promotion.  For more resources or to learn more about the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, go to www.grasslandrenewal.org