Breeding of Cultivated Forages for Improved Yield and Quality

The only possible way of meeting the forage deficit is to produce maximum digestible dry matter per unit area especially when land under cultivated fodders is limited. For this, adoption of superior multicut varieties, which are capable of producing more of digestible dry matter, would ensure supply of good quality fodder for a longer period. These varieties are an outcome of recent breeding efforts made in the country. However, there is further scope for genetic improvement in both leguminous and cereal fodder crops as present varieties lack in one or more of the requirements of an ideal plant type. An attempt has been made in this paper to list these requirements and possible ways have been discussed by which genetic improvement in both yield and quality could be obtained in forage crops.