Foraggere e Lattiero Casearie

Race Ug99 of the fungus Puccinia graminis tritici that causes stem or black rust disease on wheat was first detected in Uganda in 1998. Seven races belonging to the Ug99 lineage are now known and have spread to various wheat-growing countries in the eastern African highlands, as well as Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sudan, Yemen, and Iran. Because of the susceptibility of 90% of the wheat varieties grown worldwide, the Ug99 group of races was recognized as a major threat to wheat production and food security. Its spread, either wind-mediated or human-aided, to other countries in Africa, Asia, and beyond is evident. Screening in Kenya and Ethiopia has identified a low frequency of resistant wheat varieties and breeding materials. Identification and transfer of new sources of race-specific resistance from various wheat relatives is underway to enhance the diversity of resistance. Although new Ug99-resistant varieties that yield more than current popular varieties are being released and promoted, major efforts are required to displace current Ug99 susceptible varieties with varieties that have diverse race-specific or durable resistance and mitigate the Ug99 threat.

Enterococci have recently emerged as nosocomial pathogens. Their ubiquitous nature determines their frequent finding in foods as contaminants. In addition, the notable resistance of enterococci to adverse environmental conditions explains their ability to colonise different ecological niches and their spreading within the food chain through contaminated animals and foods. Enterococci can also contaminate finished products, such as fermented foods and, for this reason, their presence in many foods (such as cheeses and fermented sausages) can only be limited but not completely eliminated using traditional processing technologies. Enterococci are low grade pathogens but their intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics and their acquisition of resistance to the few antibiotics available for treatment in clinical therapy, such as the glycopeptides, have led to difficulties and a search for new drugs and therapeutic options. Enterococci can cause food intoxication through production of biogenic amines and can be a reservoir for worrisome opportunistic infections and for virulence traits. Clearly, there is no consensus on the acceptance of their presence in foodstuffs and their role as primary pathogens is still a question mark. In this review, the following topics will be covered: (i) emergence of the enterococci as human pathogens due to the presence of virulence factors such as the production of adhesins and aggregation substances, or the production of biogenic amines in fermented foods; (ii) their presence in foods; (iii) their involvement in food-borne illnesses; (iv) the presence, selection and spreading of antibiotic-resistant enterococci as opportunistic pathogens in foods, with particular emphasis on vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Recent review articles in this journal have compared the relative merits of two prominent statistical models for analyzing yield‐trial data: Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype main effects and genotype × environment interaction (GGE). This review addresses more than 20 issues that require clarification after controversial statements and contrasting conclusions have appeared in those recent reviews. The AMMI2 mega‐environment display incorporates more of the genotype main effect and captures more of the genotype × environment (GE) interaction than does GGE2, thereby displaying the which‐won‐where pattern more accurately for complex datasets. When the GE interaction is captured well by one principal component, the AMMI1 display of genotype nominal yields describes winning genotypes and adaptive responses more simply and clearly than the GGE2 biplot. For genotype evaluation within a single mega‐environment, a simple scatterplot of mean and stability is more straightforward than the mean vs. stability view of a GGE2 biplot. Diagnosing the most predictively accurate member of a model family is vital for either AMMI or GGE, both for gaining accuracy and delineating mega‐environments.

Despite a significant growth in food production over the past half-century, one of the most important challenges facing society today is how to feed an expected population of some nine billion by the middle of the 20th century. To meet the expected demand for food without significant increases in prices, it has been estimated that we need to produce 70–100 per cent more food, in light of the growing impacts of climate change, concerns over energy security, regional dietary shifts and the Millennium Development target of halving world poverty and hunger by 2015. The goal for the agricultural sector is no longer simply to maximize productivity, but to optimize across a far more complex landscape of production, rural development, environmental, social justice and food consumption outcomes. However, there remain significant challenges to developing national and international policies that support the wide emergence of more sustainable forms of land use and efficient agricultural production. The lack of information flow between scientists, practitioners and policy makers is known to exacerbate the difficulties, despite increased emphasis upon evidence-based policy. In this paper, we seek to improve dialogue and understanding between agricultural research and policy by identifying the 100 most important questions for global agriculture. These have been compiled using a horizon-scanning approach with leading experts and representatives of major agricultural organizations worldwide. The aim is to use sound scientific evidence to inform decision making and guide policy makers in the future direction of agricultural research priorities and policy support. If addressed, we anticipate that these questions will have a significant impact on global agricultural practices worldwide, while improving the synergy between agricultural policy, practice and research. This research forms part of the UK Government's Foresight Global Food and Farming Futures project.

Accurate crop development models are important tools in evaluating the effects of water deficits on crop yield or productivity. The FAO AquaCrop model predicts crop productivity, water requirement, and water use efficiency (WUE) under water‐limiting conditions. A set of conservative parameters [calibrated and validated for maize ( Zea mays L.) in a prior study and considered applicable to a wide range of conditions and not specific to a given maize cultivar] were used to further evaluate the performance of AquaCrop model for maize using data from three studies performed under diverse environmental conditions: Bushland, TX; Gainesville, FL; and Zaragoza, Spain. The three locations were characterized by the extraordinarily high evapotranspiration (ET) and wind speed in the Bushland study; rainy weather and sandy soil in the Gainesville study; and the semiarid conditions in the Zaragoza study. The model was able to simulate the crop water use (ET) under very high ET and wind conditions. Furthermore, the model performed satisfactorily for the growth of aboveground biomass, grain yield, and canopy cover (CC) in the non‐water‐stress treatments and mild stress conditions, but it was less satisfactory in simulating severe water‐stress treatments, especially when stress occurred during senescence. The ease of use of the AquaCrop model, the low requirement of input parameters, and its sufficient degree of simulation accuracy make it a valuable tool for estimating crop productivity under rainfed conditions, supplementary and deficit irrigation, and on‐farm water management strategies for improving the efficiency of water use in agriculture.

Glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids are quantitatively the most important phospholipids (PLs) in milk. They are located on the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and in other membranous material of the skim milk phase. They include principally phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, while sphingomyelin is the dominant species of sphingolipids There is considerable evidence that PLs have beneficial health effects, such as regulation of the inflammatory reactions, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity on some types of cancer, and inhibition of the cholesterol absorption. PLs show good emulsifying properties and can be used as a delivery system for liposoluble constituents. Due to the amphiphilic characteristics of these molecules, their extraction, separation and detection are critical points in the analytical approach. The extraction by using chloroform and methanol, followed by the determination by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), coupled with evaporative light scattering (ELSD) or mass detector (MS), are the most applied procedures for the PL evaluation. More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) was also used, but despite it demonstrating high sensitivity, it requires more studies to obtain accurate results. This review is focused on milk fat phospholipids; their composition, biological activity, technological properties, and significance in the structure of milk fat. Different analytical methodologies are also discussed.

The status and potential of aquaculture is considered as part of a broader food landscape of wild aquatic and terrestrial food sources. The rationale and resource base required for the development of aquaculture are considered in the context of broader societal development, cultural preferences and human needs. Attention is drawn to the uneven development and current importance of aquaculture globally as well as its considerable heterogeneity of form and function compared with established terrestrial livestock production. The recent drivers of growth in demand and production are examined and the persistent linkages between exploitation of wild stocks, full life cycle culture and the various intermediate forms explored. An emergent trend for sourcing aquaculture feeds from alternatives to marine ingredients is described and the implications for the sector with rapidly growing feed needs discussed. The rise of non-conventional and innovative feed ingredients, often shared with terrestrial livestock, are considered, including aquaculture itself becoming a major source of marine ingredients. The implications for the continued expected growth of aquaculture are set in the context of sustainable intensification, with the challenges that conventional intensification and emergent integration within, and between, value chains explored. The review concludes with a consideration of the implications for dependent livelihoods and projections for various futures based on limited resources but growing demand.

Saponins, a group of glycosidic compounds present in several plant species, have aglycone moieties that are formed using triterpenoid or steroidal skeletons. In spite of their importance as antimicrobial compounds and their possible benefits for human health, knowledge of the genetic control of saponin biosynthesis is still poorly understood. In the Medicago genus, the hemolytic activity of saponins is related to the nature of their aglycone moieties. We have identified a cytochrome P450 gene (CYP716A12) involved in saponin synthesis in Medicago truncatula using a combined genetic and biochemical approach. Genetic loss-of-function analysis and complementation studies showed that CYP716A12 is responsible for an early step in the saponin biosynthetic pathway. Mutants in CYP716A12 were unable to produce hemolytic saponins and only synthetized soyasaponins, and were thus named lacking hemolytic activity (lha). In vitro enzymatic activity assays indicate that CYP716A12 catalyzes the oxidation of β-amyrin and erythrodiol at the C-28 position, yielding oleanolic acid. Transcriptome changes in the lha mutant showed a modulation in the main steps of triterpenic saponin biosynthetic pathway: squalene cyclization, β-amyrin oxidation, and glycosylation. The analysis of CYP716A12 expression in planta is reported together with the sapogenin content in different tissues and stages. This article provides evidence for CYP716A12 being a key gene in hemolytic saponin biosynthesis.

The antimicrobial activity of saponins from Medicago sativa, M. arborea and M. arabica against a selection of medically important yeasts, Gram-positive and -negative bacteria was investigated. Structure-activity growth inhibitory effects of related prosapogenins and sapogenins are also described. Increasing antibiotic activity was observed going from the saponin extracts to the sapogenin samples, suggesting that the sugar moiety is not important for the antimicrobial efficacy. Activity was especially high against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) with M. arabica being the species showing a broader spectrum of action. Discrete antifungal activity was also observed, mainly against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The observed antimicrobial properties of M. sativa and M. arborea were related to the content of medicagenic acid, while hederagenin seems to contribute to the bioactivity of M. arabica total sapogenins.

OBJECTIVE: To present the Mediterranean diet as an example of a sustainable diet, in which nutrition, biodiversity, local food production, culture and sustainability are strongly interconnected. DESIGN: Review of notions and activities contributing towards the acknowledgement of the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable diet. SETTING: The Mediterranean region and its populations. SUBJECTS: Mediterranean populations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The acknowledgement of the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable diet needs the development of new cross-cutting intersectoral case studies to demonstrate further the synergies among nutrition, biodiversity and sustainability as expressed by the Mediterranean diet for the benefit of present and future generations.

ABSTRACT Growing concern over the potentially devastating impacts of climate change on biodiversity and food security, considered together with the growing world population, means that taking action to conserve crop wild relative (CWR) diversity is no longer an option—it is an urgent priority. Crop wild relatives are species closely related to crops, including their progenitors, which have the potential to contribute beneficial traits for crop improvement, such as biotic and abiotic resistances, leading to improved yield and stability. Having already made major contributions to crop improvement in the 20th century, CWR are recognized as a critical resource to sustain global food security; therefore, their systematic conservation is imperative. However, extending their conservation and promoting more systematic exploitation is hindered by a lack of understanding of their current and potential value, their diversity, and practically how they might be conserved. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to (i) demonstrate the current and potential use of CWR in crop improvement, (ii) estimate how many CWR species exist and how many are a global priority for active conservation, and (iii) describe how a global network for the in situ conservation of CWR might be established that could help to underpin future food security.

The main objective of this experiment was to evaluate the use of rumination time (RT) during the peripartum period as a tool for early disease detection. The study was carried out in an experimental freestall barn and involved 23 Italian Friesian cows (9 primiparous and 14 multiparous). The RT was continuously recorded by using an automatic system (Hr-Tag, SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel), and data were summarized in 2-h intervals. Blood samples were collected from 30 d before calving to 42 d in milk (DIM) to assess biochemical indicators related to energy, protein, and mineral metabolism, as well as markers of inflammation and some enzyme activities. The liver functionality index, which includes some negative acute-phase proteins and related parameters (albumin, cholesterol, and bilirubin), was used to evaluate the severity of inflammatory conditions occurring around calving. The cows were retrospectively categorized according to RT observed between 3 and 6 DIM into those with the lowest (L) and highest (H) RT. The average RT before calving (-20 to -2d) was 479 min/d (range 264 to 599), reached a minimum value at calving (30% of RT before calving), and was nearly stable after 15 DIM (on average 452 min/d). Milk yield in early lactation (on average 26.8 kg/d) was positively correlated with RT (r = 0.33). After calving, compared with H cows, the L cows had higher values of haptoglobin (0.61 and 0.34 g/L at 10 DIM in L and H, respectively) for a longer time, had a greater increase in total bilirubin (9.5 and 5.7 μmol/L at 5 DIM in L and H), had greater reductions of albumin (31.2 and 33.5 g/L at 10 DIM in L and H) and paraoxonase (54 and 76 U/ml at 10 DIM in L and H), and had a slower increase of total cholesterol (2.7 and 3.2 mmol/L at 20 DIM in L and H). Furthermore, a lower average value of liver functionality index was observed in L (-6.97) compared with H (-1.91) cows. These results suggest that severe inflammation around parturition is associated with a slower increase of RT after calving. Furthermore, more than 90% of the cows in the L group had clinical diseases in early lactation compared with 42% of the H cows. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of monitoring RT around calving, and in particular during the first week of lactation, as a way to identify in a timely fashion those cows at a greater risk of developing a disease in early lactation.

We analyzed the genetic diversity of 531 Sinorhizobium meliloti strains isolated from nodules of Medicago sativa cultivars in two different Italian soils during 4 years of plant growth. The isolates were analyzed for DNA polymorphism with the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. The populations showed a high level of genetic polymorphism distributed throughout all the isolates, with 440 different haplotypes. Analysis of molecular variance allowed us to relate the genetic structure of the symbiotic population to various factors, including soil type, alfalfa cultivar, individual plants within a cultivar, and time. Some of these factors significantly affected the genetic structure of the population, and their relative influence changed with time. At the beginning of the experiment, the soil of origin and, even more, the cultivar significantly influenced the distribution of genetic variability of S. meliloti. After 3 years, the rhizobium population was altered; it showed a genetic structure based mainly on differences among plants, while the effects of soil and cultivar were not significant.

Abstract In Africa, overhunting of tropical wildlife for food remains an intractable issue. Donors and governments remain committed to invest in efforts to both conserve and allow the sustainable use of wildlife. Four principal barriers need to be overcome: (i) communities are not motivated to conserve wildlife long‐term because they have no formal rights to benefit from wildlife, or to exclude others from taking it on their land; (ii) multispecies harvests, typical of bushmeat hunting scenarios, place large‐bodied species at risk of extinction; (iii) wildlife production cannot expand, in the same way that livestock farming can, to meet the expected growth in consumer demand; and (iv) wildlife habitat is lost through conversion to agriculture, housing, transportation networks and extractive industries. In this review, we examine the actors involved in the use of wildlife as food and discuss the possible solutions required to address urban and rural bushmeat consumption. Interventions must tackle use and conservation of wildlife through the application of context‐relevant interventions in a variety of geographies across Africa. That said, for any bushmeat solution to work, there needs to be concurrent and comparable investment in strengthening the effectiveness of protected area management and enforcement of wildlife conservation laws.

Silymarin, a natural acknowledged hepatoprotector used in humans to treat liver diseases, has been tested in dairy cows during peripartum, a period during which animals are subject to subclinical fatty liver. Ten grams of silymarin (76% pure extract consisting in flavonolignans, taxifolin, and other trace compounds) per day, was administered as a water suspension by an oral drench to 15 cows from d 10 before expected calving to 15 d after calving. Milk production was measured, and colostrum, milk, and blood samples were analyzed during the experimental period. Treated animals showed the peak of milk production at 55 +/- 1.85 d after calving, 1 wk before the control group (62 +/- 3.27 d); the average peak production was 41.6 +/- 1.05 kg for the treated group vs. 39.1 +/- 1.44 kg for the control; the treated animals maintained a greater milk production than control cows throughout lactation (9922.1 +/- 215.7 vs. 9597.8 +/- 225.4 kg). Milk composition was unaffected by treatment. No silymarin residues were detected in colostrum and all milk samples. After calving, body condition score (BCS) decrease was greater for control compared with treated cows. Glucose, urea, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, beta-hydroxibutyrate (BHBA), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in plasma were unaffected by treatment. Plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) on d-7 were higher in treated cows compared with the control group (741 vs. 181 micromol/L). From this evidence, it is possible to conclude that silymarin beneficially affected lactation performances and body condition of treated animals. Blood and milk parameters do not indicate any adverse effects of feeding this natural compound.

Abstract Maintenance of overall ecosystem complexity is perceived as critical to the sustainability of ecosystem use. The development of an operational basis for an ecosystem approach to fisheries, however, faces many difficulties. On the research side, the challenge is in defining proper long-term, ecosystem-related objectives; determining meaningful reference values and indicators for desirable or undesirable states of the ecosystem; and developing appropriate data collection, analytical tools and models. The “viability” concept developed in economics by Jean-Pierre Aubin can be used to assist in the definition, selection of, and interaction among long-term objectives at an ecosystem level. It recognizes that ecosystems are complex assemblages of interacting and self-organizing natural and human components that cannot be predicted. Viability models define an ensemble of “viable states”, in contrast to undesirable states defined as such by ecological, economic, and/or social constraints. These constraints can be derived from fisheries objectives, conservation principles, scientific results of modelling, or precautionary principles, and correspond to limit reference points to be avoided. Viability theory does not attempt to choose any “optimal solution” according to given criteria, but selects “viable evolutions”. These evolutions are compatible with the constraints in the sense that they satisfy them at each time and can be delineated by the viability kernel. The southern Benguela marine ecosystem is presented as a first attempt for the application of this theory. In defining ecosystem-based objectives (and related issues such as target reference points), it seems more difficult to reach consensus among stakeholders on what is desirable than on what is undesirable (e.g. biological or economic collapse, species extinction, displacement of local rural communities). Expressed in the negative form or as limit reference points, ecosystem-based constraints can be considered simultaneously with current target reference points, such as maximum sustainable yield, using viability models. The viability approach can help to progressively integrate ecosystem considerations, such as conservation, into fisheries management.

We review briefly recent trends in food security and violent conflict and the quantitative literature discussing their interactions, as reflected by the papers in this special issue. We find a large diversity in experiences of food security and conflict, posing a challenge for causal identification which can be resolved by spatially disaggregated, high frequency micro-level data on both food security and conflict. We identify examples of strong individual and institutional capacities to cope with conflict, maintaining food security against the odds across very diverse settings, stressing the importance in accounting for the type of conflict at the micro-level. We also discuss how the concept of resilience is a useful lens for understanding household food security in conflict settings and we outline how food insecurity and conflict can lead to protracted crises. Finally, we identify future research topics in this field. Overall, the special issue contributes to the literature on food security and violent conflict by highlighting three insights: First, the need for adequate data to advance the analytical and policy agendas; second, the diversity of experiences of conflict and food security; and, third, the decisive role played by specific practices and policies in smoothing the negative effects of conflicts for food security.

Abstract. Country-specific soil organic carbon (SOC) estimates are the baseline for the Global SOC Map of the Global Soil Partnership (GSOCmap-GSP). This endeavor is key to explaining the uncertainty of global SOC estimates but requires harmonizing heterogeneous datasets and building country-specific capacities for digital soil mapping (DSM). We identified country-specific predictors for SOC and tested the performance of five predictive algorithms for mapping SOC across Latin America. The algorithms included support vector machines (SVMs), random forest (RF), kernel-weighted nearest neighbors (KK), partial least squares regression (PL), and regression kriging based on stepwise multiple linear models (RK). Country-specific training data and SOC predictors (5 × 5 km pixel resolution) were obtained from ISRIC – World Soil Information. Temperature, soil type, vegetation indices, and topographic constraints were the best predictors for SOC, but country-specific predictors and their respective weights varied across Latin America. We compared a large diversity of country-specific datasets and models, and were able to explain SOC variability in a range between ∼ 1 and ∼ 60 %, with no universal predictive algorithm among countries. A regional (n = 11 268 SOC estimates) ensemble of these five algorithms was able to explain ∼ 39 % of SOC variability from repeated 5-fold cross-validation. We report a combined SOC stock of 77.8 ± 43.6 Pg (uncertainty represented by the full conditional response of independent model residuals) across Latin America. SOC stocks were higher in tropical forests (30 ± 16.5 Pg) and croplands (13 ± 8.1 Pg). Country-specific and regional ensembles revealed spatial discrepancies across geopolitical borders, higher elevations, and coastal plains, but provided similar regional stocks (77.8 ± 42.2 and 76.8 ± 45.1 Pg, respectively). These results are conservative compared to global estimates (e.g., SoilGrids250m 185.8 Pg, the Harmonized World Soil Database 138.4 Pg, or the GSOCmap-GSP 99.7 Pg). Countries with large area (i.e., Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Peru) and large spatial SOC heterogeneity had lower SOC stocks per unit area and larger uncertainty in their predictions. We highlight that expert opinion is needed to set boundary prediction limits to avoid unrealistically high modeling estimates. For maximizing explained variance while minimizing prediction bias, the selection of predictive algorithms for SOC mapping should consider density of available data and variability of country-specific environmental gradients. This study highlights the large degree of spatial uncertainty in SOC estimates across Latin America. We provide a framework for improving country-specific mapping efforts and reducing current discrepancy of global, regional, and country-specific SOC estimates.

Climate change, with a constant increase in the Earth temperature, negatively affects livestock production and health. This paper will focus on the possible nutritional and feeding strategies to mitigate the negative impact of heat stress (HS) on ruminants. The first nutrient interacting with hot weather conditions is fibre and its digestibility. It is well recognised how fibre may affect voluntary dry matter intake (DMI), chewing and ruminating activity. A possible dietary strategy to counteract the reduced DMI under hot environment is represented by the increased diet energy concentration, protein supply and essential aminoacids. Mineral feeding under HS condition must cover the supply of each nutrient as consequence of altered turnover, and the needs related to buffer requirements. Particular interest is growing in the use of Se (Se-yeast), because of its role to support the animal antioxidative defences. Water is a pivotal nutrient to cope with HS in ruminants because it plays a role in animal thermoregulation. Recently, some vitamins and feed additives were studied for their action on the animal physiology to cope with HS. Among vitamins, niacin was tested for its action on the vasodilatation in the mammalian and for its role in lipid metabolism; among feed additives, yeasts and plant extracts may exert a positive action in rumen metabolism as well as in regulation of body temperature.

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) is the most widely sown annual pasture legume species in southern Australia, valued in the livestock and grains industries as a source of high-quality forage and for its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. From its initial accidental introduction into Australia in the 19th Century and subsequent commercialisation in the early 1900s, 45 cultivars have been registered in Australia. These consist of 32 cultivars of ssp. subterraneum, eight of ssp. yanninicum, and five of ssp. brachycalycinum and range in flowering time from 77 to 163 days from sowing, enabling the species to be grown in a diversity of rainfall environments, soil types, and farming systems. Eleven of these cultivars are introductions from the Mediterranean region, 15 are naturalised strains collected in Australia, 18 are the products of crossbreeding, and one is derived from mutagenesis. Cultivars developed in Italy have been commercialised for the local market, whereas other cultivars developed in Spain, Portugal, and France have not had commercial seed production. Important traits exploited include: (i) selection for low levels of the oestrogenic isoflavone formononetin, which causes reduced ewe fertility; (ii) increased levels of dormancy imposed by seed-coat impermeability (hard seeds) for cultivars aimed at crop rotations or unreliable rainfall environments; (iii) strong burr-burial ability to maximise seed production; (iv) resistance to important disease pathogens for cultivars aimed at medium- and high-rainfall environments, particularly to Kabatiella caulivora and root rot pathogens; (v) resistance to pests, particularly redlegged earth mites; and (vi) selection for unique leaf markings and other morphological traits (where possible) to aid cultivar identification. Cultivar development has been aided by a large genetic resource of ~10 000 accessions, assembled from its centre of origin in the Mediterranean Basin, West Asia, and the Atlantic coast of Western Europe, in addition to naturalised strains collected in Australia. The development of a core collection of 97 accessions, representing almost 80% of the genetic diversity of the species, and a genetic map, provides a platform for development of future cultivars with new traits to benefit the livestock and grains industries. New traits being examined include increased phosphorous-use efficiency and reduced methane emissions from grazing ruminant livestock. Economic analyses indicate that future trait development should focus on traits contributing to increased persistence and autumn–winter productivity, while other potential traits include increased nutritive value (particularly of senesced material), increased N2 fixation ability, and tolerance to cheap herbicides. Beneficial compounds for animal and human health may also be present within the species for exploitation.