Prognostic breeding is a crop-improvement methodology that utilizes the plant prognostic equation to maximise selection efficiency, increase the precision of field phenotyping, and select plants with high and stable crop yield potential. Application of prognostic breeding in maize started in the F2 of the hybrid Costanza and was effective in selecting superior lines that averaged 87–91% of Costanza’s productivity. The average annual genetic gain ranged from 23% to 36%.

This study mainly examined the influence of four autumn-dormancy categories on cas18, vsp and corF gene transcripts during the first year of lucerne establishment. Results showed that the level of transcripts of cas18, vsp and corF in dormant cultivars were markedly higher than in other autumn-dormancy categories cultivars. These results indicate that autumn dormancy are likely to have significant consequences on lucerne productivity and its long-term persistence.

Temperate pastures that leak water below the root zone have been linked to an increase in dryland salinity. We compared soil water beneath eight pasture types in a 5-year grazed field study. Pasture characteristics for control of leakage included summer activity, deep rootedness, and persistence at high plant densities under grazing; only lucerne satisfied all these criteria.