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What about breeding OG for an environment such as ours.  If we had a 
breeder here, that would be my first suggestion for that person to 
pursue.  But it should be approached like Joe Bouton did for Alfagraze 
and Georgia-5, i.e. selection under summer grazing stress for 
persistence.  I think there is probably untapped germplasm out there that 
would have potential.  When I was collecting fescues in hot, dry areas of 
Spain a couple summers ago, I saw orchardgrasses hanging on in fairly 
marginal environments.  But it still wasn't nearly as commonly found as 
endophyte-infected fescues (various species) in very stressed 
environments.  I don't know if someone in the South is already working 
on breeding OG.

I welcome any feedback to my pasture philosophy.  I'm referring mainly to 
low-input beef production, but I suppose some of it would apply to 
low-input dairy production as part of their diet.

Chuck West
Forage agronomist
Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville
cpwest@comp.uark.edu