b'2020 HYBRID TROPICALPASTURE SEED PRODUCTION 1471 MT TOTAL = ~1% OF TOTALIpyora 34%Mavuno46%Mulato II 7%Sabia 9%Cayana 4%By using tropical pasture seed as that cover crop and pro-tecting their soil, growers can introduce a third crop to their farm: cattle. The tropical pasture seed can give the land a rotational crop and an opportunity to rest, Nicolayevsky says. Besides being used as a soil protection, Nicolayevsky says that theres opportunity in Brazil to renovate current pastures with tropical pasture seed to become more sustainable, instead of working on establishing a completely new pasture elsewhere.Brazil can double its meat production by renovating cur-rent pasture areas, he says. Theres no need to continue going further north into the Amazon to increase pasture areas.In addition, tropical pastures help Brazil produce meat and dairy differently due to their genetics.These pastures are highly palatable because they have fixed nitrogen due to their deep roots, Nicolayevsky says. Those deep roots also help sequester carbon and minimize the carbon footprint produced by cattle.For the next 10-15 years, Nicolayevsky believes that Brazil can be used as an example to how the beef and dairy markets can become more ecologically responsible. We have the ability to show positive effects on climate change, but the question becomes how can we send a message and show how to manage these pastures effectively? he says. These new technologies in tropical pasture seed can offer an alternative to what has been stigmatized as a very destructive form of livestock production.There needs to be a narrative change of how to intensify pasture management to reap the benefits of the new higher yielding hybrids thus minimizing the need to open new areas for pasture, Nicolayevsky says. If we dont concentrate on the issue of pasture, theres not going to be the need to sell tropical pasture seed in 10 years.SW88/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021'