b'FESCUE to the RESCUE IF YOU LOOK OUTover a pasture or a professional sports field today, you may well be seeing a cutting-edge variety of fescue. This grass is in high demand across Europe, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South America, and beyond. Commercial varieties already combine durabilitywithstanding continuous grazing or close mowingwith Why Europes seed sector is investing in a grassdrought tolerance and resistance to crown rust. For livestock systems, modern fescue is that thrives in drought, feeds livestock, and ismore digestible, palatable, and higher yielding redefining professional turf. than ever before.Yet improvement does not stop here. By Treena Hein, Seed World Contributor To explore todays breeding progress and tomorrows potential, Our sister publication Seed World Europe spoke with several WHY IT MATTERS Fescue is an outstanding grassbreeders at leading international companies. relied upon for critical livestock grazing, but it is alsoWe discussed the challenges of producing gaining ground on professional sports fields, alreadybetter varieties, how new technologies are edging out ryegrass in some parts of Europe. Herebeing integrated, germplasm availability and much more.is a progress report on breeding effortswith a surprising twist still to come. Fescue Species and Breeding FocusWhile the Festuca genus contains hundreds of species, as many as 640, only a handful are the focus of active breeding programs.58/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2025'