A successful forage breeding program starts with a supply of germplasm containing adequate genetic diversity to serve as the foundation for better cultivars. No collection of forage breeding materials unique to Iowa has been done in 50 years. In this project, plants were collected from 20 pastures throughout the state. The plants\u27 mere presence suggested that they had already survived the drought, cold temperatures, and extensive grazing that occur in Iowa, which made them good subjects for breeding purposes
