AARI-Berseem 2024: A Climate-Smart and High-Nutrition Fodder Variety for Sustainable Livestock Production

Abstract

Adverse climatic conditions pose a rising threat to global food and fodder security. These challenges not only affect human populations but also livestock productivity. To address these challenges a new berseem variety “AARI Berseem-2024” has been developed by the Fodder Research Sub-Station, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad. This variety is an outcome of composite selection from foundational parental population developed by pooling five high-performing accessions, four local BGP-09, BGP-17, BGP-29, BGP-37 and one exotic PI 468401 during 2013-2024. It proved its value in all yield trials and outperformed the current existing Berseem varieties. It produced 3.9% higher green fodder yield in comparison to check varieties Anmol Berseem and Berseem Agati during 2021-22 and 2022-23, in National Uniform Fodder Yield Trials. Furthermore, it has 22.3% dry matter, 19.24% crude protein, 21.8% crude fiber, 2.23% crude fat and 11.5% ash, and good palatability. The new variety showed better tolerance against Root Rot, Crown Rot and Stem Rot diseases. Agronomic studies revealed that it aligns more efficiently with current agronomic practices. It was approved by Variety Evaluation Committee during 2024 for general cultivation in Punjab.  This offers a sustainable solution to fodder scarcity during lean periods in winter (December-January) and in summer (May-June) and unpredicted weather. Its climate resilience and high nutritional profile promises to boost livestock productivity and support livestock farming under changing climatic conditions. Its climate resilience and high nutritional profile promises to boost livestock productivity and support livestock farming under changing climatic conditions.