ABSTRACT
Summary It is the purpose of this paper to describe briefly ways of improving the efficiency of forage-crop breeding. Breeding superior forages requires good germ plasm, proper objectives, efficient breeding methods, adequate support, assistance from other disciplines, cooperation with animal science, time, and hard work. Methods that reduce the labor and cost/unit of advance are described. Among them are recurrent restricted phenotypic selection (RRPS), which quadruples the efficiency of mass selection in improving Pensacola bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) yields; a modification of RRPS for pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) improvement; backcrossing procedures to transfer major genes into pearl millet lines in 2 years; and four methods of putting the F1 hybrid on the farm.
