HarvXtra^® Alfalfa, the forage industry’s first genetically enhanced, reduced-lignin alfalfa trait, was developed to maximize quality by reducing the amount of lignin in the plant. This trait has been deregulated by authorities in Argentina, making it the third country to deregulate the product behind the U.S. and Canada.

By modifying the amount of lignin in the alfalfa plant, HarvXtra^® Alfalfa allows farmers to maintain harvest for higher-quality forage or delay it to maximize yield potential without sacrificing the harvest’s quality. This cutting-edge technology eases the “yield-versus-quality” trade-off many alfalfa producers currently face.

“While past and current efforts to improve the quality of alfalfa exist, this trait is the only advancement in alfalfa that truly moves the bar,” says Forage Genetics International (FGI) president Shawn Barnett. “The HarvXtra^® Alfalfa trait brings something truly unique to the industry.”

The deregulation of the product was made possible through FGI’s partnership with Bioceres, a leading Argentine provider of crop productivity solutions. The company is known globally for developing and deregulating the first drought tolerant soybean seeds.

Bioceres is owned by some of the largest farm operators and agro-industrial companies in Argentina, allowing them to work alongside global tech leaders to develop, deregulate and bring to market high-impact agricultural inputs. Besides improving harvest quality and flexibility, HarvXtra^® Alfalfa also provides excellent crop safety and easier crop management.

“Alfalfa farmers in Argentina will finally have the possibility to enter into the biotech age,” says Bioceres CEO Federico Trucco.

HarvXtra^® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready^® Technology will be made available to Argentine farmers for planting in 2019. Similar to the markets in the U.S., HarvXtra^® will be sold in a trait stack with Roundup Ready^® Technology.