'Plant Breeding: Sustaining the Future' Abstracts of the XVIth EUCARPIA Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 10-14 September 2001 SAGES - SUSTAINABLE GRASSLANDS WITHSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES M.W. HUMPHREYS, M. GHESQUIÈRE, Z. ZWIERZYKOWSKI, O.A. ROGNLI, M. RAPACZ, A. LARSEN, D. HIDES, V. BEGUIER, W. JOKS Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, Wales

A new consortium (SAGES) of European geneticists, plant physiologists, plant breeders, and seed merchants has been formed with EU funding. Perennial grassland represents 40% of the total agricultural land utilised by the EU. SAGES uses conventional breeding and the natural biodiversity of Europe's grasslands to develop high quality forage grasses adapted to diverse abiotic stresses encountered throughout Europe. It will help develop understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in stress resistance, and will provide genetic markers in order to select gene combinations governing desirable traits for future use in variety production. The new varieties will contain functioning stable gene combinations designed to improve productivity and persistency and reduce costs of fertiliser, irrigation, and resowing. Increased productivity will benefit incomes and help maintain fragile rural communities.