Field demonstration & trial sites: putting seeds through their paces

May 13, 2025 by Kate Australia

At AlfaGen Seeds, we know that choosing the right seed variety is critical for maximising pasture performance. That’s why we conduct field demonstration and evaluation (FDE) trials across Australia, helping farmers make informed decisions backed by real-world data.

Our trial sites test forage, pasture, and cereal seed varieties under a range of Australian farming conditions to ensure they deliver reliable, high-yielding results.

Why are field trials important?

No two regions are the same; soil type, rainfall, and climate all play a role in how a seed performs. That’s why field trials are essential. By planting and testing new varieties in different regions, we see first-hand how they respond to local conditions. Every trial helps us compare seed varieties to assess yield, disease resistance, and growth performance, so farmers get the best-performing varieties for their conditions.

At AlfaGen Seeds, our research isn’t just about developing new varieties, it’s about finding real solutions for farmers. Our trials also allow agronomists to explore new species and blends that haven’t been used in the region before, opening the door to more productive and resilient pastures. 

Trial sites give farmers, agronomists, and retailers confidence the seed they choose is backed by real-world data. 

Where do we conduct our trials?

To ensure our seeds perform in real-world conditions, we establish trial and demonstration sites across key Australian farming regions. These trials provide farmers with data-driven insights, helping them choose the best varieties for their environment.

Ebor, NSW – Forage Trials Australia (FTA) site
Located in northern NSW, this site plays a critical role in ryegrass evaluation, testing both established and new seed genetics under local conditions.

• Multi-year ryegrass trial featuring 22 perennial ryegrass and 4 hybrid ryegrass varieties
• Additional trials for annual ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, red clover, and tall fescue
• Data collected helps identify the strongest breeding lines for future commercial release

Pilliamore, NSW – Forage oats trial
This site focuses on forage oat breeding, assessing new and experimental lines to improve grazing performance.

• Evaluates new forage oat varieties for grazing recovery and growth habits
• Compares multiple oat breeding lines across four NSW locations
• Helps graziers select the best-performing oat varieties for their pastures

Cooma, NSW – Annual & hybrid ryegrass trial
Positioned in the Monaro region, this site helps farmers determine which ryegrass and forage oats perform best in cold-climate conditions.

• The Cooma site features annual ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, hybrid ryegrass, and forage oats
• Provides region-specific data to ensure pasture resilience in Australia’s colder grazing systems

Gloucester, NSW – Coastal winter forage comparison site

This site is replanted each year to assess a wide range of winter forage options for grazing and silage. 

• Trialling annual and Italian ryegrass, oats, barley, chicory, plantain, lucerne, vetch, and multi-species blends

Nowra, NSW – Forage comparison site

Each year, this site compares multiple species and mixes to guide forage decisions for coastal producers.

• A new site planted every year to compare many options for winter grazing and silage production
• Planting into kikuyu pastures in autumn
• Annual and Italian ryegrass, hybrid ryegrass, festulolium, oats and barley, chicory and plantain, vetch and multi-species blends

Goulburn, NSW – Legume break crop nitrogen trial
This trial investigates the nitrogen-fixing potential of a wide range of legumes, as well as improving soil nitrogen levels and biological activity.

• Trialling species including beans, peas, medics, and other legumes
• Aiming to identify the best break crops between cereals and canola to boost soil nitrogen and biological activity

Pittsworth, QLD – Multi-species demonstration site
This large-scale demonstration site explores diverse pasture solutions, helping farmers improve grazing efficiency and soil health.

• Includes oats, barley, wheat, lucerne, annual & perennial clovers, ryegrass, and multi-species blends
• Trials have increased farmer interest in alternative forage species, leading to wider adoption of:
  • Chicory, Subzero hybrid forage brassica, Persian clover, and medics for grazing and soil health improvement

Tatura, VIC – Irrigated lucerne and ryegrass performance trials
Tatura hosts two key trial sites focused on high-performance pasture systems. 

• One site compares leading commercial lucerne varieties alongside new breeding lines from the AlfaGen Lucerne Breeding Program. The other evaluates ryegrass types under flood irrigation.
• Lucerne site features six breeding lines 
• Ryegrass trial includes  a wide range of annual, Italian, hybrid and perennial ryegrasses under flood irrigation

How do these trials benefit farmers?

• Farmer-focused evaluation – while some sites collect formal data, others are designed purely for demonstration, giving farmers the opportunity to see different seed varieties in action
• Proven performance in local conditions – tested in real Aussie farming environments, from wet winters to dry summers
• Innovative pasture solutions – farmers get access to new species and pasture blends to improve livestock nutrition and paddock resilience
• Support for better decisions – helping farmers make more confident variety choices based on what they’ve seen or learned at the site