Research & Development
Developing new plant varieties that increase value for Australian farmers
Research at the Core of UMS
At UMS, research is the foundation of everything we do. For more than 30 years, our team of plant breeders and technicians or our highly qualified plant breeding and research teams has been developing pasture and forage cultivars specifically for Australian farming systems. Every variety is rigorously tested under real-world grazing and climatic conditions to ensure it delivers practical, measurable benefits to producers.
Our Long-Term Breeding Commitment
Breeding resilient, productive pasture takes time. At UMS, each new variety undergoes a 7–10 year development pathway, from initial plant breeding through small plot evaluation, larger-scale trials, bulk-up, and Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) assessment. This disciplined process ensures that every release provides proven performance in yield, persistence, and animal productivity. As a family-owned business three generations strong, we combine plant breeding, seed production, processing, specialist advice and distribution of seed via our rural retail partners, into one fully integrated program designed to support the Australian Agricultural industry for the long term.
Purpose-Built R&D Facilities
Our Research Station in the Tasmanian midlands is the cornerstone of UMS plant breeding. Since its redevelopment from 2018, we’ve invested heavily in modern facilities, including upgraded laboratories, nurseries, dedicated trial plots, and advanced infrastructure designed to replicate Australian grazing systems.
Here, new cultivars are tested in replicated trials and working pasture environments, allowing us to measure key agronomic traits such as yield, digestibility, and persistence season after season. With the recent expansion of our plant breeding nursery into its fourth phase, we’re well-positioned to deliver the next generation of high-performance pasture varieties for Australian farmers.
Providing Solutions to our customers
Our commitment to R&D is ultimately about delivering practical, performance-driven solutions to Australian producers:
- Locally bred and developed varieties: From specialty ryegrasses to deep-rooted perennials, our varieties are bred and tested right here to tackle real-world farming conditions.
- Australian trial network: We trial our varieties nationwide in UMS-owned and independently managed sites, giving our customers localised results that inform more strategic pasture decisions.
- Trusted Technical Support: Our team has first-hand knowledge of each varieties performance and is available to help customers make informed decisions that best support their enterprise.
- Strong Partnerships: Through our partnership with international seed suppliers like Germinal Seeds, we’re introducing advanced innovations to the Australian market, including High Sugar Grass (HSG) varieties such as AberGreen AR1 TM and AberGain AR1TM. These deliver improved digestibility, palatability, and environmental sustainability.
Plant genetics designed for Australian farming systems
At UMS, we don’t just supply seed, we breed solutions. Backed by over 30 years of experience and strong partnerships locally and globally, our breeding program is built to deliver practical benefits for primary producers, with varieties that perform where it matters most: in the paddock.
We focus on traits that drive productivity and resilience, including disease resistance, drought tolerance, persistence, and feed quality. By combining world-class genetics with extensive local knowledge, we deliver seed varieties that help Australian farmers thrive in challenging and diverse environments.
1. Genetic Discovery & First Crosses
Every new variety begins with identifying the traits that matter most to primary producers, such as yield, persistence, animal performance, or adaptability to tough soils and climates.
At our dedicated UMS Research facility in Tasmania, our plant breeders and research team use advanced techniques and controlled pollination to combine these traits into new germplasm.
Crossing plants to combine key traits like yield, persistence, and quality
Partnering globally to access elite genetics
- Initial development through to Basic seed all at our UMS Research Facility
2. Selection
From thousands of candidate plants, only a handful progress. Each line is rigorously evaluated under nursery and field conditions, with detailed measurement of key agronomic traits such as dry matter yield, feed quality, disease resistance, persistence, and environmental adaptability. Every plant is individually assessed, ensuring only the strongest performers advance to the next stage of the breeding program.
- Less than 5% progress beyond this stage
- Measured for yield, disease resistance, and adaptability
3. Trialling & Agronomic Assessment
Once promising stable seed lines are identified, varieties are scaled up into replicated trial plots across multiple sites and seasons. Here, their performance is compared against industry benchmarks and assessed for real-world adaptability, persistence, and stability. Trial data is meticulously recorded, with seed samples collected for ongoing research. This rigorous testing ensures only varieties with proven on-farm benefits progress toward commercialisation.
- Replicated plots across multiple sites and seasons
- Tested against industry standards
- Grazing trials ensure persistence and stability
4. Release & Commercialisation
Once a new variety proves its performance, it is formally assessed and registered for Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR). UMS’s unique vertical integration scales up production at our own facilities, including Tooma Group owned Burlington Farm and Tooma Station, under strict quality controls. From there, certified seed is supplied to retail partners in both Australian and International markets, offering fast and reliable access to high-performing varieties.
- Varieties registered for Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR)
- Large-scale production via UMS’ unique national vertically integrated operation
- Certified seed delivered to agronomists and farmers nationwide
5. Continual Evaluation & Improvement
Breeding doesn’t stop at release. Every UMS variety is continuously monitored and re-evaluated under changing conditions to ensure ongoing performance for producers. We refine and improve through successive generations, keeping our seed genetics relevant and reliable year after year.n improving our varieties through successive generations. We continually evaluate and test our varieties to make sure they still yield the best results.
- Ongoing review ensures varieties continue to deliver top results.
- Continuous improvement keeps pace with evolving farming challenges.
Plant genetics designed for Australian farming systems
At UMS, we don’t just supply seed, we breed solutions. Backed by over 30 years of experience and strong partnerships locally and globally, our breeding program is built to deliver practical benefits for primary producers, with varieties that perform where it matters most: in the paddock.
We focus on traits that drive productivity and resilience, including disease resistance, drought tolerance, persistence, and feed quality. By combining world-class genetics with extensive local knowledge, we deliver seed varieties that help Australian farmers thrive in challenging and diverse environments.
1. Genetic Discovery & First Crosses
Every new variety begins with identifying the traits that matter most to primary producers, such as yield, persistence, animal performance, or adaptability to tough soils and climates.
At our dedicated UMS Research facility in Tasmania, our plant breeders and research team use advanced techniques and controlled pollination to combine these traits into new germplasm.
Crossing plants to combine key traits like yield, persistence, and quality
Partnering globally to access elite genetics
- Initial development through to Basic seed all at our UMS Research Facility
2. Selection
From thousands of candidate plants, only a handful progress. Each line is rigorously evaluated under nursery and field conditions, with detailed measurement of key agronomic traits such as dry matter yield, feed quality, disease resistance, persistence, and environmental adaptability. Every plant is individually assessed, ensuring only the strongest performers advance to the next stage of the breeding program.
- Less than 5% progress beyond this stage
- Measured for yield, disease resistance, and adaptability
3. Trialling & Agronomic Assessment
Once promising stable seed lines are identified, varieties are scaled up into replicated trial plots across multiple sites and seasons. Here, their performance is compared against industry benchmarks and assessed for real-world adaptability, persistence, and stability. Trial data is meticulously recorded, with seed samples collected for ongoing research. This rigorous testing ensures only varieties with proven on-farm benefits progress toward commercialisation.
- Replicated plots across multiple sites and seasons
- Tested against industry standards
- Grazing trials ensure persistence and stability
4. Release & Commercialisation
Once a new variety proves its performance, it is formally assessed and registered for Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR). UMS’s unique vertical integration scales up production at our own facilities, including Tooma Group owned Burlington Farm and Tooma Station, under strict quality controls. From there, certified seed is supplied to retail partners in both Australian and International markets, offering fast and reliable access to high-performing varieties.
- Varieties registered for Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR)
- Large-scale production via UMS’ unique national vertically integrated operation
- Certified seed delivered to agronomists and farmers nationwide
5. Continual Evaluation & Improvement
Breeding doesn’t stop at release. Every UMS variety is continuously monitored and re-evaluated under changing conditions to ensure ongoing performance for producers. We refine and improve through successive generations, keeping our seed genetics relevant and reliable year after year.n improving our varieties through successive generations. We continually evaluate and test our varieties to make sure they still yield the best results.
- Ongoing review ensures varieties continue to deliver top results.
- Continuous improvement keeps pace with evolving farming challenges.
Learn more about UMS
Dedicated to the development and production of premium forage seed for Australian and International markets, UMS is a fully integrated seed business with a commitment to increasing productivity for farmers.
