Press Releases

Persist 70% More Persistent Under Grazing Than Other Orchardgrass!

Some of the most significant data has come from a persistence study conducted at the Ames Plantation in SW Tennessee where a comparison grazing study was conducted with Persist and Benchmark orchardgrass. Both varieties were planted in separate pastures, with and without clover. After an intense drought and stressed period in 1999, two years after the trial began, there was a dramatic difference in the performance of the two cultivars. The other variety simply could not handle or recover from the stress. Persist, on the other hand, continued to not only survive, but to provide good, healthy stands of grass, even when the clover died out in the third year. Read more...

Persist "Recommended" in Nebraska

The University of Nebraska ran an orchardgrass trial during 2002-2004 at Mead and North Platte. Persist did so well that it was added to the NRCS's Recommended List for Varieties for use across the state. Read more...

40+ Year Quest Yields New Persistent Orchardgrass

The breeding history behind Persist is very interesting and explains why so many are excited about its release and availability. The quest to develop a more persistent orchardgrass began all the way back in 1959...nearly 50 years ago. Read more...

Persist Maturity Data Documented

Data from the state of Kentucky shows Persist to be most similar in maturity to Paiute, Shiloh, Shiloh II, Hallmark, and Vision. Data from the state of Pennsylvania shows Persist to be most similar in maturity to Century and Pennlate. Read more...

Persist Yields Up in Urbana, Illinois

Persist was the highest yielding variety in the third year of Urbana, IL's 2004 orchardgrass trial. Read more...

Persist Gives Impressive Gains Under Grazing

In 2003 The University of Tennessee's Agricultural Experiment Station planted seventeen 3-acre pastures at Ames Plantation for the purpose of comparing steer performance, forage productivity and longevity of cool-season forages available to Tennessee beef producers. Persist orchardgrass was amongst the entries. In 82 days of grazing, the steer gained 99 lbs on Persist and 127 lbs on Persist with clover, compared to gains of only 59 lbs on KY-31. Read more...

Persist Easily Survives Both Rotational And Continous Grazing

In 2005 the University of Kentucky planted 5 x 15 randomized plots replicated six times in Lexington, KY. Trials include a rotational grazing study and a continuous grazing study. Persist orchardgrass was amongst the entries. As of the winter of 2008 Persist leads the continuous grazing trial and shares the lead in the rotational grazing trial. Read more...

Persist Performs in Pennsylvania

In the 2004 Rock Springs, PA grass trial, twelve orchardgrass varieties were entered. While this trial has seen nearly half the entries maintain statistically equal yields, it is worth noting that at the end of 3.5 years, Persist, along with one other variety, had the top score for stand percentage. Read more...

Pennsylvania Publishes Nutritional Data

Data from Penn State confirms that Persist's nutritional quality is just as good as its ability to survive. Read more...

Persist Beats Severe Drought in North Carolina

The N.C. drought of 2007 went down as one of the most if not the most severe drought in N.C. History. During the drought, one agricultural agent documented Persist's performance, including how it came out of the drought the following spring. In his words, Persist "looks really good after one of the most severe droughts in N.C. history." Read more...

Persist Has a Strong Recovery from Kentucky Drought

Persist was planted in 2004 in Princeton, KY under a "hay-style" management trial. No significant difference was detected in most of the varieties' persistence until after the drought of '07. All varieties saw the effect of the drought, as measured in the stand percentage ratings in October of '07. Persist had a significantly higher stand (ground coverage percentage), speaking of the value of Persist, even under a non-grazing regime. Read more...

Breeder Recognized for Receiving Patent on Persist

Dr. Bob Conger, professor emeritus from the University of Tennessee's Department of Plant Sciences, (was recognized for receiving) a Plant Variety Protection Patent for ‘Persist’ orchardgrass. This patent represents 50 years of discovery and plant breeding work. Conger assumed work on the project in 1976. Dr. Conger said of developing Persist that it is "the capstone" of his career! Read more...

Persist Highest Yielding Variety in Kentucky Over 9-yr Period!

The University of Kentucky staff has put together a chart consolidating their the yield performance of all the orchardgrass varieties they have tested in the past ten years for the purpose of summarizing long-term yield. According to UK, the "varieties that have performed better than average over many years and at several locations have very stable performance." Persist is the HIGHEST RATED variety! Read more...

Persist Outyields Others in Tennessee

In the fall of 1989 a forage trial study was planted at Knoxville, TN. The test included Persist. Yields of Persist exceeded that of the mean every year. Of particular significance was its superior performance in the last two years of the trial - indicating longer persistence than the other cultivars. Additionally, Persist was almost always the highest yielding variety during the last two or three cuts. Read more...

Persist Survives 'Biggest Natural Disaster Ever Experienced' in Kentucky

The winter of '08-'09 was very cold in KY, including an ice storm dubbed ‘the biggest natural disaster that (Kentucky) has ever experienced in modern history. Persist successfully went through that severe weather with little or no damage, while some of the other varieties that were right next to Persist experienced significant winter damage. Read more...

Persist is Alive and Well in Eastern Cananda

In Canada, new forage varieties are required to have a certain amount of years of testing before they are approved for use. Part of the testing is to evaluate whether they are better than the existing varieties available. Persist was entered into such a set of trials in 2007. The locations for these trials are Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Fredericton, Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia; and Old Barns, Nova Scotia. While the trial is not yet complete, SO FAR, Persist is performing very well in these tough locations. Read more...