Get to know Jo Williams: Head of AlfaGen Seed’s alfalfa breeding program

Jo Williams leads AlfaGen Seeds’ global alfalfa breeding program, combining deep on-farm experience and global breeding expertise. After 5 years with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) running National Variety Trials (NVT), Jo returned to her family farm and for the last 16 years, has been working with AlfaGen Seeds in alfalfa research and development. 

Through AlfaGen’s alfalfa breeding program, Jo plays a central role in developing elite, high-quality alfalfa varieties designed to deliver strong yield potential, persistence and performance for growers worldwide.

Jo also operates a significant family enterprise where alfalfa plays a central role. The business runs a 5,000‑head Merino breeding program supported by extensive alfalfa‑based pastures, alongside up to 300 hectares of dryland alfalfa seed production each season.

That firsthand experience means Jo understands the pressures growers face, from persistence and grazing tolerance to yield and reliability.

Our global breeding approach combines international genetics, localised expertise and genuine industry collaboration to develop elite varieties that deliver both exceptional forage quality and high forage yields. 

AlfaGen’s alfalfa breeding program involves selecting and crossing superior genetics to improve the traits that matter on farm, including:

• High forage quality and forage yield for profitability
• Exceptional leaf-to-stem ratio for high quality hay production
• Varieties suited for all dormancy ratings and end-use systems, from grazing to cut-and-carry
• Pest and disease resistance
• Salinity tolerance for challenging soils

Our breeding program allows for faster evaluation and selection from a global portfolio of germplasm, shortening the long path from early screening to commercial variety release.

Breeding starts with plant selections from the world’s primary alfalfa-growing regions. Through a combination of phenotypic, mass, and recurrent selection, superior germplasm is identified and crossed to create new breeding populations. These populations undergo successive cycles of selection and testing to improve traits such as dormancy, forage quality and yield, persistence, salt tolerance, and pest and disease resistance, resulting in high-performing cultivars adapted to diverse production environments. Only the strongest lines progress to seed build-up and eventual commercial release, a process that can take up to seven years.

The AlfaGen alfalfa breeding program is always evolving. Breeder Jo Williams is currently pursuing a PhD integrating genomic selection into the breeding pipeline. By drawing on more than 15 years of Australian and international trial data, the project is developing predictive genomic models that allow for earlier and more accurate selection decisions. This means better varieties, identified sooner and brought to market faster.

The shift to genomic selection moves the program from a purely field-based phenotypic breeding system, where selections are made based on what you can observe in the field, to a data-driven, predictive platform that increases both the efficiency and the scalability of genetic gains. 

In practical terms, that means:

• Faster breeding cycles, reducing time to market for new varieties
• Increased selection accuracy, particularly for complex traits 
• Enhanced utilisation of existing data, converting historical trial datasets into predictive tools
• A stronger foundation for targeting complex and emerging traits as industry needs evolve

For Jo, the measure of success is simple. Varieties that perform in paddocks and support enterprise profitability. That connection between breeding, science and real-world outcomes is what drives the program forward, and what growers will see in the next generation of AlfaGen varieties. More precisely selected, better adapted, and brought to market faster.

Elite new genetics are already in development across all dormancy categories, for a wide range of regions and end-use systems.

While we don’t supply seed directly to farmers, AlfaGen products are available through trusted distributors and farm supply stores. If you don’t know who your local distributor is, please reach out via the enquiry form and we can assist. 

We have a strong wholesale distribution network around the world and we’re always open to new opportunities to expand into additional territories. If you’re interested in partnering with us as a large-volume alfalfa seed distributor, get in touch with our team here.