2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): The project will involve individual plant selection for disease resistance within a tall fescue population known as SYN1 for the purpose of potential cultivar development. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): Provide selection of disease resistant (rust) individuals from within the tall fescue population SYN1. Remove and increase seed of individuals exhibiting disease resistance (rust) in Oregon. Prepare and provide area for germination and selection of individual plant selections from within the SYN1 tall fescue population in Oregon and Oklahoma. Provide individual or bulk seed selections for the execution of performance trials in Oregon, Oklahoma, or other regions of interest. 3.Progress Report: The original SYN1 tall fescue population was exposed in a high rust situation, and nine clones exhibiting superior rust resistance were selected. These clones were combined in a polycross and the new population was assigned the designation SYN1RT. SYN1RT was evaluated for forage performance in 2011-2012 and a request for licensing the material as a future cultivar was presented by Barenbrug Seeds, July 2012. USDA Plant Invention/Germplasm notifications were submitted to the USDA/ARS Plant Review committee for action in August 2012.