Abstract: Evaluation of the adaptation of 14 Brachiaria materials from Brazil, Australia and Hainan of China was conducted in southern subtropical areas of Yunnan, from 2006 to 2007 where low temperatures and drought were the disadvantaging factors for forage growth. The over winter rate of all forage materials was more than 97.00%, showing that these forages can adapt to the conditions and can therefore be used for pasture establishment in the southern subtropical zone. In the first year, the forages with higher yield of dry matter were B. hybrid Mulato 1, B. ruziziensis, B. brizantha Mekong, B. hybrid, B. brizantha cv. MG-5×Araes, B. brizantha cv. MG-5 Vitoria, B. brizantha cv. MG-4, and B. hybrid Mulato 2. Their yields were 34.84±3.98, 31.57±11.97, 31.13±5.31, 30.95±5.13, 28.41±0.84, 27.42±3.32, 26.83±3.49 and 25.14±2.23 t/ha, respectively but there was no significant difference between dry mater yields of the trialled forages. Leaf width was the most important component factor to yield in the southern subtropics, seed yield ranked second and stem/leaf ratio was third, followed by plant height and leaf length. In terms of a combination of dry matter yield, CP (crude protein), palatability and resistance, B. hybrid, B. hybrid Mulato 1, B. brizantha Mekong, B. hybrid Mulato 2, B. brizantha cv. MG-5×Araes, B. ruziziensis, B. brizantha cv. MG-5 Vitoria were the top seven promising species with high yield, good quality, palatability and resistance in these areas.