Our research covers the entire pipeline of creating, testing, and producing superior turfgrass varieties. We integrate genomics and advanced phenotyping to accelerate the development of new cultivars, focusing on traits like stress tolerance, low-input needs, and disease resistance. Projects range from traditional breeding and cultivar selection to maximizing efficiency in seed production and testing seed mixtures in real-world environments, ensuring our innovations transition rapidly from the lab to the landscape.
Perennial ryegrass
Minnesota Turf Seed Council and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (Ongoing: 2024-present)
Background
Perennial ryegrass is an important turfgrass due to its rapid germination and quick establishment. This grass is Perennial ryegrass is an important turfgrass due to its rapid germination and quick establishment. This grass is commonly used for sports fields, lawns, and parks. Seed producers in northern Minnesota grow this species on more than 40,000 acres in Roseau and Lake of the Wood counties; this seed gets shipped around the globe. Unfortunately, In northern climates, perennial ryegrass can suffer from winter damage. Therefore, our goal is to develop cultivars that are both winter hardy and able to produce high seed yields when grown in northern Minnesota.
Fine fescue
Minnesota Department of Agriculture and United States Department of Agriculture (Ongoing: 2028-present)
A close-up view of fine fescue grass blades
No mow Fine fescue
Fine fescue rhizomes
Background
The fine fescue species are growing increasingly popular because they can perform well in both sun and shade and do not require as much water, fertilizer, or pesticides as other grasses. There are five primary fine fescues: strong creeping red fescue, slender creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, hard fescue, and sheep fescue. Our program has focused on genetic improvement of hard fescue, primarily because this grass shows the most potential for wider use in Minnesota. Efforts have focused on improving these grasses for shade tolerance, seed production, and performance under wear and traffic.
Cultivar evaluation
National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (Ongoing)
Background
The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program coordinates the testing of major turfgrass species at dozens of research sites across the country. We typically host trials for Kentkucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and creeping bentgrass, with occasional tall fescue trials.
Research questions
The goal of this effort is to identify turfgrasses that are well adapted for various uses in Minnesota.
Practical implications
Data from turfgrass cultivar evaluations can be used by professionals and general consumers to make turfgrass seed purchasing decisions.
Seed production
Background
Minnesota is home to a robust turfgrass seed production industry, centered in Roseau and Lake of the Woods counties in the far northern part of the state. Minnesota seed producers began growing Kentucky bluegrass in the mid 20th century, and then in the 1990s began to grow perennial ryegrass. More recently, farmers have grown tall fescue and hard fescue. The University of Minnesota supports these seed producers by identifying new approaches to optimize seed production and by developing new grass varieties that can be integrated into perennial cropping systems.