Grass seed field day in northern Minnesota

January 27, 2025

By Jillian Turbeville

Last year I had the privilege of traveling up to northern Minnesota, nearly ten miles south of the Canadian border, once every month between May and October. These road trips took me six hours from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus to the quaint town of Roseau. Best known for its snowmobile manufacturing and as a destination for hunting and fishing, Roseau stands out more uniquely to me for its agricultural aspects. As a graduate student, I am invested in learning about this unique ecoregion that provides ideal conditions for cool-season turfgrass seed production.

The UMN’s Magnusson Research Farm is a hub for work on turf, forage, and cover crop seed production. My master’s thesis research focuses on advancing our understanding of hard fescue seed production and intercropping strategies here. The main purpose of this farm is to support turfgrass and cover crop programs, which aligns perfectly with my research goals, making it well worth the monthly trips.

This past June, I had the opportunity to participate in the annual Grass Seed Field Day. Organized by University of Minnesota researchers, this event offers a chance to explore ongoing projects and their practical applications in northern Minnesota. Hosted at the research farm, the field day fosters collaboration between the local growers and scientists, strengthening our collective understanding of turfgrass production for species like perennial ryegrass, fine fescues, cover crops, and more.

Below is a summary of the topics discussed during the field day.

Perennial ryegrass

While perennial ryegrass is not widely recommended as turfgrass to use in Minnesota due to its poor winter hardiness, it is the primary turfgrass produced as seed in northern Minnesota. Current research – led by Dr. Nancy Ehlke and Donn Vellkeson – examines best management practices for perennial ryegrass seed production, including fertilization, plant growth regulators, and herbicide application. Timing of these operations has proven critical, so at the field day, Donn described research showing substantial differences in growth suppression based on the timing of the herbicide application (Figure 1).

a man standing in a grass research field speaking to a small group of people — *Figure 1. Donn Vellkeson presenting the perennial ryegrass herbicide trial.*

Fine fescue

Consumer demand for low-input lawns has driven an increased need for fine fescue seed production in Minnesota. Hard fescue (Figure 2), a fine fescue known for its excellent stress tolerance, is a prime candidate for low-input lawns. However, very little seed production currently occurs in the state. The University of Minnesota turfgrass breeding program has been developing a stress tolerant hard fescue cultivar named ‘MNHD’, which has already demonstrated promising seed yield results. Leveraging this with northern Minnesota’s existing infrastructure for perennial ryegrass production for the establishment of hard fescue seed production is a primary goal.

a grassy crop field with blue sky in the background — Figure 2. A field of hard fescue in the second year of growth.

Research shared with seed producers focused on hard fescue seed production through intercropping strategies, which involves pairing hard fescue with companion crops like spring wheat or cereal rye shown in the trial field of Figure 3. The timing of seed establishment has proven important, as different times create varying competitive conditions for the hard fescue. This ongoing research will produce exciting results next year, providing insights into the success of these methods.

a field research area with short turfgrasses and small grains in separate plots — Figure 3. A field with hard fescue and companion crops testing intercropping.

a woman standing in a cropping research plot giving a talk to a small group of people — Figure 4. MS student Jillian Turbeville discussing with seed producers on intercropping strategies with hard fescue.

Kernza and other crops

Kernza, an intermediate wheatgrass, is an alternative to traditional wheat and has gained attention for its environmental benefits due to being a perennial grain. Dr. Jacob Jungers, an associate professor at UMN, shared with us that Kernza is paving the way to new markets like beer production. He explained that ongoing research is focused on improving traits for better yield and seed quality (Figure 5).

Field pea and hybrid rye research were also topics at the field day, which provided participants with information on the benefits of cover crops.

a man standing in front of a small grains research field giving a talk to a small group of people — Figure 5. Dr. Jake Jungers sharing an update on the intermediate wheatgrass (Kernza) research program.

While the field day trip was filled with fascinating sights from grass seed production, I also had the joy of experiencing a different side of the unique ecoregion of northern Minnesota. In June, this region is filled with Minnesota’s state flower, the lady slipper (Figure 6). These charming blooms were scattered along the forest lines and ditches adding a pretty pink ending to the trip.

a mass of pretty pink flowers on plants with large green leaves — Figure 6. Pink lady slippers (Cypripedium reginae) found near Roseau, MN.