hard fescue

The risks of mowing green grass during summer drought

By Jillian Turbeville

When it comes to lawn management, droughts in the Midwest have become a topic of concern. Generally, homeowners will mow their lawn in a scheduled manner (once a week) or based on grass growth rate (⅓ rule), but should we mow based on how stressed the grasses are? Although this can be partially unrealistic, having a basic understanding of how your lawn responds to times of heat and drought in summer may help keep your grass greener for a longer period of time. 


New research publications from our team - 10/21/21

Learn more about our research! Two research articles from our group have been published in the July/August 2021 issue of Crop Science.


What role does far-red light play when light intensity is high?

By Dominic Petrella

I am continually amazed by the impact that light has on turfgrass growth and development. We know that the quantity (intensity) of light impacts photosynthesis as well as alters overall growth and development, and we know that the quality or composition of light also alters gene expression, growth, and developmental responses in all plants.