Winter can lead to turfgrass damage and death, causing challenges for turfgrass managers. And with a changing climate, new challenges are cropping up every year.
Eric Watkins, a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, is seeking out answers to those challenges, most recently through an $8 million USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant. His goal? To better understand the winter stresses that are placed on turfgrass and to identify solutions through plant breeding and best management practices.
To learn more about this exciting new project, please continue reading this article on the Department of Horticulture's website. There is also a summary of the WinterTurf project on the USDA NIFA's website.