The National Turfgrass Research Initiative

A Cooperative Effort of the Turfgrass Industry and the

USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

Benefits Of Turf

Beautifies tens of millions of home lawns, parks, and landscapes

Provides safe playing surfaces on athletic fields, recreation in parks and on golf courses

Provides safety and dust control along highways and runways

Provides environmental protection and enhancement of water, soil, and air

                                                                    

Where is Turf Found?

Home Lawns, Roadsides, Airports, Commercial/Institutional Home Lawns, Roadsides, Airports, Commercial/Institutional Facilities,Facilities,

Military Bases, Schools, Parks, Golf Courses, Churches, CemeteriesMilitary Bases, Schools, Parks, Golf Courses, Churches, Cemeteries

50 million acres nationwide, $40 billion industry

Turfgrass Issues

Water Supplies LimitedWater Supplies Limited Effluent, Saline Effluent, Saline

Sources UsedSources Used Drought Tolerant Drought Tolerant

Grasses NeededGrasses Needed Better Management Better Management

Practices NeededPractices Needed

Pesticide Use Extensively Pesticide Use Extensively ScrutinizedScrutinized

Re-registered of Re-registered of Pesticides LimitedPesticides Limited

Disease, Insect Resistant Disease, Insect Resistant Grasses NeededGrasses Needed

Alternative Systems Alternative Systems NeededNeeded

Water Pesticides

Turfgrass Issues

Facilities OverusedFacilities Overused Athletic Field Safety Athletic Field Safety

ScrutinizedScrutinized Traffic Tolerant Grasses Traffic Tolerant Grasses

NeededNeeded Better Management Better Management

Practices NeededPractices Needed

Fertilizers & Pesticides Fertilizers & Pesticides RestrictedRestricted

Watersheds – Watersheds – Groundwater and Groundwater and Surface Water Surface Water ProtectedProtected

Improved Management Improved Management Practices NeededPractices Needed

Excessive Use Regulations

History of Turf Research in USDA-ARS

1920 Drs. Piper & Oakley, Arlington Turf Gardens, VA, grant

from USGA, USGA Green Section started1940’s Turf program moved to Beltsville, MD1950’s Dr. Fred Grau – Beltsville developed Merion KY

Bluegrass, Meyer zoysia, USGA splits with ARS1950’s Tifton, GA turf breeding, Dr. Glenn Burton Tifway,

Tifgreen, Tifdwarf bermudagrasses1988 Jack Murray – Beltsville, only full-time turf

position in ARS, retired & position abolished

1990’s Dr. Wayne Hanna – Tifton, develops TifEagle, Tifsport bermudas, Tifblair centipede

2001 Full-time turfgrass position re-established by Congress Beltsville/National Arboretum (Scott Warnke, Research Plant Geneticist/Physiologist)

Turf Industry Organization Support

USGA US Golf Association (750,000 members)GCSAA Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. of

America (21,000)TPI Turfgrass Producers International (1,000)PLCAA Professional Lawn Care Assoc. of America

(1,000)NTEP National Turfgrass Evaluation Program

(950)STMA Sports Turf Managers Association (2,300)IA The Irrigation Association (3,000)

Turf Customer Workshop

January 22-25, 2002, Dallas, Texas 112 attendees (62 customers,

stakeholders & partners)

Outcomes:

Developed an understanding of the broad range of Turf issues important to ARS customers, stakeholders, and partners

Identified high-priority Turf-related research issues responsive to customer, stakeholder, and partner needs

Identified major research activities that cut across ARS locations to address key elements of Turf research needs

Six research priority areas were identified:

Collection, Enhancement and Preservation of Turfgrass Germplasm

Enhancement of Soil and Soil Management Practices

Improvement of Water Management Strategies and Practices

Improvement of Pest Management Practices Understanding and Improvement of Turfgrass’ Role in the

Environment

Development of Integrated Turf Management Systems

Turf Customer Workshop

National Program Presence within Priority Areas:

Collection, Enhancement and Preservation of Turfgrass Germplasm(NP 302, NP 205, NP 301)

Enhancement of Soil and Soil Management Practices (NP 202)

Improvement of Water Management Strategies and Practices (NP 201)

Improvement of Pest Management Practices (NP 303, NP 304) Understanding and Improvement of Turfgrass’ Role in the

Environment (NP 201, NP 202, NP 203, NP 207)

Development of Integrated Turf Management Systems (NP 207)

Turf Customer Workshop

Follow-up to Workshop

October 9-10, 2002, Beltsville, MD

December 11-12, 2002, Phoenix, AZ

Feb. 20-21, 2003, Hunt Valley, MD

May 14-15, 2003, San Diego, CA

Additional Meetings –

Turf Industry reps and ARS

Map of Turfgrass RegionsDeveloped by the Turfgrass Industry and USDA-ARS

Current ARS Locations Matched with University

Strengths

ARS locations noted are those that may have the potential to conduct turfgrass research

New funding by program thrust ranges from $4.5M (soil management) to $6.3M (environmental impacts)

New resources by regions ranges from 8 to 10 Scientists/region

New resource distribution and research program management clarified with collaborators and partners

National Turfgrass Initiative

Research Proposal - $32.4 Million

Why A Turfgrass Initiative?

Partnerships developed considering “strength-on-strength” of the partnering entities

ARS research program management (e.g., funding levels, fund control, project planning, peer review) clarified up-front with collaborators and partners

Research needs clearly identified by stakeholders, customers, and partners

Research program carefully coordinated and strategically planned to respond to the national research needed