Breeding turfgrasses

Conventional plant-breeding methods have been used successfully to transform several species into markedly improved turfgrasses. The choice of which species to use in a breeding program can be dictated by the region in which the cultivar will be grown, the specifi c breeding objectives, and market forces. The basic requirements for a possible turfgrass species for improvement are adaptation to the area of use, genetic potential (variability), and germplasm availability. Usually, a turfgrass breeder will specialize and work with one or a few related species, but some breeders work with numerous turf species over their careers. Other grass breeders have bred grasses for both turf and forage uses.