Video: Research Updates from Purdue University

By Ross Braun and Aaron Patton, Purdue University

Fine fescues are being intensively studied by a team of researchers, which includes Drs. Aaron Patton and Ross Braun from Purdue University, working a grant titled "Increasing Low-Input Turfgrass Adoption through Breeding, Innovation, and Public Education" from USDA-NIFA through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. In addition, Purdue University in collaboration with University of Minnesota is conducting low-input sod research as part of the project "Filling a Critical Need: Diversifying Sod Production with Sustainable Turfgrasses" from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service through the Specialty Crop Block Research Initiative Multi-State Program. Drs. Aaron Patton and Ross Braun are leading research efforts to identify solutions to establishment and management barriers of these grasses by coordinating multiple field experiments in Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon, and New Jersey. Objectives of these field experiments include determining optimal seeding time of the year, quantifying maintenance inputs, comparing new improved cultivars to old cultivars, quantifying mowing requirements of fine fescues compared to other turf species, determining the optimal nitrogen fertility requirements during establishment, and multiple fine fescue sod experiments. A majority of these experiments were initiated in 2018 or 2019 and are now concluding in 2020 or 2021. In the video featured in this blog post from the 2020 Purdue Turf & Landscape Virtual Field Day, Dr. Ross Braun presents research updates on these fine fescue establishment, management, and sod experiments.