Turfgrass Diffusion of Innovation

Summary

Turfgrass breeding efforts at UGA are focused on the development of stress tolerant grasses that will be more sustainable than older varieties. Recent evaluations using rain-out and shade structures, non-irrigated plots, and reduced fertilizer input have been prioritized. Pesticide applications, including insecticides and fungicides, have been eliminated from routine maintenance programs to aid in the identification of varieties with natural resistances or tolerances. Currently, the program encompasses bermudagrass, centipedegrass and zoysiagrass breeding material from the seedling stage to advanced experimental hybrids that have persisted through rigorous testing for over a decade. Over 81 laboratories, greenhouse, and field evaluations are underway to maintain the pipeline that has provided leading turfgrass cultivars for over a half century.

Situation

Collaboration with other institutions has been important during the past few years and has included work with Purdue University, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Arizona to test advanced turfgrasses for stresses not found in Tifton. In 2015, the turfgrass breeding programs at UGA were awarded a four-year $4.4 million grant to evaluate hybrids UGA developed for persistence, survival, and recovery under limited irrigation and long-term drought in a partnership with the University of Florida, Texas A&M University, Oklahoma State University, and NC State University. In 2019 Jason Peake served as a co-principal investigator on a Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant for $7.9 million that has been funded through 2023.

Response

In 2020 Jason Peake’s research on turfgrass KeyPlayers with Edith Copeland (undergraduate student) and Barbara Worley (graduate student) resulted in three undergraduate research posters/presentations, one national conference poster/presentation, and one national invited speaker presentation. The first peer reviewed journal article from this research should be published by end-of-year 2020.

Impact

i. Copeland, E., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N., Schwartz, B. (2020) Updated: Improving drought tolerance and sustainability of turfgrasses used in southern landscapes through the integration of breeding, genetics, physiology, economics and outreach. Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Athens, GA. ii. Copeland, E., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N., Schwartz, B. (2020) Improving drought tolerance and sustainability of turfgrasses used in southern landscapes through the integration of breeding, genetics, physiology, economics and outreach. presented at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium. Athens, GA. iii. Schwartz, B., Worley, B., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N., (2020) Utilizing Key Players within Networks to Maximize Diffusion of innovations in Turfgrass Research. Poster presented at Crop and Soil Science Association Conference. Phoenix, AZ. Invited speaker for symposium. iv. Schwartz, B., Worley, B., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N., (2020) Using Key-Player and Decision-Making Models to Increase Diffusion of Innovations in Turf. Crop and Soil Science Association Conference. Phoenix, AZ. Invited symposium speaker. v. Copeland, E., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N., Schwartz, B. (2019) Improving drought tolerance and sustainability of turfgrasses used in southern landscapes through the integration of breeding, genetics, physiology, economics and outreach. Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Athens, GA. b. Related Grants i. Copeland, E., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N. (2020, Spring) Improving drought tolerance and sustainability of turfgrasses used in southern landscapes through the integration of breeding, genetics, physiology, economics, and outreach. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Center Undergraduate Research Symposium. $500, January, 2020. ii. Copeland, E., Peake, J., Fuhrman, N. (2019, Fall) Improving drought tolerance and sustainability of turfgrasses used in southern landscapes through the integration of breeding, genetics, physiology, economics, and outreach. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Center Undergraduate Research Symposium. $500, August, 2019.

State Issue

Plant Production

Details

• Year: 2020
• Geographic Scope: National
• County: Clarke
• Location: College Station, Athens
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources