CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 04/17/03

UGA geneticist has transformed Southern turf grass

By Cat Holmes
University of Georgia

Peaches, pecans, peanuts and poultry are often at the forefront when Georgia agriculture is in the news. But those who build and maintain golf courses in Southern climes regularly turn to another Georgia product without which the sport couldn't be played: turf grass.

Turf cultivars from the Coastal Plain Experiment Station on the Tifton, Ga., campus of the University of Georgia are industry standards. The most recent varieties, TifSport and TifEagle, are so popular the supply can't meet the demand.

Both are the handiwork of Wayne Hanna, a plant geneticist for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Hanna has spent 32 years at Tifton developing superior turf grasses.

Hanna recently won UGA's 2003 Inventor's Award, given each year for a unique, creative and innovative discovery that has made an impact on the community. His was awarded for solving many turf industry problems. He has been awarded seven patents over his career.

Hanna has tackled the biggest issues the industry faces: water, pesticides and fertilizers.

"The new grasses have all been developed with the goal of maintaining turf quality with less water, pesticides and, to some degree, fertilizers," Hanna said.

"We genetically incorporate genes that will give resistence to major pests and drought," he said, "and maintain acceptable grass quality with less water."

Since Bermuda grasses aren't naturally cold-hardy, for example, Hanna worked for eight years to develop TifSport, which fares better in colder weather.

"We identified a number of characteristics we felt were key for athletic fields and golf courses, as well as high-end landscapes and lawns," Hanna said.

"We wanted a grass with superior color, cold hardiness and disease resistance," he said. "We also knew that rapid recovery from injury (mowing) was vital, so we concentrated on turf density and strength. Last, but not least, our new variety had to be able to tolerate frequent, lower mowing heights."

To develop TifEagle, Hanna subjected portions of the Bermuda grass TifWay 2 to gamma radiation and selected offspring with mutations for short stolons, the stem-like part of the grass that produces shoots and leaves.

Short stolons allow for a low leaf canopy that can handle the twice-a-day mowing many golf courses inflict on their courses. The dense canopy also leaves little room for algae and weeds like crabgrass, reducing the need for herbicides.

"TifEagle is the latest and greatest turf grass for greens, where the putting surface must be of the highest possible quality," said golf course designer Glenn Boorman. Boorman has designed golf courses worldwide for Denis Griffiths and Associates, a golf course architectural firm in Brazelton, Ga.

TifSport is on fields where the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins play, and both TifSport and TifEagle appear on golf courses around the world.

Golf is an enormous industry. It accounted for $62.2 billion in goods and services in 2000, according to the "Golf Economy Report" published by the National Golf Foundation. For perspective, the motion picture and sound recording industry was worth $57.8 billion that same year.

Alongside golf, turf makes up one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. In Georgia alone, it's estimated at more than $1 billion, according to UGA turf management figures.

Cat Holmes was a science writer with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Wayne W Hanna
Glenn Boorman
University and state leaders cut the ribbon during the Science and Ag Hill dedication ceremony. (Chamberlain Smith/UGA) CAES News
UGA dedicates first phase of Science and Ag Hill modernization 11/01/24
The University of Georgia held a dedication ceremony on Oct. 30 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of renovations to modernize research and instruction facilities and infrastructure on UGA’s Science and Ag Hill. This area of campus, located just south of Sanford Stadium, includes buildings dedicated to a variety of scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, geology and agricultural sciences.
CAES doctoral students Sofia Varriano and Leniha Lagarde follow farmer Clay Brady to the pasture where many of his chickens are kept. CAES News
UGA researchers study how free-range chickens influence farm sustainability 10/31/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are studying how pastured and free-range chickens impact ecosystems on integrated crop-livestock farms. Supported by a $749,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, entomology doctoral student Sofia Varriano and her thesis advisor, agroecologist and systems biology Professor Bill Snyder, are testing the promise of integrated crop-livestock agriculture to increase the sustainability of smaller farms.
Kaytlyn Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. CAES News
Kaytlyn Cobb joins UGA Grand Farm to boost agricultural innovation in Georgia 10/30/24 Sean Montgomery
Growing up in north Georgia’s Franklin County, Kaytlyn Cobb knew her aspirations in agriculture would always lead her to new opportunities. Inspired by her dedicated community and diverse background, Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. Hired in August, Cobb hit the ground running to continue development of the fast-forming ecosystem between Grand Farm, the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and global strategic partners.
Kevan Lamm teaching undergraduate students CAES News
CAES researchers prepare students to address complex challenges of the future 10/29/24 Emily Cabrera
Over the next three years, researchers in the University of Georgia’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication aim to transform undergraduate education in agricultural and environmental sciences by integrating systems thinking — an approach that encourages students to see the bigger picture by understanding how different components within a system interact.
Thermal imaging technology could improve the production of fruits and vegetables. CAES News
Thermal imaging may help fruits, veggies stay fresher longer 10/28/24 Savannah Peat
Before your favorite produce arrives at the grocery store, it must be carefully harvested and maintained across long stretches of time. A recent University of Georgia review suggests new temperature measuring technologies could make that process much simpler, amid growing agricultural challenges fueled by fluctuating climates. Maintaining temperature, humidity and light is critical to ensuring fruits and vegetables don’t spoil or deteriorate rapidly. Temperature spikes are the root of adverse outcomes, so monitoring these changes quickly and accurately is key.
At the 2024 Georgia Life Sciences Summit held Oct. 21-22 in Atlanta, Professor Quingguo “Jack” Huang of the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences received the Golden Helix Innovation Award for his research in technologies to mitigate “forever chemicals” in water resources. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker) CAES News
Georgia Bio awards recognize UGA inventor, corporate partners 10/25/24 Carson McAfee
University of Georgia Professor Quingguo “Jack” Huang, Delta Innovation Hub resident Dalan Animal Health, and Athens manufacturer Meissner Corporation were recognized for their achievements in the life science industry at Georgia Bio’s Georgia Life Sciences Summit, held Oct. 21-22 in Atlanta. The Golden Helix Awards celebrate the contributions of Georgia legislative, academic, corporate, and advocacy leaders working to grow the life science industry and foster strategic partnerships that create a healthier world.