Project Grant 23SCMPKS1015

SOD IS AN IMPORTANT SPECIALTY CROP USED TO CREATE GREENSPACE AND PREVENT SOIL EROSION. REGULATIONS AIMED AT REDUCING SOIL EROSION AND CHANGING BUILDING AND RESIDENTIAL CODES ARE INCREASING SOD DEMAND, ESPECIALLY LOW-INPUT SPECIES, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY IN VERY SHORT SUPPLY. RECENT ADVANCES IN LOW-INPUT, COOL-SEASON GRASS BREEDING AND PROJECTED DEMAND FOR THESE GRASSES PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT IN NORTHERN STATES. THIS PROJECT COLLABORATION BETWEEN KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, AND RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WILL SUPPORT FARM DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH THE EXPANSION AND ADOPTION OF LOW-INPUT, SUSTAINABLE SOD VARIETIES BY SOD FARMERS AND CONSUMERS THROUGH RESEARCH AND EXTENSION. THROUGH A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH, RESEARCH OBJECTIVES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE LOW-INPUT SOD PRODUCTION WITH THIS PROJECT INCLUDE 1) ASSESSMENT OF NEW GERMPLASM SPECIFICALLY SELECTED BRED FOR FINE FESCUE SOD PRODUCTION TO ESTABLISH A LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE LOW-INPUT SOD BREEDING PROGRAM, 2) ESTABLISH MULTI-STATE TURFGRASS SOD PRODUCTION TRIALS WITH ON-FARM ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE OPTIMUM SPECIES MIXTURES AND SEASONAL HARVESTABILITY TO ENHANCE SOD PRODUCTION AND ADOPTION, AND 3) CROP-SPECIFIC PROJECT OBJECTIVES OF STUDYING AND INFORMING THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF GROWING AND PURCHASING SOD. BOTH INNOVATIVE (ONLINE VIDEOS, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE) AND TRADITIONAL (PUBLICATIONS, NEWSLETTERS, FIELD DAYS, CONFERENCES) APPROACHES FOR INFORMING THE SOD FARMERS, BUYERS, AND CONSUMERS ABOUT THIS WORK. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TANGIBLE RESOURCES, PRODUCTION GUIDANCE, AND MARKETING RESEARCH USEFUL FOR FARMERS GROWING COOL-SEASON TURFGRASS SOD ON OVER 500 FARMS SPANNING 129,621 ACRES IN PRODUCTION IN 36 NORTHERN STATES. THE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT EXISTING SOD FARMS IN OVER 36 STATES BY SHIFTING OR EXPANDING ACREAGE TO GROW NEW LOW-INPUT SOD VARIETIES. THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE DIVERSIFICATION OF FARMS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, EXPANSION, AND ADOPTION OF LOW-INPUT, SUSTAINABLE SOD SPECIES BY FARMERS AND CONSUMERS THROUGH RESEARCH AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TOWARDS CHANGED BEHAVIORS.