The Epic Turf Game: Battling Drought at all Levels

Perhaps it seems obvious, but a grass plant grows from the base. Where other plants or trees form new shoots at the top of the plant, grasses develop new shoots very close to the roots. It suggests that roots play an important and unique role for grasses. This is indeed the case and in particular it allows grasses to be trimmed very short either by a lawn mower or by grazing animals over and over again without ceasing growth.

It is also a mechanism that helps the grass survive several kinds of stress. With climate change we are facing two types of stress that will have detrimental impacts on plant growth: Drought- and heat stress. In combination and alone these two factors can over time lay waste feeding paddocks, park lawns, fairways, sport pitches etc. The situation calls upon special skill sets to survive. Through our investigations we have observed that each grass species has its own set of survival mechanisms.