Plant Breeding Winners Make It To Top Sports Finals
Top sport events are subject to a massive attention from millions of football fans. Turf managers do their outmost to prepare the tournament pitches with over-seeding managements to create spectacular and beautiful surfaces able to withstand wear and tear from some of the world’s best football players.
2/8/2023
Just like “le chef de cuisine” needs the right ingredients to prepare a perfect dinner, a world class football pitch needs turf varieties with the necessary traits to make it to the final.
Top sport events are subject to a massive attention from millions of football fans. Turf managers do their outmost to prepare the tournament pitches with over-seeding managements to create spectacular and beautiful surfaces able to withstand wear and tear from some of the world’s best football players.
Innovative & High Scoring Plant Breeding
Recent advances in turf breeding have improved the toolbox by adding a new generation of turf grasses, that sets new standards in natural turf properties. The tetraploid turf perennial ryegrasses, known as 4turf®, have proven to be valuable ingredients to create the perfect pitch.
4turf® now comprises a palette of varieties, which in addition to their 4turf® properties are tailored to suit various specific needs. We are now able to supply varieties for sports or landscaping and for different climatic conditions, and turf managers can choose their favourites among several varieties with specific traits.
Sport field grasses need good wear tolerance, which is a combination between speed of establishment, density, capacity to recover, and disease tolerance. The first outcome of a decades intense research was the two 4turf® varieties, DOUBLE and TETRAGREEN, which are well known for exceptional tolerance to winter damage and drought. These varieties were significant components at World Cups and European Championships. Since then, the 4turf® portfolio has been complemented with a range of new stars.
Second Generation Specialized 4turf®
When it comes to turf quality, FABIAN represents a perfect proof that 4turf® can compete with the density of the best diploid ryegrasses. Superior to the diploids, FABIAN has both better adaptability and drought tolerance. FABIAN is the indispensable variety in sport mixtures to solve diseases and drought stress. Contrary to common belief, drought tolerance is also important in sport field management because it allow turf managers to limit pitch irrigation, which is a key point in reducing the risks of disease attacks and the best way to reduce annual bluegrass.
TETRASTAR is a real improvement for dwarf growth that reduces the clippings after each mowing. It is the best variety on visual merit due to a nice shiny green color and an impressive density.
TETRAGAME is the first of a new series of cultivars specially built for sport fields. It’s primary add-on is its superior wear tolerance due to a strong root system. This quality has been proven during tests at our various research locations under a wear machine management.
TETRADRY is the most drought tolerant 4turf® variety. If you cannot succeed to kill annual bluegrass, just stop irrigation and do an overseeding with TETRADRY. The speed of establishment and drought tolerance will solve the problem.
TETRADARK is created for very sunny situations where the pitch seems bland. If you need to revive color of your pitch, just make the choice of TETRADARK which is the perfect companion of dark tall fescues.
The 4turf® grasses are in place to meet the requirements of turf managers, television broadcasters and the best football players. So have a look for yourself – enjoy the pitch and enjoy the game!