21-08-2012, 03:43 AM
posted to rec.gardens
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jun 2012
Posts: 15
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Whatever happened to "Superturf"?
allen73 wrote :
Libertarian Lilly;966994 Wrote:
Back in the early 90's we read a newspaper article about a newly
discovered
grass variety that they had found growing in the canadian rockies. It
required little water, was so tough that it could take a lot of walking
on,
and was very dense, so that it choked out weeds.
They called it "Superturf" and said that it would have to be propagated
for
seed, for some years, before it could be sold to the mass market.
Whatever happened to the stuff? Does anyone know, or remember it?
Baird’s trick requires combining the rich emerald hues and “traffic
tolerance” of perennial rye grass with the heat- and drought-resistance
of meadow fescue, a tall grass normally not used for lawns. A deep root
structure helps the new grass suck up water that other popular lawn
grasses can’t reach, cutting its dependence on sprinklers by 10
percent.
The process is a sort of gladiator academy for grass. First, a
geneticist labels each grass’s chromosomes with a different color of
fluorescent dye and crossbreeds the two species in a field. Researchers
collect the seeds, grow the hybrid plants in * 'hydroponics'
(http://www.advancednutrients.com)* tanks, and replant them outside.
Then they turn off the water and see which strains survive. Baird’s team
examines the combination of fluorescent genes in each survivor to learn
which ones are most important for withstanding drought.
The project promises green grass all year round—not just for your yard
but also for golf courses, parks and athletic fields—that will thrive
anywhere from the Arizona desert to the Northeast. The group is
currently selecting the best gene combinations and figuring out how to
ensure that the traits pass to the next generation. If this summer’s
drought tests go as planned, Baird hopes to mass-produce seeds by 2012
Where's you see that?
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