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By Greg Rhodes in Industry on 18th Mar 2010 8:00
The latest edition of the turfgrass `Bible` features more cultivars from seed producer DLF-Trifolium than ever before.
No less than 18 new cultivars across the spread of perennials, smooth stalks and bents are included within the 2010 edition of Turfgrass Seed, the recognised source for steering turf professionals on which seed mixes to specify and sow for which applications.
"The guide catalogues cultivars within `sports, lawn and close mown` categories and features only those that have completed trials with the Sports Turf Research Institute," said Derek Smith, DLF's UK amenity sales manager and current chair of the amenity committee of the British Society of Plant Breeders, which produces the guide in association with the Sports Turf Research Institute.
"Those buying seed therefore can view at a glance the proven properties of the cultivars included and how they rank one against another. The Society's role is to ensure that the trials are kept relevant to the industry and are administered correctly, because the point is to push standards up across the sector," he added.
Some DLF cultivars new this time top the seed `leagues` in the UK and the NTEP list equivalent in the US - the Cobra Nova variety for example, a creeping bent developed specifically for golf greens.
Wear tolerant Columbine perennial ryegrass has been developed for heavy use, while Gaudi smoothstalk meadowgrass tops the UK sports ranking, Kaitos and Sombrero are placed first and second respectively in the new cultivars lawns, landscaping and summer sports table, while Independence is the highest rated fully listed creeping bent.
"I'm particularly pleased with our performance in the 2010 guide," Smith said. "You can buy whatever you like but we believe it is important to ask for independent technical back-up when specifying seed, and that's where the guide comes into its own."
"Plans are afoot to develop a European system because the current trialling system is fragmented, with some countries such as France running several sites, while other countries have only one," he added.
Read more articles in Industry, by Greg Rhodes or from March 2010.
