The science of turfgrass has come a long way in recent decades.

Whether turfgrass breeders and programs produced varieties for a carpet-like lawn, the perfect ball roll on a golf putting green, or to support the weight and athleticism of 300-pound football players, science has guided the way to innovative new turfgrasses and helped train the next generation of high demand turf scientists.

Today, the Texas A&M Turfgrass Program is a partnership among Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The turfgrass program continues to meld boundary-pushing methods and technologies to create and improve turfgrass varieties. Program scientists are improving turfgrass’s environmental and economic sustainability while meeting ever-increasing aesthetic and performance demands from end-users.

“The Aggie turf program has a strong history, but it has really developed into a world-class research juggernaut that is making consistent breakthroughs in addressing big picture challenges,” said David Baltensperger, Ph.D., professor and head of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. “Our researchers are leading innovation, and we are also investing in our extension efforts to engage with stakeholders and deliver turfgrass science, whether that be management data, tips and tools, or new and exciting turfgrasses.”