“I want to develop grasses more adapted to Florida and have an excellent team of collaborators within the university that apply their expertise to that goal. Nematode resistance and tolerance is a prime factor here and UF has a world-renowned nematologist, Dr. William T. (Billy) Crow, who is a key part of that team. Dr. Phil Harmon, UF turfgrass pathologist, is critical for his work on large patch and other important diseases; and is the principal investigator in screening for large patch and take all on St. Augustine. Chinch bug resistance is a huge issue, and an entomologist new to UF, Dr. Adam Dale, is continuing the research already underway in turfgrass entomology. Dr. Ramon Leon, also located at WFREC, is screening for herbicides that may be used safely and effectively once a cultivar is commercially released.”

Molecular research is also part of the UF program. “One of our grad students has been working on developing markers to screen for large patch resistance. Results of that research will be available in the next few months. We hope to do more in this area in the future, but will proceed slowly, as a few other turfgrass programs have a greater emphasis on molecular components.”

What’s Happening—USDA Funding UF, with Kenworthy at the helm, participated in the five-year, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)- funded, Specialty Crop, Coordinated Agriculture Projects (CAPs) which partnered six breeding programs from five universities—UF, Texas A&M, North Carolina State University, University of Georgia and Oklahoma State University. Started in 2010, with Texas A&M as the lead, that research program focused on the drought and salinity response of accessions of four warm-season turfgrass species: zoysia, St. Augustine, bermuda and seashore paspalum.

During the five-year span of the first grant, each participating program exchanged and evaluated approximately 300 different accessions of each species. Ultimately, each program identified their top 20 accessions.

Tis five-university collaboration is continuing with a new four-year, $4.2 million, USDA-funded, CAPs, which began in 2015, this time with UF taking the lead. Kenworthy says, “We’re taking the screened and identified accessions from the first grant that showed better drought responses and conducting more rigorous studies to better define the observed characteristics. In early 2016, we exchanged and planted each other’s material, along with our own top 20 accessions. We’re looking at their specific water use; how they respond under different water restrictions ranging from twice a week to once a month, to the most severe, chronic drought of no water at all. Turfgrass plant physiologists will examine the changes taking place internally to pinpoint the mechanisms of drought resistance that result in the improved responses.”

A survey of homeowners was part of the first grant, where shade tolerance was identified as the most important trait. Kenworthy says, “Many homeowners don’t understand drought and water related issues, but they can easily see that grass doesn’t grow well in the shade. Dr. Jason Kruse is overseeing shade response evaluations at UF.” Across the five universities there are 24 scientists involved in studies to evaluate drought, shade, herbicides, sod strength, salinity and the socio-economics of adopting new turfgrass cultivars.

Career Path To really understand Dr. Kenworthy’s perspective, you need to know his background. He was just a kid when he started playing golf in his small hometown in Texas. He played in high school and dreamed of becoming a pro. “I’d read the golf magazines visualizing that goal. Yet, even then, I remember seeing articles for a new bentgrass—and wondering what it meant to make a new grass,” he muses.

Te summer after high school graduation, he worked on a golf course, Cottonwood Creek. “I loved the work; loved being outdoors; but loved playing more.” Which lead him to the Junior College in Waco, where he was a walk-on

An overview of the turfgrass research plots at the University of Florida Plant Science Research and Education Unit, Citra, FL. Photo by Dr. Kevin Kenworthy

TPI Turf News November/December 2016

Dr. Kenworthy addresses attendees during UF Turfgrass Field Day at Citra, FL. Photo by Betsy McGill

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