THE LAWN INSTITUTE TURFGRASS RESEARCH UPDATE


By Casey Reynolds, PhD


Te Lawn Institute (TLI) has a long-standing history of funding natural grass research at nationally and globally recognized universities. Each year, TLI sends out a call for proposals to university researchers throughout the world to be compiled and reviewed by the TLI Research Committee at the TPI International Education Conference. Te TLI Research Committee is comprised of TPI members, staff, university educators, and industry personnel in order to ensure that TPI members and their interests are fully represented in the process while also leaning on university and National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) personnel for input on current research at other institutions.


Applications for research funds can be requested on any topic, but the TLI Research Committee places priority on specific research areas that serve natural turfgrass producers and the turfgrass industry. With the help of the TLI Research Committee, these areas are updated each year and are listed below. Other basic guidelines of the proposals include: applicants are encouraged to adhere to all TLI forms, formats, and deadlines for full consideration of proposals; proposals for single or multiple-year projects will be considered as long as the years and funding amounts are clearly stated; funds cannot be used for faculty salaries; proposals seeking funds for capital expenditures will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis; and overhead or administrative costs shall be held to an absolute minimum, but will not exceed 16 percent.


TLI Research Focus Areas • Cultural Impacts of Natural Grass - Research that includes, but is not limited to, societal health and well-being, fitness, athletic field safety, socioeconomics, consumer attitudes, etc.


• Environmental Awareness of Natural Grass -Research that includes, but is not limited to, carbon sequestration, heat abatement, pollution entrapment, soil remediation, run-off reductions, etc.


• Natural Grass Input Reductions - Research that includes, but is not limited to, drought tolerance, reduced water use, nutrient requirements, traffic tolerance, integrated pest management, etc.


• Extending Harvested Shelf-Life of Natural Grass • Reducing Production Costs of Natural Grass • Natural Grass Research Communication & Education - Information that can be used to develop content on


Te Lawn Institute website for educating policymakers, homeowners, and the general public on turfgrass science, management, impacts, etc. Tis can include literature reviews on environmental impacts, natural grass benefits, region-specific natural grass selection and management, weed/insect/disease control, and more.


Te university research projects currently being funded are listed in Table 1 below.


Table 1. Research Projects Funded by Te Lawn Institute in 2024-2025. TLI Research Project Title


Principal


Sod Strength Characteristics of 24 Fine Fescue Cultivars


Remote Detection and Precision Control of Bermudagrass in Zoysiagrass Sod Production Fields


Quantifying the Influence of the Aggressiveness and Ratio of Kentucky bluegrass on Sod Strength of Tall Fescue/ Kentucky bluegrass Seed Mixtures


Cost Analysis for Natural Grass and Artificial Turf Fields


Aaron Patton, PhD, and Ross Braun


Jay McCurdy, PhD Ross Braun, PhD Institution Purdue University Mississippi State University Kansas State University 2021-23


Approved Total Grant $20,351


2023-24 2023-25 $11,000 $31,251


Chengyan Yue, PhD, and Chase Straw, PhD


University of Minnesota and Penn State University


2024-25


$5,000


20


TPI Turf News September/October 2025


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