Physiology, Genetics And Breeding

The Nobel Prize-winning chemist Robert F. Curl of Rice University spoke for many of his colleagues in science when he proclaimed that the 20th century was "the century of physics and chemistry. But it is clear that the next century will be the century of biology." Twenty-two projects are ushering biotechnology into turfgrass species, along with conventional plant breeding improvements bentgrass and bermudagrass. The goal is to reduce water and pesticide use in the long term. The USGA continues to collect and evaluate other promising grass species, such as seashore paspalum and inland saltgrass, which will allow poor quality water to be used in coastal and desert climates.