Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Green
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Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by Green » September 28th, 2012, 11:17 pm

Hi, I'm glad to be here...I'm a new lawn aficionado with a scientific bend. Anyway, I have an interesting concept to bring forth...

PR and TF are so similar that TF is apparently being reclassified as part of the Genus Lolium, that of ryegrass. The newly proposed Genus-species name for TF is "Lolium arundinaceum" (though some scientists will argue against it). This reclassification makes sense, since the two share a lot of genetic and morphological characteristics.

Here's the question: There are some very nice TTTF and TTPR cultivars on the market today. I've heard that the chromosomes of TF and PR are compatible (same ploidy, etc.). In fact, TF and PR have been crossed to form a hybrid (Festulolium). But as far as I know, this has really only been done for forage type grass. But I bet there are some scientists working on crossing the turf types to yield turf type Festulolium...why not? Seems like it'd be a heck of a grass if they can make it work.

What do you think about this? Would you like to see research done into creating turf type Rye-Fescues? Is anyone aware of such research? I wonder when we might see such grass on the market one day.

GaryCinChicago
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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by GaryCinChicago » September 28th, 2012, 11:29 pm

Green wrote:Seems like it'd be a heck of a grass if they can make it work.
How so? Pitch the selling points and benefits.

Green
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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by Green » September 28th, 2012, 11:38 pm

GaryCinChicago wrote:
Green wrote:Seems like it'd be a heck of a grass if they can make it work.
How so? Pitch the selling points and benefits.
From a hybrid vigor perspective. I have no idea what traits might be amplified and slected for...that would be up to individual turfgrass breeders. But one could conceivably create a grass with many of the best features of PR and TF...ultra fast establishment, drought tolerance, excellent turf quality, dark green color, better insect and fungus resistance, etc. I don't know for sure if the seeds would even be viable...but I assume so if there is forage type Festulolium on the market now...which there is indeed.

What I'd really like to see is a cross between KBG and TTTF...but I don't think it's possible because the genes aren't compatible. But who knows...maybe genetic engineering could help one day.

Back to Festulolium, the topic of the thread...

GaryCinChicago
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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by GaryCinChicago » September 29th, 2012, 6:29 pm

Green wrote:Back to Festulolium, the topic of the thread...
I wasn't talking pasta.

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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by GaryCinChicago » September 30th, 2012, 1:13 am

Green wrote:The newly proposed Genus-species name for TF is "Lolium arundinaceum"
New huh? Nov 8, 2007 - invasive species / ecological threat

And Festulolium isn't anything new either. Been sold for years.

So ... who ya crappin' ?


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bernstem
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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by bernstem » September 30th, 2012, 11:49 am

I am skeptical. Hybrid bluegrass was supposed to be all the rage for heat tolerance. In reality, it seems to fare worse than the newer KBG varieties. Maybe it needs more time and breeding to reach its potential, but so far it seems to be a disappointment. Maybe the PR x TTTF will fare better, but I am not holding my breath.

Genetic engineering is an interesting idea in the breeding of turfgrass, but the system is incredibly complex. Most biological processes that we would want to improve on are a result of dozens of genes acting in synchrony, and doing something like making TTTF spread by rhizomes isn't going to be accomplished by a single genetic modification. That isn't to say we can't eventually do it, but it will be a long time.

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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by silver8ack » September 30th, 2012, 4:17 pm

How much are you selling it for? :/

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

Green
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Re: Turf type Festulolium...the next big genetic advance?

Post by Green » February 1st, 2016, 10:19 pm

If anyone here is still interested in this topic (other than me), I've finally found a tiny bit of action on this topic. Someone has experimented with crosses of Meadow Fescue (similar to forage type Tall Fescue) and a modern TTPR cultivar SR4220, to try and produce TTRF (Turf type rye-fescue).

I'm reading through it now. Kinda interesting.

http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7780p8fn#page-26

Now, if only they'd experiment with TTTF in the future, instead of Meadow Fescue.

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