A new technique to identify types of bentgrass will help golf courses reduce both money spent on pesticides and the environmental concerns associated with chemical usage, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison plant scientist. The new method will aid breeders as they select material for disease-resistant types of the turfgrass.

Creeping bentgrass, which tolerates low mowing heights, is a popular choice for golf courses, according to Geunhwa Jung, of the College of Agricultural and Life Science”s plant pathology department. Unfortunately, it looks very similar to colonial bentgrass, which is taller and considered less desirable on fairways and greens. In fact, breeders often have a difficult time telling the two apart when they select potentially disease-resistant plants from closely mowed naturalized populations. Natural hybrids also may occur when the two types interbreed, says Jung.

To help breeders tell creeping from colonial, Jung found a region of DNA, called a molecular marker, that is different for both types – like a fingerprint. Knowing the species of plants they collect and if they are hybrids is a very important step for breeders when designing a breeding strategy, he says. Jung will publish his findings in the November-December issue of the journal Crop Science. He will also highlight how breeders can apply the new technique to develop disease-resistant cultivars of creeping bentgrass.

Certain fungal diseases, such as snow molds, dollar spot and anthracnose, are very destructive to golf courses, so groundskeepers apply fungicides to protect the turf. This practice can be harmful to the environment as well as costly: in Wisconsin, an average golf course spends $12,000 to $20,000 to control snow molds each year, says Jung. As a result, breeders are trying to develop cultivars of creeping bentgrass that are resistant to fungal diseases.

While the molecular marker can”t tell growers whether a certain plant is resistant to snow mold or not, it can help them make sure they”re breeding the right type of bentgrass. “Breeders can use this marker to make fast and accurate selection of their breeding materials,” he says. And with the new technique, breeders can be confident they are creating disease-resistant varieties of creeping bentgrass.