Germplasm Improvement of Low-Input Fine Fescues in Response to Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors.

Lawns and grass areas define urban landscapes in the United States. The challenge is breeding cultivars that respond to market demands for viable specialty products, consumer demand for low-input products, and government leaders’ demand for effective and efficient vegetation that supports their mandate to protect the public good as well as new initiatives to create sustainable cities. In 2012, we received funding from the USDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative to define the critical gaps in a system that would support the use of low-input fine fescue cultivars in sustainable landscapes. In Objective 1, we are evaluating the motivations and barriers public land managers have for converting to low-input fine fescue cultivars. In addition, we are exploring the role public officials could play in supporting resident conversion to these grasses through policy and programs. In Objective 2, we are evaluating homeowners’ assessment of diverse grass traits, their grass seed purchasing behaviors, and message delivery technologies. Informed by findings from these studies, in Objective 3, we are developing new fine fescue cultivars that blend desired existing traits with enhanced potential to withstand wear, heat, and important turfgrass diseases. Finally, in Objective 4, we are using insights from the previous objectives to design effective outreach and message delivery technologies for consumers of low-input cultivars. The ultimate outcome of this project will be enhancement of long-term environmental, economic, and societal benefits resulting from reduced use of inputs such as water, fertilizer, pesticide, and labor.