How ICL Selects Grass Seed Cultivars for Professional Turf

Choosing a grass species is only the start. Individual cultivars within the same species can differ considerably in characteristics such as disease tolerance, drought tolerance, wear performance, turf density and visual quality.

That is why cultivar selection is an important part of developing the ICL ProSelect grass seed portfolio.

ICL works with breeding partners in Europe and the US and evaluates candidate cultivars across different environments and management conditions. The objective is not simply to find new cultivars, but to identify genetics that can deliver useful characteristics for professional turf managers.

Why cultivar selection matters

Two cultivars of the same grass species are not necessarily interchangeable.

Plant breeding and selection can produce differences in characteristics including growth habit, disease tolerance, environmental stress tolerance, wear performance, density and appearance.

Those differences become important when turf is expected to perform under very different conditions.

A grass suitable for a heavily used sports field in northern Europe may face very different demands from turf grown on a golf course in southern Europe. Light levels, temperature, rainfall, irrigation availability, mowing height, wear and management intensity can all influence what is required.

The role of cultivar selection is therefore to identify genetics that fit the intended turf environment rather than relying on species alone.

Working with grass breeders in Europe and the US

ICL works with specialist turfgrass breeders including Mountain View Seeds in the US and Den Haan Zaden in the Netherlands.

These breeding programs provide access to a wide genetic base across the major turfgrass species. Breeders evaluate large populations of plants to identify promising material with characteristics such as turf quality, disease and stress tolerance, density and growth habit.

Using genetics from both US and European breeding programs gives ICL access to a broader range of characteristics, helping build a portfolio suited to different climates, turf uses and management conditions.

Collaboration with organizations including the Rutgers University Center for Turfgrass Science can further broaden the genetic material available for assessment.

For ICL, however, access to new genetics is only the beginning. The next question is whether those cultivars offer characteristics that are relevant to professional turf.

What does ICL look for in a grass cultivar?

There is no single characteristic that defines the best turfgrass cultivar.

Selection depends on the species, intended use and environment, but important characteristics can include:

Disease tolerance

Improved genetic tolerance can help turf maintain quality when disease pressure is present and can form part of a wider integrated turf management program.

Drought and environmental stress tolerance

Water availability, heat, cold and changing weather patterns can place significant pressure on managed turf.

Identifying cultivars capable of performing under these stresses is increasingly important where irrigation water may be restricted or costly.

Wear tolerance and recovery

Sports turf in particular can be exposed to intense use.

Cultivars intended for these environments need characteristics that allow the turf surface to withstand wear and maintain acceptable playing quality.

Turf density and growth habit

Shoot density, leaf characteristics and growth habit influence both appearance and the functional quality of the turf surface.

The characteristics required for a golf green, sports field or sod crop will not necessarily be the same.

Visual quality

Professional turf is often judged visually as well as functionally.

Color, uniformity, density and overall turf quality can therefore form part of cultivar evaluation alongside agronomic characteristics.

The aim is not simply to maximize one trait. Strong turf performance usually depends on an appropriate combination of characteristics.

The characteristics required from a cultivar also depend on where and how the turf will be managed. Heat, drought, disease pressure, winter conditions, wear and recovery can vary considerably between regions and turf uses. ICL therefore looks for cultivars with characteristics relevant to the environmental and management pressures they are likely to face.

Why independent turf trials matter

ndependent turf trials provide an important source of evidence when evaluating cultivars. Programs such as the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) in the US and national testing programs across Europe allow cultivars to be compared under different conditions.

But trial results need to be considered in context. A cultivar performing strongly in one environment may face very different demands elsewhere. Climate, disease pressure, wear, mowing height and intended turf use can all influence which characteristics matter most.

ICL therefore considers trial data alongside the conditions and management requirements a cultivar is intended for. The aim is not simply to select the highest-ranked cultivar, but to identify characteristics that are relevant to the turf situation in which it will be used.

How ICL screens potential new cultivars

Candidate cultivars are evaluated as part of ICL’s own turfgrass screening program in the Netherlands.

The screening program can involve assessing around 40–50 varieties within individual species and approximately 200–300 variety lines across the wider program.

The objective is to understand not only whether an individual cultivar performs well, but how it compares with alternative genetics and whether its characteristics add something useful to the existing portfolio.

Evaluation can also extend into practical situations with customers, helping build understanding of how turf performs under the conditions in which it will ultimately be managed.

Not every cultivar assessed therefore becomes part of ProSelect.

Selection is about identifying material that brings a worthwhile combination of characteristics to professional turf.

From individual cultivars to seed mixtures

Selecting strong individual cultivars is only part of the process. When developing a seed mixture, ICL considers how different cultivars and species can complement each other within the finished turf.

Cultivars may be combined to balance characteristics such as establishment, turf density, wear tolerance, recovery, disease tolerance, visual quality and seasonal performance. The objective is to select components that contribute something useful to the mixture and suit its intended turf use and growing conditions.

What cultivar selection means for turf managers

Professional grass seed should provide more than the correct species.

The cultivar determines the particular genetics being introduced into the turf and therefore influences characteristics including establishment, density, disease tolerance, stress response, wear performance and visual quality.

ICL’s approach is to combine access to international breeding programs with independent performance information, its own cultivar screening and practical turf evaluation.

That process helps identify the cultivars selected for the ProSelect grass seed portfolio and supports their use individually or in mixtures developed for specific professional turf requirements.

Explore the ProSelect grass seed range to find cultivars and mixtures developed for golf, sports turf, landscaping and sod production.