How the Green Grass Grows

Most people probably do not consider the science and technology behind the green grass when they step up to the tee at a golf course. All the lush green of the course is turfgrass, the second largest crop produced in the world. The Plant Biotechnology for use in Crop Genetic Improvement Creative Inquiry project, mentored by Dr. Hong Luo in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, experiments with turfgrass and other perennial grasses to find ways to make them more resistant to environmental change.

The Creative Inquiry team uses creeping bentgrass as a model perennial grass species to identify genes involved in plant responses to environmental stress factors and then modify those genes to address these stressors. Environmental stress factors such as drought, nutritional deficiency, changes in salt level of ground water and climate change can impact grass growth and quality. Overcoming these effects of environmental stressors is especially important for species such as turfgrass that impacts the global economy.

Their goal is to develop species of perennial grasses that are more resistant to heat and require less water. Before these species can be planted, the team must ensure that these varieties are not invasive or pose a threat to other species or the environment. To address this, Morgan Kuess, a junior biochemistry major, works with sterility genes in these species. If the genetically modified grasses are sterile, they will not be able to cross-pollinate which will protect the environment from this species becoming invasive or from modifying native species.

Students in this project continue to participate to enhance their academic experience. “The foundations of what we do in this lab has helped me in classes and vice versa, it just enhances my education,” Kuess said. They also recognize the real-world application of their Creative Inquiry research and appreciate the hands-on experience in specialized areas. “It gives the students an opportunity to really see the real world of what research is,” Luo said.

The genetically modified grasses produced by the Creative Inquiry team are more resilient and are able to better withstand harsh environmental conditions than current varieties. These modifications stand to have substantial economic and environmental benefits. By requiring less water and having increased chances of survival, growing the genetically modified varieties would reduce management and labor costs as well as increase the overall production of the plants.

Turfgrass is in very high demand and produced in such large quantities, leading it to be a contributor to global climate change. The Creative Inquiry team hopes to develop their modified turfgrass species in a sustainable way that will help to combat some of the current downsides to turfgrass production such as high levels of water usage and greenhouse gas emissions.

As the team continues to test genes and plant responses to stressors, they hope their results will allow for the enhanced production of turfgrass to be utilized in golf courses and recreational facilities worldwide.