Better Genetics Start With Better Research

At MVP Genetics, we believe better turfgrass genetics begin with a commitment to better research. A promising variety can look exceptional in one location or under one set of conditions. The real question is whether that performance continues when the grass is challenged by different climates, management practices, environmental stresses, and real-world applications. That is why our approach extends well beyond the breeding plot. MVP Genetics works within a research network that includes breeding programs, independent research facilities, universities, farm trials, growers, and end users. Together, these different environments help us better understand how a variety performs before and after it reaches the market.

From Selection to Real-World Performance

The development of a new turfgrass variety is a long-term process. Thousands of plants and breeding selections can be evaluated before a small number demonstrate the characteristics necessary to advance. Those characteristics may include:

• • Drought tolerance

• • Cold tolerance

• • Turf quality

• • Establishment

• • Traffic and wear tolerance

• • Disease response

• • Reduced input requirements

• • Performance under different management practices

But identifying those traits is only the beginning. As selections advance, testing across different locations becomes increasingly important. A grass intended for broad commercial use needs to perform beyond the environment where it was originally selected.

Independent and University Research

University and independent research provide another important layer of evaluation. Recent published research has examined subjects directly relevant to MVP Genetics and the turfgrass industry, including the response of IronCutter® hybrid bermudagrass to herbicides and plant growth regulators, winter survival of cold-tolerant hybrid bermudagrasses, and the performance of warm-season turfgrass genetics under drought conditions. This type of work provides valuable information for growers, turf managers, researchers, and ultimately the people using these grasses.

Research Is an Ongoing Process

Research does not stop when a variety is released. As grasses enter production and are installed in new environments, there is an opportunity to continue learning. Growers and end users become an important part of that process by demonstrating how genetics perform under actual production and management conditions. That combination of breeding, testing, independent research, grower experience, and real-world validation is central to the MVP Genetics approach. Because better genetics should do more than look promising. They should perform.