SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: WERA_OLD11 : Western Regional Turfgrass Research
- Period Covered: 05/31/2025 to 06/01/2026
- Date of Report: 07/16/2026
- Annual Meeting Dates: 06/03/2026 to 06/05/2026
Participants
Neff, Michael – Washington State University (WSU); Hadish, John – WSU, Hulbert, Anna – WSU; Weaver, Katie – WSU; Fei, Shui-zhang – Iowa State University (ISU), Amundsen, Keenan – University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)
Brief introductions and thank you to Neff for hosting the annual meeting.
Status of WERA11 renewal:
Amundsen reported that the revised WERA11 proposal for 2026-2031 had been submitted with the following objectives:
- Coordinate multi-state research and Extension activities to improve understanding and communication of turfgrass and landscape water-use efficiency (AZ, NM, TX, UT), drought and heat stress management (AZ, CA, CO, NM, TX, UT), turfgrass breeding (CA, IA, NE, WA) and evaluation (ALL), and integrated pest management (HI, OR, UT) across western and Great Plains states.
- Facilitate exchange of information, data, and protocols on drought resistance, irrigation scheduling, soil and salinity management, and pest management strategies among researchers and educators.
- Unify outreach resources for Extension personnel and industry professionals to support water-conserving management practices.
- Host annual WERA11 meetings to identify emerging issues, share results, develop collaborative research efforts, and foster collaborations in turf and landscape management.
- Engage industry and public partners to ensure that educational materials address pressing water and regional challenges and are accessible to diverse audiences
Upcoming meetings:
2027 – joint meeting with SERA48 to be held in Frisco, TX following the Professional Golf Association Championship
2028 – joint meeting with NCERA221 in Ames, IA at Iowa State University
Collaborative projects:
Fei and Neff discussed a project in collaboration with Shaun Bushman (USDA-ARS, Logan, UT) to improve yield stability in Kentucky Bluegrass with intentions to submit a proposal to the Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
Amundsen discussed creating a network of cooperators to grow and evaluate turf in arid parts of the south and western United States. He is piloting a project with Bernd Leinauer and Elena Sevostianova (New Mexico State Univ.), Ross Braun (Kansas State Univ.), Paul Johnson (Utah State Univ.), and Charles Fontanier (Oklahoma State Univ.). The project will involve a multi-year evaluation of elite buffalograss lines developed by Univ. Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The data will support broader adoption of buffalograss throughout the region, identify current management recommendations that need to be updated to support broader adoption of buffalograss, and establish a network of cooperators to support future projects designed to optimize turf success in the region.
Enrollment trends
Univ. Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and Iowa State Univ. (ISU) report consistent enrollment in their undergraduate turf management programs.
Other issues
Amundsen encouraged members to submit their annual state reports.
National Turfgrass Evaluation Program remains the primary program for evaluating turf selections across the United States. ISU has six active NTEP trials and UNL has two. Washington State University (WSU) reported that the cost of managing NTEP trials exceeds available funding and, with limited space and labor, it is not practical for hosting NTEP trials at their location.
Budget constraints impacting turf research were acknowledged by all. Members recognized the importance of working collaboratively and leveraging each other’s expertise to address research, teaching, and outreach needs.
Future collaborations
The group has several key experts in managing turf in arid environments and is well positioned to advance collaborative efforts that support water conservation and sustainable turf management practices.
Accomplishments
Short-term Outcomes
- WERA11 strengthened collaboration among turfgrass researchers across the western United States, with WERA11 member survey respondents consistently identifying networking, exchange of research ideas, and development of collaborative projects as the most valuable outcomes of committee participation.
- Committee activities increased awareness of ongoing research programs and facilitated identification of potential collaborators. Several members reported that participation in WERA11 directly contributed to new multistate research partnerships, co-authored publications, and coordinated research efforts.
- Members reached consensus on future committee priorities, identifying water-use efficiency, salinity management, drought and heat resilience, low-input turf systems, and turfgrass adaptation as the most important research and Extension challenges to be addressed during the next project cycle.
- The committee improved coordination among breeding, genetics, water management, pest management, and Extension programs across participating institutions. WERA11 member survey responses showed that 91% of members intend to participate in future collaborative research or synthesis activities and 73% plan to contribute research and Extension updates through the committee.
- Multi-state cultivar evaluation networks increased the availability of region-specific information supporting science-based recommendations for turfgrass selection and management throughout the western United States.
- Collaborative projects increased access to shared research methods, germplasm resources, evaluation sites, and datasets, enhancing efficiency and reducing duplication of efforts among participating institutions.
- Researchers expanded collaborative turfgrass evaluation networks across western and Great Plains states, including new partnerships involving Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and New Mexico to evaluate elite buffalograss germplasm across contrasting environments.
- Participation in WERA11 facilitated development of new multistate research collaborations, including planning efforts among Washington State University, Iowa State University, and USDA-ARS researchers to pursue a Specialty Crop Research Initiative proposal focused on improving Kentucky bluegrass yield stability.
- Committee efforts increased coordination of water conservation research and Extension programming, with members collectively addressing drought management, irrigation scheduling, low-input landscapes, and ecosystem services associated with turfgrass systems.
Outputs
- Established a collaborative regional buffalograss evaluation network involving cooperators in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and New Mexico. The trial includes five experimental seeded entries, seven vegetative breeding lines, and six commercial cultivars. The project is expected to identify regionally adapted germplasm and update management recommendations for newer buffalograss cultivars.
- Several states contributed to coordinated turfgrass evaluation efforts through the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and Colorado maintained regional cultivar trials that provide information on performance, drought tolerance, and adaptation of Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, creeping bentgrass, fine fescue, bermudagrass, and other turfgrass species throughout western and transition-zone environments. These evaluations provide data used by growers, industry representatives, and turfgrass managers to guide cultivar selection decisions.
- Iowa State University contributed data to the multi-state WinterTurf project examining winter topdressing practices and their impact on spring green-up of cool-season putting greens.
- Development of genomic resources and molecular markers for bermudagrass, buffalograss, creeping bentgrass, colonial bentgrass, and Poa species.
- Publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts, extension bulletins, management guides, and educational resources.
- Development and dissemination of updated regional weed management recommendations through Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals.
- Delivery of regional conferences, field days, webinars, workshops, websites, social media content, and industry outreach programs.
- Washington State University released the Kentucky bluegrass cultivar ‘Matchless’, a variety selected for high seed yield under production systems that do not require post-harvest field burning. The cultivar has been licensed for commercial seed production and supports sustainability goals in a region producing approximately 80% of the world's Kentucky bluegrass seed.
- Texas Tech University delivered five high-school teacher workshops in collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife to support incorporation of turfgrass science curriculum into secondary education programs and expand the future turfgrass workforce pipeline.
- Utah State University continued statewide implementation of Water Check and Growing Water Smart programs while initiating evaluation of ten sod seed mixtures for drought response and water-use efficiency.
- Completion of a WERA11 member survey used to evaluate committee effectiveness and guide future priorities.
WERA11 member survey responses indicated that the most valuable outcomes of committee participation include:- Development of collaborative research partnerships.
- Access to regionally relevant expertise.
- Sharing of research methodologies and data.
- Identification of multistate funding opportunities.
- Enhanced extension programming and educational delivery.
Several members specifically noted that committee participation led directly to new research collaborations, coauthored publications, and expanded professional networks.
Activities
- Conducted coordinated turfgrass germplasm evaluations and breeding trials.
- Evaluated turfgrass responses to drought, deficit irrigation, salinity, winter stress, shade, and nutrient management practices.
- Developed genomic and transcriptomic resources supporting turfgrass improvement.
- Maintained NTEP evaluation sites across western environments.
- Conducted extension programming through conferences, field days, webinars, workshops, websites, and direct stakeholder consultations.
- Facilitated communication and collaboration among universities, USDA-ARS researchers, industry stakeholders, and national organizations.
- Surveyed WERA11 members to assess committee value, identify barriers to participation, and establish future research priorities.
- Nebraska continued evaluation of approximately 500 experimental buffalograss lines for turf quality, persistence, and production characteristics and maintained NTEP trials under deficit irrigation conditions to identify drought-adapted cultivars.
- Utah State University continued evaluation of cool-season and warm-season grasses under chronic deficit irrigation, including irrigating Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues at approximately 60% of reference evapotranspiration and evaluating warm-season species at approximately 40% ET. Additional studies focused on no-irrigation turf performance, fertilizer timing, and low-input turf systems.
- Colorado State University collaborated with USDA-ARS scientists on rooting studies, methane flux measurements, recycled water irrigation impacts, and saltgrass establishment research.
- Iowa researchers contributed to perennial groundcover investigations using summer-dormant Poa species. Genomic sequencing and gene expression analyses are helping identify mechanisms associated with vegetative dormancy and drought avoidance.
- Oregon State University conducted research addressing irrigation management, cultivation practices, disease management, nematode management, and ecosystem services in turfgrass systems, while developing new collaborations with Utah State University on landscape water conservation.
- Washington State University continued breeding efforts in Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, tufted hairgrass, teff, and timothy, supporting adaptation and seed production objectives for western environments.
- Arizona maintained collaborations with USDA-ARS researchers focused on turfgrass breeding and agronomic adaptation in arid environments and delivered annual pest management and pesticide safety training programs
- Texas Tech University expanded outreach focused on workforce development and water conservation through curriculum development, undergraduate training, and irrigation management research.
Extension activities included:
- Arizona annual winter pest management and pesticide safety seminars (135 attendees).
- Hawaii Turfgrass and Landscape Pest Management Webinar Series (approximately 320 total participants).
- Nebraska Turfgrass Conference (325 attendees).
- Nebraska Turfgrass Research Field Day (100 attendees).
- Oklahoma Turfgrass Conference (250 attendees).
- Oklahoma Research Field Day (90 attendees).
- Oregon fall and winter turf research field days (225 total attendees).
- Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Conference (approximately 750 attendees).
- Texas held 5 high school teacher workshops (57 total attendees)
- Washington State University Grass Breeding and Ecology Farm field day (50 attendees)
- Weekly Backyard Farmer television programming reaching approximately 25,000 viewers per episode.
Milestones
- Continued maintenance and reporting of NTEP trials that support regional cultivar recommendations.
- Development of new genomic resources, genetic markers, and prediction tools for bermudagrass winter hardiness and drought tolerance.
- Completion of genome sequencing efforts for Poa bulbosa and Poa secunda to facilitate research on dormancy and water-use efficiency.
- Publication of updated regional weed management recommendations through Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals.
- Expansion of multistate collaborations involving universities, USDA-ARS, USGA-supported projects, and NTEP programs.
- The WERA11 membership survey further demonstrated committee success by documenting extensive collaboration among participating institutions and providing strategic direction for the next project cycle.
- Release and commercialization of the Kentucky bluegrass cultivar 'Matchless', supporting sustainable seed production without field burning.
- Establishment of a collaborative evaluation framework to expand buffalograss adaptation testing across five western and Great Plains states.
- Submission and development of collaborative grant initiatives focused on Kentucky bluegrass improvement, workforce development, and turfgrass education.
- Expansion of water-conservation Extension programming through Utah Growing Water Smart, Water Check, and related landscape water-efficiency initiatives.
- Continued development of collaborative research partnerships with USDA-ARS scientists focused on breeding, irrigation management, ecosystem services, and pest management.
- Achieved consensus on future committee priorities, with water conservation, salinity management, climate resilience, and low-input turf systems identified as primary focus areas for the renewal period.
Impacts
- Turfgrass managers gained science-based guidance for implementing deficit irrigation practices that improve water conservation without substantially reducing turf performance.
- Researchers identified new breeding targets and management approaches to improve drought resilience across multiple turfgrass species.
- Research findings provided practical strategies for managing turfgrass under saline irrigation and alternative water sources.
- Evaluation of low-input management systems demonstrated opportunities to reduce fertilizer, irrigation, and maintenance requirements while sustaining turf function.
- New genomic and breeding resources enhanced the capacity of turfgrass improvement programs to develop cultivars adapted to future environmental stresses.
- WERA11 extension and outreach programs reached more than 2,200 turfgrass professionals, stakeholders, and homeowners through conferences, field days, workshops, and webinars conducted across participating states.
- Member participation remained strong, with 100% of survey respondents supporting continuation of WERA11 and 91% indicating plans to participate in future collaborative research and synthesis activities.
- Release of the Kentucky bluegrass cultivar 'Matchless' provides seed producers with a commercially viable variety adapted to production systems without post-harvest burning, improving sustainability of Kentucky bluegrass seed production in the Pacific Northwest.
- Water conservation programs led by Utah State University provided municipalities, state agencies, and landscape professionals with science-based approaches to balance landscape functionality and water savings in arid environments.
- Coordinated turfgrass evaluation efforts across western states continue to provide managers with cultivar performance data under drought, salinity, traffic, and low-input conditions, helping reduce risk when selecting grasses for challenging environments.
- Workforce development activities in Texas introduced turfgrass science concepts to secondary educators and students, increasing awareness of career opportunities in the turfgrass industry.
Grants, Contracts & Other Resources Obtained
Publications
- Amgain, N.R., AJ. Patton, W. Liu, A. Cain*, A. Kowalewski, S.D. Askew, C. Gomes-Goncalves, M. Bagavathiannan, J.W. Taylor, L.B. McCarty. 2025. Allelopathic Potential of Cool-Season Turfgrass Species as an Alternative Management Strategy for Weed Control. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. http://doi.org/10.1002/its2.187.
- Amundsen, K., Thompson, C., Kreuser, W., & Gaussoin, R. 2025. Management Costs influence golfer perceptions of turfgrass quality and playability. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal 15(1), 135-147
- Anselmi, K. A., Hansen, N. C., Hopkins, B. G., & Hulet, A. 2025. Monitoring of soil fertility using in situ soil electrical conductivity sensor in sports turf field. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal, 15, 1135–1138. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.70080
- Arieli D. Da Fonseca, Nathaniel J. Hall, Joseph R. Young and Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa. Evaluating Dog Preference Between Artificial and Natural Turf Grasses. Animals 2026, 16(13), 2090; DOI: 10.3390/ani16132090
- Braithwaite, E., R.J. Starchvick, A.R. Kowalewski, T.N. Temple, I.A. Zasada, and H.M. Rivedal. 2025. Identification of Meloidogyne spp. of cool-season golf course putting greens in the Pacific Northwest. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.190
- Braithwaite, E., R.J. Starchvick, T. Temple, H.V. Baker, M. Kitner, A. Peetz, I Zasada, H. Rivedal, A. Kowaleski. 2025. A community analysis of plant-parasitic nematodes on coastal Oregon golf course putting greens. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-25- Tate, T.M., R. Wang, S.A. Bonos, B.B. Clarke, A.R. Kowalewski, and W.A. Meyer. 2025. Epichlöe festucae Endophyte Mediated Maternal Inheritance of Dollar Spot Disease Resistance in Hard Fescue. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70012
- Braithwaite, E.T., Schmid, C.J., Kowalewski, A.R., Fleming, K., Peetz, A.B., Zasada, I.A., and Rivedal, H.M. 2025. First report of Anguina pacificae parasitizing turfgrass in Washington. Journal of Nematology, 57. doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2025-0053
- Burgin, H. R., Wear, G. A., Hansen, N. C., Seely, C. J., & Hopkins, B. G. 2025. Cold Tolerance of Hybrid Bermudagrass in a Cool-season, Semiarid Climate. HortScience, 60(9), 1447–1452. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI18658-25
- Cevallos, F., M. Xiang1*, S. Yu1, J. Q. Moss, Y. Q. Wu, B. Schwartz. 2025. Assessing drought resistance in bermudagrass using dual methodologies. Grassresearch. 5:e012. doi: 10.48130/grares-0025-0008
- Cevallos, F., M. Xiang1, J. Q. Moss, D. Martin, C. Fontanier, Y. Q. Wu, S. Yu1. 2025. Gene expression profiling of African bermudagrass under cold acclimation. Hort Science. 60(5):645–656.
- Chen, E., J. Hempfling, C. Schmid, Z. Xu, H. Samaranayake, and J. Murphy. 2025. Finer Topdressing Sand Affects Creeping Bentgrass Performance. Agron. J. 117, e70039. doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70039
- Clark, C. M., Dolda, S., Singh, U., Delgado, J. A., Hopkins, B. G., Olk, D. C., Pavuluri, K., Roy, A., Venterea, R., Wilson, M. Fugice, J. 2026. Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2025.2595092
- Ervin, D.E. G.B. Frisvold, J.H. Allen, A.J. Patton, J.T. Brosnan, R. Grubbs-Bowling, M.T. Elmore, M.V. Bagavathiananh, J.D. McCurdy, T.W. Gannon, J.E. Kaminski, A.R. Kowalewski, J.S. McElroy, P. McCulloughn, B. Unruh, S. Askew, and L. McCarty. 2025. Motivations and barriers to integrated management of annual bluegrass in sports fields: US survey findings. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128877
- Farzana, K., Coldren, C., Simpson, C., Young, J., Cleveland, T. 2025. Evaluating the Sensitivity of Hydrological Response to Changes in Vegetation Classification: A Case Study of St. Charles Bay, Texas, USA. International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHST.2025.147980
- Folck, A., Amundsen, K., and Fech, J. 2026. Management for warm season grass lawns in Nebraska. Nebraska Turfgrass Science. https://turf.unl.edu/turf-advice/turf-fact-sheets-nebguides/WSG-lawns-nebraska/
- Folck, A., Fech, J., and Thoms, A. 2025. Management of grass athletic fields in Nebraska & north central states. Nebraska Turfgrass Science. https://turf.unl.edu/turf-advice/turf-fact-sheets-nebguides/management-grass-athletic-fields-nebraska-north-central/
- Folck, A., Proctor, C., and Fech, J. 2026. Crabgrass and summer annual grassy weeds control. Nebraska Turfgrass Science. https://turf.unl.edu/turf-advice/turf-fact-sheets-nebguides/crabgrass-and-summer-annual-grassy-weeds-control/
- Gallard P., Dutter C, Chen A, McDaniel M, Moore K, Thoms A, Fei S. 2026. A summer-dormant, perennial groundcover has minimal effect on plant-available nutrients and no effect on maize yield. Agronomy Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70333
- Geddes, C.M., Q.D. Law, B.M. Jenks, K.A. Howatt, J.T. Ikley, A. Jaster, M.M. Pittman, K. Biggers, I. Meiners, and A. Porri. 2025. PPO-inhibitor resistance in kochia (Bassia scoparia). Weed Science 73:1-12.
- Ghimire, K., Serba, D., Amundsen, K., Wu, Y., & Barnaby, J. 2026. Decoding Chilling Temperature Adaptation in Bermudagrass: Temporal Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Dynamics in Tolerant and Sensitive Genotypes. Crop Science. DOI: 10.1002/csc2.70317
- Gouveia, B., K.E. Kenworthy, A. Chandra, B.M. Schwartz, J. Zhang, P. Raymer, Y.Q. Wu, M. Pudzianowska, J., Baird, G. Miller, J. Unruh, B. Wherley, D.L. Martin, J. Moss, and S.R. Milla-Lewis. 2025. Enhancing drought resistance in warm-season turfgrasses: Fourteen years of progress through a multi-state collaborative project across the southern US. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21393
- Grover, K., J. L. Safanelli, J. Sanderman, B. G. Hopkins, and C. Brungard. 2025. The utility of laboratory measurement uncertainty: A case-study using the open soil spectral library service. European Journal of Soil Science 76, no. 4: e70166. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70166.
- Jason S. Young, Louise H. Comas, and Yaling Qian. 2025. Salinity affects root growth of container grown saltgrass. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. 15(1):930-939 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/its2.70055
- Jiazhen Wang, Sarah Wilhelm, Yaling Qian. 2025. Effects of sprigging date and sprigging rate on establishment of two saltgrass lines. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. 15(1):103-108. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.156.
- Kajla, A., C. Fontanier, L. Zhang, Y.Q. Wu, B. Schwartz, S. Milla-Lewis, S. Singh. 2025. Morphological response of bermudagrass genotypes to neutral-density shade. HortScience 60(5):794-800. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI18169-24
- Kerry, R., Hammari, E., Ingram, B., Sanders, K., Hansen, N., Hopkins, B. 2026. Investigation of sample numbers needed to map spatial changes in soil moisture using random forests and z-score calibration for precision irrigation of turfgrass. Agronomy 16(8), 794. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16080794
- Kerry, R., Ingram, B., Sanders, K., Hansen, N., Hopkins, B.G. 2025. Factors influencing random forest soil volumetric water content predictions within a turfgrass field. In Precision agriculture ’25. Leiden, The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004725232_114
- Kowalewski, A., B. McDonald, R. Wang, C. Schmid, E. Braithwaite*, and T. Stock. 2025. Irrigation Rates and Frequency Affect Tall Fescue Quality and Weed Encroachment. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.1840431-RE
- Lindsey, A. J., A. W. Thoms, C. Hatten, and R. Perry. 2025. Investigation of plant protein products on turfgrass putting greens quality, playability, and establishment. Intl. Turf. Soc. Res. J.1-7. https://doi:10.1002/its2.70010.
- McNally, B., M. Elmore, A.R., Kowalewski, E. Braithwaite*, C. Alyssa*, B. Leinauer, R. Leon, S. Pampana. 2025. Irrigation frequency and mowing height influence annual bluegrass in perennial ryegrass. Agronomy Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70232
- Mengistu, M., D.D. Serba, M.R. Conley, R. Hejl, Y.Q. Wu and C.F. Williams. 2025. Response of turf bermudagrass hybrids to induced drought stress under controlled environment. Grasses. https://doi.org/10.3390/grasses4020023
- Milla-Lewis, S., B. Gouveia, E., Carbajal, G. Miller, A. Patton, B. Schwartz, K. Kenworthy, R. Braun, R. Van der Laat, X. Yu, J. Zhang, A. Chandra, Y.Q. Wu, P. Raymer, M. Pudzianowska, J. Baird, C. Fontanier, & J. Unruh. Registration of ‘XZ 14069’ zoysiagrass. Journal of Plant Registrations. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20430
- Moro, A., Goggi, A., Moore, K., Fei, S, Kaleita, A. 2026. Spatial Proximity to Perennial Groundcover Triggers Shade Avoidance Responses in Corn. Agronomy https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16070729
- O'Brien, D., Karcher, D., Young, J., Richardson, M., Kostka, S., Fidanza, M. 2025. Penetrants versus retainers: comparing soil surfactant terminology to performance on sand-based putting greens in Pesticide Formulation and Delivery Systems: 43rd Volume, Creating Certainty in an Uncertain World, ed. Danny Brown. ASTM International. http://doi.org/10.1520/STP165220240002
- Ojeokun, O., J. Fry, T. Todd, C. Martin, A. Chandra, M. Xiang, A. Patton, N. Amgain, A. Sierra, M. Schiavon, K. Kenworthy, J. Kruse, R. Braun, and M. Kennelly. 2025. Thatch accumulation in zoysiagrass genotypes across the U.S. transition zone and southern regions. HortTechnology. 35(4), 502-512. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05649-25
- Ortiz-Eriamiatoe J, Xin X, Hadish JA and Neff MM (2025, published online 2026) Genome-Wide Evolutionary Characterization and Expression Analysis of the AT-HOOK MOTIF CONTAINING NUCLEAR LOCALIZED Gene Family in Brachypodium distachyon G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 16:3 https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkaf275
- Patton, A. 2025. Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals: Turf-100. Purdue Extension Education Store
- Pokhrel, B., S. Yu, C. Fontanier, D. Martin, Y. Wu, and M. Xiang. 2025. Impact of a horticultural mineral oil on bermudagrass performance under salinity stress. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. 10.1002/its2.70033
- Poudyal, Shital and Kelly Kopp. 2025. Irrigation and plant water needs. In Utah Master Gardener Handbook. USU Cooperative Extension. Logan, UT.
- Qian, Yaling, Y.H. Lin, and J.G. Davis. 2025. Soil heavy metal concentrations in public parks before and 11 years following conversion to recycled water irrigation. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. 15(1):340-348. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.183
- Russo, M., N. Altman-Kurosaki, Z. Cheng, and T. Ticktin. 2025. Evaluating the Impacts of the Hala Scale, Thysanococcus pandani Stickney (Hemiptera: Halimococcidae) on Hala (Pandanus tectorius) Regeneration in the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science, 79(3): 421–434.
- Russo, M., P. Waisen, K. Choi, and Z. Cheng. 2026. Efficacies of systemic insecticides against the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, on O’ahu, Hawai’i. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-026-01801-x
- Schiavon, M., T. Pirtle, K. Cox, E. Rios, B. Unruh, J. Erickson, A.J. Lindsey, K. Kenworthy, B. Cardenas, M. Dukes, B. Schwartz, P. Raymer, A. Chandra, and Y.Q. Wu. Irrigation frequency requirements for sufficient warm-season species quality in Florida. International Turfgrass Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.70000
- Serba, D.D., R.H. Hejl, Y.Q. Wu, K.R. Thorp, M.M. Conley, and C.F. Williams. 2025. Performance of turf bermudagrass hybrids with deficit irrigation in the Desert Southwest USA. Applied Sciences. 15: 9151-9166. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15169151
- Shehbaz S, M. Xiang, C. Fontanier, D.L. Martin, Y. Wu. 2025. Comparison of bermudagrass cultivars for athletic field use in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Publications. https://matrix.okstate.edu/extension/factsheets/comparison-of-bermudagrass-cultivars-for-athletic-field-use-in-oklahoma
- Stanton, A., S. J. Keeley, C. R. Boyer, J. C. Domenghini, A. J. Patton, M. R. Chavarria, T. Q. Carr, W. J. Hutchens, K. W. Frank, M. Xiang, A. J. Folck, R. E. Gaussoin, D. J. Soldat, P. L. Koch, A. W. Thoms, A. J. Koski, M. R. Barnes, J. M. Trappe, and R. C. Braun. 2025. Horticulture industry awareness and use of lawn and landscape Cooperative Extension education resources. Natural Sciences Education. 54(2), e70028. https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.70028
- Starchvick, R.J., T. Temple, E. Braithwaite, C. Schmid, A. Kowalewski, and H. Rivedal. 2025. First report of dollar spot caused by Clarireedia Jacksonii on annual bluegrass in western Oregon and pathogenicity testing of multiple turfgrasses. Plant Health Prog. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-12-24-0166-BR
- Sun, L., Safanelli, J. L., Sanderman, J., Georgiou, K., Brungard, C., Grover, K., Hopkins, B. G., Liu, S., Bremer, P-T. 2026. Self-supervised and multi-fidelity learning for extended predictive soil spectroscopy. Geoderma, 468, 117764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117764
- Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi, R., R. Kerry, B. Ingram, Flint, E., Svedin, J., Hopkins, A., Hansen, N., Hopkins, B.G., Ryan Jensen 2025. Mapping Soil Volumetric Water Content at Multiple Depths for Variable Rate Irrigation Using UAV and Yield Monitor Data With Random Forests. Soil Use and Management 41, no. 4: e70156. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.70156
- Thapa B., S. Yu, M. Xiang, M. Tadege. Unveiling the Genetic Determinants of Germination Efficiency in Common Bermudagrass: A Genome-Wide Association Study. Plant Genome (in production)
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