Selected for Hotter Climate
Nearly a decade ago, work began to collect germplasm (or individual plants) at various sites throughout the country, plant scientists, called plant breeders, were specifically looking for tall fescue plants which had excellent heat and drought tolerance, resistance to diseases, dark green color, high turf quality, and a compact, upright growth habit. Selected plants from these collections were sent to Missouri where they were intentionally infected with six strains of the nasty disease commonly known as brown patch. Only those plants exhibiting excellent resistance to brown patch, heat tolerance, and stress tolerance were carried through to the next stage.

Selected For Quality, Color and High Endophyte
After even further selections and crossings, the best plants – the strongest, most attractive plants – were then inoculated, with nature’s own environmentally safe pesticides, called endophytes. These fungal organisms have a natural symbiotic relationship with the grass plants. While obtaining their food from the host plants, these endophytes produce alkaloid toxins which kill or repel damaging insects (like billbugs, chinch bugs, sod web-worms, army worms, and weevils) that feed on turf. Not only do the plants benefit from the endophyte, but homeowners also enjoy the benefit of needing to use less chemical pesticides. Endophytes, nature’s own pesticides, provide free insect control without harm to plants, household pets, or humans.

Selected for Reduced Mowing and Softer Leaves
Once the breeders had great looking, combat-ready plants, they chose to add three other special characteristics – slower growth, softer leaves, and denser stand. They knew the perfect lawn would be one that was not only tough enough to survive, not only pretty enough to look at and touch, but one that would require less mowing. So, after a multitude of further selections and crossings, they did just that. In fact, according to the 2003 NTEP (National Turfgrass Evaluation Program) Report, Titan Ltd. had one of the shortest canopy heights.

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Great for Sports Turf

Rutgers University includes Titan Ltd under "Recommended List" for Sports Fields!