New Turfgrass Breeding Station Opens in E. Washington

We are excited to announce that the world's #1 bluegrasses are now only going to get better. The program is being maintained by Margaret Childers, Barenbrug’s Kentucky bluegrass breeder. She has been working on germplasm testing and advancement and is also overseeing Barenbrug’s satellite breeding station in Washington.

Located just 10 miles west of the former Jacklin research station sits the 5 acres of our newly purchased Bluegrass nursery. It will also provide another location for turf trials and expand the current turfgrass research and breeding done at our Albany, OR research farm.

Kentucky bluegrass is a popular choice for sports fields, lawns, parks, and golf courses due to its fine texture and ability to withstand heavy foot traffic.

“We are excited to see this breeding program get underway”

- James Schneider, President & CEO

Barenbrug’s breeding program seeks to develop new varieties that are disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and can thrive in a range of weather conditions. The program will conduct extensive testing and development to generate new varieties that combine the best traits of existing Kentucky bluegrass varieties all while improving yield.

“We are excited to see this breeding program get underway,” says James Schneider, President and CEO of Barenbrug. “Kentucky bluegrass is a staple of the turf industry and new and improved varieties will provide significant benefits to professionals and enthusiasts alike.”

The breeding program will feed into our rigorous nationwide testing to ensure that new varieties meet the high standards for turf quality and durability. Barenbrug’s breeding program will also focus on producing new varieties that require less water and fertilizer, reducing the environmental impact.

The new breeding program is expected to take several years to produce viable new varieties. However, Barenbrug is confident that the long-term benefits to the industry will be worth the effort.