b'quantify how much green turfEach digital image is analyzedobservations.there was, not just a subjec- to determine the amount ofTwenty years ago, Pure tive, visual observation,green cover for each cultivar.Seed Testing and NexGen Fricker says. I might rate aThe program has standard- Turf Research, a subsidiary of plot as being 50% green, andized the cameras and lightPennington Seed, were two you would say 40% green.bulbs used in the lightboxes toof the first breeders anywhere That is when we began get- make certain all samples areto do work with drought-tol-ting good, repeatable quan- evaluated equally.erant grasses. It was an easy tification of these numbers.Evaluation methods havething for them to do drought This information is repeatablechanged into a more precise,tolerance research because and reliable across locationstechnological way to analyzeOregons dry, hot summer and researchers. Everybodysand rate turf. Over the past 10conditions make it easy to see numbers are reliable, uniformyears, the analytical softwaredifferences between turf plats. and truly objective. TWCAprovided by the UniversityBoth companies are now could then say precisely whatof Arkansas has improved.active members of the TWCA.a turf plots green cover is.According to Karlin, that toolWe see big differences There were no opinions to it. has been a real game-changerbetween species where we When we talk aboutCrystal Fricker is president ofis as far as how fast it canhave to water some more than TWCA, we are the industryPure Seed Testing. evaluate the images and theothers to keep them green. leader in identifying and eval- accuracy as well. Although itAnytime we see differences as uating drought-tolerant culti- has come a long way, evaluat- a breeder, we get very excited vars, says Jack Karlin, TWCAdata can identify a varietying uniformity is still challeng- because we are always look-program administrator. Inthat uses 30% less water toing. By testing with universitiesing for the cream and the best 2014, we wrote protocols formaintain a given level of greenand research collaboratorsplants in any situation, says drought evaluation. Objectivecover through the summer.in locations across NorthFricker. Drought is a topic data is so important. It is easyIt is important for end-users,America, TWCA eliminatesthat is near and dear to our to talk to people about turfregulators and decision-mak- confounding factors such ashearts. My family in California and water use, but the peopleers to have something objec- soil type, heat, and pest man- is always aware of water. You we need to talk to are not intive to point to and referenceagement from the results. must not take too long to the turf industry. They aretheir decisions. They can haveMost recently, Pure Seedwash your hands because professional landscapers anda quantifiable data point. It is aResearch has been usingwe have to conserve water. elected government officialsbig thing for to have a physicaldrones to collect data. It isI was aware of that and am whose decisions are paid forrecord to follow the thousandsreally cool to see the trials fromnow always looking for ways with tax-payer dollars. Theyof visual records that TWCAabove and observe the varia- to develop new plants that are accountable for their deci- takes every year. tion in the trial, Fricker says.we do not have to water as sions. We need to be able toTWCA trials usually haveNow you can see that out ofmuch. By focusing on how come to them with objective50-60 cultivars at locations100 entries, there may be onlyplants respond to watering, data and show a quantifi- across the United States. The10 that are green. The restthe TWCA began to realize able difference in water useprograms biggest limitationare various shades of brown.that everybody tends to over-by different varieties. Withis space. Each location mustWe can visually see out of allwater turfgrass; they could this factual information, theirbe able to keep the cultivarsthe varieties, which are thekeep grass healthy and reduce hands are tied. They have noin rainout shelters. Karlin saystop ones. It is enjoyable whenwater use. excuse for randomly selectingthis is one of the reasons whyyou can walk out there andAs I was traveling around water-guzzling varieties. their trials are not enormous.pick the best ones. They arethe world and looking at golf A benefit of the TWCATWCA obtains objective,saving water. This should makecourses, I remember one golf program is that testing resultsscience-based measurementsa difference in the market. Itcourse in Costa Rica where put a number on a varietysof drought tolerance and rateshould add value for everyonethey were spending too much drought tolerance perfor- of recovery with a portableinvolved. We have the objec- on water. It was like a marsh mance. The collected testlightbox and digital camera.tive data to substantiate ourout there, Fricker recalls. OCTOBER 2020SEEDWORLD.COM /47'