Professor Sowmya Mitra recently completed tests with Texas bluegrass, concluding that this hybrid shows potential to withstand high temperatures and drought stress.

With the state’s water officials predicting conditions approaching if not reaching drought status, his findings and the availability of this hardy hybrid should delight turf caretakers in urban and rural settings alike.

Texas bluegrass in its natural state is a pasture grass more appealing to livestock than picnickers and backyard barbequers. Researchers such as Professor Mitra have been cross breeding it with other popular turf grasses to take advantage of some of its outstanding qualities.

While Professor Mitra’s research sought a turf grass resistant to leaf rust and leaf spot diseases, other qualities emerged. Texas bluegrass maintains good color throughout the year, and it doesn’t produce a lot of clippings.

One seed company researcher said the Texas bluegrass hybrids have some restorative qualities, not the aggressive regrowth of a Bermuda, but far more than the popular Kentucky bluegrass, or even the fescues.

The research by Professor Mitra also included plots at different fertilization rates. The Texas bluegrass hybrids maintained a dark green color and produced fewer clippings compared to traditional tall fescues, even at low fertilization rates.

His work was partly funded by the California Agricultural Technology Institute(CATI) at Fresno State, and was reported in CATI’s quarterly publication Update.