4turf - Tetraploid perennial ryegrass with enhanced strength

4turf is a new generation of tetraploid perennial ryegrass varieties, developed to be quick establishing, strong, deep-rooting and tolerant to stress. 4turf is better able to withstand a range of stressful conditions, such as drought, cold, disease and wear.

4turf benefits:

Rapid establishment
Increased drought tolerance and recovery
Superior cold performance
Excellent disease resistance
Good wear tolerance
Darker green colour
Good performance in low input situations
Long lasting
Excellent mixture partner

4turf® is a new turf-type tetraploid perennial ryegrass. Farmers have long understood the value of tetraploid perennial ryegrasses: rapid establishment, growth in cool temperatures, and better environmental stress tolerance. Our breeders set out to pass on these characteristics to landscapers. They developed tetraploid technology to the point where you too, can experience the tetraploid advantage in a unique range of fine-leaved, high-density turf-type tetraploid ryegrasses. 4turf® ryegrasses are as far removed from agriculture as their diploid relatives.

4turf® – tetraploid perennial ryegrass explained

Diploid and tetraploid plants have different amounts of chromosomes in the nucleus of each plant cell. Diploid plants have two sets of chromosomes in each cell; tetraploid plants have four. Polyploidy – the ability of a plant to contain more than two sets of chromosomes – can be induced by the application of the natural alkaloid plant hormone, colchicine. Colchicine, which is derived from the autumn crocus, acts as a mitosis inhibitor; it leads to a doubling of chromosomes within each cell. Historically, perennial ryegrasses bred for amenity use have been diploid. Tetraploid perennial ryegrasses are a technological step forward. They perform better because they have twice as many chromosomes and therefore twice as much chloroplast in each cell. The extra chloroplast boosts chlorophyll production, creating a healthier, highenergy plant. Tetraploids are robust and hard-wearing, with improved stress-tolerance and ability to recover, even in cooler temperatures.

4turf® – proven performance you can trust

Tetraploid perennial ryegrasses out-perform diploids in numerous ways. They have larger, high-energy seeds for rapid establishment, even when soil temperatures are as low as 4°C. Rapid establishment reduces Poa annua invasion, while low-temperature winter growth gives you a healthy hard-wearing turf all year round. Beneath the surface, the increased root mass improves drought-tolerance and increases the efficiency of the plants use of nitrogen in the rootzone.

Tetraploid cultivars are also better at fighting disease. Independent researchers (for the GEVES Turfgrass List and Scandinavian Scanturf) recorded excellent tolerance to microdochium patch, red thread and rust diseases. The UK STRI turfgrass seed trials repeated these results and measured exceptional tolerance to red thread.

Shade tolerant

In trials, our latest tetraploid cultivars exhibited greater shade and wear tolerance. Even at reduced light levels of 60% PAR (photosynthetic active radiation), they had greater ground cover and wear-tolerance.

Stronger establishment

4turf larger seeds contain more energy reserves for a stronger faster establishment and healthy plant development. When the weather cools down 4turf doesn't. 4turf continues to germinate. 4turf has a better germination at 4^oC compared to diploid. This is also a big advantage when overseeding.

Exceptional disease resistance and winter hardiness for reduced maintenance and chemical applications

4turf®’s larger energy reserves significantly increase natural disease resistance. This valuable characteristic helps maintain a healthy looking turf during autumn and winter. In trials undertaken in Finland, 4turf® Fabian showed superior winter hardiness. And in Scandinavian Scanturf trials, it ranked No 1 for general turf quality.

Attractive deep green colour and enhanced nitrogen use efficiency for beautiful turf and reduced fertilser applications

4turf® is more attractive than traditional ryegrass varieties. Its leaves are a deeper and glossier green, which makes it more inviting. With an improved cellular structure and more efficient photosynthesis, 4turf® cultivars keep their colour all year round, even when light levels are low. Better colour and increased root mass means 4turf® uses nitrogen more efficiently. That’s good for the environment and for turf managers because 4turf® needs less nitrogen fertiliser.

All year round stress tolerance

Cold tolerance

When we say that 4turf has exceptional winter performance this is no idle boast. Trials from Finland show Fabian has a superior winter hardiness - and 4turf' is also number one in general turf quality within the Scandinavian independent and official Scanturf trails.

Drought tolerance

Results from our drought trials in France in the Loire Valley show how much more the 4turf varieties are tolerant to drought than traditional varieties. As the graph shows 4turf varieties have index 133 compared to traditional varieties with index 100. Not only are 4turf varieties more tolerant they also recover quicker from drought when the rain come.

4turf® reduces the problem of dog patches

Our researchers have conducted extensive trials on the effects of dog pee on 168 varieties from seven species of turf grass. Tetraploid perennial ryegrass outperformed all other species including diploid perennial ryegrass. There’s even evidence that the growth of tetraploid perennial ryegrass was more vigorous when it came in contact with dog pee.

Choosing 4turf® for its resistance to dog pee is by far the safest and most cost-effective way to reduce dog patches. Pee-resistant 4turf® can help to maintain a lush green surface on which dogs and other park users can run and play, while demanding minimum maintenance from the park management team.

Increased salt tolerance

Clean irrigation water is becoming a luxury and a scarce resource now and even more in the future. Whether the salinity is due to salt in the soil, salt spray, or contaminated irrigation water our 4Turf tetraploids are proven to be significantly more salt tolerant than standard diploid ryegrass. This gives a better plant growth and healthy looking turf. It is a known fact that sportfields, lawns, roadverges, golf courses etc. have problems in saline soils or in salty conditions. It doesn’t matter where the salt comes from: the soil, water supply, or windblown spray, if there’s too much salt, ordinary grass won’t grow to its potential. To solve this problem, DLF offers 4salt® mixtures, that will perform with or without salinity problems.

4turf - for all round performance

Your skills as a groundsman, greenkeeper or landscaper are fundamental to the success of your stadium, golf course, sports ground or public park. For the most professional results, you need the best grass seed you can get. When choosing 4turf your turf establishes faster and gives you thicker, greener cover all through the year. Itsmore tolerant to drought, diseases and cold. With 4turf you can perform wonders.

4urf - for the future

Tetraploids were first seen in a lawn grass situation over 25 years ago when the standard of turf quality in general was not as high. What is new is that this new generation of varieties I have developed are able to compete in performance and appearance with the best modern standard varieties. It has taken me over 20 years to achieve this. Even that first variety many years ago exhibited improved stress tolerance and this is what has motivated me as a breeder to continue improving and refining 4turf. 4turf will open new horizons in Perennial ryegrass breeding.

Christophe Galbrun - Seed Breeder

For further reading our 4turf PDF's can be downloaded below