New turfgrass varieties developed by UConn researcher require less maintenance

Yi Li, Ph.D., a professor of horticultural plant biology at the University of Connecticut in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, created new grasses for lawns that offer several benefits over traditional lawn grasses, including a significant reduction in lawn care.

According to Li, the new grass varieties reduce the amount of mowing required to only three or four times per year in Connecticut, as opposed to more than 20 times a year.

“Our new lawn grasses, which require less mowing, fertilizer, and irrigation, are well-suited for various applications such as residential lawns, athletic fields, highways’ sides, and as cover crops in orchards and corn fields,” Li said “Moreover, our lawn grasses are particularly well-suited for electric and robotic mowers, presenting significant opportunities to enhance the market presence and competitive advantage of these automated mowing technologies.”

The Li Lab is currently developing drought-resistant and other beneficial traits for lawn grasses.

Learn more about the newly created turfgrass varieties here.