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Platform for the management and construction of sports and golf courses
The right choice means longer playability and longer-lasting green surfaces
With the FIFA World Cup drawing worldwide attention, all eyes are firmly focused on the condition of the turf. Overseeding and reseeding with the very best grass cultivars keeps football and sports pitches greener for longer while reducing weed pressure. Thanks to the latest genetics, pitches can withstand even more playing hours. In addition, selecting the right grasses results in fewer complaints, fewer match cancellations and more sustainable maintenance. A healthy turf surface undoubtedly radiates positive energy to the players on the pitch.
The foundation of a good sports pitch lies in the combination of perennial ryegrass and smooth-stalked meadow grass.
“Perennial ryegrass germinates quickly, develops deep roots and offers excellent recovery,” says Thijs Schoenmakers of DSV Zaden Nederland. “Smooth-stalked meadow grass establishes more slowly, but spreads laterally and forms a dense, compact turf through its rhizomes. Together, these species act as a kind of reinforcing mesh that holds the sward together and can withstand intensive use.”
DSV Zaden has developed several EUROGRASS sports turf mixtures. A quarter of all sports pitches in the Netherlands are established using this sports turf combination. EUROGRASS SV100 (100% perennial ryegrass) and EUROGRASS SV7 (75% perennial ryegrass, 25% smooth-stalked meadow grass) in particular are widely used for overseeding, both at professional clubs and on amateur and municipal pitches.
“We are continuously looking for ways to improve,” says Schoenmakers. “Through smarter breeding and selection, we have made significant progress in recent years. Our latest Maxima mixtures are an excellent example of this. Thanks to the latest genetics, they deliver the maximum possible number of playing hours on the pitch.”
The Dutch Grass Guide brings together the highest-rated grass cultivars. The traditional EUROGRASS SV7 and SV100 mixtures, as well as the SV7 Maxima and SV100 Maxima mixtures, are composed exclusively of these premium cultivars listed in the Dutch Grass Guide.
“The standard SV mixtures consist of cultivars that have been included in the Grass Guide for many years and have more than proven their value. The new Maxima mixtures add the latest genetics to that foundation. Alongside the well-known and highly regarded cultivars Eurobeat and Eurosport, they also include the perennial ryegrass cultivar Lamar. This is a completely new cultivar that immediately achieved high ratings in the recently published Grass Guide 2026 for wear tolerance, recovery capacity and disease resistance,” says Schoenmakers.
Sports pitches are subjected to intensive use. The stronger the grass cultivars used to establish the pitch, the longer the grass plants remain intact. As a result, pitches stay greener for longer. In addition, the risk of match cancellations due to poor pitch conditions is reduced, while weeds have far less opportunity to establish themselves or dominate the turf. For cities and municipalities, which are facing increasingly strict restrictions on weed control, this means less maintenance and more sustainable maintenance.
Sports pitches in good condition remain playable for longer. Expressed in playing hours, natural grass pitches were once expected to provide around 250 playing hours. Over the years, that figure has increased to approximately 350 to 400 playing hours. With the latest genetics, 750 playing hours are now achievable, provided that soil construction and the maintenance programme are properly optimised.
“On some pitches, nearly 1,000 playing hours have already been achieved in this way,” adds Schoenmakers.
