A green turf all year round

DLF is an international seed company with more than 2,200 employees in 22 countries and facilities in six continents. The Kapelle (NL)-based company is a world market leader in the feed and sports and recreational sectors, supplying seed to more than 100 countries. 

Thomas van Tetering, Product & Marketing Manager Benelux: 'In recent years, DLF has experienced considerable growth. We also score high marks in terms of sustainability. This year we received the special prize for 'Long Term Value Creation', awarded by Ernst&Young and Dansk Erhverv (the Danish Chamber of Commerce). For many decades, through breeding and product development, we have been optimizing our grass varieties for local climatic and environmental conditions. Constant improvements in grass, clover and alfalfa varieties allow our customers to increase yields and playing hours, reduce inputs, and simplify the management of their green spaces. These are truly sustainable solutions. Our super resistant 4turf® also fits perfectly into that picture.'

Diploid or tetraploid grasses?

Compared with diploid ryegrass, tetraploid ryegrass generally has faster initial growth, is less susceptible to disease, scores better on drought resistance and has excellent winter resistance. For these reasons, tetraploid ryegrass has been used as part of forage production for livestock for decades. And for 10 years now, it has also been fully used in sports and lawn mixtures.

Better able to withstand challenging conditions

That's why Dutch DLF marketed a new generation of tetraploid ryegrass: 4turf®. It is much more resistant to challenging conditions such as drought, cold, disease and treading. Thomas van Tetering: 'In recent years, tetraploid ryegrass varieties have been increasingly used for sports fields, golf courses, (play) lawns and parks. In fact, due to its exceptionally deep root structure, 4turf® stores water naturally. Because we face increasing drought in spring and summer. But because we have to be economical with water, irrigation is not always possible or allowed. 4turf® then ensures that our gardens and public spaces still remain green. The high degree of disease tolerance also fits in with the pursuit of chemical-free and thus sustainable management of sports fields and golf courses.'

Seeds with more energy reserves

'The seeds are larger than known diploid seeds because they contain more energy reserves. These ensure faster establishment and healthier plant development. In addition, 4turf® already germinates at 4oC, this provides a higher germination rate in early spring and late fall compared to diploid grasses. As a result, 4turf® has the field closed early, giving weeds little opportunity to develop. The extra energy reserves allow for better and faster germination at low temperatures. In concrete terms, this means that the garden contractor can start earlier in the spring and continue longer in the autumn. 4turf® also scores high marks aesthetically. The tetraploid ryegrass has a deep green shiny color, significantly greener than traditional types of grass," Thomas concludes.

RecreaMaster - 25% 4turf®

RecreaMaster is a mixture specially developed for the Belgian and Dutch garden contractor. It is ideal for public gardens and parks but also for football fields, sports and playing lawns, not to mention campgrounds. With this mixture, a beautiful dense mat is created in a short time with little maintenance. In addition, this mixture contains varieties from the International Grass Guide, including 25% ryegrass tetraploid (4turf®). This means that the varieties in this mixture are extra robust and resistant to extreme weather conditions.