Helping Businesses Grow: Turfgrass Field Day Connects Research and Industry
Every two years, something special happens at UConn’s Plant Science Research and Education Facilities. A mile or so down the road from UConn’s main campus, hundreds of industry professionals join researchers and Extension educators for the biennial Turfgrass Field Day. At the unique event, faculty from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture and UConn Extension share their latest projects with members of the business community who can directly benefit from this work.
“We are thrilled to continue to host the turfgrass community at campus as we have for over a decade,” says Indrajeet Chaubey, dean of UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. “UConn is committed to supporting the turfgrass industry with the resources, skilled workforce, and innovative research they need to grow and succeed in the state. We’re also grateful for their collaboration so we ensure our work aligns with their needs – it is the land-grant mission in action.”
Attendees include golf course superintendents, lawn care and landscape professionals, R&D collaborators, sports field managers, municipal grounds managers, commercial industry distributors. The event has been held at UConn every other year since 2008. It returned to an in-person format in 2022 after going virtual in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year, 265 attendees joined the event.
The research conducted by UConn’s turfgrass faculty is designed to address real-world problems turfgrass professionals face daily, as well as find solutions to make turfgrass more sustainable by reducing the amount of water, fertilizer, and pesticides managers need to use.
“It’s a really exciting extension and outreach activity where we get to directly share our research with stakeholders. They leave the day with practical information that helps them in their jobs,” says John Inguagiato, associate professor of turfgrass science. Inguagiato works closely with members of the turfgrass industry throughout the year and helps prepare students for specialized jobs after graduation.
In addition to research talks, there are numerous self-guided research stations and many exhibitor booths featuring local turfgrass businesses at the event.
Beyond discussions of the latest innovations, Turfgrass Field Day provides a networking event that supports lasting connections between researchers and those working in all corners of the industry.
“For us it’s really a fun day. A show-and-tell with the turfgrass industry of all the research we’re working on at our facility. The day is designed to allow for interactions between turfgrass faculty and stakeholders, so they leave with information they can use, and we hear more about the challenges and issues important to them,” Inguagiato says.
Follow UConn CAHNR on social media
Latest UConn Today
- UConn Waterbury Poised for Expansion with New Building’s Imminent Opening'With the new facilities, we are strengthening our role as an educational and economic driver in the Naugatuck Valley'
- Humanities Fellow Studying Literature from Black Power Era and its Reception in FranceThe French, even though an ocean away, are fascinated by what happened in America in the mid-1960s to 1970s
- Tarakanova Honored with Eshelby Mechanics Award for Young FacultyThe award recognizes early-career researchers who’ve made impactful contributions to the field of mechanics and mechanics of materials
- Expanding Healthcare, Transforming LivesOn January 31st, students and faculty of UConn’s School of Pharmacy gathered as Governor Lamont, Dean Hritcko, and accomplished students and faculty celebrated transformative steps underway that will expand healthcare access in the state.
- ‘Equity Now’ Speaker to Address Immigration Law, Policies Under Trump AdministrationThe event will examine myths and truths about immigration policy, explore current events relating to immigration, including birthright citizenship, and identify the consequences of an aggressive immigration policy on individuals, businesses, and the American economy.
- Update on NIH Funding IssueProvost D’Alleva and Vice President for Research Pamir Alpay share recent developments
