GRASS EXPERTS SINCE 1904 ONE TOUGH ENVIRONMENT MAKE EXCELLENCE HAPPEN www.barenbrug.co.uk BAROLYMPIC FACTSHEET PERENNIAL RYEGRASS Barolympic at 5mm in the BSPB trials at 5mm. Note the outstanding density maintained after two years of trialling. 8.0 Barolympic is a new perennial ryegrass cultivar bred by us for use in fine turf areas and is ideal for cricket. SQUARES OUTFIELDS 7.4 Performance Grasses growing in cricket squares are subject to the most brutal Cricket outfields represent a different set of circumstances, and may It is ranked #1 out of all ryegrasses assessed growing conditions. From cold, heavy soils at the start of the playing require different grasses, depending on what is trying to be achieved in BSPB Turfgrass Seed 2017 as an average 6.8 season and the requirement for very close mowing, often without by an overseeding programme. of Tables S1, L1 and G4. sufficient incremental height reductions, to heavy rolling and little If the outfield in question doubles up as a winter sports facility, chance of optimum establishment in deteriorating weather conditions Fineness of leaf perennial ryegrass is again the correct species. Depending on the 6.2 following end of season renovation; such conditions take their toll. height of cut during the cricket season, and which sport is seen as Barolympic has exceptional fineness of leaf However, help is at hand. Our breeding and applied research a priority, it may be prudent to choose a blend designed for winter for perennial ryegrass. With a score of 8.3 programme is producing innovative new cultivars that provide sports, with extremely high wear tolerance but perhaps less tolerance in Table L1 and 8.0 in Table G4, Turfgrass 5.6 real benefits when it comes to improved playing performance, to mowing below 15mm or so. Seed 2017, it is the second-highest ranked maintenance and renovation for cricket squares. cultivar for this trait. Fineness of leaf is a If cricket is the only sport played and the outfield is not subject to desirable characteristic in a fine turf ryegrass 5.0 Improvements in perennial ryegrass breeding over the last couple of intensive wear, incorporating a mixture with red fescue may be improving aesthetic value particularly when decades have seen this species become the default choice for wicket beneficial to improve drought tolerance and pace across the surface. blending with fine fescue species. maintenance in the UK – and for good reason. Fast establishment, Cyrena Gianna Dickens Bargold Monroe Chardin Poseidon Mercitwo Antonella Greenfair Escapade Greenway Barsignum Barolympic Columbine For many though, the combination of good wear tolerance, high Clementine growth and recovery with little thatch production are all key elements This leaf fineness enables Barolympic to shoot density and tolerance to close mowing will see BAR EXTREME withstand very close mowing, comfortably in producing a consistent and lively surface. Mean scores of perennial ryegrasses from Tables S1, L1 and G4 of Turfgrass Seed 2017. being used across all areas. It is, after all, a product that is trusted by down to 5mm. The photo above is of a two- But with well over 100 amenity cultivars in the BSPB Turfgrass Seed top sports facilities in the world of golf and tennis also. year old plot from the BSPB trials at 5mm, Cultivar Mean Colour Wear tolerance list alone, making an informed choice is a difficult process. This year sees the inclusion of our best variety yet – Barolympic – which contributes data to Table G4 of the For a fine-turf cultivar of ryegrass, Barolympic Barolympic 4.49 Trusting in a company with an international breeding and research featured in detail on the opposite page booklet in the future. Barolympic is the top shows excellent tolerance to wear. When programme to make that choice for you is therefore a good start performing variety in this trial. Its score of Barrocky 4.82 assessed under the BSPB protocol for winter point. At Barenbrug, we rigorously test our varieties, and know in 8.3 as a new cultivar is far superior to any Chardin 4.96 sports at 25mm (Table S1), it has a mean competitor on the main table. detail which cultivars and in which combination offer the best chance Taya 5.04 score of 7.3, comparing favourably to other of performing well in this extreme environment. fine-leafed varieties Barsignum (6.7) and Colour Venice 5.06 Bargold (6.5). Here are some of the key characteristics we identify when formulating Perennial ryegrass cultivars exhibit a broad Nagano 5.14 our BAR EXTREME blend for cricket squares: It is ranked #21 out of 100 varieties for winter spectrum of genetic colour, which are Mascot 5.15 sport wear, despite being bred predominantly Fast establishment in cool soil temperature conditions to help with commonly divided into two general groups; - Poseidon 5.16 for summer sports.. renovation, both post- and pre-season dark-green types and bright-green types. - High shoot density to prevent weed ingress Barolympic falls into the bright-green category, and is actually the brightest (or - High root density to minimise breaking and cracking palest) of all cultivars in Turfgrass Seed (see Kokomo 8.23 - Tolerance of close mowing to cope with significant height reduction Table 1). This is extremely beneficial for a Stravinsky 8.23 fine-turf ryegrass in the UK, offering better Neruda 1 8.38 - Cleanness of cut and no crowning, which is essential for safe and aesthetics with Poa annua. consistent play Table 1: Mean colour scores from BSPB - Fast recovery after stress to save time and energy during the season Turfgrass Seed, 2016 (all data tables). Data for the eight palest varieties and three darkest varieties only is shown. Cricket Groundcare | BAR EXTREME It’s not just the cricket that’s first-class at Growing success Getting to the grass roots Martyn Snell started out as a greenkeeper Roots two inches deeper than before excellent drought tolerance. With that and Kent County Cricket Club – the turf at the at his local course, Elsham Golf Club—in the different aeration maintenance, it should With more than 500 matches played on The new grass seed certainly seems to have On dealing with root breaks at Enfield, 175-year-old county ground has given top- the summer of 2001—whilst also studying make a massive improvement if we do get a the prestigious St Lawrence Ground in got to the root of the problems. “Our tests Martyn continues: “The different soil and class innings too. at Myerscough College. After going full dry summer. Come back to me later in the Canterbury since it was founded, and at have shown that the roots now reach down loam layers underneath—over time—had time, he next moved to Scunthorpe Cricket year and ask me then!” In fact, Head Groundsman Simon least 16 championship games a year – not at least 10 inches below the soil surface,” begun to crumble away, causing a problem and Rugby Club as Grounds Manager. Williamson couldn’t be happier with sowings to mention the roots of a famous Lime Tree says Simon. “And this means the wicket on the square. The roots weren’t deep Tips for other groundsman? From there he transitioned into the of a new perennial ryegrass, which has on the playing field to contend with – the holds together very nicely and thanks to enough to knit the soil together because commercial Maintenance sector, finding On tips for others, Martyn says: “We brush helped rocket the club from second bottom club has always required a resilient grass. the root density, the turf retains its moisture they were growing horizontally. When this himself in charge of 300 acres of sports every morning. That’s the first job of the day. in the playing field quality league table to top without too much additional support.” happens it can really affect ball bounce Six years ago, when Simon became Head clubs and grounds throughout Lincolnshire On both the tennis and cricket square. Next five in just six years. because it creates a shock absorbing layer. Groundsman at the club – and after multiple Also rolled out at the County Ground in and Nottinghamshire. Last March, Martyn we cut in various different directions, aerate It’s very common, but because not everyone Judged by umpires and match managers problems with clumping in the square and Beckenham, a centre of excellence for player moved to Enfield Cricket Club—a dream job and sarrel roll. The sarrel roller goes behind does soil analysis and core samples—they from the English and Welsh Cricket Board patches of bare soil – Simon realised it was development, where the club plays their for the chairman of his home town Marshalls the tractor and opens up the surface with don’t fully know what’s going on underneath. against 16 other county cricket clubs across time to take action. home games, Simon says: Cricket Club. We caught up with him on his spikes, letting more oxygen into the roots. the country – and coming 3rd in the table one-year anniversary at the club. We take core samples out of the different We recently purchased a verti-drain giving “There were gaps where the grass seed “Even the coaches have commented on the in 2015 – it’s an accolade Simon is rightly surfaces and analyse them; then send them us a bit more depth into the cricket square hadn’t taken and in the winter months no vast improvement to the playing field. Cricket Martyn says: “When I joined Enfield, the proud of. off for further analysis. This also tells us and also the outfield.