Development of Roundup Ready Bentgrass for the Control of Poa annua

Annual bluegrass(Poa annua L.) is a problem weed that is very difficult to control on golf courses. There are some reasons that make Poa annua such a difficult weed to be controled. One of these reasons is this plant's ability to reproduce its seed even under stressful conditions. Another reason is its adaptation to low mowing heights. Above all things, the greatest competitive advantage of Poa annua is its genetic diversity. Generally, Poa annua is a bunch type and annual type cool-season grass, but some types act as weak perennials and have stolons. There has been much research on controlling annual bluegrass in golf course turf with chemical and cultural techniques. This research has been conducted for more than 85 years. There has been some progress in controlling some types of Poa annua, but these methods have not been successful on every biotype. Among all of the techniques, Roundup ready creeping bentgrass has the most promise of controlling the diverse types of Poa annua. Roundup ready bentgrass is capable of tolerating the effects of Roundup(glyphosate) while it kills other plants including Poa annua. By using this new technology, we can make Poa annua free greens, tees, and fairways.