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DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

March 13, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market: In the world of turf grass breeding, one name stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence – Deutsche Saatveredelung AG, otherwise known as DSV. With a rich history spanning over six decades, DSV has been at the forefront of cultivating and refining turf grass varieties that […]

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

March 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems: The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has published its annual disease ranking, revealing the top ten problems for gardeners in 2023. Damp conditions in spring and summer were the driving influence in the prevalence of certain diseases, with the following four new entrants to the top ten list: […]

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

March 13, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

March 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

March 13, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market: In the world of turf grass breeding, one name stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence – Deutsche Saatveredelung AG, otherwise known as DSV.

With a rich history spanning over six decades, DSV has been at the forefront of cultivating and refining turf grass varieties that have featured in Europe’s most prestigious stadiums. Now, with a renewed focus on conquering the UK market, DSV introduces Eurograss, a testament to their commitment to superior quality and unmatched performance.

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

The journey of Eurograss traces back to the humble beginnings of turf grass breeding at DSV. Established in 1965 with the merger of Nordwestdeutsche Futtersaatbaugesellschaft in Bremen (NFG), DSV laid the foundation for a legacy of excellence in turf grass cultivation. Over the years, meticulous breeding programmes at DSV’s state-of-the-art stations in Asendorf, Germany, and Les Rosiers, France, have produced a diverse range of turf grass varieties tailored to meet the varying needs of different regions and usage patterns.

Tailored Excellence: DSV’s Turf Grass Breeding Philosophy

At the heart of DSV’s success lies a relentless pursuit of perfection in turf grass breeding. The breeding objectives are finely tuned to cater to specific usage directions, whether it be for home lawns, ornamental purposes, sports arenas, or landscape applications. This bespoke approach ensures that each turf species meets the exact standards of durability, density, and resilience required for its intended purpose.

A hallmark of DSV’s turf grass breeding programme is its unwavering commitment to innovation and adaptability. In response to evolving environmental dynamics, such as climate change, DSV has proactively integrated traits like drought tolerance and disease resistance into its breeding objectives. This forward-thinking approach has led to the development of groundbreaking varieties like Europitch, Eurobeat, Eurocarina, Tasida and Regenerate which excel under the toughest conditions, ensuring lush greenery even in the face of adversity.

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

Testing the Limits: Striking the Right Cord

Central to DSV’s success is its rigorous testing regime, overseen by leading experts like Cord Schumann, the head DSV turf breeder in Asendorf. Each candidate undergoes comprehensive evaluations over several years to assess its suitability for different applications. From deep cutting assessments to cleat roller simulations mimicking the wear and tear of sports activities, every aspect of turf performance is scrutinised with meticulous precision. Cord’s unique sensory test, where he walks barefoot over the turf plots, epitomises DSV’s hands-on approach to quality assurance, ensuring that only the finest varieties make it to market.

Setting the Standard: Eurograss in the Global Arena

The culmination of over a decade of breeding and testing is evident in Eurograss. With over 90 DSV turf varieties approved worldwide, Eurograss has firmly established itself as the gold standard in turf grass quality. Notably, Eurograss varieties feature prominently in prestigious recommendation lists like the British Society of Plant Breeders Limited (BSPB) list, reaffirming their status as industry leaders in turf innovation.

As Eurograss sets its sights on the UK market, it brings with it a legacy of excellence and a promise of unparalleled quality. With a comprehensive range of cultivars tailored to suit every need and environment, Eurograss is poised to revolutionise the UK turf industry, one blade at a time.

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RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

March 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems: The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has published its annual disease ranking, revealing the top ten problems for gardeners in 2023.

Damp conditions in spring and summer were the driving influence in the prevalence of certain diseases, with the following four new entrants to the top ten list: blossom wilt of fruit trees, pocket plum, tulip fire and slime flux. Fruit trees continued to be under threat from disease, with apples, pears, and Prunus among the top five hosts and collectively resulting in over 1,000 enquiries to the RHS advisory service, a 50% increase on the previous year.

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

The top diseases for 2023 are:

1. Honey fungus
2. Apple and pear scab
3. Rose black spot
4. Pear rust
5. = Blossom wilt of fruit trees
= Bacterial leaf spot and canker of Prunus
7. Phytophthora root rots
8. Pocket plum – Taphrina pruni
9. Tulip fire
10. Slime flux

Wet weather last spring provided perfect conditions for tulip fire – which produces brown spots and twisted, withered leaves – to take hold, seeing the disease make a return to the top 10 for the first time in several years. The damp spring conditions are also likely to blame for high cases of pocket plum, which causes elongated, hollow fruits with no stone on plums and damsons, as well as some ornamental Prunus, rendering the fruit inedible.

Slime flux, which affects a wide range of trees and shrubs, was another new entrant to the list. It is thought that the bacteria colonises trees via their roots, so the increase in cases may be a result of the wet winter in 2022/ 2023 and associated waterlogged soils. In addition, there was a rise in reports of rose black spot and pear rust, which can both likely be attributed to the warm and wet weather conditions during the summer.

Honey fungus topped the list for the 28th year running, having held the top spot since the list was first published in 1995. The fungus has a large host range of more than 140 garden plants, with the most common hosts in 2023 being privet, rose and viburnum, and results in dramatic symptoms, including death, cracked and bleeding bark and failure to flower.

To minimise plant disease this year gardeners are advised to apply mulch to improve drainage, while ground that has been laid sodden should be lightly pricked with a fork and spread with an organic mulch such as well-rotted manure, so plants grow with improved health and disease is less likely. Now is also a good time to prune out any diseased and damaged material before it can spread spores when the temperature is warmer.

Liz Beal, RHS Plant Pathologist, said: “Unusually wet weather in 2023 had a significant effect on plant health across the UK, with the prevalence of tulip fire and pocket plum demonstrating the impact of prolonged damp conditions. Following the extreme drought of the previous year, many gardeners are left wondering how to prepare for unpredictable weather patterns. Understanding the conditions of your garden is key in deciding which plants will thrive where; the right plant in the right place will always have a better chance of fighting off infection. Additionally, gardeners can help combat many of the most common diseases in our ranking by practising good hygiene, keeping tools clean and removing – and safely disposing of – diseased plant material from their gardens.”

The RHS Plant Health team uses the disease ranking to inform their research and advice. Current research at RHS Wisley’s Hilltop: Home of Gardening Science includes investigating the effective management of Phytophthora in gardens, examination of different methods for managing rose black spot and characterising the dispersal mechanisms and variation of honey fungus populations.

RHS members get free access to the charity’s Gardening Advice Service, available by phone or email. Find out more about becoming a member at: www.rhs.org.uk/join

RHS advice pages are available for everyone, for further information, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/advice

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market

DSV Eurograss: Revolutionising the UK Turf Market: In the world of turf grass breeding, one name stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence – Deutsche Saatveredelung AG, otherwise known as DSV.

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems

RHS disease ranking highlights top 10 gardening problems: The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has published its annual disease ranking, revealing the top ten problems for gardeners in 2023.

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