In the midst of a sweltering heat wave, the state of Utah approved a type of grass that will impact future water conservation — and a couple of BYU professors (and their students) have been a key part in making it happen.
BYU professor Bryan Hopkins and colleagues have been testing the viability of hybrid bermudagrass in Utah’s arid mountain climate for nearly two decades. All those years of research have shown the grass needs a fraction of the water of grasses more traditionally grown in Utah, such as Kentucky bluegrass. But until now, the grass was not approved in Utah.
“I may seem nerdy in saying this, but the delisting of hybrid bermudagrass as a noxious weed in Utah nearly brings tears to my eyes,” said Hopkins, a professor of plant and wildlife sciences. “This will have such an important impact on future water conservation.”
Up until now, hybrid bermudagrass hasn’t been approved largely because of its cousin, common bermudagrass. Common bermudagrass is considered an invasive weed in the state; it’s aggressive and it’s noxious and it’s only allowed in Washington County. But hybrid bermudagrass doesn’t act the same as its common cousin; the seed it produces is not viable, so it does not spread as easily. Most importantly, hybrid bermudagrass requires much less water to maintain and generally does not die in the winter in cooler habitats.
Read the full article by BYU’s Todd Hollingshead.
