An economic study of the need for turfgrass research.

Abstract

During the past decade the increased demand for improved turfgrass surfaces for sport, recreation, environmental and aesthetic reasons has resulted in an unprecedented expansion in all aspects of the turfgrass industry except research. The amount of money spent on research should be in direct proportion to the value of the industry and in order to establish this proportion the grassland industry has been used for comparative purposes. While grassland production can be evaluated by the measurement and value of the yield the unharvested turfgrass crop can only be valued by the amount of money the nation is prepared to spend on the industry. On financial considerations alone the facts justify the priority that must now be given to turfgrass research.

Keywords: botany; grass; grassland; production; research; south africa; turfgrass; yield