K-State Turfgrass Science Achievements in 2025 and Planned Activities for 2026
By Ross Braun, Ph.D., Kansas State University
Below you’ll see highlights of multiple things that were accomplished in 2025 and things you can add to your calendar for 2026.
Graduate Students Completed in 2025
Mr. Emmanuel Nwachukwu graduated in Spring 2025 with a Master of Science in Horticulture. His research focused on tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass sod production. His dissertation title was “Assessment of cool-season turfgrass sod production characteristics of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.” Emmanuel is currently pursuing his Ph.D. with Dr. Matthew Elmore at Rutgers University.
Here is his dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/2097/44804
Here are three peer-reviewed journal articles related to his research that are free to read.
1. Nwachukwu, E. U., Fry, J. D., Domenghini, J. C., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Sod strength and rhizome characteristics of rhizomatous tall fescue. Crop Science, 65, e70214, 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70214
2. Nwachukwu, E. U., Fry, J. D., Domenghini, J. C., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Seeding ratios and Kentucky bluegrass effects on tall fescue sod strength. Agronomy Journal, 117, e70209, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70209
3. Nwachukwu, E. U., Fry, J. D., Domenghini, J. C., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Kentucky bluegrass characteristics: Germination and establishment speed, rhizomes, and sod production. Crop Science, 65, e70180, 1–22.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70180
Some other peer-reviewed journal articles published in 2025 from KSU research that you may desire to view:
1. Stanton, A., Keeley, S. J., Boyer, C. R., Domenghini, J. C., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Homeowner Lawn and Landscape Practices and Use of Cooperative Extension Resources. Natural Sciences Education, e70029.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nse2.70029
2. Stanton, A., Keeley, S. J., Boyer, C. R., Domenghini, J. C., Patton, A. J., Chavarria, M. R., Carr, T. Q., Hutchens, W. J., Frank, K. W., Xiang, M., Folck, A. J., Soldat, D. J., Koch, P. L., Thoms, A. W., Koski, A. J., Barnes, M. R., Trappe, J. M., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Horticulture Industry Awareness and Use of Lawn and Landscape Cooperative Extension Education Resources. Natural Sciences Education, e70028.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nse2.70028
3. Fry, J. D., & Braun, R. C. (2025). Using Ethephon for Suppressing Spring Seedheads in Interspecific Zoysiagrass Hybrid (‘DALZ 1701’). Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management, e70080.
https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.70080
4. Braun, R. C., Ojeokun, O. C., Patton, A. J., Fry, J. D., Chandra, A., & Martin, C. (2025). Zoysiagrass Sod Production: A Review. Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management, e70074. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cft2.70074
5. Ojeokun, O., Fry, J., Todd, T., Martin, C., Chandra, A., Xiang, M., Patton, A., Amgain, N., Sierra, A., Schiavon, M., Kenworthy, K., Kruse, J., Braun, R., & Kennelly, M. (2025). Thatch accumulation in zoysiagrass genotypes across the US Transition Zone and Southern regions. HortTechnology, 35, 502–512. https://www.doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05649-25
6. Carr, T., Hutchens, W. J., Patton, A. J., Braun, R. C., McFadden, D., & Richardson, M. D. (2025). Management strategies for preventing and recovering from zoysiagrass winterkill. Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management, 11, e70050. https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.70050
7. Milla-Lewis, S. R., Gouveia, B. R., Carbajal, E. M., Miller, G., Patton, A. J., Schwartz, B. M., Kenworthy, K. E., Braun, R. C., Van der Laat, R., Xingwang, Y., Zhang, J., Chandra, A., Wu, Y., Raymer, P., Puzianowska, M., Baird, J., Fontainer, C., & Unruh, J. B. (2025). Registration of ‘XZ 14069’ zoysiagrass. Journal of Plant Registrations, 19, e20430.
https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20430
8. McNally, B. C., Chhetri, M., Patton, A. J., Liu, W., Hoyle, J. A., Brosnan, J. T., Richardson, M. D., Bertucci, M. B., Braun, R. C., & Fry, J. D. (2025). Optimizing ethephon application timing for ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass seedhead suppression. Crop Science, 65, e21350.
https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21350
Extension/Outreach & Research Reports in 2025
1. Braun, R. & Nwachukwu, E. (2025). Quantifying the influence of the aggressiveness and ratio of Kentucky bluegrass on sod strength of tall fescue/Kentucky bluegrass seed mixtures – Final Report. TurfNews [Turf Producers International]. September/October 2025.
2. Braun, R. C., Mandal, P., Nwachukwu, E., & Stanton, A. (2025). Ecosystem services of golf course turfgrass systems: Researchers followed a systematic, multistep online search process to attain and analyze this research spanning the last 30 years. Golf Course Management, March, 93, 66–74.
Podcasts and Interviews in 2025
K-Stater Alumni Magazine (2025)
Grass – Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center
Lindemuth, T. (2025). Winter 2025, p. 58-61.
https://my.kstategateway.com/portal/s/k-stater
Every Corner of Kansas Ag – Podcast Interview (2025)
Available on Spotify or Apple Music
https://open.spotify.com/show/7yRJHtmP6oa6vqs4xyrB75
Landscape Management Magazine (2025)
Zawacki, M. (2025). Easing summer turf stress. Landscape Management, May 2025, 26-27.
(https://editions.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=846334&p=26&view=issueViewer&pp=1)
Upcoming 2026 News & Activities:
New Incoming Turfgrass Faculty!
Dr. AJ Lindsey will be starting this spring (April) 2026. His position will be assistant professor of turfgrass management and turfgrass extension specialist. His appointment will be 60% research and 40% extension focused on commercial turfgrass (golf course, sports, professional lawn care, sod production, etc.).
Turf and Ornamentals Field Day, August 6th, 2026 at John C. Pair Horticulture Center, Haysville, KS
Some highlights of things you’ll see on Field Day:
National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Cultivar Trials of tall fescue and bermudagrass in the Wichita area
New landscape mulch studies
Turf and Ornamental Diseases
Turf and Ornamental Insects
Other Turfgrass and Landscape Research Updates!
76th Turf and Landscape Conference, December 2nd and 3rd in 2026.
Thanks for making the 75th conference in 2025 a success! The conference will be held again at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Manhattan, KS. This spring, we will begin
planning and inviting guest speakers. We look forward to your survey feedback to help determine presentation topics and speakers. If there are specific areas of interest or out-of-state speakers you would like to hear, please let me know! We’re looking forward to seeing you there in December!