New elite sport grass varieties set to change the game at Ipswich
The benefits of working directly with a seed breeder that create and develop new grass varieties is a key reason Ipswich Town FC has changed to Barenbrug’s grass solutions over recent years. Now, in preparation for the 2022-23 season kick-off, Grounds Manager Ben Connell is looking forward to reseeding the tricky-to-manage pitch at ‘The Blues’ 30,000-seater Portman Road Stadium with Barenbrug’s Elite Sport mixture, featuring the latest table-topping varieties.
“The pitch was constructed in the 1970s and lacks modern reinforcement, which makes it particularly difficult to maintain in prime condition,” Ben outlines. “We must be careful when aerating the turf and consider how much we consolidate it going into a match. The stadium surrounds the pitch on all sides, so light levels are lower during the winter and managing that as best as we can is a major challenge.
“The varieties of grass seed that we use play a big part in doing that successfully, and high wear tolerance are particularly important on what is the only soil-based pitch in the Football League. We started working with Barenbrug in 2015 to help us move forward and improve turf quality, initially using its varieties on our training ground, then the academy and first team pitches, before introducing them into the stadium pitch in 2021.
“The big attraction of dealing with Barenbrug is that they are a seed breeder, so we are able to collaborate directly with them, discuss any challenges and see the developments happening. The turf industry is changing quite quickly and the loss of chemicals that we once relied on makes it critical to have access to new grass varieties that are more resistant to disease, need fewer inputs and have greater drought tolerance. That is why we are so excited by the potential of the new varieties which Barenbrug have just launched and will use them when the Portman Road pitch is reseeded at the end of May.”
Formed by Joseph Barenbrug in 1904, Barenbrug was one of the first companies to introduce the result of the in-house breeding of a specified variety of grass, with the launch of Barenza in 1948. Based in The Netherlands, it is now a global business with 840 employees and 22 research and development locations, in more than 20 countries.
Barenbrug seed is used in sporting venues across the world, from golf courses to cricket squares and tennis courts to football stadiums. The company’s mixtures, which include unique Barenbrug-bred varieties, are designed around the four key traits for winter pitch success in colder weather: wear tolerance, excellent recovery between use, a darker, camera-friendly grass colour and stronger disease resistance.
Designed for elite winter sport stadiums and pitches, Barenbrug’s Elite Sport mixture for 2022 includes two brand new cultivars, Barzico and Barbasten. These are ranked Number 1 and 2 on the BSPB/STRI Turfgrass Seed list Table S1, from exhaustive trials for live ground cover, visual merit, and wear simulation for sports pitches, receiving intensive wear during winter and cut to a height of 25mm.
Barzico, which holds the coveted Number 1 position, combines top-rated visual merit and wear tolerance. Originating from Barenbrug’s Dutch breeding station, it is a very strong all-round perennial ryegrass. Visually, it is mid-fine, extremely dense and has a medium green colour.
Barbasten brings additional Drechslera leaf spot tolerance to the blend. A true winter sports perennial ryegrass, it is late-heading, coarser in the leaf and paler green in colour. Exceptionally active in winter and spring, it provides superior mid-season recovery before temperatures rise towards the end of the season.
These two premiere-league varieties are balanced with the well-established top-12 varieties Europitch and Barcristalla, whose darker genetic colour will be particularly appealing to stadium venues.
“Breeding and technology is the life-blood of Barenbrug’s business and a key strength of its brand, so our varieties are unique and only available in our own products, not in any other supplier’s catalogue,” states Luke Hunt. Barenbrug’s Amenity Product Manager, he has worked closely with Ben Connell for the last six years to find solutions which best suit Ipswich Town’s demanding requirements.
“Developing new sports grass varieties is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary process and developing a new cultivar from initial crosses to first sale can take 15 to 18 years,” Luke adds. “Our R&D team focuses on meeting the requirements of our customers across a range of factors, such as turf establishment, wear tolerance, disease resistance and visual merit. Only the absolute best cultivars make it through the R&D and trials process to commercial sale, which is why the launch of our new varieties represents such a milestone.”
“Grass is the bricks and mortar of the game for ground managers and there is a great deal at stake for them when selecting grass varieties for reseeding. They only have a one shot at getting the job right, so must have confidence that the product they select will deliver the required performance.
“Barenbrug’s new varieties are a game changer for the winter sports turf sector, which is always pushing for innovation, development and incremental gain. There has been little change to the top of the seed tables for the best part of the decade now. So, in an industry where grounds professionals are always pushing for better, it is great that we are now giving them that option.”
www.barenbrug.co.uk