b'INSIDERSTURF AND FORAGEThe Road to Turf Sustainability KLAUS K. NIELSENChief Scientific Officer DLFWell-managed sports pitches are one ofSome of the most creative minds ining in a beautiful turf and less needs for the essentials to form the backdrop, whenplant breeding have successfully been ablefertilizer applicationsprofessional football or rugby teams areto enhance the characteristics of turf per- Consequently, the 4turf varieties struggling to pull the longest straw inennial ryegrass by doubling the chromo- are increasingly preferred and used by prestigious tournaments.somes from 2 to 4 sets. The tetraploid turfsod producers and pitch managers in the That is why a deep and thoroughperennial ryegrasses have proven to begrass industry. Both for performance and understanding of pitch management isvaluable ingredients in the perfect pitch.sustainability reasons. vital for professional groundsmen. TheyThese grasses, known by the seed strive to create the perfect pitch for foot- industry as 4turf, perform excellent withAN EXAMPLE FROM REAL LIFEball players and sports fans to enjoy. Theyreduced inputs:This summer FC Copenhagen estab-know that grass is a living organism that Fast establishment, which outper- lished a new hybrid training pitch. It was needs to be nursed to be ready for tacklesforms annual bluegrass and other problemseeded July 1 and already after 4 days, and wear through the next match.weeds resulting in less need for herbicides the pitch had a green shade of millions Being a living organism among mil-Strong root architecture, whichof grass seedlings. 13 days post-sowing, lions in a grass pitch is not an easy life.enhances stress and drought tolerancethe grass had grown 6-7 cm - ready to be The dense sward offers a huge competi- and allows turf managers to limit pitchmown, and 4 weeks after establishment, tion for light, food and air and creates airrigation, - a key point in reducing theit was strong enough to be injected with microclimate ideal for plant diseases. risks of disease attacks and the best waysynthetic fibers 18 cm into the grass mat, Plant breeders in turf grass have forto reduce annual bluegrass to enforce it. Chief Grounds Manager at many years focused on helping custom-Exceptional disease resistance andF.C. Copenhagen, Daniel Madsen, chose a ers to increase their outputs and playingwinter hardiness ensuring reduced main- sports mixture composed of turf peren-hours, reduce their inputs, and simplifytenance and chemical applicationsnial ryegrasses including diploid and 4turf the management of their green spaces in Attractive deep green color and anvarieties to optimize the odds for the best a sustainable way.enhanced nitrogen use efficiency result- result. And he still has a smile on his face. CORN, SORGHUM AND OILSEEDSVirtual Field Days: A New Customer ExperienceBLAZEJ SPRINGERProduct Manager & Rapeseed Development ManagerEuralisOver the past weeks and months, our com- heads for 1 or 2 hours, so we tried to makedirect social contact, where we as a com-pany Euralis Seeds organized several vir- sure we had an attractive formula, not onlypany get a lot of useful information about tual field days, mainly in oilseed rape. Wesharing commercial information about ourlocal conditions, weather, pathogens, and had sown the crop in August 2019, think- varieties, but also a future outlook, includ- so on. In addition, farmers like to feel the ing we could show our progress in theing markets trends etc.plants, see the soil for themselves, and this usual face to face field days. However, theThere are several benefits to organ- is not possible in a virtual event. I think corona pandemic threw a spanner in theizing our field days in a virtual way.that virtual events are more for exchang-wheel. So, we worked on what alternativeOne of these is that all the video mate- ing information, and real events have a ways we could find where we could sharerial is still available weeks and monthsmuch deeper emotional level to it.our varieties, and market trends with ourafter the actual event. We created attrac- All our customers were satisfied, customers.tive content and we will be able to useand we even got compliments from our We were able to transform basicallythat for some time to come. Some exam- competitors saying that we did a great all of the planned field days into virtualples of such content can be found here:job. I am firmly convinced that we will days, and it went very well. We had onhttps://dnipola.euralis.pl/. Also, peoplebe seeing more of such virtual events in average 50 to 80 participants in our virtualcan participate to the virtual field daysthe future. We are now getting ready for meetings, consisting of farmers, distribu- from wherever they are, from their office,our field days of corn, in the fall of 2020, tors, and even competitors!from a business trip abroad, or even fromwith a virtual component. We are already By organizing a virtual field day, ittheir holiday location. building on the experience from our ear-was our philosophy that our audience didThere are several aspects of the facelier virtual field days and make them even not want to watch the so-called talkingto face field days that I miss, especially themore attractive for our customers.30IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'