The 3-year project is expected to provide invaluable data for the country's greenkeepers.

It will compare standard and relaxed input maintenance regimes on grass species for golf greens.

STRI manager for Ireland Dr Ian McClements and Druids Glen course superintendent John O'Sullivan will work closely with Barenbrug research and development manager Jayne Leyland and area manager for Ireland Neil Pettican to monitor the performance of the 7 species and mixtures under the 2 maintenance regimes.

Leyland said: "This trial really is something special. Mirroring the STRI Barenbrug Golf Green Differential Input Trial in Bingley — a pioneering trial that has been producing invaluable data for the UK golf market since its inception in 2006 — the results from Druids Glen will benefit Ireland in just the same way. By assessing disease incidence, turf quality in terms of both visual and playing quality, together with botanical composition under the ‘relaxed' and standard regimes, we are confident that this will help the industry in making the difficult and sometimes complicated decisions in selecting the right mixture for their playing performance demands and maintenance inputs.  Barenbrug is proud to be the first breeder to invest in finding solutions specifically for Ireland as part of our commitment to safeguarding the future of the country's golf market."

The grasses will be assessed on their Playing Quality (PQ) as part of the STRI Programme, an innovative new agronomic service designed to analyse the key playing performance qualities of green speed, surface smoothness and firmness of golf greens.

First results are expected later this summer and a series of open days will be held throughout 2010.

The seeds were sown on 20 September and the trial will be concluded in 2010.

A total of 7 mixtures are on trial including BAR All Bent, BAR 2, BAR Duo and a range of cultivars in the early stages of the fescue and bents breeding programme.

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