WinField United Pro unveiled its Turf Tech Tool, a patented turfgrass database that uses data to match turf seed to need.

The database can help meet both individual and regional needs. Turf seed decisions are based on objective, vetted data, according to the company.

“It takes plant breeders years to get the right genes in the right seed varieties, and these genetic bundles can provide extraordinary benefits to turf managers,” said Bruce Jump, turf seed product manager for WinField United Professional Products. “Spring green-up, brown patch and dollar spot resistance, traffic tolerance and drought tolerance are just a few of the attributes that provide a high return on investment and reduce turfgrass inputs. The Turf Tech Tool provides turf managers access to these benefits by allowing them to select the best turf seed based on data and individual and regional needs.”

The Turf Tech Tool filters nearly 20 million data points and about 1,500 seed varieties from the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program. After users input and rank desired turfgrass seed attributes, the algorithm searches all species, all years, all attributes and all state trials to find top-performing turfgrass varieties for one attribute or combination of attributes. The patented indexing algorithm identifies a “Top Performing Group” for each attribute users select. It also averages all individual attribute scores to assign an overall Turf Performance Index (TPI) score for each variety.

For ease of use, users can sort TPI scores into tables based on factors like year-over-year performance, location and performance across multiple attributes. Landscape pros can evaluate the pros and cons of each seed variety to aid blending for genetic diversity, which helps turfgrass tolerate environmental stressors better. The Turf Tech Tool is regularly updated to reflect the most recent turf seed advancements.