Barenbrug UK has ranked number #1 in the BSPB Turfgrass Seed 2015 Booklet for lawn use, with its new perennial ryegrass cultivar, Barolympic.

Unveiled at BTME, Barolympic is the result of Barenbrug’s dedicated summer sports ryegrass breeding programme, which has been extensively trialled at nine sites across the UK and Ireland.

The company says Barolympic sets new standards for fineness of leaf in perennial grass with a score of 8.5, the highest ranked cultivar for this trait by the BSPB (British Society of Plant Breeders).

It is also the palest (brightness) of all ryegrasses available to the UK market. The company say this is extremely beneficial for a fine-turf ryegrass, offering exceptional aesthetics to golf courses and landscapers, as it will often be blended with red fescue or annual meadowgrass in these environments.

Paul Warner, Barenbrug UK Marketing Manager said, “Our research showed that greenkeepers and turf producers wanted unparalleled leaf fineness that can withstand very close mowing. Barolympic can be mown comfortably down to 5mm, and the multi-environment trials confirms it performs just as well in all types of environment, including areas of high salinity.

"The new cultivar also shows excellent wear tolerance. In fact, it ranks #20 out of 101 varieties for winter sport wear, despite being bred for summer sports.”