grassoort

Grassoort is a Dutch term used to denote a grass species or cultivar. It refers to any member of the grass family Poaceae that is cultivated or managed for a specific purpose, rather than a single taxon. Grassoorten include many genera such as Poa, Festuca, Lolium, Cynodon, and Agrostis, and cover a wide range of growth forms and climates.

Description: Grasses are monocotyledonous plants characterized by slender leaves with parallel venation, hollow stems (culms), and inflorescences composed of spikelets. They reproduce by seeds and, in many turf and forage varieties, by vegetative spread through tillers, rhizomes, or stolons.

Uses and types: Grassoorten are used for lawns, sports turf, pastures and hay, erosion control, and ornamental plantings. They are categorized by growth habit (bunch-type, rhizomatous, or stoloniferous) and by climate adaptation (cool-season versus warm-season). Common lawn grasses include cool-season varieties such as Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) and Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass), and warm-season grasses such as Cynodon dactylon (Bermudagrass).

Culture and management: Successful cultivation depends on matching species to climate and soil. Management practices include mowing, irrigation, fertilization, aeration, and pest and disease control. Drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, and wear resistance are key breeding targets.

Breeding and classification: Breeders develop new varieties with improved persistence, texture, color, and stress tolerance. Grassoorten are evaluated according to traits such as growth form, drought tolerance, winter hardiness, disease resistance, and suitability for particular uses.