US: Patent RPR technology

A turf technology years in the making is now protected by a US Patent. The Lolium perenne ssp. stoloniferum, perennial ryegrass with determinate stolons, developed by Barenbrug USA is now protected by US Patent # 8,927,804. 

Lolium perenne ssp. stoloniferum is available as Barenbrug’s RPR® – Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass. RPR is durable, thrives under temperature extremes and, most exciting, regenerates turf horizontally with determinate stolons. This ability to expand laterally is what separates RPR from any other perennial ryegrass. The technology provides unmatched traffic tolerance and other highly desirable traits, including rapid initial establishment.

“We’re extremely excited about receiving a patent on this turfgrass technology,” said James Schneider, CEO and President of Barenbrug USA. “Based on feedback from distributors and sports turf professionals, this subspecies of perennial ryegrass has fundamentally changed the world’s turfgrass landscape. With the issuance of this utility patent, the truly unique characteristics have been validated and protected by the U.S. government.”

 

“It shows once again how advanced our research and development team really is,” Schneider added.

RPR’s patent includes 50 claims which cover various aspects including determinate stolon counts, crown perimeter and even determine stolon index.  A determinate stolon is an above ground horizontal stem which roots at the nodes and does not produce aerial shoots intermittently, but apical meristem will terminate with an inflorescence. This laterally expanding “runners” in RPR, create identical new plants as they expand. The Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass was developed by the plant breeders at the Barenbrug research site in Virginia as they were testing new grasses for traffic tolerance, drought tolerance and tolerance to cold and heat extremes. Researchers identified the RPR from millions of other plants as it was thriving under tough conditions and expanding in high stress areas, including ends of rows where tractors turn while towing traffic-simulator equipment.

Further breeding efforts were used to develop RPR varieties that under heavy mowing, establish rapidly and contain plants that within a year, included 25 percent more area than other perennial ryegrass plants in the same test plot.