Retrospective and prospective of turfgrass breeding in China

A series of turfgrass breeding work have been done since 1950's. About 10 varieties were registered by the Chinese herbage cultivar registration board, and more than 100 turfgrass varieties were applied by directly introduced from foreign countries, including Poa pratenis, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Lolium prenne, Zoysia matrella, Cynodon dactylon, Dichondra repens and so on. The problem at present is that the number of registered varieties is too few, and the level of breeding is very low. According to the present condition, we should try to exploit the native genetic resources, mainly use the ordinary breeding technology combining with the biotechnology so as to quickly breed turfgrass cultivars, construct good seeding production system, and develop the turfgrass in ecological construction and environmental virescence.