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Turf Editors
World Cup-Worthy Turfgrass
While the rest of the world watches the action on the field at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, turf professionals will have another focus: the field itself. Following extensive trials with varieties of paspalum, Bermuda, and zoysia turfgrasses, Platinum TE was selected as the exclusive turfgrass of this year’s World Cup. Introduced in 2007 and developed by renowned turf breeder Dr. Ron R. Duncan, Platinum TE is a premium quality seashore paspalum turfgrass. Today, it has become the turfgrass of choice at more than 300 locations in over 30 countries. Golf courses, sports fields, and landscape projects globally select Platinum TE for its performance and sustainability. Platinum TE is a dense turf with salt tolerance, fine leaf texture, dark green color, low light tolerance, disease resistance, and rapid recovery from injury. Recently, Platinum TE Paspalum issued production and distribution licenses to two international turf farms. Novogreen in Spain and Atlas Turf Arabia in Saudi Arabia are the first turf farms outside of the U.S. to now grow the patented turfgrass currently in use at the World Cup. Novogreen, headquartered in Seville, Spain, recently added Platinum TE to its Toledo farm with plans to expand to its other farm location in Tarragona. In the Mediterranean region, Novogreen found Platinum TE to be an optimally performing turfgrass for the climate and the conditions. Atlas Turf Arabia is the first and only turf farm in Saudi Arabia to offer licensed and certified turfgrass. The farm is a joint venture between Atlas ...
FIFA World Cup 2022 Premium Turfgrass
When the best of the best face off in the next FIFA World Cup, they will do so on the premium turfgrass known as Platinum TE™ Paspalum. After years of comprehensive testing, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy selected Platinum TE as the playing surface for all stadiums and training sites hosting the November 2022 event in Qatar. In a joint venture, Aspire Sports Turf and STRI conducted extensive research on which to base their selection. Varieties of seashore paspalum, bermudagrass, and zoysia turfgrasses were tested at multiple sites. Platinum TE Paspalum proved to be the most durable and shade tolerant of the turfgrasses tested, outperforming the other varieties in recovery as well. Establishment and grow-in from stolons were also quicker with the Platinum TE. Grassing has begun at multiple stadiums and training facilities. To ensure genetic purity and the highest quality, the Platinum TE Paspalum being utilized is licensed and certified plant material from global turfgrass supplier Atlas Turf International. Grassing will continue as the remaining facilities are completed over the next two years. “For over a decade, Platinum TE Paspalum has performed consistently well for projects in the Middle East,” said Atlas Turf President John Holmes. “It’s not surprising that it was singled out as the top performer and ultimately selected for Qatar 2022. In the testing, Platinum TE exhibited stronger tensile strength, greater ability to grow in low light conditions, and rapid recovery from injury.” Introduced in 2007 by noted plant scientist Dr. Ron R. Duncan ...
