** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TURFGRASSES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE U.S. ECONOMY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, ENHANCING AESTHETICS, AND SUPPORTING HUMAN WELL-BEING. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT INPUT REQUIREMENTS OF TURFGRASSES THE TURFGRASS INDUSTRY IS FACING SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES. TO MEET CONSUMERS' AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY (NCSU), THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (UF), AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (UGA) HAVE WORKED INDEPENDENTLY ON IMPROVING CENTIPEDEGRASS, A HIGHLY DESIRED LOW-INPUT WARM-SEASON TURFGRASS SPECIES WITH MINIMAL FERTILIZER AND MOWING REQUIREMENTS AND RELATIVELY HIGH RESISTANCE TO BOTH BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES. THIS PROPOSAL LEVERAGES THE COMBINED EXPERTISE OF THE THREE ABOVEMENTIONED LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES TO SELECT, RELEASE, AND DISSEMINATE NEW LOW-INPUT CENTIPEDEGRASS CULTIVARS WITH IMPROVED SEED YIELD, STRESS RESILIENCE, AND TURFGRASS QUALITY THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED AT A REGIONAL LEVEL. OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO SCREEN ADVANCED CENTIPEDEGRASS POPULATIONS FROM NCSU, UF, AND UGA ACROSS MULTIPLE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES LOCATIONS AND PURSUE CULTIVAR RELEASE AND LICENSING FOR THE TOP PERFORMING POPULATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL ASSESS THE YIELD STABILITY OF THE PARENTAL LINES FOR THESE POPULATIONS, ENSURING THEIR COMMERCIAL VIABILITY. WE WILL LEVERAGE PHENOTYPIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TO PROVIDE AN INDICATION OF THE FACTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OPTIMUM TURFGRASS QUALITY AND ADAPTATION IN CENTIPEDEGRASS. FURTHER, WE WILL CONDUCT ON-FARM TRIALS WITH PROMISING POPULATIONS FOR INCREASING BREEDING STOCK IN PREPARATION FOR COMMERCIAL RELEASE, AND ASSESS THEIR PERFORMANCE UNDER REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS AND PROMOTE FARMER-ASSISTED PARTICIPATORY BREEDING. OUR RESULTS WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH FIELD DAYS AND OTHER OUTREACH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL FACILITATE ADOPTION OF THESE CULTIVARS.