Some of the most popular tours at the semi-annual University of Kentucky Agronomy and Horticulture Field day are actually annual events.

"We hold a turf field day every year, but the field day arrangement usually generates a whole different set of clients," said A.J. Powell, Extension turf specialist in the UK College of Agriculture.

The turf tours are of particular interest to golf course superintendents, sod producers, commercial lawn care professionals, and athletic field managers.

"We also attract some lawn and garden store representatives who are interested in various lawn care products that we test every year," said Powell.

This year's latest turf talks and plot exhibits will be presented at the Agronomy and Horticulture Field Day scheduled on July 15 at the UK Spindletop research farm located just north of Lexington, Kentucky.

"What most of our visitors want to see are the grass variety selections," said Powell. "One new thing we are doing is testing different seeded Bermuda and Zoysia grasses and we have a number of those plots on display this year."

The UK Turf herbicide plots show the effects of herbicides that relate to difficult weed problems or that demonstrate the effectiveness of relatively new products that have appeared on the market.

Visitors to the turf plots will hear the latest from University of Kentucky researchers such as Paul Vincelli, Extension specialist in Plant Pathology, who will discuss the latest information on turf grass diseases and Dan Potter, UK professor of Entomology, who will have some of the latest information on white grub and ant control.

"This is also considerable interest in our ornamental grass garden and everyone enjoys the wagon rides around all the plots," added Powell.

The turf tours and talks are part of dozens of agronomy and horticulture topics that will be covered at the UK plant science field day. Local County Cooperative Extension Service agents can provide interested parties with all the details.