ABSTRACT
Species in the genera Agrostis and Poa are often used as turfgrasses throughout the world as they are capable of spreading by rhizomes and stolons creating an interconnected sward that is capable of repairing damage caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. The genetics of the species in these genera are complex with frequent polyploidy and apomixis operating in
Poa. In addition, these genera are not primary human food sources and in most cases are used as ornamentals or on recreational fi elds. Therefore, funding for research to improve these species through breeding is limited. However, turfgrasses play a signifi cant role in the lives of many people and the importance of developing new species and cultivars that require fewer inputs while maintaining high quality is being recognized by research funding agencies. The combination of higher funding levels and lower cost technologies such as high-throughput sequencing will hopefully lead to signifi cant improvements in these genera in the near future.
