15th International Turfgrass Research Conference: Japan

Humans share deep cultural and ecological connections with turf and turfgrasses-managed grasses maintained at low height for human use.The savannah hypothesis suggests our ancestors' upright posture evolved partly from their interactions with grassy landscapes, enabling them to detect predators, prey, and resources.Although the exact role of savannahs in human evolution is debated, carbon isotope analysis indicates tree cover was <40% at most hominin sites dating back 6 million years. 1 Today, the universal cultural attraction to grassy landscapes is exemplified by Charles O'Rear's iconic photograph "Bliss," famously recognized as the default wallpaper for Microsoft Windows XP.This once ubiquitous image of uniform green vegetation under a tranquil sky exemplifies the human affinity for grass-covered environments to ease the pain of staring at a computer monitor all day.Given these inherent preferences, it is unsurprising that turf and turfgrasses cover a substantial portion of humaninhabited landscapes today.Properly managed turf provides aesthetic beauty, recreational spaces, athletic fields, and ecosystem services, including urban cooling, erosion prevention, and improved air quality, thereby enhancing our quality of life.Conversely, poorly managed turf, including excessive nutrient or pesticide use, inefficient irrigation, and other examples of poor management, can lead to pollution, wasted resources, and human health risks.The International Turfgrass Society (ITS) is a not-for-profit scientific organization formed in 1969 to foster research, education, and communication among international turfgrass scientists.ITS's primary activity is hosting the International Turfgrass Research Conference (ITRC) every 4 years and publishing peer-reviewed research in the International Turfgrass Society Research Journal (ITSRJ).Initially published in print, ITSRJ transitioned to an exclusively digital format beginning with Volume 13 in 2017.Volume 15 of the ITSRJ contains 81 full papers and 48 short communications rigorously peer-reviewed according to ITS standards, under the guidance of our skilled technical and