With the career of one of its most accomplished turfgrass researchers complete, Pennington Seed today announced its groundbreaking Princess 77 seeded hybrid bermudagrass and the man who helped to develop it, Dr. Arden Baltensperger (photo), have received the Breeder’s Cup Award from the Turfgrass Breeders Association.  Presented this year at the American Society of Agronomy meeting in Salt Lake City, the coveted honor is awarded annually to the plant breeder and variety that best exemplify novel research in the profession of turfgrass development.

Dr. Baltensperger also received the Southwest Turfgrass Association’s first annual Arden Baltensperger Lifetime Achievement Award for his innovative research that led to the development of Princess 77 – the world’s first seeded hybrid bermudagrass, which was center stage at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston in 2004 and Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville in 2005.  Tens of millions of television viewers watched from around the world as professional football’s best decided the world championship on turf developed under the watchful, expert eye of Dr. Baltensperger and the staff at Pennington Seed/Seeds West in Arizona.  Princess 77 is also featured on world class sporting fields and championship caliber golf courses around the globe.

“Like his unparalleled turfgrass research and exciting new, unmatched variety releases like Princess 77, Dr. Arden Baltensperger and the cutting-edge hybrid bermudagrass have set the standard for generations of turfgrass researchers, development and innovations to come,” said Ronnie Stapp, executive vice president of Pennington Seed.  “We applaud his dedication to the industry, and wish Dr. Baltensperger the very best as he gets set to reap the rich rewards of the remarkable career he has sown.”

Now a turfgrass consultant with Pennington Seed/Seeds West, Dr. Baltensperger holds Plant Variety Protection (PVP) on more seeded bermudagrass than any other research scientist – with seven PVPs since 1988.  Dr. Baltensperger began his storied career as assistant professor at the University of Arizona from 1958 to 1963, when he was a professor at New Mexico State University until 1988 and served as head of the Department of Agronomy for twelve years.

The bermudagrasses Dr. Baltensperger developed have been used in 22 states across America and 65 countries worldwide.  He has received extensive recognition and numerous awards for his extraordinary work, including his appointments as honorary member of the Arizona and New Mexico Crop Improvement Associations.  Those tributes were made largely for his pioneering research related to the breeding of seeded bermudagrass. 

Pennington Seed, a Central Garden and Pet company (NASDAQ: CENT), is the leading marketer and producer of numerous mixtures and blends of cool and warm season turf grass for both the residential and professional markets.  These products are marketed under the Pennington, Tournament Quality, MasterTurf, Rebel and Palmer’s Pride brand names.  Pennington Seed is the largest packager of grass seed in the world.  Pennington Seed is also a leading manufacturer and distributor of lawn, garden, turf care, forage grasses, wildlife and bird seed products.  Pennington Seed was founded in 1945 by Brooks Pennington, Sr.