James Murphy

New Jersey's turfgrass industry is estimated to generate $3.2 billion to the economy and provide more than 53,000 jobs in 2001. Turfgrasses covers 18% of the land in New Jersey, or 880,542 acres. The primary industry sectors include service providers, sod producers, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, schools, large commercial, institutions, highways, houses of worship, airports, and homeowners. The homeowner sector accounts for 76% of the total acreage in New Jersey. Such a large and diverse industry creates a great demand for information and education to addresses current and potential future challenges facing the turfgrass industry. Moreover, clientele varies in their level of expertise, ranging from those with considerable training (master's degree) and experience to novice managers. Dr. Murphy leads outreach programs and produces Extension materials to meet the needs of this diverse clientele with timely, research-based education. His research program complements his Extension activities regarding best management practices for turfgrass systems with foci on plant and soil interactions, adoption of improved turfgrass cultivars, and disease forecasting to improve sustainability.

Extension Specialist
Department of Plant Biology
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey