SummaryBahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge) is a prime candidate for molecular improvement of turf quality. Its persistence and low input characteristics made it the dominant utility turfgrass along highways in the south-eastern USA. However, the comparatively poor turf quality due to reduced turf density and prolific production of unsightly inflorescences currently limits the widespread use of bahiagrass as residential turf. Alteration of endogenous gibberellin (GA) levels by application of growth regulators or transgenic strategies has modified plant architecture in several crops. GA catabolizing AtGA2ox1 was subcloned under the control of the constitutive maize ubiquitin promoter and Nos 3'UTR.A minimal AtGA2ox1 expression cassette lacking vector backbone sequences was stably Transgenic plants also showed decreased stem length and delayed flowering under controlled environment and field conditions. Consequently, turf quality following weekly mowing was improved in transgenic bahiagrass. Transgene expression and phenotype were transmitted to seed progeny. Argentine bahiagrass produces seeds asexually by apomixis, which reduces the risk of unintended transgene dispersal by pollen and results in uniform progeny.

Bahiagrass is a commercially important warm‐season forage and turf grass in the southeastern United States and other subtropical regions. Its popularity among ranchers and homeowners is attributed to persistence under drought, infertility, pest and disease pressures, mowing, and grazing. Bahiagrass has apomictic tetraploid and sexual diploid genotypes, both of which have commercially important cultivars. Development of improved cultivars by traditional breeding is limited by the genetic variability within diploid genotypes and the lack of genetic recombination in apomictic bahiagrass. Genetic engineering of bahiagrass is likely to contribute to the development of improved cultivars. Alternative genetic transformation protocols will be described. Apomictic bahiagrass is a preferred target for genetic transformation due to enhanced uniformity of seed‐derived progeny and transgene containment. Genetic transformation of apomictic cultivar “Argentine” has recently been successfully used to confer herbicide resistance, insect resistance, stress tolerance, and improved turf quality. Genetic transformation of bahiagrass is discussed with regard to crop improvement, risk assessment, and risk management.