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Pure Seed’s 40th Field Day

June 18th, 2026 – North Carolina

We’re excited to announce that Pure Seed’s 40th Annual Field Day will take place in 2026 at our Pure-Seed Testing East Research Farm in North Carolina.

This milestone event will bring together professionals from the turfgrass, forage, and seed industries for a day of research highlights, field tours, and meaningful connections.

Pureseed, Pureseed Testing INC, and Tee2Green logos

Bridging the gap between the academic world and the real-world application of turfgrass research and development by providing turfgrass science students scholarships to attend Pure Seed's Field Day.

REGISTER OR SPONSOR

Celebrating half a century of innovative research and development of varieties that have made a positive impact across the globe.

FIELD DAY REGISTRATION

Field Day 2026

Location: Pure Seed Testing East, North Carolina
Date: June 18th
Hotel Block: BOOK NOW
6408 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, 27616

Topgolf Durham, NC.png

Bill Rose Foundation Topgolf Tournament

All Field Day Attendees are Invited to Join

Location: 4901 Topgolf Wy, Durham, NC 27703
Date: June 17th, 6:00-10:00 PM
Reception is free to attend, all skills welcome to play in the Tournament
Register or Sponsor: REGISTER NOW
The first Topgolf Event is more than a fundraiser. It is an investment in education, innovation, and the future of the turfgrass industry.

2026 Field Day Key Speakers

Crystal Rose-Fricker

MAIN SPEAKER

Crystal Rose-Fricker

President | CEO | Board Member

Crystal Rose-Fricker is the president of Pure Seed and Pure-Seed Testing Inc. Her family has 3 generations in Oregon Ag. over the last 40 years. She has developed 398 turf and forage grass cultivars, 138 of which are on the European Union list.…

Austin Fricker

MAIN SPEAKER

Austin Fricker

Vice President | Production Director

At the young age of 13, Austin Fricker began his tenure at Pure-Seed Testing Inc. as a summer research technician, sparking a lifelong passion for the seed industry. After earning his undergraduate degree in Crop and Soil Science and International Politics and Policy…

Melodee Fraser, Ph.D.

MAIN SPEAKER

Melodee Fraser, Ph.D.

Director of Research PST East

Dr. Melodee Fraser, Director of Research at Pure Seed Testing-East in Rolesville, NC, earned her Ph.D. in turfgrass breeding from Rutgers University under the guidance of Dr. Reed Funk. Her primary research focus is developing tall fescue cultivars with improved summer performance, while…

John Holmes

MAIN SPEAKER

John Holmes

Atlas Turf International President

John Holmes is president of Atlas Turf International and has worked in the turfgrass and golf course industries for over 30 years. He began his career as a golf course superintendent and later moved into construction, helping to build courses for top architects.…

Kevin Kenworthy, Ph.D.

GUEST SPEAKER

Kevin Kenworthy, Ph.D.

Professor and Graduate Coordinator

Kevin is a Professor of Turfgrass Breeding at the University of Florida (UF) IFAS Agronomy Department where he manages breeding programs in bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, and bahiagrass. His breeding efforts are producer oriented with goals to increase grower profit through primary objectives…

Benjamin Pritchard, Ph.D.

GUEST SPEAKER

Benjamin Pritchard, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Weed Science

Dr. Ben Pritchard is the turfgrass weed scientist at the University of Georgia in the Crop and Soil Science department. His research focuses on improving weed management strategies for managed turf systems, with particular emphasis on herbicide behavior in turfgrass, soil–herbicide interactions and…

Daniel Sandor, Ph.D.

GUEST SPEAKER

Daniel Sandor, Ph.D.

Collegiate Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Science

Dr. Dan Sandor is an assistant professor of Turfgrass Science at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, where he holds a 100% teaching appointment and serves as the faculty advisor for the VT Turfgrass Club. Dr. Sandor is actively…

Highlights from 2025 Field Day at PST West, Canby Oregon

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