Creeping bentgrass (Elytrigia repens L.) – a perennial herbaceous plant of the grass family, characterized by an erect stem ranging from 40 to 150 cm in height and narrow, linear leaves with a pointed tip. The root system forms long creeping rhizomes up to 1.5 m in length, from which new shoots easily regenerate, making the plant resistant to mechanical and chemical control methods.
In agriculture, creeping bentgrass poses a serious threat: it competes with crop plants for moisture, nitrogen, and light, reducing yields by up to 40 %. The dense turf cover hinders soil processing, and rapid reproduction means that from one meter of rhizome, more than 50 new shoots can develop. Effective prevention measures include adhering to crop rotation, deep autumn plowing, and cultivation during the active growth period of the weed.
Creeping bentgrass also has beneficial properties: it contains silicon, vitamins, and minerals, making it a valuable component in folk medicine. It is used to treat gastrointestinal tract disorders, gallbladder, liver diseases, as well as skin conditions due to its diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant effects. Despite its aggressive nature as a weed, these properties make the plant interesting for further research in pharma and the food industry.
