Leaf senescence, and decline in tiller density and root growth are major problems associated with summer bentgrass decline. Research in non-turfgrass species has proven that incorporating a gene controlling cytokinin synthesis successfully increased chlorophyll content, delayed leaf senescence, and stimulated lateral branching and root production. The overall objective is to overexpress a gene controlling cytokinin biosynthesis and to determine the effects of the transformation on leaf senescence and shoot and root growth. A senescence-activated plasmid construct, pBI SAG12-IPT, was created from a vector containing the hygromycin resistance gene and the SAG12 promoter from Arabidopsis with the ipt structural gene. Plants transformed with pCambria1300 SAG12-IPT-GUS were regenerated and tested for leaf senescence, tiller density, and root production associated with increased cytokinins. PCR and Northern anlysis confirmed the transformation and expression of the gene in some plants. Transgenic plants had more tillers and roots per plant, and shoots were greener and shorter than non-transgenic plants.