Anthracnose Risk After Summer Stress

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Anthracnose Risk After Summer Stress: After a summer of prolonged dry weather, grass plants have experienced extreme droughts, and greenkeepers are reminded to act now before disease onset this autumn.

Dr Colin Mumford, Bayer technical manager, explains that stressed turf is more likely to be affected by diseases such as Anthracnose, foliar blight and Anthracnose basal rot.

Anthracnose Risk After Summer Stress

“Grass swards are struggling to recover following this summer’s extreme weather conditions, making them more susceptible to disease. If weather conditions are cool and damp going forward you’ll be more likely to see disease outbreaks,” he says.

“Anthracnose is known as a low nitrogen disease so it’s essential to monitor plant nutrition regularly to keep your grass plant in the best condition. You can do this by looking at grass clippings when mowing greens or taking soil or tissue samples and applying correct nutrients if required.

“However, if conducive weather conditions prevail, I’d advise greenkeepers to treat turf preventatively to stop disease from establishing, using a dual action fungicide such as Dedicate (tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin).

“As well as helping to reduce the impact of scarring, treating turf preventatively will minimise the effect of Anthracnose, in turn leaving you with a healthier grass plant that’s able to withstand other disease stresses like Microdochium Patch,” says Colin.

Following the loss of iprodione, Colin recommends that greenkeepers use an integrated approach to combat disease. This should include both cultural and biological controls as well as fungicides if required.

For further information about preventative fungicides please visit www.environmentalscience.bayer.co.uk or contact the Turf Solutions Team on 00800 1214 9451, at turfsolutions@bayer.com

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Pompey’s Fox In The Box

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Pompey’s Fox In The Box: It appears Portsmouth may have unearthed a new fox in the box, but it’s not a new striker that has arrived at Fratton Park.

Not that they need much help in that department as things stand anyway!

Nor is it the breakthrough of one of their academy youngsters, who’ll set the world alight with his youthful exuberance and a disregard for reputations, leaving even the most experienced of defenders running scared.

Unfortunately, it’s the discovery of a danger of a different kind that will have the club’s groundsman feeling nervous. Fratton Park has always had problems with foxes.

And it appears the latest batch of unwanted residents at PO4 have taken their residency to a new level.

As Pompey prepare to play host to Wycombe on Saturday, the ground staff at Fratton Park arrived at work on Thursday to discover some interesting chunks had been taken out of the playing surface.

That will leave the groundsman ‘holed up’ all day in a race against time to repair the damage ahead of the visit of the Chairboys.

And he’ll have to come up with a cunning plan so that he’s not outfoxed in the future!

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Stressbuster & Primo Maxx A Winning Formula

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Stressbuster & Primo Maxx A Winning Formula: Brian Scott, Course Manager at the Rosemount course at Blairgowrie Golf Club in Perthshire, Scotland, has praised a tank-mix combination of ICL’s Vitalnova Stressbuster and Syngenta’s Primo Maxx II growth regulator for the success of his greens.

The Rosemount Course, venue of Greg Normans first European tour victory was designed by James Braid with influences from Dr. Alistair McKenzie – the renowned architect of the Augusta National course. It has played host to a number of prestigious professional and amateur tournaments and provides a challenging test for golfers of all abilities.

Stressbuster & Primo Maxx A Winning Formula

This heathland course is set through mature pines, silver birch and heather and has many admirers across the world. One of Rosemount’s greatest attributes is its immaculate greens which are frequently praised by members and guests alike.

For the past three years Brian has been applying a tank-mixture consisting of Vitalnova Stressbuster and Primo Maxx to the greens – which was a combination recommended to him by Jamie Lees, ICL’s Technical Area Sales Manager in Scotland.

“A few years ago; we were looking for something we could use consistently instead of mixing four or five products. Jamie suggested the combination of Stressbuster and Primo Maxx and in the first year we had such good results it made sense to continue with it.

Brian applies a mixture of both Vitalnova Stressbuster and Primo Maxx II at half rate (0.2 L/ha Primo Maxx II & 20 L/ha Stressbuster) every two weeks from May through to September and believes the two products perfectly complement one another. While Primo Maxx II helps keep excessive growth at bay, Vitalnova Stressbuster pre-conditions turf against stress and helps generate a quick recovery. Featuring iron which provides an instant colour, Vitalnova Stressbuster also contains a unique combination of macro and micro nutrients, wetting agents, biostimulants and amino acids which help to fight off unwanted stress as well as stimulating the good bacteria in the soil.

Stressbuster & Primo Maxx A Winning Formula

With a hectic maintenance schedule and the un-predictable Scottish weather, Brian believes that flexibility is key to keeping the greens in impeccable condition throughout the year.

“I particularly like how you can be so flexible with this tank-mixture. Depending on how your growth is, we might up the Primo application, add an extra bit of nitrogen or if it is dry then we might add more wetting agent.

“Since we have been using this formula we haven’t suffered with any disease or loss of colour – in fact after applying it we see colour up in just a couple of days. We wanted longevity and it provides us with exactly that.”

Please contact ICL on +44 (0)1473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie

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MLR Launch The ORN

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MLR Launch The ORN: MLR, the international sports supplementary lighting business, has launched a new lighting rig designed specifically for golf courses – the first of its kind within the sports turf industry.

The ‘Orn’ will be unveiled at STRI’s Research Day on Wednesday 19th September in Bingley, West Yorkshire.

MLR Launch The ORN

MLR has provided mobile lighting solutions to sports arenas since 1998 and has now utilised innovative technologies to develop the ‘Orn’ rig to provide mobile lighting solutions for problematic greens and fairways.

Working with its global distributor, Bernhard and Company, the ‘Orn’ joins MLR’s range of supplementary lighting rigs that service a multitude of sports stadiums.

The Orn is compact and easy to move around the course to spot treat problem areas. It can be disassembled in less than 30 minutes, so it’s easy to store when not in use.

MLR general manager, Hermann Sather, said: “MLR is proud to launch the world’s first supplementary lighting rig designed specifically for golf. There’s a great deal of pressure on greenkeepers to produce quality surfaces all year round, and the Orn can be a crucial weapon in that battle.

“This is our first venture into the golf market, but it won’t be our last. Expect more exciting developments in the near future!”

Steve Nixon, Director for Bernhard and Company, said: “This is an exciting time for Bernhard Company. By combining our strong experience and knowledge of the golf market with MLR technical expertise, we are bringing a unique product that will revolutionise the way turf professionals manage difficult growth areas around their golf course.”

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Student Greenkeepers Win Toro Awards

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Student Greenkeepers Win Toro Awards: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association has announced that Daniel Ashelby from Wilmslow Golf Club has become the 30th winner of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, whilst Danny Patten of Lee Park Golf Club scooped the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award.

Daniel, 25, joins a proud tradition of former awards winners that stretches back to Mark Proctor, who won the very first hosting of the award in 1989 while a student greenkeeper at Portal Golf Club in Cheshire.

Student Greenkeepers Win Toro Awards

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards is a nationwide contest hosted by greenkeepers’ association BIGGA and sponsored by turfcare machinery and irrigation manufacturer Toro alongside its official UK distributor Reesink Turfcare.

Each year, a selection of the best student greenkeepers, selected from regional interviews hosted across the country, descend upon BIGGA House at Aldwark Manor in York for the two-day finals of the event, where they complete a variety of tasks.

A second-generation greenkeeper, whose father was course manager at Gatley Golf Club, Daniel impressed the judges with his knowledge and passion for the profession. The presentation he delivered in front of the awards judges showed his dedication to greenkeeping and his eagerness to do well in his chosen career.

Daniel said: “I can’t believe I’ve won it to be honest. There was a really strong line-up and I couldn’t tell right until the end who had won because everybody else was fantastic. I’m absolutely delighted and I’d like to thank Toro, Reesink Turfcare and BIGGA for everything they’ve done this week, it’s amazing.”

As part of his prize, Daniel wins a seven-week scholarship at the University of Massachusetts in the USA, as well as a trip to the GCSAA’s Golf Industry Show in San Diego and a trip to Toro’s headquarters in Minneapolis.

The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award is open to students under the age of 20 and as winner, Danny receives a two-week work placement at the exclusive Vidauban Golf Club in France, as well as a trip to BTME in Harrogate.

Danny, 20, said: “I’m shocked to have won. I thought I had done a good course walk but wasn’t sure it would be enough. Then when they announced my name to say I had won it was just the best feeling in the world. I’ve been greenkeeping for just over two years so to get this award is really promising for my career and I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”

BIGGA Head of Member Learning Stuart Green said: “Congratulations to Daniel and Danny, who showed outstanding passion and commitment, both during the finals of the awards and at every stage of the competition, to be crowned worthy winners of this year’s awards.

“To be crowned Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year isn’t just two days’ hard work; rather you must dedicate yourself to the greenkeeping profession every day of your working life and so both winners and everyone who made it to the finals should be incredibly proud of their achievements.

“Each year the finals of the competition get harder to judge, which gives me confidence that the future of the industry is in very safe hands.”

The runner-up in the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was John Scurfield of Morpeth Golf Club.

The runner-up in the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was Liam Pigden of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

David Cole, managing director of Reesink Turfcare and award judge, said: “Every year the challenge of selecting one winner from each category becomes greater and greater for the judges. This tells us that the greenkeeping baton is being passed to safe hands by virtue of the commitment we see in front of us from students towards their career and personal education.

“Congratulations, not only to the winners and runners-up, but also to the whole group in reaching the final in what is a very competitive awards competition. You are all a credit to yourselves and to your golf courses.”

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “We call the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards the most prestigious in the industry, but they are only made so by the commitment and dedication to the greenkeeping profession shown by those who have previously enjoyed success in the awards.

“Daniel and Danny join an incredible roster of past winners throughout the awards’ prestigious history, each of whom has done their part in elevating standards in the greenkeeping profession to new heights.

“Our thanks once again go to Toro and Reesink Turfcare for their support in hosting these annual awards, which remain a real highlight of the greenkeeping calendar.”

Applications for the 31st Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards will open in February 2019.

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