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The Future in mind

April 5, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

The Future in mind: Henry Bechelet, ICL’s Turf and Landscape – Technical Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland discusses the new biodegradable coating for CRFs. ICL’s newest biodegradable coating, eqo.s, is set to be one of the most important innovations since controlled release fertilisers (CRFs) were introduced on the market over 50 years ago. […]

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

April 5, 2023/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar: For more than 10 years Dennis Sisis have held pre-season indoor seminars so it was fantastic, after an enforced absence since 2020, have it back in the calendar. The “Cricket Pit Maintenance in a Changing Environment” Seminar at St Albans School Woohham Trust, one of the regular […]

The Future in mind

April 5, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

April 5, 2023/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Future in mind

April 5, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

The Future in mind: Henry Bechelet, ICL’s Turf and Landscape – Technical Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland discusses the new biodegradable coating for CRFs.

ICL’s newest biodegradable coating, eqo.s, is set to be one of the most important innovations since controlled release fertilisers (CRFs) were introduced on the market over 50 years ago.

The Future in mind

CRFs are an essential part of sustainable turf management and one of the most efficient ways of providing nutrition for turfgrass. The release technology of CRFs provides a steady nutrient release over extended periods to match the plants’ needs with minimal losses. CRFs ensure that turfgrass is never short of nutrition, can grow consistently, and nutrient losses to the environment are significantly reduced in comparison to conventional fertilisers. Additionally, the use of a CRF reduces the number of applications that are needed though the season.

eqo.s: the first of its kind

Eqo.s technology is the first coating technology that biodegrades quickly once all nutrients are released. It is one of the biggest ICL innovations in the past years, but the end users will not notice any difference in performance from the previous coatings. The new eqo.s coating shows reliable release patterns, high quality results, and it is fully biodegradable and with a superfast breakdown once all nutrients are released.

Compliant and future-proof

The eqo.s innovation is a step into the future for ICL. Driven by an innovative mentality, and of course a desire to comply with the new 2026 EU fertiliser legislation, ICL wanted to ensure that its products are completely compliant to the new regulations. ICL are proud to be upholding the highest standard of fertilizer quality and are leading the way in the turfgrass industry.

Research and testing

Like every product and technology at ICL, eqo.s is extensively researched and tested before being introduced to the market. The first laboratory tests were carried out at ICL’s R&D department. Additionally, the technology was tested in independent studies at Bangor University (UK), and in the field at independent trial stations throughout Europe and Australia. The trials have shown that CRFs with eqo.s are not so different from our current CRF technologies in terms of use, consistency and turf quality responses. But the main benefit is that the fully biodegradable eqo.s coating breaks down quickly and is completely compliant with the new fertilizer regulations.

How does it work?

The eqo.s technology is coated nitrogen whereby the urea nutrient core is coated with a sulphur (intermediate) layer, topped by an outer coating layer. This outer layer is the critical one as it regulates the movement of moisture into the granule and releases the nutrients out of the granule. ICL is specialized in developing these coatings. The new eqo.s outer coating offers a 3-4 month longevity and once all the nutrients are released, the coating shell breaks down quickly.

What it takes to innovate

ICL’s R&D department has extensive lab facilities and is constantly working on improvements and new products. For the eqo.s development, many experts were involved in different phases of a process that took about 5-6 years; from screening formulation chemists, chemical engineers and analysts, to agronomists and technical experts. It is a process of innovation, testing and then setting up the manufacturing and production processes and so takes a huge effort and level of commitment to bring to life.

Introduction of eqo.s in ICL’s CRF brands

The first eqo.s releases will be within the Sierrablen (standard size granule) and Sierrablen Plus (mini granule) ranges. Later this year, eqo.s will be introduced in ICLs other CRF product ranges such as Sportsmaster CRF Mini, ProTurf and Landscaper Pro. With eqo.s you will be getting the best results but with technology that is better for the environment. ICL continue to produce products that perform but with the needs of the future in mind.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

April 5, 2023/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar: For more than 10 years Dennis Sisis have held pre-season indoor seminars so it was fantastic, after an enforced absence since 2020, have it back in the calendar.

The “Cricket Pit Maintenance in a Changing Environment” Seminar at St Albans School Woohham Trust, one of the regular hosts, offered the 200 delegates a feast of knowledge and a genuine sense of normality.

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

The programme was devised by the school’s Head of Grounds, Ian Smith and for the morning session at least, hit delegates like a sledge hammer.

The extremely polished Robert Ja‑ , of Howardson Group, was the Master of Ceremonies and he did an excellent job all day of keeping to time and pit ing in comments and questions to ensure a smooth running show.

A weather forecast for 2050 and information that abstraction licenses may be revoked or restricted in 2028 offered a glimpse into the future that turf managers would perhaps describe euphemistically as “challenging”.

The weather forecast came from Met Office meteorologist Aiden McGivern who delivered his paper via video. He admitted that the projections he had included were two years old but that already some of the extremes in temperature had been reached.

He talked about regularly topping 40 degrees in the UK – a level that created a new British record last summer – but that it would become a common occurrence. Aiden also said that temperatures in India would hit the high 40 degrees, and that there would be bans on outdoor working which would impact farming and, of course, sports turf maintenance.

Aiden was followed by Andrew House, of the Environment Agency, who broke the news about the changes to extraction licenses which will be brought in in 2028. Anyone hoping that this might result in a more beneficial outcome for turf managers would undoubtedly be viewed as optimistic at best.

Ton Hanson, Managing Director of Environmental Solutions International, and George Warren, Anglian Water’s Integrated Water Management Lead, looked at what we might be facing over the next few years and what water might be available to the amenity sector, or not, as the case may be.

With the picture painted it was time for two well known faces to come up with solutions.

Alex Vickers, now a turf consultant but with 25 years of experience at TGMS and as Director of the MSc programme in Sports Surface Technology at Cranfield University, and Dr Christian Spring, the STRI’s Group Principal Scientist, spoke on “Root Zones for a Changing Climate” and “Pests and Diseases of the Future” respectively.

Complete with red bucket and a sponge Alex was able to illustrate how water operated in rootzone while Christian identified which diseases and pests would thrive in hotter dryer summers and wetter winters.

The morning was a well balanced and thoughtful session and perhaps was a case of better off knowing what we are likely to be facing in the short, medium and long term, than innocently thinking that everything would remain mu the same and that the weather we have been experiencing lately is nothing more than a blip.

After lunch provided by the school catering staff , the afternoon session ki‑ ed off with Dr Iain James, the ECB’s Head of Facilities Services. Iain spoke on “What Does Sustainability Mean for Grass Roots Clubs?” and covered everything from recycling old kit which carried old sponsors names to stripping parts from no-longer-used mowers.

There could be no better duo to deliver the final formal talk “Cricket Pit Preparations – difference between north and south” than Vic Demain, Head Groundsman at the Durham CCC, the most northerly Test ground in the world and Karl McDermott, who was Head Groundsman at Hampshire CCC, the most southerly Test Ground in England, and now Head Groundsman at Lords.

Vic and Karl know each other inside out and were able to josh and joke while offering the assembled gathering some insights into both their jobs. In Vic’s case the earlier and earlier start to the season is an added factor while Karl spoke of the complications created by the slope when watering the most famous ground in cricket.

The day ended with a Q&A Session with Vic and Karl, as always, sharing their knowledge on a wide range of subjects.

Sponsors for the day were Turf Matters; Stuart Canvas Group; DLF Seeds; RT Machinery; Boughton; SIS Grass; Grounds Training; Mansfield Sand; Origan Amenity Solutions; Turf Tank and White Horse Contractors.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

The Future in mind

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

The Future in mind

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Future in mind

The Future in mind: Henry Bechelet, ICL’s Turf and Landscape – Technical Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland discusses the new biodegradable coating for CRFs.

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar: For more than 10 years Dennis Sisis have held pre-season indoor seminars so it was fantastic, after an enforced absence since 2020, have it back in the calendar.

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