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STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Mark Sanderson

STRI Research shows how to make every seed count: Every seed counts when it comes to restoring playing surface quality on golf courses or getting stadium pitches established and stable for the new season. Typically there are now greater expectations for turf managers to achieve excellent turf surfaces, with shorter intervals in which to achieve it. […]

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Charlotte Eglington

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC: When Halifax Cricket League side Oxenhope CC looked into investing in a new synthetic cricket nets facility at its village ground near Keighley, due to minimal space on site it became evident that additional land was required to enable construction. The club purchased land adjacent to the […]

STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Mark Sanderson

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Charlotte Eglington

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Mark Sanderson

STRI Research shows how to make every seed count: Every seed counts when it comes to restoring playing surface quality on golf courses or getting stadium pitches established and stable for the new season. Typically there are now greater expectations for turf managers to achieve excellent turf surfaces, with shorter intervals in which to achieve it.

Reporting new trials at STRI Research in Bingley, Yorkshire, this week (20-21 September), Syngenta Technical Manager, Marcela Munoz, highlighted the push for rapid seedling growth – with warmth and high humidity – creates conditions highly conducive to disease, especially in sports stadiums with poor airflow or under germination sheets.

“Seedling blight diseases can affect success at many levels, from individual plant losses reducing sward density, to patches of bare ground or even total seedling kill – possibly losing two or three weeks in the restoration timeline that may never be recovered,” she warned.

Syngenta research, in association with STRI, has investigated application timings and agronomy options to utilise new fungicide technology that can reduce the impact of seedling diseases and establish stronger swards more quickly.

“The work has looked at ways to protect seedlings through the first 14 to 21 days from emergence, when new growth is especially vulnerable to infection, but managers want to avoid travelling or walking on the surface to avoid seedling damage,” reported Marcela.

Pot trials at STRI have already established that the crop safety of new Instrata Elite has no adverse effect on germination or seedling establishment on the Fescue, Bent or Ryegrass species tested. The trial looked at application at sowing, or in the days immediately prior to sowing, to investigate the potential to reduce disease pathogens on the soil surface and provide a reservoir of protection that may be taken up by the seedlings.

“Following that success, new pot trials have established that Instrata Elite is also safe to use on plants from first emergence. The trial showed no phytotoxicity effects from applications at the seeding; 1^st leaf or 2^nd leaf stage – with sprays at label rate and even tested at double the label rate.

“Although most turf managers would aim to avoid such early applications, to prevent physical damage to the plants during spraying, well-timed treatment with an appropriate fungicide could stop disease outbreaks from developing further, and help to protect clean seedlings from infection,” she advised.

Marcela pointed out that preventing seedling blight infection is seen as important not only to protect against die-back and losses, but also to avoid the stress on small plants associated with disease attack; clean healthy seedlings are better able to establish and develop stronger roots.

A further development of the seedling establishment research – which is being shown at STRI Research 2017 – is a field-scale evaluation of the pot trials. Instrata Elite has been applied to turf pushed to create disease conducive conditions for seedling blight pathogens, to test the fungicide activity.

The trial has also been extended to include Primo Maxx II in the early foliar application, to provide information for future recommendations on the optimum time to begin the PGR programme after seeding. The work assesses potential benefits of physiological effects to promote tillering and stronger rooting, whilst evaluating any effect of growth regulation on the establishing leaf.

“The new fungicide trials are part of an initiative to provide future fully integrated recommendations for seeding best practice,” added Marcela. “It builds on previous successful Syngenta and STRI seedling establishment research with Qualibra wetting agent – which demonstrated the significant advantages for seedling growth from more effective soil moisture management.

“Together with ITM aspects of seed selection – for varieties with good germination, vigour and disease resistance – along with management of shade, moisture and fertility, there will be real chance to enhance the speed and reliability of future seedling establishment and successful renovation,” she concluded.

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New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

September 26, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Charlotte Eglington

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC: When Halifax Cricket League side Oxenhope CC looked into investing in a new synthetic cricket nets facility at its village ground near Keighley, due to minimal space on site it became evident that additional land was required to enable construction. The club purchased land adjacent to the ground after three years of negotiation – however, the project was not to be plain sailing.

The club applied and was subsequently rejected for Sport England funding but, led by club Chair Derek Hopkinson, launched an in-house fundraising campaign to generate capital. A significant sum was raised through club efforts, with the club then applying successfully for an ECB loan to make up the remainder of the required funds.

With the funding secured, the next stage involved the selection of a supplier from a shortlist of companies providing ECB approved non-turf facilities. Significant research was carried out before total-play was awarded the contract, with the team’s in-depth knowledge, quality of product and fair quote highlighted as key factors in its appointment.

At construction stage came another new challenge. The newly procured land on which the facility was to be constructed was not only overgrown with unmanaged established trees and self-seeded shrubs, but the run off from the adjacent cricket fields drained into the area. The gradients on the plot were also well outside those acceptable to build a practice facility. To remedy these issues, total-play worked closely with the club’s local groundwork contractor to specify a programme of clearance and levelling.

This involved the removal of all trees, shrubs, associated root mass and organic material before the gradients – as much as 1.5m over the length of the area – were graded out. During this phase of works, catchment drains were installed to protect the base of the system from the main pitch run off, connected into new purpose-built soakaways. The exposed boundary edge was retained with a concrete sleeper wall and the whole area consolidated and graded to the required tolerance for building the new ECB approved practice facility.

With total-play then taking the reins on site, the specification for the system itself was adapted to include a deeper than normal base aggregate profile. This raised the system above the formation layer and surrounding ground and was finished with a concrete kerb perimeter to offer increased drainage capacity, longevity and performance. On top of this bespoke foundation, total-play then installed a 2 lane, 33m facility to its ECB approved tp365 system design.

Finishing touches to the facility included black powder coated steelwork, batting curtains, training lines added to the full width woven playing surface carpets, HD Protection Tunnel netting, a 2m high security fence and access steps down to the facility from the outfield. A stretch of carpet was also laid in front of the pavilion to help keep this high-traffic area clean and tidy.

Club Chair Derrick Hopkinson says:

“We’ve known David Bates from the circuit for a number of years, so had full confidence that his expertise would deliver a first-class facility. When at quotation stage the total-play proposal was among the most competitive on the table, our decision was pretty much made.

“The project ran smoothly throughout despite it not being the most straightforward. total-play worked well with our local contractors and the entire club is delighted with the new nets. The facility has been used throughout the season and saved wear and tear on our cricket square. Visiting Clubs are very impressed with our new facility and consider it to be one of the best, if not the best, in the League.”

To find out more about total-play’s range of ECB approved non-turf cricket pitch solutions, visit www.total-play.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

STRI Research Shows How To Make Every Seed Count

New Non-Turf Practice Nets Impress At Oxenhope CC

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