Tag Archive for: Total

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

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Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution: In the highlands of Scotland Royal Dornoch is celebrating the handover of a £1.5 million Toro irrigation system for the Struie Course and the arrival of a fleet of all-electric ride-on Toro Greensmaster mowers and Workman utility vehicles.

Termed a ‘Toro Total Solutions’ customer when both Toro irrigation and machinery are selected for the complete care of the course, Royal Dornoch has been a loyal Toro customer of both for decades.

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Replacing the irrigation on the Struie Course with a future-proof solution had been in discussion for many years. The club had acquired 50 acres of land with plans to build additional holes, including a new par‑3, and needed an irrigation infrastructure capable of supporting an expanded layout.

For this purpose, the club specified Lynx Smart Control System, Infinity 35 Multi Trajectory sprinklers, Infinity 55 Dual and Multi Trajectory sprinklers and 590G sprinklers with Precision Rotating Nozzles for the 18-hole course.

Explaining the reasons behind this decision General Manager Neil Hampton says, “The new system provides a robust and flexible backbone for current maintenance and new turf in future course development. It will be much better on the sustainability front: we won’t be using more water; the system will allow us to target where water is needed and control application from mobile phones and laptops.”

With the system operational since the beginning of 2025, Course Manager Eoin Riddell can confirm: “It’s already saving our greenkeepers a huge amount of time and effort; it makes watering so efficient. The benefits are significant all round – it’s good ecologically, financially and from an agronomy perspective, too.”

Robert Jackson, Division Manager at Reesink Hydro-Scapes, says, “So many people came together to ensure the smooth installation for Royal Dornoch: Adrian Mortram Associates, the installation team from Ocmis, Simon Squires from Toro and us as distributor. It’s credit to all involved that the project was completed on time and on budget.”

Meanwhile, the continuing choice of Toro machinery is down to its reliability, consistency and quality, says Neil: “Toro performs all day, every day for us. It takes a lot of stress away knowing you do not have to worry about that aspect of the business.

“We’ve always been able to trust Toro. There’s reliability in terms of performance as well as Toro always being at the forefront of new machinery research and development. As the expectations of golfers continue to increase, we need to provide the best conditions for play, and we can do that with Toro.”

The most recent machinery delivery includes four of the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mowers and eight Workman GTX Lithium-ion utility vehicles.

Eoin says, “We first invested in the electric Greensmaster eTriFlex when it launched in 2020 and they’ve proved year after year to be able to do the job we require with the benefit of being the sustainable option. Same with the utility vehicles. These machines are now a staple in our fleet.

“As well as all the previous reasons stated, the back up from Reesink is a big factor in our continuing loyalty, as is the interest that Toro shows in how we use the equipment.”

Mike Turnbull, Reesink Scotland Branch Manager, concludes: “We’re in a privileged position to understand Royal Dornoch’s requirements having worked with them for so long, and it’s a continuing pleasure to be able to support them as they maintain the high standards and move forward with exciting projects that will benefit the club for years to come.”

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Total Approach to leatherjacket control

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Total Approach to leatherjacket control: The new Syngenta Leatherjacket Total Approach Pack will provide turf managers with a comprehensive one-box solution to tackle the damaging pest on turf surfaces. The fully integrated approach will optimise the potential of chemical, biocontrol and cultural measures.

The Leatherjacket Total Approach Pack includes Acelepryn insecticide and Syngenta NemaTrident beneficial nematodes, along with NemaSpreader designed to enhance nematode efficacy. The one-hectare pack also includes a set of Syngenta XC Soil Nozzles to optimise all applications of Acelepryn and NemaTrident.

Total Approach to leatherjacket control

Total Approach to leatherjacket control

Speaking during the industry Leatherjacket Total Approach launch, at the company’s Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre in Berkshire (20-21 July 2023), Syngenta UK & Ireland Business Manager, Sarah Hughes, warned increasing issues of leatherjacket damage is a key challenge for sports turf and amenity turf managers across the UK.

“Leatherjacket larvae pose one of the most severe threats to turf quality on affected sports and amenity surfaces. Not only does their feeding action restrict roots and disrupt surface smoothness, but the foraging of predators for larvae can cause catastrophic damage.

“Now, greenkeepers and agronomists can develop a sustainable ITM strategy that focuses Acelepryn in combination with Syngenta NemaTrident beneficial nematodes on surfaces where they will have the greatest gain, along with a full package of cultural controls and agronomy practices that will best mitigate pest damage on all areas.”

Syngenta Technical Manager, Sean Loakes, highlighted how an integrated strategy of Acelepryn followed by NemaTrident F beneficial nematodes enhances the overall consistency and reliability of leatherjacket control.

Leatherjacket Integrated Turf Management (ITM) research in 2022 – in a relatively high-pressure situation with 100 larvae per m2 in the untreated – showed 89% control from Acelepryn alone, with a 65% reduction in larvae population where just NemaTrident F plus NemaSpreader was used; where the two components were used in sequence the trial resulted in complete larvae control.

The Syngenta recommendation for this integrated approach is for one application of Acelepryn at 0.6 l/ha, followed by NemaTrident F within seven days, at a rate of 2.5 billion nematodes per hectare.

The Total Approach can help turf managers cope with the Acelepryn label limitations on the maximum area that can be treated each year, he added. “For most sports turf, Acelepryn is restricted to a maximum of 10% of the treated surface area. On golf courses, for example, that might cover the most important greens and key areas that have previously attacked, for example.

“For other areas of the course subjected to less pressure or with higher tolerance to limited leatherjacket damage, however, the use of nematodes and a range of cultural controls could offer sufficient leatherjacket control and turf enhancement to effectively manage the pest.

“Key is a better understanding of all the ITM options available, and best matching the strategy to the leatherjacket pressure on any given area,” he advocated.

NemaTrident F is the nematode species Steinernema feltiae, selected specifically contain and transmit a fatal bacteria into infested leatherjackets. It is also a nematode species that is active at soil temperatures above 8⁰C, which makes it particularly suitable for autumn applications in the UK, but must be utilised before soil temperatures fall too far.

“Research in the laboratory confirms that NemaTrident F nematodes can be highly effective in controlling leatherjacket larvae,” reported Sean. “However, they can quickly be adversely affected if conditions are not suitable for their survival and activity in the soil.”

Nematode research has highlighted soil moisture is necessary for nematodes to survive and to move through the surface film to seek out leatherjackets, along with creating conditions where leatherjacket larvae will move and come into contact with more nematodes.

“That can be specifically aided with the use of NemaSpreader, which should always be applied with NemaTrident and has been shown to enhance results by 30%, compared to the nematodes alone,” he reported. Furthermore, wetting agent strategies and irrigation can help to create the optimum conditions for nematodes to perform.

Sean pointed out that other cultural measures that will help the resilience of turf to withstand leatherjacket damage and maintain surface quality includes Primo Maxx II programmes to enhance rooting and plant vigour, wetting agent programmes and ensuring adequate balanced nutrition. Along with potential for biostimulants and other new bioproducts to protect plant health and improve quality. The timing and intensity of aeration practices may also need to be tailored according to pest pressure, he suggested.

However, while these cultural measures can help plants to better withstand leatherjacket activity, it is primarily through the controls of Acelepryn and NemaTrident F that the numbers can be physically reduced.

The introduction of the Leatherjacket Total Approach Pack provides a cost effective and structured strategy for turf surfaces. It provides two modes of action on leatherjacket pests, for a more sustainable long-term solution.

Acelepryn, NemaTrident and NemaSpreader, along with the Leatherjacket Total Approach Pack, are distributed in the UK and Ireland by ICL Ltd: www.icl-growingsolutions.uk Full details and recommendations for its implementation on turf surfaces will be available in time for the autumn control programmes.

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New bermudagrass delivers total package

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New bermudagrass delivers total package: Pure Seed and Atlas Turf International announced the introduction of Sun Queen, their newest seeded bermudagrass for the golf, sports field, and landscape markets. This new release from the breeding program of Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. delivers the total package in elite seeded bermudagrass, with reliable growth, maximum protection, and advanced playability and appearance.

“Pure-Seed Testing developed Sun Queen using germplasm obtained from Mississippi State University,” said Dr. Melodee Fraser, director of Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. East.   “It has demonstrated wide adaptability by exhibiting excellent turf performance in multiple trial locations over a range of environments and management conditions. Sun Queen is well-adapted for sports turfs, golf courses, parks, lawns, and amenity turf areas.”

New bermudagrass delivers total package

New bermudagrass delivers total package

Consistently ranked as a top establishing bermudagrass in NTEP trials, Sun Queen provides rapid grow-in. From there, the durability of Sun Queen takes over with extreme wear tolerance, demonstrated through leading results in trials for performance under traffic stress at the University of Tennessee. And when injury does occur, Sun Queen’s aggressive growth delivers quick recovery.

The harshest turfgrass challenges are no match for Sun Queen. As its name implies, Sun Queen withstands extreme heat without sacrificing performance. Adding further sustainability, it offers dependable drought tolerance. The powerful protection of Sun Queen continues with proven disease resistance.

The total package would not be complete without advances in aesthetics and playability. Sun Queen features a beautiful dark green color, refined leaf texture, and early spring green-up. Combine these attributes with excellent turf quality and density, and Sun Queen produces a better and more beautiful playing surface.

For added assurance during the grow-in stage, Sun Queen is protected by PureCoat+™ water absorbent seed coating. PureCoat+ guards the seed against environmental pressures and provides faster germination, quicker establishment, and improved water efficiency for stronger, healthier plants.

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The total solution from Toro

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The total solution from Toro: Stratford-On-Avon Golf Club in Warwickshire has chosen Toro for its new irrigation system, adding to its full fleet of Toro machinery and becoming a Total Solutions customer.

Having spent years building up a complete Toro fleet to maintain its 18-hole parkland course, Stratford-On-Avon Golf Club knows the value of investing in the brand, which is why course manager Chris Bromley opted for Toro again when it came to club’s irrigation needs.

The total solution from Toro

“We’ve had Toro Infinity sprinklers installed across the course on the fairways, greens, surrounds, approaches and the larger tees, as well as T5 sprinklers for the smaller tees and then the Lynx control system with weather station to top it off,” says Chris.

“To put it simply, Toro irrigation provides everything we need. The sprinklers are easy to maintain and easy to use, particularly the Infinity sprinklers. They’re top accessible which makes any maintenance simple, plus changing the arcs, nozzles and trajectory is all quick and easy to do.

“With Lynx, everything you need is all on one screen. With the click of a button you can set up the irrigation for your whole golf course and control watering to the second which has had a big effect on water savings. We also opted for the weather station, which is great, because it allows us to monitor the course more accurately and irrigate precisely.”

With the club’s previous system coming to the end of its life, the new irrigation system was a welcome addition.

“Our old system was 20 years old and not having the latest technology to hand was made all the more evident in the heatwave of 2018,” says Chris. “The weather was so severe the fairways burned up and we were doing lots of hand watering. Trying to do that across a 160-acre course is hard work, so it was vital we got a new system in place as soon as possible.”

Despite the need for a new system, for Chris it was important that thorough research was undertaken before making a decision on which brand and system to go with.

“We visited distributor Reesink Turfcare on stand at SALTEX and Harrogate to talk through the benefits of the Lynx system as well as going along to Toro roadshows and visiting other golf clubs to see it in action. The club was investing a large amount, so it had to be absolutely right.”

Since the quick and seamless installation by Full Circle Irrigation completed in May this year, it seems Toro has more than proved itself to be the right system for the club.

“From start to finish it’s been great. The installation and service from both Full Circle Irrigation and Reesink have been very good and the course has massively improved. Previously it could take up to half an hour to set up a sprinkler programme, with Toro that takes seconds, and the water coverage we’ve seen is superb,” concludes Chris.

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Bayer’s New Total Herbicide

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Bayer’s New Total Herbicide: A new pre and early post-emergence total herbicide, for controlling annual and perennial weeds, has been released by Bayer into the Irish market, and is now available to purchase.

Pistol® Flex brings a new active ingredient, to the market for broad spectrum control over a wide range of uses including treatments applied to open soil, gravel surfaces, fence lines, industrial areas and railway ballast.

Bayer's New Total Herbicide

Greg Collins, of the Bayer Turf Solutions Team, explains that the herbicide’s dual active formulation contains 360g/kg diflufenican and 10g/kg iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium.

“This gives a two-pronged approach to weed control, targeting germinating seedlings through residual action, and the leaves on contact.

“The product provides excellent control for even the hardest to tackle weeds and is also compatible for use under a variety of tree and shrub species.”

Resistance management

Greg adds that using Pistol® Flex can help amenity contractors to minimise resistance as part of an integrated vegetation management (IVM) programme.

“The combined active ingredients give a dual mode of action and therefore reduce the chance of resistance occurring.

Flexible applications

“The herbicide can be used flexibly, as a standalone application on bare ground for pre-emergence stages. Alternatively, after the two leaf post emergence stage it can be mixed with glyphosate to enhance performance.

“And due to this robust performance in different environments, the product offers good residual control for three to four months, which may save the operator returning for repeated applications,” says Greg.

Pistol® Flex is available to purchase from Unichem and Sprayclear Environmental and is supplied in convenient 10g sachets to easily add into a knapsack or 500g packs for those that need to treat a larger area.

For more information visit: www.environmentalscience.bayer.co.uk  or contact the Turf Solutions Team at turfsolutions@bayer.com

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