Trial results from the Sports Turf Research Institute in England have shown Interface encourages quicker, more extensive recovery and leads to visibly healthier turf.
At this year’s STRI research day, Bayer displayed how Interface with Stressgard Formulation Technology not only successfully treats for turf diseases, but it helps recovery, and displays visibly healthier turf.
Visitors to this year’s test plot were given a pair of NASA 3D glasses to better view how the chemical combination speeds up turf recovery and also how turf stress goes hand in hand with disease.
The glasses allowed participants to see turf appearing visibly stressed, as demonstrated by its bright white appearance through the lenses.
Bayer Turf Solutions’ Dave Orchard explained that the plot was deliberately exposed to stressful conditions: “We wanted to create the right conditions for the plant pathogens to really flourish before we applied the fungicides. We could then monitor the recovery following the disease.”
The turf was split into 12 different treatment areas, before market-leading fungicides were applied to some turf segments. Two plots were left untreated as a control and two further plots were treated with Interface with Stressgard.
“We know a fungicide will control disease, that’s what they’re designed to do, but we’re interested in stress and stress-relief, and how managing stress can help the turf to recover more quickly,” Orchard added.
To the naked eye there were clearly four greener squares within the 12 different treatment areas. Two of these were treated with Interface with Stressgard and the other two were treated with the latest product, yet to be launched from Bayer, containing Stressgard. By looking at these greener squares through the glasses, it was clear that they had less visible turf stress, and the signs of recovery were apparent.
The four trial plots that were treated with either the new product or Interface, both containing Stressgard Formulation Technology, faired markedly better with reduced disease and stress symptoms such as yellowing, according to Bayer. Scars left over were also visibly reduced on these plots.
The new product trialed is due to be launched in 2017—from Horticulture Week