Nutrient Master Class for Turf Managers and Greenskeepers

GCSAA Nutrient Master Class:

Turf and Lawn

Agenda

• Challenges for effective fertilization

• Idea #1: Choose a better iron source

• Idea #2: Give your grass seed a better start

• Idea #3: Don’t overlook other important nutrients

• New product coming soon…

Introduction

Better fertilization practices pay big dividends to turf managers and golf course superintendents

Introduction

• Benefit from greener grass that requires less mowing

• Avoid challenges of excess nitrogen

• Learn about products that offer quick uptake, and greening that lasts longer

• Solve management and production challenges with better nutrition

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients • Plant Nutrition Specialists

• Selling innovative nutrients since 2002

• Sales in 90 regulatory jurisdictions worldwide

• Developed DDP Products

(Dry Dispersible Powder)

• DDP product lineup includes Zinc DDP, Boron DDP, Manganese DDP, Magnesium DDP, Copper DDP, Iron DDP and Calcium DDP

• Over 20 million acres of DDP applied

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

• Innovations that Deliver Nutrition • Extensive Testing and Evaluation • High Quality Fertilizer • Guaranteed

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

DDP EvenCoat™ Technology

• Patented coating technology is a more efficient application option

• Coats onto granular fertilizer prills for even distribution of micronutrients

• Uses lower application rates with better uptake

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

Iron DDP featuring PlantActiv™ formulation

ensures better plant availability and better uptake

• Particle size is optimal for plant uptake

• Nutrients are formulated to resists soil tie-up, more readily available to the plant

• Less iron is lost to the environment

Idea #1: Choose a Better Iron Source

Role and benefits of iron for grass

• Iron is commonly used as part of turf nutrition packages for its benefits as a greening agent

• Granular prills are the

typical formulation used for application

Challenges for effective fertilization

Poor distribution - uneven fertilization

• Distribution of typical granular applications can cause unevenness in appearance of turf and grass

• Mobility of micronutrients in soil is limited, meaning some roots get less nutrients than others

Approaches to fertilizing for greener grass

1) Traditional approach - boosting nitrogen

• Increases growth

• Leads to more mowing

• Increases water usage, turf is more susceptible to disease

2) New approach - using Iron DDP as a fertilizer coating

• Provides green-up without increasing growth

• Requires less mowing

• Does not increase water usage

Solutions for turf

• Iron DDP offers more even distribution Thoroughly and evenly coats onto granular fertilizer prills, delivering the right amount of micronutrients at many points of contact

Interception points with Wolf Trax Iron DDP

Interception points with iron granular

micronutrients

Solutions for turf

• More even iron distribution with Iron DDP means: • Greater nutrient availability

• Improved above-ground grass color-up

• Improved below-ground root growth and disease prevention

Get quicker, longer-lasting green

• Dual Action Availability with Iron DDP

• Multiple forms of active iron guarantees earlier uptake and continuous feeding over time

• Ensures that turf & grass is greener for longer, less need to apply other fertilizers later in the season

Get quicker, longer-lasting green

Dual Action Availability and 2010 Efficacy Trials • Established stands of turfgrass

were fertilized with Wolf Trax Iron DDP and granular iron

• Chlorophyll content was measured using a SPAD meter and shows that stands treated with Wolf Trax Iron DDP were “greener” than the granular iron

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Wolf Trax Fe DDP Fe oxide

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Chlorophyll reading

Granular iron

Get quicker, longer-lasting green

Dual Action Availability and 2010 Efficacy Trials • Turfgrass chlorophyll content

was measured at 4 different intervals to determine differences in “greenness”

• Wolf Trax Iron DDP coated onto NPK fertilizer resulted in greener sod compared to the NPK fertilizer alone, especially at the later dates

Make grass greener • 2010 efficacy trials on turf showed greater plant

uptake of iron and greener grass

• SPAD readings were taken to determine the difference in “green colour” quantitatively

Make grass greener

Iron DDP treated grass was 6% greener

This was visual to the naked eye.

Deliver Better Uptake

Wolf Trax Iron DDP was compared to granular iron on grass:

• 50% iron oxide was applied at 1.5 lb/1000 ft2 physical product

• Iron DDP applied at 0.4 lb/1000 ft2 physical product

• Grass was harvested three weeks after treatment, and tissues analyzed for total iron content

• Iron DDP coated on lawn fertilizer showed iron uptake of 109% of check

Deliver Better Uptake

Despite being applied at a fraction of the rate, the highest concentration of iron was found in the grass plants treated with Iron DDP

Iron and staining risks

Iron fertilization products tend to stain cement

• Wolf Trax compared the following to evaluate staining:

(A) Iron DDP coated onto granular prills (1% coating)

(B) Granular fertilizer alone

(C) Granular fertilizer blended with iron sulphate

Iron and staining risks

• Blends were applied to a cement sidewalk, in 1m X 1m blocks adjacent to an urban lawn • The iron treatment was left on the cement for

varying lengths of time and then washed off with water

• Discolouration was rated on a 0 to 3 rating scale where 0=no staining, 3=severe staining

Iron and staining risks

UTC

UTC

Iron DDP

Iron DDP

FeSO4

FeSO4

Treatment

Staining

Iron DDP 0.5

UTC 0.0

Fe SO4 3.0

Results:

Idea #2: Give your grass seed a better start

Idea #2 : Give your grass seed a better start.

• Golf courses and turf plots often need to be reseeded to bring area back to optimal appearance and utility

• Can be a lengthy process before seeded and reseeded areas are in desired condition

Idea #2 : Give your grass seed a better start.

• Seed treatments give grass seedlings the power to grow more quickly

• PROTINUS Seed Nutrition safely delivers key nutrients, vital to early seedling and plant growth

PROTINUS Seed Nutrition

Early, more even emergence

Kentucky Bluegrass with PROTINUS vs. Control

PROTINUS Seed Nutrition

Larger seedlings + enhanced root growth

• Greater ability to compete with weeds for water and nutrients

• Reseeding required less often

• Water sources are allocated appropriately

PROTINUS performance

Turf grass seed, Payson, UT

“The PROTINUS-treated turf seed emerged several days earlier than the check… The treated is taller and thicker than the untreated; it also has a more developed root system.” - Todd Tolbert (IFA), Spanish Fork, UT

PROTINUS performance

On cold, wet soils in northern Alberta, Canada…

PROTINUS performance

On cold, wet soils in northern Alberta, Canada…

PROTINUS performance

6-12-13

On hot, dry soils in California….

PROTINUS Seed Nutrition

Larger seedlings + enhanced root growth

Idea #3: Don’t overlook other

important nutrients

Zinc DDP

Zinc is essential for:

• the growth, development

and reproduction of plants

Features:

DDP EvenCoat Technology

PlantActiv Formulation

Dual Action Availability

Manganese DDP

Manganese is essential for:

• photosynthesis

• activating important enzymes

Features of Mn DDP:

Dual Action Availability

PlantActiv Formulation

DDP EvenCoat Technology

FlexUse Application

Manganese DDP includes multiple forms of active manganese for immediate

availability and uptake, as well as continuous feeding over time.

Boron DDP

Boron is essential for:

• proper cell wall formation

• bonding molecules

• pollination and seed production

Features of Boron DDP:

DDP EvenCoat Technology

PlantActiv Formulation

Dual Action Availability

FlexUse Application

Boron DDP delivers this important micronutrient to the plant in a way that is more effective, and is formulated to safely deliver 1-2 ppm boron throughout the growing season.

One more tip...

• Purchase a guaranteed, scientifically proven product

• All DDP Nutrients are covered by the Growing Forward® Guarantee

• Guaranteed to correct deficiency

Wolf Trax is the only nutrient supplier to guarantee performance!

Summary • Choose a better source of iron that ensures:

• grass is greener for longer

• better uptake so you get more of what you pay for

• less staining

• Give your grass seeds a strong start with PROTINUS Seed Nutrition

• Don’t overlook other nutrients in your nutrient packages

• Purchase a guaranteed product

…Growing Forward Guarantee