GCSAA Nutrient Master Class: Turf and Lawn
Aug 17, 2015
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
SPA
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Ind
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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