Landscape Management, November 2016

profit centers turf ornamental care LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET November 2016 30 PHOTO SyngenTa P lant growth regulators PGRs can provide a number of benefits to landscape contractors and lawn care operators PGRs have been proven to save contractors time and money by decreasing the frequency of mowings reducing the need to prune shrubs and trees and minimizing the effects of certain diseases and pest infestations But experts say theyre underused niche tools that havent found their place in an industry with increased chemical restrictions and skeptical consumers From my view the development pipeline regarding PGRs is virtually dry with minimal development effort being focused in this area particularly for ornamental growth regulation says Rick Fletcher technical services manager at Nufarm America in Morrisville N C It is this specialization and the extensive cost of development and registration that limit the introduction of new PGR products for the LCO and landscape ornamental markets followed by the lack of adoption as a standard use practice in these markets Plant growth regulators are chemical substances that are used to regulate the growth of plants For contractors PGRs can reduce the need to trim mow and prune by slowing the growth of turf trees and shrubs For LCOs regular use of PGRs can improve overall plant and turf health resulting in the need for less water and pesticides While there have been few recent advancements in the PGR market one development is PGR combination products designed to enhance turf management across a wider range of climates and turf species Some formulators have looked at premixes of different PGRs and older active ingredients used in the agricultural market Last year Nufarm introduced the active ingredient prohexadione calcium with its PGR Anuew which is in the early adoption phase in the golf market Recent research in the golf industry used growing degree day modeling a measure of heat accumulation used by horticulturists to predict plant development rates to evaluate different PGR active ingredients and determine their in plant activity periods for several turf species Fletcher says this information will be useful for turf managers who use PGRs to maintain a consistent response at the use site newsfeed Nufarms New herbicide Nufarm Americas added a new herbicide to its postemergent portfolio Celero is applicable on a variety of cool and warmseason turf types including residential and commercial turf golf courses athletic fields schools and sod farms Its active ingredient imazosulfuron translocates to the roots for control of yellow purple and annual sedges and Kyllinga TakiNg rooT Arborjet awarded 1000 scholarships to 10 graduating high school seniors pursuing green industryrelated subjects at an accredited two or four year college The scholarships are part of the companys Taking root Scholarship Program which has awarded 30000 since it began three years ago Growing pains Plant growth regulators can be useful tools for landscape contractors and lawn care operators but experts say they arent prevalent in the industry By emily SchaPPacher rick fletcher Slow grow Plant growth regulators slow the growth of turf trees and shrubs reducing the need to mow trim and prune