Biostimulant

Biossli.alanlBasics forSports Turf ManagersTop ConditioningFor Hi-SpecTurf ...Focus" Turf Biostimulant providesthe reinforcement andrecovery needed to prevent andovercome the challenges createdby excessive traffic, intensivemowing and the leaching ofnutrients from high sandcontentsoils - plus the usualenvironmental stresses of insectinfestations, diseases, temperatureextremes and drought.Focus enhances the uptake andutilization of existing nutrientsthrough both soil activity and anincrease in plant metabolism,significantly increasing rootmass and stress tolerance.Call forfree brochure1·800·821· 7925www.pbigordon.comIG:~:~c:r::~~~An Employee-OwnedCompany© 2000, PBI/GORDON CORPORATION.Focus is a trademark of PBl/Gordon Corporation.4/200032 Apri/2000Circle 118 on Inquiry Card~.. number of biOstJ. "mulant productshave been introduced in theast decade, some with claimswhich can seem beyond the realm ofcredence. Yet increasing numbers ofturf managers have come to rely onthese products as a standard componentof theirturf program.Just what are biostimufants? Andwhat can the sports turf managerexpect from biostimulantproductapplications on his playing fields?The term biostimulant has beenused to describe various substancesinvolved in turf and horticulturalproduction. However, the definition forthe term which has become generallyagreed upon defines biostimulant asany material that is neither a fertilizernor pesticide, but which when appliedto a plant will enhance the health andgrowthof the plant.A biostimulant may increase metabolism,increase chlorophyll efficiencyand production, increase antioxidantproduction, enhance nutrient availability,speed up germination and celldevelopment, or increase the waterholding capacity of plant cells, oreventhe soil.Biostimulant materials a includenatural plant hormones, includingcytokinins, auxins and gibberellins,. aswell as humic and fulvic acids,microorganisms, proteins, aminoacids and vitamins.Most currently marketed biostimulantproducts contain plant hormonesextracted from kelp, as well as humicacids and sometimesfulvic acids. Manymanufacturers also add amino acidsandeven vitamins.Cytokinins extracted from kelp orkelp containingcytol

Checking root mass is the best measure ofbiostimulantprogram success.Sowhen and where can the sportsturf manager use biostimulants tohis best advantage?Biostimulants should be consideredas secondary products in a good turfmanagement program. Proper fertilityis primary, starting with soil testing andfollowing through to assure that nutrientrequirements are met. Whennutrient levels are adequate, applicationsof biostimulants can furtherenhance health and vigor.When plants are not stressed,natural hormones are produced indifferent timing than an application tosolve a problem.Applications intended to solveproblems, must take into considerationthe cause of the problem. If theproblem is a natural stress which canbe anticipated, such as summerdrought or excessiveheat and humidity,optimum results are obtained withapplicationsmade prior to the occurrenceof the stress.Turf qrowinq in shade, forinstance, can be assistedby a biostimulantapplication to enhance chlorophyllproduction under low light conditions.Specific cultural practices can alsobe augmented with biostimulantapplications. Aeration, for instance,can be enhanced as can seeding,sodding and sprigging.The use of biostimulants when seedingcan provide a variety of benefits.Germination times can be reduced.Natural plant hormones also affectsufficient amounts to sustain healthygrowth. However, plants are frequentlyunder stress due to heat,drought, weak soils, disease, lowmowinq. excessive traffic and otherless-than-optimum conditions. Undersuch conditions the external applicationof biostimulant materials canenable the plant to resist or to recuperatefrom excessive stress.speed of establishment and coverage.Biostimulant applications have beenTurf managers need to determine shown to increase root massfor quickertheir objectives in order to sod knitdown and sprig development.determine what biostimulant Root mass correlates with the turf'scomponents are required and ability to resist and recover fromwhen they can best be utilized in environmental stresses. Core samplesthe management program. can provide the turf manager withThetiming of the biostimulant appli- assurance that his turf is ready to withcationaffects the results achieved. The stand the many pressuresto which it isnatural growth cycle of the turf is an subjected during the qrowinq season.important consideration. Applying a Where good agronomic basics are inbiostimulant to improve the natural place, biostimulants can take your turfgrowth of the turf usually requires to new levels of beauty and durability.sports TURF• http://www.sporsturfonline.comQuick Grow-In,Sod, Sprigs,Seeds ...New Launch" Biostimulant providescytokinins and auxins fromcold water kelp extract alongwith humic and fulvic acidsknown to enhance root mass andlength. These components areblended in a deodorized dairymanure slurry base whichnourishes soil microbes anddramatically increases theirpopulations.These components work togetherboth in the plant and the soil togenerate a strong root massand dense, hard-wearing turf.Launch is ideally suited for theestablishment of new turf,whether, seeding, sodding orsprigging.Call forfree brochure1·800·821· 7925www.pbigordon.comIr"!!!!!!! I pbi / GORdon""'.... _. ",.,1 CORpORationAn Employee-OwnedCompany© 2000. PBI/GORDON CORPORATION.Launch is a trademark of PBI/Gordon Corporation.472000Circle 118 on Inquiry CardApril 2000 33

continued from page 31scratching the surface to 16 or more inches, select equipmentthat can penetrate to where the problem is located.Is it important to remove soil? Soil removal may beimportant if you want to modify the existing root zoneover time by replacing removed soil with a sand or othersoil mix that will provide benefits of drainage and airexchange. Core cultivation also may be desired if thecores are simply redistributed into the turf, becoming animportant (sometimes the onlyavailable!) form of topdressing. If soil replacement orcore material topdressing is not a goal, cultivation techniquesthat do not remove soil (deep-tine cultivationwith solid tines, water-injection, vibratory plows) canaccomplish much.Will cultivation be followed by topdressing? When thegoal is to modify a root zone by replacing it, over time,with a different soil, then the soil must be opened adequatelyto receive the topdressing soil. Topdressing canfollow either hollow- or solid-time cultivation. Hopefullythe topdressing soil (type, availability) has been carefullyconsidered and an effective topdressing program(amount, frequency) has been developed to avoid the formationof layering in the turf system.Occasional deepercultivationcan reduceor eliminate thelayer and anow thecontinued use of theolder cultivationmethod.~'lIIATROLSSOIL SURFACTANTUATROLS5 North Olney AvenueCherry Hill, NJ 08003 USA800-257-7797856-751-0309856-751-3859 FAXwww.aquatrols.com34 April 2000• Establish Uniform Moisturein Turf• Treat Localized Dry Spots,Improve Infiltration & Drainage• Improve The Penetrationof Water & ChemicalsCircle 119 on Inquiry CardOther Quality Productsfrom AquatrolsORGAI'IOSILlCOI'IE SPREADER ADJUVAI'ITDEW COI'ITROL AGIlI'IT~ ....... , TM~Psi.Matric T.D.G.~ rOPDRESS GRANULAR SURFACTANTWill overseeding follow cultivation?The benefits of overseeding followingcultivation will occur onlywith cultivation methods that arerelatively shallow and which openthe soil surface adequately enough toallow seeds to fall into soil contact.How long will the cultivationeffect last? The effects of deep-tinecultivation can last for a couple ofgrowing seasons, so this cultivationtechnique-though potentiallyexpensive-may not be requiredevery year. Conversely, the effects ofslicing may not be long-lived, but canaccom plish a goal of improvingshort-term water infiltration. Theeffects of conventional hollow-tinecultivation are lengthened if theproper topdressing soil is used to fillthe empty holes. When equipmentmust be rented or borrowed, considerhow long the cultivation effect willlast. It may be worth the time andeffort to use an expensive piece ofequipment if the results of use willbe long-lived.How much surface disruption canbe tolerated? In a sports turf situation,certain cultivation techniquesmay be inappropriate because of thesports TURF• http://www.sporsturfonline.com

amount of surface disruption that is caused. If traction, very wet soil is not loosened effectively or will not allowsurface uniformity and aesthetics will be compromised cores to be pulled. In both cases, cultivation efforts willbefore an important field event, it is best to delay cultivationbe largely ineffective.(at least with that method) until a later time.Recovery time to regain field playability must be fac- Evaluate Your Cultivation Programtored into the selection of the cultivation method. Cultivation (and all components of the overall manage-How frequently must this cultivation technique be ment program) should be evaluated annually for effecused?Certain cultivation techniques (slicing, spiking) tiveness. Is it accomplishing your goals? Is it cost effecmustbe used fairly frequently to realize significant ben- tive? How does it impact other aspects of your turf manefits.Methods that loosen the soil from below (deep-tine agement program? Perhaps the most important questionand vibratory "plows") need not be used annually, except to ask: Does my cultivation program improve the safetywhere severe soil problems exist.availabilil~equipmentpurchasevs.Consider equipment and playability of my sports turf surfaces?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~lease costs, availability of labor toperform certain kinds of cultivationand whether adequate windows ofopportunity exist to use the desiredcultivation method.Will this cultivation techniquemake things any better-or anyworse? If a compaction layer exists3-4 inches deep in the soil profile,the result of long-term cultivationwith the same cultivation method,then continued cultivation to thesame depth will not correct theproblem-and may cause it tobecome worse. Occasional deepercultivation can reduce or eliminatethe deeper compaction layer andallow the continued use of the oldercultivation method.Cultivate at the Proper SoilMoistureMost cultivation methods achievemaximum effectiveness when performedat or near field capacity,which is generally reached by irrigatingdeeply one to two days priorto cultivation. These methods wouldinclude "conventional" vertical corecultivation, cultivation with drumtypeequipment, equipment usingspoon-type tines, slicing and whenusing high-pressure water injection.Any method that uses solidtines should be performed at soilmoisture levels that are drier thanfield capacity, which might occur(on a heavy soil) two to four daysfollowing heavy irrigation or rainfall.This would include deep-tinecultivation, shatter-core and othersolid-tine methods, the use ofAerway-type equipment and subaerificationmethods (vibratoryplow types of equipment). Theselatter methods loosen soil by shatteringor vibrating, rather than byremoving soil; they are most effectivewhen soil is on the drier side.With any cultivation method, soilthat is overly dry will not allow sufficientpenetration. Conversely,DELTABlueGRAss'SPECIALTY BLENDSFOR SPORTS FIELDSare grown on a sand baseto meet the strict criteriafor many individualinstallations.Call for informationabout your specific needsand field renovationservices.P.O. Box 307, Stockton, C A 95201 (800) 637-8873 or (209) 4 6 9-7979CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE #C-27 752734Call 1 (800) 817-1889 use Fast Fax #1200400 and/or Circle 120 on Inquiry CardsporfsTURF· http://www.sporsturfonline.com April 2000 35