Grass
seed and turf care specialists, Germinal, will be
showcasing its latest greens-specific seed mixture at the BTME show in
Harrogate from January 23-25 2018.
Designed
specifically for use on soil or sand-based golf greens, FOREFRONT GREENS is a
blend of three bentgrass varieties, all of which have been selected to offer
increased wear and heat tolerance, vigorous growth and good all-round disease
resistance for hard-working, modern golf greens.
Comprising 35% AberâRegal (Browntop Bent), 35% AberâRoyal (Browntop Bent) and 30% 007 DSB (Creeping Bent),
Forefront Greens produces a sward with enhanced disease and stress resistance
and which retains a superb year-round green colour.
AberRegal and AberRoyal are the latest UK-bred bentgrass cultivars
to come out of the IBERS (Institute of Biological,
Environmental and Rural Sciences in Aberystwyth)
breeding programme: bred from material originally sourced from Kent and west
Wales respectively, AberRegal and AberRoyal boast superb disease resistance,
particularly to Fusarium, as well as excellent shoot density, fineness of leaf
and unrivalled winter and summer greenness.
007 DSB
was developed in the US using 24 parent plants to produce a single cultivar
with a wide genetic base. It is this background which enables it to
deliver all the qualities of a top-rated Creeping Bentgrass (prostrate growth
habit, high shoot density and good wear tolerance) in a range of conditions –
from the extreme heat of Morocco to the harsh cold of Western Siberia.
007 has
won plaudits wherever it has been used, including Ryder Cup and US Open
courses, and has recently been announced as the variety of choice for the
greens renovation ahead of the PGA Masters at Wentworth.
“AberRegal,
AberRoyal and 007 DSB work well together by providing greenkeepers with a low
input seed mixture with improved genetic diversity and a sward with higher
resistance to key disease threats such as Red Thread and Fusarium,” explains
Richard Brown, Amenity Sales Manager for Germinal.
“As such,
Forefront Greens is the perfect solution for progressive greenkeepers who are
currently managing browntop bents, but who are seeking extra performance from
the same management inputs. The unique combination of cultivars ensures
soil and sand-based golf greens remain verdant throughout the year and, thanks
to the inclusion of three top-performing varieties, avoids the risks associated
with creating a mono-culture of grasses.”
AberRoyal,
AberRegal and 007 DSB are available exclusively in the UK via Germinal.
The recommended sowing rate for Forefront Greens is 8 to 12g/m2 (80 to 120kgs/ha). The recommended
overseeding rate is 5 to 8g/m2 (50 to
80kgs/ha).
