As
greenkeepers are feeling the pressure of curative fungicides disappearing from
the market, Bayer will be showcasing how a preventative and integrated approach
can help overcome disease threats at BTME this year.
The Turf
Solutions Team will be on stand 260, in the red hall to guide visitors through
an interactive turf ‘canopy’ tour.
Steve
Bishop from Bayer explains that the company is working in partnership with
BIGGA to further educate the industry with a novel and innovative approach.
The tour
will cover five key areas of an integrated approach to preventative
Microdochium patch control and those that complete the tour will be rewarded
with a BIGGA CPD point.
“Ninety
per cent of golf courses suffer with Microdochium patch annually, so we hope
this learning opportunity can help many members of the industry,” says Steve.
“Preventative
treatment will soon be the only option to control disease, as more curative
fungicides are being taken off the market. However, preventative measures only
work if they are put in place early enough. Without curative treatments there
is no control once the disease is established and the chemical options are
severely limited.
Visitors
to the Bayer stand will be able to immerse themselves in the turf canopy and
the Bayer Turf Solutions team will be on hand to answer questions. “The early
stages of Microdochium patch can be very difficult to spot, so we’ll provide
tips and guidance to help identify the very first signs and symptoms of
upcoming infections.
“Moving
through the stand, the next stage looks at biological and cultural controls
highlighting the importance of non-chemical practices as part of an integrated
disease management programme,” explains Steve.
“Key
cultural controls are examined such as the importance of monitoring the
weather, which is a feature of the free to download Bayer TurfXpert app. The
different turf fungicide families and active ingredients are also explained
here, to highlight the importance of rotating fungicide groups.
“The
penultimate section focuses on turf specific formulations, which ensures
preventatively applied fungicide treatments target the correct area of the
plant and maximise control. We’ll demonstrate the importance of turf specific
formulations in not just delivering the disease control but additional plant
health benefits as well.” says Steve.
The
journey finishes with a preview of our new product that will be launched later
this year. “We’re always working hard to bring new innovative formulations to
the market, with this being the second new active ingredient we’ve launched in
the last two years.
“This new
product delivers improved disease control, plant health performance and
application flexibility for greenkeepers. More details will be unveiled in the
New Year,” explains Steve.
