Symbio has appointed biological science specialist Dr Deidre Charleston, Ph.D. as Research and Technical Manager, bringing over 20 years’ extensive experience of field trials, data collection, new product development, testing of compounds and mixtures and fulfilment of UK and EU pesticide regulatory and labelling requirements.
Andrew de Wet has also been appointed by Symbio as Technical Sales Manager for the Midlands.
Growing up in South Africa, the daughter of a game ranger, Deidre Charleston’s early experience of wide-open spaces and respect for the natural world later developed into a life-long passion for biological science. After graduating from university, her early career was spent working as a research scientist in Africa investigating ways to improve integrated pest management (IPM) in agriculture.
Her career path has included managing trials programmes at Microspore and Arysta Life Science as well as laboratory trials in plant pathology and entomology. At Scotts Miracle-Gro, she was responsible for managing the Levington Research station in the UK, running 100-200 field trials a year and leading international biocide projects.
Prior to joining Symbio, in her role as Curriculum and Quality Manager at Easton and Otley College, her responsibilities included academic and subject leadership for land-based studies, and delivery of plant and soil science, pest control and PA01 training for NPTC qualifications.
She comments, “I’m very excited about joining Symbio which really takes me back to my roots in scientific research but combines that with a focus on the value of education. My role has three key aspects to it.
“Firstly, to review our current product portfolio and run new, rigorous trials so that we are continually updating and adding to our knowledge with scientific data. Secondly to focus on education; making the science more accessible by running seminars and events, talking about soil biology and helping users understand how our products work best.
“The restrictions on pesticide use will only keep increasing so we need to be looking at equivalent, sustainable alternatives. Lastly, I’m going to be improving and developing new products, with science-based innovation that will make a difference to the way we manage sportsturf in the future”.
A former Golf Course Manager with a passion for sustainability and ecology, Andrew de Wet went on to launch a successful turf care and landscaping company before joining an organisation whose ethos and products he has long advocated. He is looking forward to working with a broad range of customers in his area which extends from Leicester to Birmingham, up to the Peak District and across South Yorkshire.
He comments, “Recognising that golf courses are such valuable urban ecosystems, good environmental stewardship was at the heart of everything I did as a greenkeeper. I committed to reducing inputs and with Symbio’s help I was able to, growing finer grasses in a healthier rootzone and redirecting that expenditure to other areas of the golf course. I’m looking forward to giving confidence and support to other turf managers looking to do the same.”
Established in 1990, Symbio was the first company to combine soil biology and chemistry to develop a range of industry-changing products, including Thatch Eater to convert thatch to plant food, mycorrhizal fungi to promote perennial grasses and in some cases more than halve fertiliser use; Liquid Aeration to oxygenate the rootzone, and compost teas to restore life to chemically damaged and compacted rootzones.
