Horse racecourses could make good use of Primo MAXX to create a tighter, denser turf that does not cut up so badly and recovers faster after racing, believes Syngenta Technical Manager, Simon Barnaby.

“Denser turf could give better conditions for the take off and landing areas of jumps. The improved rooting seen on treated turf can help divots that are cut up during racing to recover faster.

“Since few racecourses have full irrigation facilities, the drought resistance gained from stronger rooting to seek out available moisture, combined with less evapotranspiration from the reduced leaf growth on Primo MAXX treated turf, could make a real difference to racing conditions,” he reports.

Simon also highlights the chance to reduce the frequency of mowing following treatment will give more time for important maintenance work, this is especially important for areas under the railings.

“We are currently looking at research trials on racecourses to identify the optimum application rates and timing for Primo MAXX use on the agricultural-type ryegrasses typically found on some racecourses, compared to the fine turf on sports playing surfaces,” he adds. Initial results show that application rates need to be lower than those used on highly maintained dwarf rye grasses.