Take cover –  AER-AID warning!

The new SISIS AER-AID System brings true aeration to turf playing surfaces.

Increased play,  often during the wet winter months, has made compaction a growing problem.  The increased use of “ride-on” maintenance machinery may also contribute. 

Compaction is usually found in the top 50-100mm of the root zone.  Because the spaces between the soil particles of compacted ground are smaller, especially on finer textured soils, air passage is restricted, with less oxygen reaching the roots. Compacted ground holds more water which also hinders the passage of air.  Grasses starved of air at their roots cannot grow properly.

Compaction, and poor drainage can also encourage the formation of black layer – a stagnant, anaerobic layer, often close to the surface and characterised by its dark colour and foul smell.  The roots are often already dead or dying before the black colour becomes noticeable.  Black layer is particularly evident on poorer quality sand based root zones and in areas growing is shady conditions.

Air injection to force oxygen into the root zone is not new.  Fast air injection, at close centres, is new.

The SISIS AER-AID System enables greenkeepers to give their turf a blast of air every time they aerate.  The air injection tines alternate with conventional solid tines and both are 10mm dia. and carbide tipped.   The cam trigger system ensures that the air is always expelled at the bottom of the tine penetration, ensuring a precise and constant working depth.  The depth is infinitely variable to a maximum of 127mm.

Working at 150mm (6ins) spacing, air is introduced at a rate of 88 litres per minute.  The air injection tines are specially designed to use the maximum air available from the compressor, which produces clean, fresh air at a constant rate.

The AER-AID system (patents pending) can be de-activated very easily when not required, and the Javelin fitted with conventional tines for other operations, such as hollow coring prior to top-dressing.

Preliminary trials at the Sports Turf Research Institute showed remarkable results:

In one test, infiltration rates on untreated ground were 24mm/hr;  after conventional spiking 160mm/hr;  and after using the SISIS JAVELIN fitted with the AER-AID SYSTEM, 228mm/hr. –  an improvement of 850%

Compaction tests showed a hardness of 95.07 on the untreated ground, 93.67 after spiking and 84.5 after treatment with the AER-AID system – an 11% reduction.

STRI Clerk of Works Dave Moore said,

 ”The  SISIS AER-AID SYSTEM combines conventional solid tine aeration with compressed air to give lift and relieve surface compaction without too much disruption to surface levels.

I see this as a significant development in aeration technology, as it is able to provide greater gas exchange at the roots of the plant. 

Preliminary penetration and hardness tests have been very positive, showing greater compaction relief combined with a greater infiltration rate, compared to conventional solid tine aeration.”

NOW IT’S THE AWARD WINNING SISIS AER-AID!
To find out more click here.

For more information on this and other products please visit: www.sisis.com