STRI trial results showcase how Interface encourages quicker, more extensive recovery and leads to visibly healthier turf.

Turf recovery post-fungicide application is just as important as treating the problem, and the quicker the turf recovers the better. At this year’s STRI research day, Bayer displayed how Interface® with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology not only successfully treats for turf diseases, but it helps recovery, and displays visibly healthier turf.

Bayer surprised visitors on this year’s test plot, by giving attendees pairs of NASA 3D glasses to better view how turf recovery is sped up with the use of Interface® with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology and also how turf stress goes hand in hand with turf disease.

The glasses allowed participants to see turf appearing visibly stressed, as demonstrated by its bright white appearance through the lenses.

The Bayer team showcased a turf plot that had been exposed to stressful conditions; the trial plot was developed to show how stress is conducive to disease.

“We wanted to create the right conditions for the plant pathogens to really flourish before we applied the fungicides. We could then monitor the recovery following the disease” says Dave Orchard, from the Bayer Turf Solutions team.

The turf was split into 12 different treatment areas, before market-leading fungicides were applied to some turf segments. Two plots were left untreated as a control and two further plots were treated with Interface® with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology.

“We know a fungicide will control disease, that’s what they’re designed to do, but we’re interested in stress and stress-relief, and how managing stress can help the turf to recover more quickly,” says Dave.

To the naked eye there were clearly four greener squares within the 12 different treatment areas. Two of these were treated with Interface® with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology and the other two were treated with the latest product, yet to be launched from Bayer, containing Stressgard™ Formulation Technology. By looking at these greener squares through the glasses, it was clear that they had less visible turf stress, and the signs of recovery were apparent.

“We not only applied Interface® with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology, and compared it with a control plot, and other market leading fungicides, we also applied a new product from Bayer that contains Stressgard™ Formulation Technology,” he says.

The four trial plots that were treated with either the new product or Interface®, both containing Stressgard™ Formulation Technology, faired markedly better. Scars left over were also visibly reduced on these plots.

“The trials clearly show that Interface® and the new Bayer product with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology reduced disease and turf stress symptoms such as yellowing, and the glasses allowed visitors to better see how the turf treated with Stressgard™ Formulation Technology is much healthier,” adds Dave.

The new product trialed is due to be launched in 2017.