Jonathan Green’s new cultivar, Frontier II perennial ryegrass, growing in a Pacific Northwest production field. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Green Inc. Ask questions about biostimulants
Before considering a biostimulant product or program, a prudent and responsible turfgrass manager should ask “What is in it?” and “What does it do?.” Te purpose of asking questions about biostimulants is to help guide the turfgrass manager towards making the best fact-based agronomic decision (Table 2).
Table 2.What are key questions turfgrass professionals should ask when considering a biostimulant product?1
• What’s in it? What is the product’s composition or active ingredient(s) or component(s)? •
What is its function? How does the product claim to benefit turfgrass?
• Will the product function in all climates, soil types, turfgrass species, and turfgrass cultural practices and management programs?
• Does the product function best to help with abiotic (e.g., drought, heat, salt) or biotic (e.g., insects, pathogens, traffic) stresses?
• Where’s the data? What does the research-based data show that the product does when the product is applied to turfgrass? Were the effects both qualitative and quantitative in replicated field and/or controlled greenhouse research?
• Does the manufacturer have clear research-based data showing that all or most of the product’s active ingredients are essential to its function? Does the data show how individual ingredients, when tested against the formulated product, no longer provide the functional benefit?
Source: Fidanza, M., C. Bigelow, S. Kostka, E. Ervin, R. Gaussoin, F. Rossi, J. Cisar, F.D. Dinelli, J. Pope, and J. Steffel. 2023. Advances in biostimulants in turfgrass. In Fidanza, M. (Ed.), Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing; Cambridge, UK. p. 469-501.
Mike Fidanza, PhD, is a professor of Plant and Soil Science at Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus. Cale Bigelow, PhD, is a professor of Turfgrass Science and Ecology in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University in Indiana. They are teaming to provide a Rooted in Research article for each issue of Turf News.
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TPI Turf News July/August 2024
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