By Matt Giese, M.S., technical services manager, Syngenta

Preconditioning your course can prepare your turf for extreme conditions before they develop during the summer. A plant growth regulator (PGR), like Primo Maxx^® PGR can help you improve turf quality and prepare for harsh conditions in diverse growing environments.  Micro-environments such as full sun, partial shade, inefficient irrigation coverage, or foot traffic patterns can impact a single putting green, not to mention the entire golf course. Primo Maxx improves turf consistency in all types of conditions by strengthening plants to withstand and recover better from those biotic and abiotic stresses. Backed by research, these attributes weren’t developed overnight.

90% of surveyed golf course superintendents are confident that Primo Maxx delivers leading PGR performance with a 4.54 star rating (out of 5).¹ 

Top uses of Primo Maxx by superintendents surveyed include:

• Enjoy fewer clippings
• Improve turf quality/color
• Savings of fuel/labor
• Minimize scalping
• Suppress poa annua seedheads
• Improve drought tolerance
• Enhance fungicide performance
• Improve shade tolerance

Proven protection with Primo Maxx

Maintain healthier turf by implementing a pre-stress conditioning program with Primo Maxx. It prepares turf to withstand ongoing stressors including heat, drought and disease, thus improving turf quality, playability and wear tolerance throughout the season. Primo Maxx works by slowing the production of gibberellic acid, a plant hormone that promotes cell elongation. This causes vertical shoot growth to slow while lateral and below-ground growth of rhizomes, stolons, tillers and roots increases.

Multiple applications of Primo Maxx will help reduce water use and improve drought tolerance, potentially providing irrigation system efficiencies through water and electricity cost savings.

McCann and Huang, "Effects of Trinexapac-Ethyl Foliar Application on Creeping Bentgrass Responses to Combined Drought and Heat Stress."

Extensive research has proven the effects of preconditioning with Primo Maxx and subsequent heat and drought stress. A study conducted by Dr. Bingru Huang and Steve McCann at Rutgers University found preconditioning plants with Primo Maxx was beneficial for plant survival during extended periods of combined drought and heat stress.

Recommendations for application

Primo Maxx should be applied to healthy, actively growing turf before the onset of stress. Alongside cultural practices such as proper management of fertilization, irrigation, drainage and optimum mowing height, Primo Maxx can be applied throughout the growing season as long as the turf remains healthy. Application rates depend on the species of turf and its height of cut. Please review the product label and our agronomic program for specific recommendations.

Growing Degree Days (GDDs) are commonly utilized to predict important events in plant development. Knowing your accumulated GDD threshold can help you better manage your application timing, including predicting PGR application intervals.

For added growth regulation longevity, consider tank mixing Primo Maxx with Trimmit^® 2SC PGR. Mixing Primo Maxx and Trimmit offers the ultimate flexibility to customize a PGR program to your specifications. View rates and recommendations for tank-mixing Primo Maxx and Trimmit, and view the Primo Maxx + Trimmit Multipak which includes both PGRs in one convenient package configuration.

For more information about Primo Maxx or Trimmit, please contact your local Syngenta territory manager.

¹Source: Survey of 376 golf course superintendents conducted via TechValidate in February, 2023

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© 2024 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Primo Maxx^®, Trimmit^®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners.