By Matt Giese, technical services manager, Syngenta

Preconditioning your course can prepare your turf for extreme conditions before they develop during the summer.

With many courses operating with limited crews, plant growth regulators (PGRs) can offer relief to daily mowing schedules until full maintenance crews are permitted back on the course. In fact, we have prepared some videos to help you adjust your programs if needed.

Proven protection with Primo Maxx

Maintain healthier turf by implementing a pre-stress conditioning program with Primo Maxx^® PGR. 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.

Other benefits of Primo Maxx include:

• Reducing the frequency of mowing and amount of grass clippings
• Decreasing the vertical growth of warm and cool season turfgrasses
• Increasing turf density
• Enhancing turf color
• Mitigation of disease resistance

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 more information about GDDs and to access real-time alerts for your specific location, visit GreenCastOnline.com/Growing-Degree-Days.

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.

Syngenta hereby disclaims any liability for Third Party websites referenced herein.

All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

©2020 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. GreenCast^®, Primo Maxx^®, Trimmit^® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.