BASF Professional & Specialty Solutions

Crowborough Beacon Golf Club: Using Attraxor^® for the suppresion of Poa annua

30-40% increase in the population of Bent grasses across surfaces
Significant reduction in seed-head production of Poa annua

A Wigan based golf club has explained the key benefits of using Attraxor for the tillering and suppression of Poa annua.

Course manager, Andy Birchall, based at Hindley Hall Golf Club in Wigan explains that he has been using Attraxor^® for the past 18 months on golf greens and tees.

Hindley Park, the Old Hall, and estate lands were purchased for £1,300 in 1721 by Alexander Leigh, a powerful and prosperous man in the Borough of Wigan. He was a Barrister who was variously Town Solicitor, Clerk and Mayor! In the mid 1930’s the course became the private Golf Club as it is known today.

Andy, who has never used another Plant Growth Regulator product, discussed the main reasons he began using Attraxor^® at Hindley Hall: “The main reason that I began using Attraxor^® was for the tillering and suppression of Poa that I was told it would produce rather than for a PGR aspect. Growth regulation didn’t really interest me at the time, although that soon changed!”

Attraxor^® has been shown to effectively regulate growth of managed amenity turf. The active substance, Prohexadione calcium inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway, which results in a reduction of turf height and turf biomass. Root growth is also promoted through use of Attraxor^® whilst turf colour and quality are enhanced.

Andy confirmed: “Once applied and in ‘normal’ conditions, no extremes of heat or stress, then I would say yes, it has reduced maintenance practices needed across our surfaces.”

Attraxor^® also limits the spread of annual meadow grass, Poa annua, by reducing seed-head production and physiological weakening, Andy’s original reason for introducing it into his maintenance regime Andy states: “I have seen a significant reduction in seedhead population, and I think the reduction could be a combination of very early application of Attraxor^® to stop pioneering, and the continual application of it every 21 days.”

Andy noticed that there had also been a significant improvement in grass quality: “Grass quality has significantly improved with probably at 30-40% increase in the population of Bent grasses across surfaces. Whilst I still don’t have as much bent as I would like, it does give me confidence that we are managing our surfaces correctly and seeing improvement in them.”

Andy was also keen to add some other benefits he has found from using Attraxor^®: “When applying the very first application of Attraxor^® (March 3rd, 2021) I covered a one metre square area on a green. After the first coverage of that area, it has never been covered again. Still now you can see where that cover was!!!! It has only not received the very first application, it has received every application since then and every treatment like the rest of the surfaces.

“I also noticed a slight decline last year in disease presence when I would expect conditions to be perfect for anthracnose or fusarium dependant on time of year. Also, I found a greater germination of bent grass from overseeding last August and delaying my application of Attraxor^® until I saw germination. I then applied Attraxor^® to hold back the Poa thus allowing the Bent a bit more room to germinate. It seemed to work very well for me and something I shall be trying again.”

Scientific research has shown that regular applications of Attraxor^® cause the thickening of plant cell walls and epidermis. Such outcome is better known as the “Apogee effect” of Attraxor^®. As a result, it’s been reported in field trials a considerable reduction of diseases such as Microdochium patch and Dollar spot on greens.

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Attraxor^®

^{Attraxor® is a plant growth regulator for use on managed amenity turf. It reduces shoot growth which lessens the frequency of mowing and the volume of clippings created.}