Bayer has demonstrated how its Interface fungicide with the Stressgard Formulation Technology combination of active ingredients is helping to treat turf diseases and aid recovery.

At this year’s STRI research day, a team from Bayer created a turf plot that had been exposed to stressful conditions in order to demonstrate 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,” said Dave Orchard, from the Bayer Turf Solutions team. “We could then monitor the recovery following the disease.”

12 different treatment areas were created, with fungicides applied to some turf segments. Two plots were left untreated 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,” said Orchard.

The Bayer team presented attendees with a pair of NASA 3D glasses to provide a better view of turf recovery. Four of the 12 treatment areas were visibly greener to the naked eye, and the glasses enabled visitors to see turf appearing visibly stressed, which was evident by its bright white appearance through the lenses.

The greener areas were those that had been treated with either Interface with Stressgard Formulation Technology, or a yet-to-be-launched product from Bayer that also contains Stressgard Formulation Technology.

Orchard added: “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.”

Bayer’s new product is likely to be launched in 2017.