Brimpton, Berkshire, England: Indigrow’s Sapphire Green is a worm suppressant product which is classified as a fertiliser. It contains nitrogen and sulphur and helps to encourage worms to migrate away from treated areas.

According to United Kingdom-based Indigrow, the affect in the soil can last for up to three weeks.

A fully replicated experiment was set up to evaluate the effect of Sapphire Green on earthworm activity.

In an untreated area, there was a good, even spread of worms through the soil with 45 per cent being found in one half and the remaining 55 per cent in the other half.

Sapphire Green was applied at rate of 20 litres per hectare on the soil surface. After several days, only 17.5 per cent of earthworms were found in the treated area.

“This indicates that at our lowest recommended application rate of 20 litres per hectare, Sapphire Green was effective in moving 82.5 per cent of the worms away from the treated area,” said Brian Croose, Asean Regional Manager for Indigrow, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Given the many benefits they provide to the soil, the survival of earthworms is important.

Seven days after treatment, there was no evidence of any earthworm mortality from the Sapphire Green treatment area. “They were observed to be as healthy as the worms in the untreated area,” added Croose.

Containing no active chemicals, only deterrents, Sapphire Green can be used all year round and has been proved to be especially suitable on tees, fairways and greens.