Brimpton, Berkshire, England: Indigrow’s Compass Start is a blend of seaweed and molasses, ideal for use as an early-season feed.

Indigrow says the product helps to boost microbial activity in the soil and encourage root development. The molasses provide an excellent food source of carbon, sugars and carbohydrates for soil microbes.

“Compass Start will also help increase resistance to stress and disease as well as strengthening roots to resist nematode damage,” said Brian Croose, Asean Regional Manager for Indigrow, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Benefits of Compass Start are:

• Contains seaweed, molasses and wetting agent for an improved playing surface.
• Greatly increases root mass and beneficial soil bacteria.
• Unlocks locked-up nutrients in the soil into readily available forms.
• Increases resistance to stress and disease.

Compass Start is designed for use on golf course greens, tees and fairways as well as sports pitches, outfield and fine turf.

“Microbes living in turfgrass rootzones play an important part in maintaining healthy turf. It’s important to ensure that these microbes have a good food source to help them maintain their population,” said Croose.

There are three types of microbe, split into their ecological functions: decomposers, mineralisers and growth promoters.

Decomposers: It’s important for plants to have organic materials available to them in a form which they can utilise. The decomposer microbes (along with earth worms and arthropods) help to break down all of the rich organic material in the root zone into a form which can be utilised by the plant, otherwise it would be unavailable.

Mineralisers: These microbes help to turn organic matter into minerals, which plants need, and into a form which they can utilise. The most important part of this process is nitrogen mineralisation, which breaks down organic nitrogen into ammonium, which can be absorbed by the plant.

Growth Promoters: The plant growth promoting bacteria have to work in association with the turf grass plant, to ensure that they have the requirements they need to help promote a natural form of disease resistance and stress relief.

As soil temperatures start to rise, plant roots will naturally release carbohydrates from the roots to kick-start microbial activity. By applying a readily available carbohydrate source early in the spring, this activity can be brought forward so it occurs at lower temperatures.

The Compass brand comprises a unique range of molecular seaweed and carbohydrate extract products. They are produced using hand harvested Ascophyllum Nodosum, grown at a renewable source.

The seaweed grows in unpolluted and tidal coastlines in Northern Ireland. “This uncontaminated source is full of additional beneficial compounds for turfgrass due to the tidal nature of our chosen seaweed,” said Croose.

The tidal flow submerges and exposes plants twice every day, which causes stress. The plant builds up internal reserves of stress-relieving compounds, and increased nutrient content compared to those grown in still/calm waters.