Berkshire, England: Indigrow is a specialist fertiliser manufacturer producing nutritional products for both managed turfgrass and for agriculture.

Fertilisers are concentrated sources of nutrients of natural or synthetic origin. They are applied to soil or to plant tissues in a convenient form such as pellets, granules, powders or liquids.

Growth and the natural fertility of the soil is improved along with replenishment of the nutrients taken from the soil by previous growth.

In the soil, the nutrients interact with one another leading to changes in availability to the turfgrass plant. Mulder’s Chart (pictured right) displays the interactions that can occur.

The Mulder’s chart represents the interaction between 11 of the essential plant elements. Some interactions are positive (synergistic) and others are negative (antagonistic). A synergistic relationship is one where the elements involved help each other by aiding uptake or utilisation.

Antagonism: High levels of a particular nutrient in the soil can interfere with the availability and uptake of other nutrients. For example, high nitrogen levels can reduce the availability of boron, potash and copper; high phosphate levels can influence the uptake of iron, calcium, potash, copper and zinc; high potash levels can reduce the availability of magnesium. Thus, the application of high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can induce plant deficiencies of other essential elements.

Stimulation: This occurs when the high level of a particular nutrient increases the demand by the plant for another nutrient. For example, increased nitrogen levels create a demand for more magnesium.

Nutrient uptake antagonism refers to the competition between nutrients for uptake by plants. The two nutrients, often ions with the same charge, are said to be antagonistic with regard to the other.

When the response of plants to one nutrient increases with an increase in the level of the other nutrient, the interaction is said to be positive and the nutrients are said to be synergistic.

As a result of the synergistic and antagonistic interactions between elements, Indigrow manufactures a wide range of products, suitable for a range of turfgrass species.

“Our range of granular, soluble, liquid and true foliar fertilisers are formulated to try and maximise the synergistic effects or correct the antagonistic ones,” said Brian Croose, Asean Regional Manager for Indigrow, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

“Our team of expert staff, located around the globe, are able to offer bespoke advice for any geographic location or climate,” he added.