AROUND THE TRADE
SCARLET TRIO INSECTICIDE A FIRST FOR AUSTRALIA Brisbane-based Indigo Specialty Products has just launched an insecticide designed and labelled for the eradication of ground pearl – ProForce Scarlet Trio Advanced insecticide. Indigo business development manager Tim Kennedy says that not only is Scarlet Trio a first for Australia, but it is also one of only two insecticides in the world labelled for ground pearl. He says since launching the product in Australia, customer feedback has been excellent with great results being achieved. Ground pearl, also known as Margarodes spp., is a tiny insect that has proven to be a problem on bowling greens and other turf areas in Australia. These pests are more commonly found in warmer regions, particularly in the coastal areas of Queensland, New South Wales and other northern states, however, there are now reports that even southern states are experiencing these pests. Ground pearls can be detrimental to turfgrass health and the quality of bowling greens in particular. They are insects that infest the soil and feed on the roots of grasses and have a protective, hard, pearl-like covering
INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS ROYAL TAKES ON NEW ENVU ASIA-PACIFIC ROLE ASTMA Silver Partner Envu has announced the appointment of James Royal (pictured) as the Turf & Ornamentals Product Manager for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, effective form 1 January 2024. Royal joined the business in 2016 as Market Manager – Turf & Ornamentals for the Australia and New Zealand region. During his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the market landscape, exemplified by his leadership and vision. Under his guidance, the Turf & Ornamental team has grown significantly from a single market manager to a robust unit of four customer-facing roles. The team has also launched seven groundbreaking products for the Turf & Ornamental portfolio, including Specticle, Reserve Stressgard, Exteris Stressgard, Signature Xtra Stressgard, Indemnify, Dedicate Forte Stressgard and Tetrino, a pipeline of product that has addressed a number of major challenges faced by turf managers across Australia. “James has made an invaluable contribution to the Envu business since joining us in 2016,” says Martin Ball, Head of ANZ Cluster and Managing Director Australia.
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Ground pearls can be detrimental to turfgrass health and the quality of bowling greens in particular
which makes them difficult for many natural predators, including birds, to consume. Their feeding activity weakens the grass, making it more susceptible to stress, drought and other environmental factors. Ground pearls thrive in warm and humid conditions, which are common in many parts of Australia. These insects are most active during the summer and can cause severe damage to turfgrass during this period. Scarlet Trio Advanced is a unique insecticide formulation containing 116g/L clothianidin, 83g/L clofentezine and 13g/L abamectin. In addition to ground pearl, Scarlet
“He has played a lead role in the growth journey of the Turf & Ornamental segment and has built an incredible team to support this key business unit. This new role provides James with a fantastic opportunity to broaden his experience and work with other leading regions within the turf space, benefiting both ANZ and the regional business.” In his new role, Royal will expand his focus on innovation and pipeline development to the region: “I look forward to this new challenge, working with Envu teams across the Asia Pacific region,” says Royal. “As part of a global portfolio management team, my focus will be to drive the introduction of exciting and innovative new solutions for our customers in APAC, building on the already strong portfolio Envu has in the Turf & Ornamentals segment.” Royal will continue to be contactable via 0408 903 252 or via email james.royal@envu.com.
ABEL, PEART JOIN LIVING TURF ASTMA Silver Partner Living Turf has recently welcomed Peter Abel and Andrew Peart to the team as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary. Peart (pictured right)
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Trio Advanced is also registered for the broadspectrum control of billbug, African black beetle, Argentinian scarab, Argentine stem weevil, couch fly, couch mite and mole cricket in all recreational turf management situations. “Mid-season results from the targeted program of ProForce Scarlet Trio Advanced insecticide applications conducted to date at Club Tweed have shown great promise,” says Colin McPherson, head greenkeeper at Club Tweed on the Gold Coast and president of the Queensland Bowling Greenkeepers Association. “We have seen a large reduction in ground pearl numbers in treated greens which have been monitored since July. I look forward to seeing how we end up at the end of summer after a full season of using it in our insecticide program.” In addition to using Scarlet Trio Advanced insecticide, Kennedy also recommends turf managers look at a range of cultural practices to help deal with ground pearl issues at their facility. These include improving soil aeration to discourage infestations, avoiding over-irrigation to reduce favourable conditions, choosing more resistant grass varieties and developing an integrated pest management plan. For more information on Scarlet Trio Advanced insecticide and to download the label, visit https://indigospecialty.com.au/ insecticides/.
joins as an agronomist and will assist the Living Turf technical services team in research, product and service development, consulting, training and education. Peart has been involved in the turf industry for over 25 years, holding past roles with Evergreen Turf and Turfgrass Technology in Melbourne, before joining with John Neylan at AGCSATech where he was employed for 15 years. Peart’s time there was heavily invested in research, undertaking many Horticulture Australia Ltd contract trials, while also providing numerous golf clubs and councils with agronomic advice with regards to improving their playing surfaces. Peart can be contacted on 0490 793 289 or email apeart@livingturf.com. Abel (pictured left) joins Living Turf’s Queensland team as a technical sales representative, continuing to serve a territory from Yamba to south Brisbane as he has done for the past 20-odd years. Originally from Tasmania, over the years Abel held course superintendent roles at Leonay and Bardwell Valley golf clubs before moving to Queensland in 2001. His sales pedigree and industry relationships are a welcome addition to Living Turf’s growing team. Abel can be contacted on 0409 200 700 or email pabel@ livingturf.com.
