TOP AMENITY BRANDS HIGHLIGHTED AT BTME 2009
On the 1st December 2008 the old Advanta name disappeared and was replaced with our new name - a change which reflects our ownership by the Limagrain group which is the largest seed business in Europe.”
Matt says that it is very much ‘business as usual’ with the two key brands in the amenity grass portfolio and the attendance at BTME will provide an opportunity to highlight several exciting developments under the new Limagrain name.“We are launching no less than four new perennial ryegrass varieties in Harrogate – Madrid, Milan, Malibu and Venice – and each one of these will be instrumental in enhancing the performance of selected mixtures within the MM range.”
Matt points out that Madrid is the number one rated perennial on the influential STRI list and is ideal for use in all high wear situations and where fast recovery is a priority. Milan, which is also available for the first time, has very similar performance characteristics to Madrid and has a place in medium to fine turf production.
Malibu and Venice are particularly suitable for golf tee and fairway applications as both are fine leaved with a high shoot density. The latter variety also features leading disease resistance characteristics.
Apart from these four new varieties the company will also be using the BTME event to celebrate another first.
“This is the first time for many years that we have introduced a new mixture into the MM range and we believe that end-users will find this new formulation a very welcome addition,” explains Matt.
The mixture in question, MM8, is a fine fescue type which is suitable for all golf and bowling greens. It is drought tolerant and shows good resistance to disease attack. A major plus point is the ability of MM8 to demand less water and nutrients than some other greens mixtures.
“This ability to thrive under such circumstances makes MM8 very suitable for use in sustainable golf environments,” concluded Matt.
The company also stresses that the availability of Headstart, the innovative biological seed treatment, can make a real difference in relation to seed germination and establishment rates in commercial situations.
The location of the Limagrain UK stand at BTME is C33 and staff will be on hand to discuss the detailed financial benefits of using Headstart as well as providing technical information on both the MM and Designer brands.
December 2008 / 2
