How amino acids help drought stress on golf courses

By Alistair August 3, 2018 06:49 Updated

Greenkeepers / course managers constantly struggle to balance the contradictory needs of providing faster green speeds, whilst at the same time maintaining a healthy sward. In recent weeks the stress caused by very hot, dry conditions is taking its toll on the turf, putting an ever great strain on the plants ability to remain healthy and build up reserves for the autumn.

Over many years, there has been available a range of biostimulant products that contain amino acids products to assist the turf to withstand stress. Amino acids are important organic molecules that are part of all plant physiological processes. Plants store nutrients, especially nitrogen, as amino acids or proteins. Though plants under optimal growing conditions will synthesise their own amino acids, they do it at a significant expense to the plant in the energy it expends, which may result in the plant experiencing stress. Where this occurs it is important to ensure the plant has enough amino acid to counter this threat.

It is known from research that there are 20 amino acids considered essential for healthy turf grass development and its ability to function. Such research has indicated that applications of L-amino acids can help the turf manager better manage turf stress situations including, drought stress, and wear stress caused by high levels of foot and equipment traffic under difficult growing conditions.

Amino acids also have important chelating properties; chelates being formed by combining with important elements such as iron, magnesium, calcium and manganese.

By applying such nutrient together with an amino-based supplement such as Rigby Taylor’s liquid Amino-Form LX, they will be more ‘recognisable’ to the plant and readily absorbed by both roots and leaves. The biological active L-form amino acid present in Amino-Form LX combats such stress related reactions by preventing stomatal closure, increasing photosynthesis and nutrient consumption and regulating osmotic pressure.

Amino-Form LX is used as part of a managed turf health programme but particularly valuable when applied during stress situations.