GreenCast weather gives more to Pitchcare readers
Syngenta GreenCast now provides the live weather information for the UK's leading on-line turf management news website, www.pitchcare.com
Pitchcare subscribers now get a free localised weather forecast designed to provide key weather details for more proactive turf management, including temperature, rainfall, wind and humidity for the coming five days, all tailored to their own specific postcode. The rainfall forecast includes both the expected amount of rain and the duration of rainfall in any given period, which could prove invaluable in planning work schedules.
The information includes automatic alerts of extreme weather conditions that may affect day-to-day management decisions and require pre-emptive measures to protect the turf.
Pitchcare users logged onto their weather page also have a one-click link to the Syngenta GreenCast web site, including free disease predictions for Fusarium, Anthracnose, Dollar Spot and Take-All, linked to the weather forecasting.
Syngenta Head of Agronomic Information Services, Alec Griffiths, reports today's forecasting systems for turf management are now far more sophisticated and well proven. "The GreenCast disease models have all been validated for UK conditions and sports turf surfaces," he reports.
"Independent trials by STRI have demonstrated that Heritage fungicide applications timed solely by GreenCast forecasts of disease risk can achieve better disease control and enhanced turf quality from fewer applications over the course of the season, compared to routine applications or treatment at the first signs of disease breaking out." The team are working with independent turf agronomists to further refine and develop the forecasting services.
The GreenCast disease forecasting systems are designed to help turf managers treat when infection is likely to have taken place, but before the first signs of disease are visible. "It's a very different strategy to routine prophylactic treatments; we are seeking to be more proactive in stopping the damaging effects of disease before they occur. It has proven the most effective way of maintaining turf quality with reduced fungicide inputs and costs," advises Mr Griffiths.
Other information for more effective turf management on the GreenCast website include independent technical notes from STRI and detailed Integrated Turf Management advice for all key turf diseases.
There are also online guides for identification of diseases, as well as a grass identification guide for use alongside the new Syngenta selective herbicide, Rescue, for the removal of Ryegrass and other coarse grasses from golf fine turf surfaces, fairways and roughs. A dedicated Application Zone gives sprayer operators and turf managers valuable advice and tips to get the best results from their machines.
Along with the free weather forecast, Pitchcare users can still telephone the Live Weather Line to speak direct to a British Weather Services duty weather forecaster, available seven days a week from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
To view the GreenCast weather information on Pitchcare, log onto www.pitchcare.com and click on the 'Your UK Weather' button.
For further Press Information please contact:
Karen Roberts
Syngenta Crop Protection
Tel: 01223 883466
Email: karen.roberts@syngenta.com
For turf specific information visit the web site www.greencast.co.uk