Signature™ XTRA Stressgard® fungicide now available in California and Hawaii

The Turf and Ornamentals business of Bayer, within the company’s Crop Science division, has announced that SignatureTM XTRA Stressgard® fungicide is now registered and available for use on turf in California and Hawaii. The systemic fungicide enhances plant health, suppresses bacterial wilt and controls Pythium, anthracnose and summer decline pathogens.

“We are thrilled that Signature XTRA Stressgard is now available in California and Hawaii,” said Mike Hirvela, customer marketing manager for Bayer Golf. “With Signature XTRA Stressgard, golf course superintendents and turfgrass managers in those states now have access to a tool that not only provides control of key disease pathogens, but also contributes to chlorophyll health and stability, which leads to improved photosynthesis, stronger plants and healthier turf.”

The Bayer Stressgard portfolio of fungicides offers plant health benefits that go beyond disease control to mitigate abiotic stressors across the golf course. Through positive improvements in key physiological processes that take place within the plant, Stressgard provides healthier, more consistent playing surfaces.

The physiological benefits of Stressgard have been proven in the lab, controlled environments, university field trials and real-world golf course demonstrations. In trials, Stressgard fungicides consistently outperform tank- mixed pigments and plant health products when it comes to overall turf quality and mitigating stresses like traffic, heat, shade and drought.

In fact, a 2019 research trial by Dr. Bingru Huang at Rutgers University demonstrated that when compared to competitive products under heat stress conditions, turf treated with Signature XTRA Stressgard resulted in:

• Significantly higher levels of chlorophyll indicating healthier photosynthetic systems during stress.

• Significantly lower chlorophyll degrading enzyme activity indicating protection or mitigation of

• chlorophyll destruction during stress.

• Significantly lower electrolyte leakage indicating greater membrane stability during stress.

Other benefits of using Signature Xtra Stressgard include:

• Facilitates recovery from mechanical damage

• Promotes healthier roots, leading to better water and nutrient utilization

• Offers induced systemic resistance

• Supports earlier spring green-up, turf fill-in, improved color and density

• Protects the plant from the adverse effects of UV radiation

• Wider application window – flexible rate structure allows for applications on 7-to-21-day intervals

• No documented disease resistance

• Upwards and downwards systemic mobility

• Documented turf safety with applications in high temperatures