Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) – What They Are, and Why You Should Use Them
Get stadium-quality turf with PGRs.
Want to take your lawn to the next level? Use what the turf professionals use: plant growth regulators (PGRs). Long used on golf courses and sports grounds across the world, PGRs are now available in an economical size for home use. With PGRs, you can achieve stadium-quality turf in your own backyard for less than 3 cents per square metre. Let’s take a look at the benefits of plant growth regulators. In particular, we’ll focus on turf growth regulator Primo Maxx by Syngenta.
What is a Plant Growth Regulator?
A PGR is a chemical that influences plant growth and development. Innovative new PGRs such as Primo Maxx are formulated as a microemulsion concentrate that quickly enters the leaves and shoots before diffusing throughout the entire plant.
How do PGRs work?
PGRs work by altering the plant’s production of or response to growth hormones. In the case of turf growth regulators such as Primo Maxx, the active ingredient works to temporarily block the production of gibberellic acid, a hormone that promotes cell elongation. This suppresses the plant’s vertical growth while allowing normal processes like photosynthesis and transpiration to continue. Energy is instead diverted into lateral and below-ground growth, resulting in increased tillering, smaller and finer leaves, and a larger, deeper root mass.
The result? Quite simply, a denser, healthier, more vibrant lawn.
When you use a turf PGR such as Primo Maxx, you’ll notice:
- Slower grass growth, which means less mowing
- Fewer bare patches for a visually stunning lawn
- Cleaner edges with less work.
The benefits of Primo Maxx
A denser, greener, more beautiful lawn
Primo Maxx forces the grass to grow thicker and deeper instead of taller. The lateral stems become fuller, the roots become deeper, and the colour of the lawn becomes more vibrant – even in shady areas that naturally tend to grow thin. With regular PGR application, your lawn will quickly become lush and attractive and will stay that way.
Improved water and fertiliser efficiency
Primo Maxx improves water efficiency in multiple ways. First, it encourages the stomata (pores) of the leaves to close for longer periods, slowing the rate of water loss through transpiration. Second, it enables roots to grow deeper and stronger, improving water and nutrient absorption. And finally, reduced growth means lower overall water and fertiliser requirements. In short, Primo Maxx allows your grass to make the most of the water it receives, whether from rain or irrigation.
Less mowing and less weeding
Primo Maxx limits vertical grass growth within 3 to 4 weeks of application. Slower turf growth decreases the need to mow by up to 50%, which in turn reduces waste and makes for more sustainable maintenance. Not only that, but the increased turf density helps suppress weeds.
Stronger, denser turf that stands up to turf stress
Increased temperatures cause turf stress, resulting in loss of colour, density, and quality. PGRs like Primo Maxx increase the level of bioactive cytokines in the plant, which increases the root density, turf density, and durability of the turf. This improves the turf’s tolerance to heat, drought, disease, and wear, making it more resilient and enabling faster recovery from extreme conditions.
How to apply Primo Maxx
Primo Maxx should be diluted as per the instructions on the bottle, then watered into your lawn at least 6 hours before or after mowing. It’s important to track the growth rate of your turf relative to the rate of PGR application, so make a note of your dilution and application rate. When using Primo Maxx for the first time, leave an area to the side untreated for comparison so you can assess the results of your application. Depending on your results, you may choose to use a different dilution or application rate next time.