For any sprayer operator, the use of chemicals to control weeds and disease has become an essential part of achieving the highest quality turf possible. For maintenance teams, the increase in legislation preventing the use of certain chemicals means that alternative solutions must be considered.
For compact sprayer manufacturers Martin Lishman Ltd, the exciting venture into the next generation of turf treatment began when they were approached by turf specialists, SeeGrow Solutions Ltd. The goal was to develop a viable solution to achieving sustainable sport playing surfaces with an antimicrobial disease reduction method.
The answer was to design an Ozone generation system to work in conjunction with a Martin Lishman sprayer. The use of Ozone is a very effective way of controlling pathogens present on or in natural and artificial playing surfaces. The system can be delivered in 3 ways – injection, spray and spray/brush. Each delivery system uses SeeGrow Solutions’ unique method of manufacturing dissolved Ozone on the back of a tractor or utility vehicle which is then applied.
“Our aim is to use our expertise and research work to provide protection to allow us all to continue playing and viewing sport safely”, explains Paddy Maclennan, Director of SeeGrow Solutions. “This method answers the needs of ground staff who are faced with no longer being able to use chemicals in their fight to control their playing surface diseases. Our Ozone methods either inject directly into the root zone to where the disease is present or, if the problem is on the surface, by means of a spray application.”
The benefits of using Ozone instead of chemicals stretches further than just the turf itself. Operators no longer need to handle and mix dangerous chemicals, there will be no unused chemical at the end of the spraying session and once the application is dry (which takes around 30 – 60 seconds), the turf is then safe to use. Paddy Maclennan described some artificial pitches as “petri dishes of disease” – another benefit of the use of Ozone is its ability to sanitise at the same time on both natural and artificial surfaces.
“We were thrilled when SeeGrow Solutions approached and asked us to get involved with this project”, says Joel Capper, Managing Director of Martin Lishman Ltd. “In the time I’ve been with the company, our sprayer department has grown exponentially, and we are finally seeing a strong hold in the amenity and agriculture industries. Exploring new ideas and driving our product development is one of the reasons we got to where we are, so to be a part of this project was a good fit for us.”
“Martin Lishman’s many years’ experience of designing and manufacturing compact sprayers combined with SeeGrow Solutions’ 5 years of research and development into ozone application was the ideal mix for getting this ground-breaking idea off the ground.”
“SeeGrow Solutions were aware of the vast experience and excellent reputation Martin Lishman has in the turf and agricultural sectors and it seemed natural to partner with the best to assist in the production of this specialised equipment.”
“Field tests at leading Football clubs in the UK have been very successful and data is being collected daily which positively shows the eradication of pathogens in the soil, disease on the leaf and excellent anti-microbial performance on an artificial surface”, Paddy concludes.
For more information on SeeGrow Solutions Ltd, visit https://www.seegrowsolutions.com or more information on Martin Lishman compact sprayers, visit their website at www.martinlishman.com.
