3/30/2023 - By Dr. Jeff Atkinson

Study:                   Effect of Harrell’s fertilizer double-sparged with Ronstar (Restricted Use Pesticide) + Barricade on preemergence crabgrass and goosegrass control.

Location:             University of Tennessee – Knoxville, TN; LaFollett Country Club – Lafollett, TN

Collaborator:     Jim Brosnan, Ph.D.

Date:                     April – August 2021

Treatments:

Result:  Plots treated with Harrell’s fertilizer double sparged with Ronstar (Restricted Use Pesticide) 1% + Barricade 0.33% at 200 lb/A or Ronstar 0.75% + Barricade 0.25% at 267 lbs/A provided superior preemergence crabgrass control and equivalent goosegrass control to plots treated with Harrell’s fertilizer single sparged with Ronstar 1% applied at 200 lb/A (Figure 1-3).

The results suggest applying Ronstar (Restricted Use Pesticide) at 2 lb ai/A in combination with Barricade at 0.66 lb ai/A as part of a Harrell’s double-sparged fertilizer blend can provide better preemergence crabgrass control than Ronstar (Restricted Use Pesticide) applied alone at 2 lb ai/A.

About Dr. Jeff Atkinson
Dr. Jeff Atkinson serves as Harrell’s Director of Agronomy for the Northern United States. In this role, Dr. Atkinson is responsible for the testing and development of proprietary products to expand Harrell’s portfolio and to provide technical support to our sales representatives and customers. Dr. Atkinson has experience in research and development across several disciplines of golf course agronomics. His work can be found in both industry and peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Atkinson has worked in the turf industry for 15 years and holds a bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree from Clemson University. His graduate research focused on the physiological effects of shade on putting green turf, herbicide efficacy and turfgrass tolerance, and biology of invasive species.