characteristics# · 3#applications#annually#of#a#good#quality#slow#release#fertiliser#is#ideal,##...

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!!All#Turf#Solutions#

AgriDark#Specification#Brochure#

1800ALLTURF#(07@5543@8304)#

[email protected]!#allturfsolutions.com.au!

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# Specification#Sheet#

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AgriDark#is#a#fine#leaf#couch#variety#that#is#relatively#new#to#the#Australian#market,#however#it#is#rapidly#gaining#

popularity#&#becoming#known#as#a#high#performance#sports#turf#&#a#very#well#presenting#residential#turf#through#

its#excellent#qualities#such#as#its#dark#green#appearance,#drought#tolerance,#rapid#recovery,#surface#density#&#

luxurious#soft#feel.##

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CHARACTERISTICS#

• Fabulous#year#round#dark#green#colour,#

• Soft#&#fine#width#leaves,#

• A#very#dense#spongy#feel#under#foot,#

• Even#&#fast#vertical#growth,#

• Low#seed#head#production#making#it#highly#suitable#for#cylinder#

mowing,#

• Compact#rhizomes#beneath#the#surface#keeps#the#field#surface#

tight#&#secure.#

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#Quick#Reference#

Maintenance#required# Moderate#

Drought#tolerance# High#

Wear#resistance# High#

Mowing#frequency# High#

Shade#Tolerance# Moderate#

! All#Turf#Solutions#


1800ALLTURF#(07@5543@8304)#


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PERFORMANCE#

• Low#to#zero#light#tolerance,#while#AgriDark#is#not#promoted#as#a#shade#resistant#variety,#it#has#proved#to#

be#superior#over#all#other#sports#turf#couch#grasses#in#stadiums#where#light#is#critical#for#turf#grass#

survival,#these#stadiums#are#now#experiencing#superior#regeneration#when#subjected#to#extended#periods#

of#zero#light#when#covered#by#an#event,#

• Rapid#Establishment#on#minimal#water#requirements,#either#solid#turf#or#stolons,#this#variety#strikes#

approximately#50%#faster#than#any#turf#we#have#experienced#with#very#little#water#in#both#summer#&#

winter,#

• High#wear#resistance#&#rapid#recovery#from#damage#all#year#round,#

• Low#leaf#water#content#&#high#dry#matter#(30%#DM#compared#to#19%#ryegrass),#meaning#less#loss#of#traction#

in#the#wet,#which#is#ideal#for#sports#field#surfaces,#

• Superior#colour#retention#down#to#@2°C#frost#temperatures,#

• Good#drought#tolerance.#

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MAINTENANCE#

• Requires#regular#mowing#due#to#its#rapid#growth#&#recovery#however#this#can#be#easily#managed#with#

growth#regulators#when#growth#is#not#required,#

• Weed#control#requirements#are#minimal#due#to#the#dense#leaf#matrix,#however#like#most#Cynodons#

varieties#weed#control#is#easy#with#selective#herbicides,#

• Disease#and#pest#resistance#has#been#excellent#with#actively#growing#turf,#since#planting#at#our#farm#in#

2010#we#have#had#no#disease#issues#and#very#little#pest#pressure#with#AgriDark,#

• Does#not#require#much#watering#to#maintain#lush#green#appearance,#

• Dense#root#system#requires#de@thatching#approximately#once#a#year,#

• Due#to#AgriDark's#high#performance,#it#does#require#a#decent#amount#of#fertiliser#throughout#the#year,#2@

3#applications#annually#of#a#good#quality#slow#release#fertiliser#is#ideal,##

• Can#be#mowed#quite#low#(scalped)#and#will#recover,#and#is#perfect#for#cylinder#mowing,#

• In#full#sun#applications#AgriDark#can#easily#be#mown#as#low#as#10mm,#to#achieve#these#low#heights#you#

would#need#to#use#a#high#quality#mower#(preferably#a#cylinder#mower)#at#least#twice#a#week#during#the#

warmer#months,#however#a#normal#home#lawn#would#generally#not#be#mown#any#lower#than#20mm#but#

areas#with#low#light#should#be#cut#higher#again.#

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DURABILITY#

• Excellent#wear#resistance,#however#if#worn#out#it#will#recover#quickly,#

• Reasonably#low#water#requirement#compared#to#other#high#performance#sports#grasses,##

• Good#drought#tolerance,#however#if#left#to#turn#brown#in#the#winter#it#will#recover#after#a#decent#

watering#or#rain#event.#

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1800ALLTURF#(07@5543@8304)#


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ESTABLISHMENT#SPECIFICS • In#South#East#Queensland#AgriDark#can#easily#be#established#all#year#round.##With#its#superior#fast#strike#

rate#AgriDark#will#have#roots#in#the#ground#in#4#days#in#summer#and#one#to#two#weeks#in#winter.##

• Watering#requirements#are#less#frequent#than#most#varieties#but#to#avoid#leaf#loss#in#hot#months#it#is#best#

to#follow#our#normal#turf#establishment#guidelines,##

• A#healthy#AgriDark#lawn#will#not#allow#weed#encroachment#but#if#this#does#occur#most#weeds#(except#other#

green#couch#varieties)#can#easily#be#controlled,#contact#an#All#Turf#consultant#for#advice#in#this#instance.#

SCIENTIFIC#INFORMATION##

Botanical#name#

Cynodon#Dactylon#(indian#doab),#known#as#green#couch#(AUS)#or#Bermuda#grass#(USA)#

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Origin#

AgriDark#was#selected#by#Dr#Hunt#at#AgResearch#from#winter#active#material#in#Hong#Kong##

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OFFICIAL#TRIAL#WORK#WITH#AGRIDARK#

Agridark(has(been(involved(in(two(DEEDI(trials.

Salt#tolerance:#DEEDI#Bart#tested#AgriDArk#for#salt#tolerance#and#it#came#second#overall#to#Seashore#Paspalum#beating#all#

other#couch’s#in#the#trial,#

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Mowing#requirements:#The#trinexpac@ethyl#study#will#compare#AgriDark#against#all#other#market#couches,#this#trial#is#

currently#in#progress.#

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‘UNOFFICIAL’#TRIAL#WORK#WITH#AGRIDARK#

Temperature#test#

Many#couches#were#grown#at#government#house#in#Canberra#ACT#to#see#what#couch#grass#should#be#used#in#a#climate#

that#is#both#hot#and#cold#in#winter#with#drought#problems.#

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AgriDark#was#stolonised#while#the#other#turf#varieties#were#established#with#solid#turf,#by#the#end#of#summer#AgriDark#

had#caught#up#to#the#solid#turf#and#the#interesting#factor#is#that#it#came#out#of#dormancy#weeks#before#all#others.#

The#other#couch’s#included#in#the#trial#were;#Conquest,#Legend,#Grand#Prix,#AussiBlue#and#others.#

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Flood#test#

AgriDark#is#currently#being#used#in#over#flow#basins#in#New#Zealand#for#water#treatment#plants,#it#has#been#field#proven#

to#withstand#the#flooding#and#can#be#submerged#under#water#by#1.5#meters#for#30#days#at#a#time,#and#after#the#water#

subsides,#the#AgriDark#is#still#thick#and#alive,#while#maintaining#ground#cover#and#suppressing#weeds.#

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Recovery#from#zero#Sunlight#

Previously#in#Aotea#Square#protesters#have#been#setup#on#AgriDark#Turf#for#months,#after#the#protests#finished#Edward#

Hall#(Director#at#Turf#Science#Ltd)#called#up#and#spoke#of#how#the#AgriDark#recovered#very#well#in#all#areas#including#

large#tent#sites#which#were#receiving#little#to#no#water#and#sunlight.#

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1800ALLTURF#(07@5543@8304)#


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Growth#(recorded#in#New#Zealand,#Palmerston#North)#

• Agridark#is#‘temperature#climate#tolerant’.#Growth#is#temperature#dependant#at#Palmerston#North##

• Agridark#is#dormant#in#winter##

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characteristics# · 3#applications#annually#of#a#good#quality#slow#release#fertiliser#is#ideal,##...

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