Irish Turf Management Conference

Not directly related to the sport of kings and more to golf a conference is being organised by Barenbrug UK in Portadown, Northern Ireland on Tuesday, 19 February 2002.

The conference is to update groundsmen and greenkeepers on the latest breakthroughs arising out of the specialist seed breeders’ ongoing research programme in Northern Ireland.

David Johnston, Barenbrug’s chief breeder at the company’s research station at Loughgall – which is housed at DARD (the Department of Agriculture of Northern Ireland) – will give up-to-the-minute details of grass cultivars and mixtures that the company has developed especially to meet climatic conditions in Northern Ireland.

Barenbrug UK enjoys an exclusive agreement with DARD, marketing grass varieties bred and developed by the Department. The province is proving a buoyant market for Barenbrug UK since the company expanded its activities there two years ago.

David Johnston will also outline recent changes in legislation governing the quality of grass seed production. Other speakers will address key issues affecting turf professionals. Barenbrug UK’s production manager, Andy Sadler, who works in close association with the company’s selected growers, will detail the exacting production process and give an insight into Barenbrug’s quality control initiatives.

Dr Kate Entwistle of The Turf Disease Centre will provide delegates with a casebook of current turf diseases, together with predictions of potential problems in the year ahead and Simon Barnaby, Scotts’ technical manager, will address the delegates on the subject of turf nutrients.

While most delegates attending Barenbrug’s Turf Management Conference will come from Northern Ireland, the company is stressing the event’s relevance to turf professionals in all areas of the UK.

Anyone interested in attending the Conference should contact Barenbrug on 01359 272000.

Barenbrug UK http://www.barenbrug.co.uk