Indigo Regulate PGR 2.5L. Paclobutrazol

Plant Growth Regulator

Turf Maintenance

ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR is a plant growth regulator containing 200g/L of the active ingredient paclobutrazol. It is registered for the suppression of Poa annua (wintergrass) and growth regulation in turfgrass. Is in the form of a suspension concentrate formulation. The product contains an in-built surfactant, which improves root absorption and plant uptake efficiency of the active ingredient.

Hedge and Ground Cover Growth Management

ProForce Regulate is registered for the regulation of growth in ornamental plant Hedge and Ground cover species including Golden Duranta, Small Leaf Photinia, Syzygium (Lilly Pilly), Box (Buxus), Viburnum, Star Jasmine & Mock Orange. ProForce Regulate is a Suspension Concentrate formulation.

Key Features

Turf Maintenance

• Effective suppression of Poa annua (wintergrass) in bentgrass and other cool season grasses.
• Provides an effective tool to shift the population dynamics in favour of the desirable turf species.
• Minimises turf surface disruption during the treatment of Poa annua (wintergrass). Particularly, when comparing it to herbicidal control options if Poa annua concentrations are high (above 30%).
• Partial seed head suppression of Poa annua (wintergrass). Works well in a program with ethephon.
• Provides growth regulation, reducing clipping production, whilst improving turf density.
• Liquid formulation, allowing for flexibility in application rate to accommodate changes in climatic conditions. 
• Manufactured and developed in Australia for local conditions.

Hedge and Ground Cover Growth Management

• Limits labour costs. Reduces the need for pruning for up to 12 months.
• Reduced green waste disposal costs. 
• Reduced OH&S risks – reduced use of ladders and pruning equipment.
• Prevents pruning injury to the Hedge – limits infection points for plant pathogen or insect attack.
• Improves plant appearance – can result in darker green more robust leaves (less leaf scorch) and improves flower production.
• Improves overall uniformity of the Hedge, with denser foliage.
• Multi-purpose label: ProForce Regulate can be used for turf and ornamental plant applications.
• Formulated and developed in Australia

 

Maximising Performance:

Turf Maintenance

• It will take 1-2 weeks after a ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR application, to see wintergrass growth regulation and a reduction in it’s competitive function.
• The degree of discolouration and growth regulation from a ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR application,  is rate dependant. It is best to start at low rates  (0.5L/ha) and increase incrementally as required  (up to 2.0L/ha).
• Apply ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR to dry or wet turf and water in immediately with 4-6mm of irrigation.
• Application of ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR 1-2 weeks prior to seed-head emergence will reduce its viability, but not prevent it’s formation (unlike ethephon).
• Do not apply when daytime temperatures are consistently above 320C or when turf is stressed from heat, cold or lack of moisture.
• Do not apply when soils are waterlogged as fixing onto soil organic matter may not occur and the PGR may move with heavy rainfall or irrigation.
• Do not apply when turf has thinned from disease or insect infestation or damaged from aeration or scarification.
• Do not apply to newly overseeded areas until after establishment (6 weeks) and then only use lower rates.
• Avoid overseeding into ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR treated turf for 14 days.
• Do not scarify and topdress greens whilst wintergrass is undergoing growth regulation.
• Cultural practices, climate, soil type, turf variety and Poa annua biotype all impact on the level of wintergrass suppression achieved.

Hedge and Ground Cover Growth Management

• Don’t use on plants of low vigour or under stress. Stress can be caused by moisture shortage due to lack of rain or inadequate irrigation, high temperature, salinity, moisture excess due to water table, flooding or inappropriate irrigation, severe or successive frosts, poor fertility caused by imbalance of major or minor nutrients, diseases, insects, inappropriate herbicide use, mechanical damage.
• Don’t apply to newly planted or recently transplanted hedging species or ground cover species, allow to establish and consolidate before applying for the first time.
• Avoid application to hedges less than 0.3 m or greater than 2 m in height.
• Don’t prune until 4 to 6 weeks after application. 
• Responsiveness to this product can vary from site to site. It is strongly recommended that the lower rate be used when applying for the first time. If increased regulation is required then step up to the higher rate in the second year.
• The compatibility of Regulate PGR with other products has not been established. Always conduct a physical compatibility test and check for plant safety on a sample plant before making broader applications of mixes to hedging species. 
• Retreatment: In some cases, control of growth may persist for more than 1 year. Retreat plants only when normal growth resumes. Only retreat in the late winter or spring that follows resumption of normal growth. Use the interval between the first treatment and the resumption of normal growth as a guide for retreatment in subsequent seasons.
• Root Drench: Uptake of Regulate PGR is most efficient when it is applied to soil which receives adequate water and where there is a high density of feeder roots. Apply required amount of Regulate in 1 L water per plant. Ensure all treated plants are lightly irrigated following treatment under dry conditions. Individual trees or plants which are smaller than average should be left untreated or given a proportionally smaller dose of Regulate.
• Regulate contains a surfactant and additional surfactant is not recommended.

 

Weeds Controlled

GRASSY WEEDS

• Wintergrass / Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)

This is the primary weed species suppressed by Indigo Regulate 200SC. It is a cool-season grassy weed commonly found in turf surfaces such as golf greens, sports fields, and lawns.

No other specific weed species are listed on the product label, as the product’s primary function is growth regulation and Poa annua suppression. It is not intended for use on woody, aquatic, forestry, or broadleaf weed control.

 

Mode of Action

Turf Maintenance

The mode of action of paclobutrazol is the inhibition of gibberellic acid synthesis within plants. The inhibition of gibberellin production by paclobutrazol results in slower cell division and elongation without causing direct toxicity to plant cells. As a result, paclobutrazol when used correctly, provides growth regulation, reducing clipping production, whilst improving turf density of desirable grasses. Paclobutrazol is root absorbed and requires irrigation or rainfall following application to move the material into the turfgrass rootzone. Once in the rootzone, paclobutrazol binds strongly to organic matter in the top few centimetres of soil, where Poa annua (wintergrass) roots are most prevalent, due to their shallower rooting nature. When healthy, active root development of cool season grasses such as bentgrass are generally deeper in the rootzone, and as a result, they absorb less paclobutrazol from the soil environment, conveying less sensitivity to the application. With regular applications during the growing season, the PGR effects of ProForce Regulate 200SC PGR will suppress and reduce the competitive advantage of Poa annua (wintergrass), leaving other cool season grasses to grow unaffected. This results in a major shift in the population dynamics of the turf sward, allowing for a transition to desirable grasses to take place.

Hedge and Ground Cover Growth Management

ProForce Regulate PGR is a systemic growth regulator. Paclobutrazol, the active ingredient in ProForce Regulate PGR’s mode of action is primarily through inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis. Paclobutrazol inhibits the enzyme ent-kaurene oxidase, which is part of the gibberellin (GA) biosynthetic pathway. This inhibition reduces the production of active gibberellins (especially GA1 and GA3), which are hormones that promote cell elongation and stem growth. Plants exhibit reduced internode elongation, leading to more compact (denser), shorter, and sturdier growth. With reduced shoot elongation, more energy is allocated to root development. Paclobutrazol can increase chlorophyll content, resulting in greener leaves. It may promote earlier or more synchronized flowering and increased flower longevity, depending on the species. Flower size might decrease in some cases, but overall quality and uniformity can improve. Use of ProForce Regulate PGR should begin only when plants are nearing their optimum size, that is once the desired shape (height, width and foliar density) has already been achieved and the plant requires only maintenance thereafter.