Indemnify

Bayer Chemical Co, the same makers of aspirin and also a major player in the turf industry, gained EPA registration on their new nematode control product called Indemnify, last Friday.  This is great news because now that federal approval is reached, state approval should follow with little to no issues come August. By September- October, it should be available to superintendents to purchase. This is much needed in the industry because since the EPA pulled Bayer's Nemacur in 2004, there have been no effective nematode control on the market. Superintendents without access to Nemacur (stockpiles can be used until 2017)  are forced ride it out until nematode populations shift on their own.  This can be extremely frustrating depending on the severity of the problem. A nematode is a microscopic roundworm that feeds on turfgrass roots. If the populations are above the threshold for a given species, severe damage can occur. Once the root system is compromised, there isn't much that can be done that season to reverse course. At HCC, we've had nematode issues for a number of years. I monitor the populations monthly by sending an assay to the University of Florida.