News Release Foliar Pak Refines Product Formulations

After years of research and product trials, Foliar-Pak manufacturer, EnP, has discovered a new formula for engineering its proprietary amino acid package. For golf course superintendents, this could mean more peace of mind when it comes to the health and appearance of turfgrass during stressful periods.

“Certain amino acids are more valuable to plant health than others,” says EnP President, George Murray. “By using isotopes of amino acids and tracking their metabolic fate in plants, we can better understand what the turfgrass plant is doing with each individual amino acid under different environmental conditions. We have identified the specific amino acids that work to materially increase plant energy and stress tolerance.”

This discovery prompted EnP to improve the amino acid package formulations on nine different Foliar-Pak products. “Instead of using an amino acid package with a set ratio of amino acids, we built formulations that focus on specific amino acids that will maximize the genetic potential of turfgrass,” says Murray.

In addition to the plant health benefits, trials have shown an increase in the efficiency and uptake of pesticides when tank mixed with the new amino acid concentrate, which could translate to reduced labor and chemical costs for superintendents.

The new formulations now contain at least double the amino acids and many have lower use rates than the previous versions, according to the manufacturer.

Curt Geron, Director of Sales for EnP, explains, “Many superintendents are walking the tight rope of trying to provide faster green speeds and healthier turf. These goals can be contradictory; however, Foliar-Pak products give superintendents the tools to accomplish both. Key amino acids at specific concentrations encourage the plant’s production of anti-stress compounds, protein development, and photosynthetic activity, resulting in better energy production within the plant.”