Product News

Deere introduces 2007 golf and turf equipment

For 2007, John Deere Golf & Turf One Source has added five mowing and maintenance products to its line of golf course equipment.

The 2653B trim & surrounds mower has a new traction system that provides flow equally to each wheel motor, reducing slippage and improving hill climbing, while maintaining cut quality. The redesigned operator station provides easier access to operator controls, better access on and off the machine, and four additional inches of leg room. The one-piece hood design, with full access to the engine when open, offers convenient access for daily maintenance and makes on-board diagnosis easy.

The 2500B riding greens mower comes equipped with either a gas engine that meets 2008 CARB and EPA emissions standards, or a diesel engine that meets EPA Tier 2, Interim Tier 4 and Tier 4 standards. The mower features 22-inch cutting units that come with eleven blade reels, 3-mm standard bedknives, and a smooth or grooved front roller.

The 2500E hybrid riding greens mower has electric reel motors with 102 fewer potential hydraulic leak points, reduced sound levels and increased fuel efficiency. Like the 2500B it comes standard with two-post SAE J21294 Roll Over Protection Structure with seatbelts that meet pending ISO 21299 standards.

The C-Series Walk Greens Mower line features true 18-inch, 22-inch and 26-inch cutting widths and a dual-traction drive with improved rear drum and drive system that provides straighter tracking on greens. Bedknife-to-reel adjustment knobs make for easier infinite precision adjustments, and all models come equipped with a standard operator-presence system that meets ANSI B71.4-2004 requirements.

They also feature an optional gear-driven Greens Tender conditioner that counter-rotates to stand up the grass prior to cutting.

The ProGator 2020A gas and 2030A diesel heavy-duty utility vehicles are also now available. Their five-speed synchromesh transmission allows operators to not only change gears on the go, but also start the vehicle in any gear. The A Series ProGators feature a manual engage 4WD system and a new auxiliary hydraulic pump configuration for more power. There are no grease points on 2WD machines, and only three grease points on 4WD machines, saving maintenance time.  Contact http://www.JohnDeere.com.

Jacobsen offers enhancements to E-Walk greensmower

Jacobsen has announced several improvements to the industry's only all-electric walking greensmower, the E-Walk.

Three enhancements have improved the functionality of the machine, its durability and ease-of-use for operators.

• A redesigned electronic control unit simplifies the functional options on the E-Walk. Operators can now adjust the settings for reel and mow speeds on the fly by choosing from simple menu options on an easy-to-read LCD screen.
• A new D-handle design specific to the Jacobsen InCommand control system has also been added. Adding the InCommand control system to the E-Walk now gives Jacobsen a consistent operator platform across all Jacobsen walking green mowers making them easier to learn and operate.
• Within the base unit, both the motors that power the reels and drive the traction system have been redesigned to be more durable. Each now features enhanced weather sealing and more efficient heat dissipation, allowing the mower to work harder and longer without sacrificing quality-of-cut or performance.

"These enhancements strengthen the position of the E-Walk as the premier walking greens mower on the market," said Quinn Derby, product manager. The improvements come as a result of customer feedback, and are available on all new E-Walks currently in production.

BASF gets EPA registration for triticonazole fungicide

BASF says its Trinity fungicide has received FIFRA Sec. 3 registration from the U.S. EPA for broad-spectrum disease control in golf course, commercial and residential lawn care, sports turf and sod farms.  Trinity is the trade name of its triticonazole.

A member of the demethylation inhibitor class of chemistry, Trinity is said to offer excellent preventative and curative control of patch diseases (brown, take-all and summer), anthracnose and dollar spot as well as pink and gray snow mold control in northern turf. BASF says it is also ideal for disease control on turf, including fairways.

"Tank mixing Trinity fungicide with Insignia fungicide gives users an economical broad-spectrum combination to control anthracnose, dollar spot, brown patch and other diseases. This reduces labor and material costs," said Toni Bucci, Ph.D., business manager, BASF Professional Turf and Ornamentals. "For effective dollar spot control and resistance management, Trinity fungicide can be used in rotation with non-Group 3 DMI fungicides such as Emerald fungicide." Visit www.turffacts.com for more information.

Dakota introduces Product Verification Testing

Dakota Peat & Equipment has introduced Product Verification Testing--a patent-pending technology specifically designed to tests soil amendments prior to installation in a construction or renovation project.  The testing system was developed by a collaboration of industry experts, agronomists and university professors and uses a forensic, DNA-like analysis of soil samples.  The PVT can test for humus, sphagnum, reed sedge, compost, Dakota Peat, calcined clay and other soil amendments.

PVT was developed by Dakota in response to a growing number of complaints by professional turf managers who had discovered that products specified during the bidding process had been substituted with other products without their knowledge during construction.  Although initial investigations into the complaints were focused on instances where Dakota Peat had been specified but not used in the final construction, research showed that the practice of substitution was both rampant throughout the turf industry and was being done with other products.

The company says PVT is the only product testing solution available in the industry that will allow construction decision-makers to guarantee that the products that are specified are the products that are used. It is the result of three years of development and hundreds of thousands of dollars in capitol investment by Dakota.

"I call this practice of product substitution, a bait switch," says Randy Dufault, Dakota sales manager.  "We estimate that over 50 percent of the jobs that specified Dakota peat didn’t get Dakota Peat. While I understand that product substitution is being done because people are trying to be competitive in the bidding process, we believe that people who are doing construction and renovation projects ought to get what they paid for.  PVT ensures that that happens and levels the playing field among suppliers."

For more information, including a free video, contact Dakota Peat & Equipment at 1-800-424-3443 or visit the company’s website at http://www.dakotapeat.com.

Innovative Designs by E-Z-Go offers customized vehicles

E-Z-Go has introduced "Innovative Designs by E-Z-Go," a customization division created to produce vehicles that meet unique needs and precise specifications. Vehicles that can be accessorized include TXT fleet golf cars, MPT turf maintenance vehicles, ST trail utility vehicles and Shuttle personnel carriers.

Options include ambulances, snow plows, spreaders, built-in toolboxes, welding fixtures and electrical system upgrades. The division is staffed by experts in design, fabrication, welding, bending, tool and die and more. In-house capabilities include computer aided design, laser cutting and computer numerical design machine programming.

Allen Evans will oversee operations of Innovative Designs by E-Z-Go as manager of custom vehicle applications. A veteran of the golf car, utility vehicle and power sports industries, he is widely regarded as one of the true innovators and brightest minds in the realm of vehicle-specific customization.

"I'm delighted with the opportunity to lead Innovative Designs by E-Z-Go, which delivers a new level of customer service and product enhancement," Evans says. "We are here to provide the customer whatever is needed to do the job, no matter the vehicle, application or demands of their particular situation."