Chitosan

SB Chitosan is a premium, low molecular weight, water-soluble derivative of chitin, sourced from a fungal origin and specifically formulated for amenity turf.

Designed to support high-performance turf surfaces, SB Chitosan plays a dual role as both a biostimulant and a biological defence elicitor. Its low molecular weight enhances solubility and bioavailability, ensuring rapid uptake and activity within plant tissues and the surrounding rootzone.

Key Benefits:

• Fungal-derived for optimal compatibility with turf microbiomes

• Promotes rhizosphere conditions favourable to fine grass species

• Stimulates systemic plant defence pathways (SAR/ISR)

• Aids recovery from disease, pest, and environmental stress

• Enhances germination and establishment of new seed

• Compatible with integrated turf management (ITM) and IPM programmes

• Registered within the EU as a plant protection product component

Derived from fungal chitin, SB Chitosan acts as a carbon-rich food source for beneficial fungi and microbes, encouraging fungal dominance in the rhizosphere. This shift in microbial balance favours the establishment of perennial fine grasses such as fescues and bents, which thrive in fungal-led soil ecosystems.

Once absorbed by the plant, chitosan functions as a plant defence elicitor—activating the plant’s own immune system by triggering systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR) pathways. These defence mechanisms stimulate the production of phytoalexins, lignin, and other protective compounds that help the plant resist fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens without the need for synthetic chemicals.

SB Chitosan is especially valuable for use in recovery and renovation programmes. It supports turf recovery from biotic stress, such as disease and nematode or insect pest damage, and also mitigates abiotic stress caused by drought, frost, or mechanical wear. When applied during or before overseeding, SB Chitosan has been shown to improve germination rates and early seedling establishment by creating a more biologically active and protective rhizosphere.

As a registered ingredient in plant protection products within the EU, chitosan is recognised for its role in sustainable disease management, particularly in integrated pest and disease control strategies. Unlike conventional treatments, it does not leave chemical residues, does not harm non-target organisms, and does not contribute to resistance build-up.

Ideal for use on:
Golf greens, tees, fairways, bowling greens, sports pitches, and other fine turf areas where turf resilience, recovery, and microbial balance are critical to surface performance.