Alabama Turf Times - Spring 2022 by leadingedgepubs

Spring 2022

PESTICIDES of the FUTURE Plus:

A New Standard for

SPORTS FIELD MANAGEMENT

EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN DESERVES

It Deserves the World’s One & Only

www.THETURFGRASSGROUP.com

Spring 2022

TOP FEATURES 12

12 16

Recent Events —

TA Road Shows A Sponsor Appreciation ATA Member Spotlight —

Paul Floyd Cover Story —

Pesticides of the Future Feature Article —

22 A New Standard for

Sports Field Management

DEPARTMENTS 5

Index of Advertisers

From the President’s Pen

ATA Annual Sponsors

Calendar of Events

Cover Photo provided by Ken Rost of Frost Inc – “Spray Technology Products.” The drone is from Rantizo an Iowa City based agtech company that uses drones to deliver ag inputs in the field precisely where they are needed. Frost Inc. is an application contractor for Rantizo.

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM

The Alabama Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Alabama Turf Times, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Alabama Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2022 by the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Alabama Turf Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display

www.AlaTurfgrass.org 4

and classified advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

Index of Advertisers >>>

GROWERS OF QUALITY TURF SINCE 1987

Alabama Department of Agriculture....................................................23 agi.alabama.gov BWI Companies, Inc........................................ 7 www.bwicompanies.com Coosa Valley Turf Farms............................... 5 www.coosavalleyturffarms.com

COOSA VALLEY TURF FARMS LLC

Greene County Fertilizer Co...................... 7 www.greenecountyfert.com Greenville Turf & Tractor, Inc..................13 www.greenvilleturf.com

MEMBER OF

Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation...... Back Cover www.jerrypate.com Progressive Turf Equipment Inc.............15 www.progressiveturfequip.com Regal Chemical Company............................ 3 www.regalchem.com Riebeling Farms, Inc....................................... 5 Simplot Partners...............................................9 www.simplotpartners.com Sod Solutions.....................................................25 www.sodsolutions.com Southern Specialty Equipment................. 11 www.ssequip.net Super-Sod............................................................. 19 www.supersod.com

CENTIPEDE TIFWAY 419

Sur-Line Turf, Inc............................................. 11 www.surlineturf.com

FESCUE

The Turf Zone........................................... 20, 27 www.theturfzone.com

www.CoosaValleyTurfFarms.com

The Turfgrass Group.... Inside Front Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com

(256) 927-4228 • (256) 927-4758 FAX • cvtf@tds.net 900 County Road 492 • Centre, AL 35960

Weed Man.......................................................... 20 www.weedmanfranchise.com

615-790-3718 888-707-7141 ( TOLL FREE ) sales@leadingedgecommunications.com www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

CitraBlue St Augustine • Palmetto St Augustine Empire Zoysia • Centipede Sod • Delivery Available

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A l ab am a Tur f Tim es >>> S pring 2022

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From the President’s Pen >>>

LOOKI NG FORWARD

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

appy New Year! Hopefully, everyone enjoyed the holidays and this issue of Alabama Turf Times finds you doing well. This year has started off better than last with our traditional live Road Show seminars. It’s always great for everyone to see each other in-person at one of the Road Shows and share what we’ve experienced and learned in the past year. Communicating with our peers is what makes the Road Shows so enjoyable, not to mention the valuable education the presenters impart and the pesticide renewal points earned. The 2022 ATA Board of Directors had their first board meeting during December and were able to forge great plans for the coming year. Our new board members were present for this all-important strategic planning meeting to set the direction and events for the association year. I appreciate the input that each board member provides. If you have any ideas for the association that you want the Board to consider, please contact any one of us. Your request will surely be heard and discussed. We value what each member has to offer. One idea discussed in December involved the Poa Annua Golf Tournament. This event is very important to the growth of our industry because the money raised through this tournament is given to the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation, ATRF. This money is awarded for research, mostly through the Auburn University Turfgrass Research Unit, to study, understand and solve emerging turfgrass issues and problems. The last few years attendance has been low for this event, so the board plans to move the golf tournament to the Birmingham metro area. Please try to attend once these plans are announced and support turfgrass research. Talking about research, wouldn’t it be interesting to see into the future and what we’ll have to look forward to in ten years? Well, maybe we can! I’m really looking forward to the four-part Cover Story Series that starts with this issue of Alabama Turf Times. The title of this series is “Looking to the Future – Where Will the Turfgrass Industry Be in Ten Years?” I think you will agree, much has changed in our industry, it has during my career, and the changes definitely continue to evolve ever faster. This series will look into four important areas of the turfgrass industry that will continue to change and what we might expect to see involving: Pesticides; Equipment and Technology; Labor; and Breeding New Turfgrass Varieties. A few ATA members have already started sharing their plans for the future as well as present experiences, via the ATA Twitter Account! If you haven’t followed us on Twitter yet, be sure to do so and tag us in anything industry related that you post. You can find us @ALTurfgrassAsn and we look forward to this being just another way to communicate and stay connected. With everything coming up and looking into the future, I think it is important for us to also take time to talk about managing stress. Sometimes it is easy to feel overwhelmed with day-to-day life in our career field. Remember to make time for events, to step away and connect with peers. Make some connections that you feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling. Remember, others have dealt with the same, or similar, issues and may be able to help you with sound advice. That really is what this Association is all about. We are here to provide education, networking, and a sense of fellowship for all individuals in the turfgrass industry. I know we all have had to change the way we operate over the last two years. The turfgrass industry and especially our Association members have proven to be so versatile. I am very proud to be a part of ATA and the turfgrass industry!

Ben Anderson ATA President

Ben Anderson

2022 ATA ANNUAL SPONSORS GOL D • Bayer Environmental Science • Beard Equipment Company • Greenville Turf & Tractor • Harrell’s, Inc. • Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation • Simplot, Inc.

SI L VE R • BWI Companies • Corteva Agriscience • Ewing • Nufarm, Inc. • SiteOne Landscape Supply • Syngenta

BRON ZE • Agromax • BASF • GreenPoint Pro • PBI-Gordon • Southern States Turf • Sur-Line Turf • Walker/Wright Mowers

Alabama Turf Times is the official publication of the: Alabama Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 70 Auburn, Alabama 36831 Tel: (334) 821-3000 Fax: (334) 821-3800 Email: mailbox@alaturfgrass.org www.alaturfgrass.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 Tel: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Executive Director Melanie Bonds

Providing the best selection of turf and landscape products, competitive prices, and excellent customer service.

Alabama Turf Times Editor James Horton EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

www.bwicompanies.com

President Ben Anderson Arrowhead Country Club Vice President Ben Williams Maxwell AF Base / Cypress Tree GC Secretary / Treasurer David White Landscape Workshop Past President Joe Collins, CSFM Samford University

BWI MEMPHIS

BWI MERIDIAN

800-395-2580 5215 FAIRGROUND DR. MARION, MS

800-489-8873 4924 HICKORY HILL MEMPHIS, TN

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Golf Patrick Pierce Grand National Golf Club Industry Chris Moras Ground Works Distribution Institution Drew Charcandy University of Alabama

MAXIMIZE YOUR FERTILIZER EFFICIENCY “What I value most about the products, especially the N-Ext RGS product, is that they are easy to use and easy to integrate into your current system...and the results are fantastic!” – Jesse Smith, President, Royal Greens, Frederick, MD

Lawn Care Darrell Arnold Heritage Lawn Care Parks & Recreation Jonathan Gruber City of Decatur Sod Hunter McBrayer Alabama Farmer’s Federation At Large Jennifer Morgan City of Gulf Shores Travis Stein Regal Chemical

EX OFFICIO / EDUCATION ADVISORS David Han, Ph.D. Auburn University (334) 844-3980 handavi@auburn.edu Jim Jacobi, Ph.D. Alabama Cooperative Extension System (205) 879-6964, Ext. 19 jacobjc@auburn.edu

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A l ab am a Tur f Tim es >>> S pring 2022

High Performance Plant Nutrients Fertilizers ▪ Specialty Products Soil Amendments ▪ Custom Blends

Mark Irwin City of Foley

Recent Event >>>

– T U RN IN G TH E P AG E O N TH E –

2022 ROAD SHOW SEASON! By Melanie Bonds

The

ATA will have completed another season of our popular Road Shows by the time this publication reaches you. It has been a relief to return to an “in-person” event after last year’s webinars, necessitated by the Covid virus. Everyone came together in 2021 to make the virtual events happen, and the speakers did a wonderful job with the technology, but most agree there is something missing when there is no personal contact. We had a wonderful line-up of speakers and topics for 2022 and kudos to Dr. Dave Han, Dr. Jim Jacobi and James Horton on the ATA education committee. Road Show stalwart and sponsor, James Bartley with Harrells sent the following:

“This year the roadshow educational topics were informative and as timely as can be expected. I encourage all my customers to attend and support and learn from the Road Shows. Kudos to the team that came up with the topics!” Thank you, James, for the encouragement! And many thanks to our cast of speakers: Dr. Scott McElroy, Jim Harris, Dr. Dave Han, Dr. David Held, Dr. Katelyn Kesheimer, Peter Lange, Dr. Amanda Strayer-Scherer, Dr. Sonya Thomas and John Nabors. We also had an intriguing and informative panel of our vendor members who discussed Supply Chain Disruption. Thanks to everyone who participated on the panel. The information was very valuable to assist our members in their future planning of budgets and orders.

See you at the 2023 Road Show at a location near you!

Supply Chain Disruption panel: Mark Bentley, Daniel Strickland, James Bartley, Peter Lange and Chris Moras.

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Loxley Road Show

Auburn Road Show

Simplot PerformancePack™ specialty products ensure every inch of your course is healthy, vibrant and beautiful.

Trey Cutshall

trey.cutshall@simplot.com cell: (205) 577-6419

Simon Parkin, CGCS

simon.parkin@simplot.com cell: (251) 200-1349

Randy Owens

randy.owens@simplot.com cell: (205) 517-1772

Learn more at TH.Simplot.com and follow @SimplotTurf on Twitter.

TURF & HORTICULTURE

Recent Event >>> Continued

– T H E T RA D I T I O N C O N TI N U E S –

DECEMBER SPORTING CLAYS

espite heavy thunderstorms that moved through Wetumpka around 1:00 p.m., an intrepid few attendees stayed the course. Following the delicious lunch there was a window of light rain that did not interfere with shooting. This event is hosted in honor of ATA’s sponsors. We thank all our sponsors who came out and the membership who came out in support of them. Special thanks to Darrel Arnold and his son Scott, who took their lives in their hands showing Melanie how to shoot!

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Left to right: Terry Wright, Harold Wright. Jay Davis, Aaron McNeil, Kierstyn Wright

We hope to see you there next year! Rain or Shine!

Past President Joe Collins, CSFM braves the weather to shoot, along with board member Darrell Arnold and his son, Scott.

2022

CALENDAR of EVENTS MARK YOUR CALENDAR and

SAVE THESE DATES APRIL 13

Auburn Turfgrass Research Field Day

APRIL

Poa Annua Classic

JULY 13

ATA Sports Turf Field Day University of Alabama Tuscaloosa

Southern Specialty Equipment, Inc.

New, Used & Refurbished • Ease of Operation • Low Operating

Solid & Dependable Rotary Finishing Mowers

Over 50 Years of Harvesting Innovation

Email: jim@ssequip.net

Website: ssequip.net

Costs • Single Axle

OCTOBER 24 – 27

Truck Use

Deep South Turf Expo

Mississippi Coast Convention Center Biloxi, MS

Office: 877-366-5399

Mobile: 352-284-8029

A l ab am a Tur f Tim es >>> S pring 2022

University of Alabama softball head coach, Patrick Murphy, will speak along with someone from football operations, Jon DeWitt, CSFM and Drew Charcandy. Lunch and speakers will be in the North Zone inside Bryant-Denny stadium.

Member Spotlight >>>

Member Spotlight on

PAUL FLOYD Creating Enriched Areas for Animals at The Birmingham Zoo: A New Twist on a Career in Turfgrass Management!

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

aul Floyd started working at The Country Club of Birmingham in 1989 and eight years later, became a 2nd Assistant. From there he was offered a position as a 1st Assistant at Mountain Brook Club in Birmingham. Five years later, he became a Golf Course Superintendent at Okefenokee Country Club in southeast Georgia. Paul says, “I started working at The Country Club of Birmingham in my early 20’s. Along the way, I realized that I enjoyed working outside and loved working on a golf course. I never knew you could have a career working on a golf course! Imagine that! Afterwards, I worked during the day and went to school at night at Jefferson State in Birmingham and earned my Turf & Horticulture degree. My main two instructors both taught at Auburn University, so I felt like I received a great Turf degree!” Paul had many mentors in the golf course community as he progressed in his profession. He credits Gary Bush (formerly at Mountain Brook Club) as a main influence, but others who he learned a lot from were Jeff Lee, CGCS, Les Williams, Jay Bradford, Kevin Cabaniss, Heath Puckett, CGCS, and Lee McLemore, CGCS. “These are a few of the people that took time and taught me things that I think about to this day. I also learned a lot from some of our sales representatives like Philip Hindman with Harrell’s Fertilizers among others.” During his career, Paul has served as a Golf Course Superintendent, Facilities & Operations Manager, and a Sports Turf Manager. Upon leaving his last job with The City of Decatur, he felt he wanted a new challenge. “I really wanted to try something different from what I did before. I live in Decatur, but I am

from Birmingham, so I started looking at some companies in Birmingham that I was most familiar with. One of those was The Birmingham Zoo.” His position at the Zoo presented Paul with some new challenges. They were in the middle of a multimillion-dollar project that really interested him. “They hired me to be the Maintenance Manager, which includes facility maintenance, turf and landscape, and I am also in charge of their Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation efforts for 2022. I am working with a lot of contractors and prioritizing projects. The Zoo is on its way up, and I am proud to be a part of their success.”

Planning for weather conditions Workboard updates and task re-re-re-assignments

Accurate budget forecasts plus or minus half a penny

Maintenance schedule and equipment assignment mayhem Balancing irrigation costs with equipment and labor costs

If it’s on your mind, it’s OnLink. The John Deere OnLink Golf Course Management Solution can help you see your course more clearly than ever before. Maintenance schedules. Team assignments. Workboard updates. Cost projections. These all can now be viewed and managed in one place. What’s on your mind? Link it with John Deere OnLink Golf Course Management Solutions today at JohnDeere.com/Golf. John Deere, the leaping deer symbol and John Deere’s green and yellow trade dress are the trademarks of Deere & Company.

Trusted by the best.

Bubba Jones - NW Alabama (864) 419-3391 bubba.jones@greenvilleturf.com Andy Beauchamp - Birmingham Area (864) 344-5200 andy.beauchamp@greenvilleturf.com

Member Spotlight >>> Continued

During his career Paul has learned a lot by watching how others supervised or spearheaded projects. “There is a lot more power in watching and learning than following advice from someone. You hear so many ‘words of wisdom’ in your career, but keep in mind, it is better to find someone you admire and watch how they lead their crews, or perform their job. Pattern yourself after those people, but be yourself. Use your personality and be a good person. People will respect you more, and you can live with yourself. Care about people and show them that you care. Family is always the most important. I used to tell myself, ‘There is nothing at any job that you can’t handle, so stay calm and get through it’. One thing Heath Puckett used to say to me is ‘Don’t expect what you don’t inspect’ and that is very true also.” Paul considers himself fortunate. He started his career at The Country Club of Birmingham, then later got married at the Rose Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Now he gets to work at the Birmingham Zoo. All three of these great institutions are in proximity, and Birmingham is Paul’s hometown. “I have spent the better part of my life in or around these great businesses, so it meant a lot to me to come back ‘home’ and be a part of the future for this great entertainment area. It is also a plus that I get to work around some fantastic people and animals at the zoo. I have a wonderful boss, and the animals make every day fun!”

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Paul at UNA

Coming from the maintenance world, Paul said he never realized how many protocols are needed for work around animals. He has learned that you must be careful about transmitting diseases. Neither can you just jump in and fix things. There is a protocol that must be followed to enter an area at the Zoo, or to work around, or inside, the animal habitats. “Our zoo managers are highly intelligent about animal needs, and they have dedicated their lives to taking care of the animals, so you must take that into account when doing maintenance. Sometimes, we make enrichment items for the animals, or we aid the managers in making them, or we may have to do some repair work inside a habitat, so you must coordinate that with the zoo managers. It is very much a team effort to get work accomplished. Turf and Landscape are the easy part for me, but I have many future landscape projects coming that will enhance the look of the zoo. I would like for the zoo to also be an arboretum and be an extension of what you see at the Botanical Gardens.” Like many in the turfgrass profession these days Paul finds the greatest challenge in his job comes with hiring employees. “It is tough these days to hire good people. I have a great crew now, but hiring those vacant positions gets tougher every day.” A different challenge comes from working with a lot of zoo managers, upper management and trying to get everybody on the same page.

Paul at work

Continued <<< Member Spotlight

Paul has been married to Gail Floyd for 26 years. They have three wonderful children, Bryan (21), Jackson (18) and Abby (17). They are all musical and artistic. Each of them is doing well at their schools. Their oldest child, Bryan, is a previous winner of the ATA’s Legacy Scholarship and Jackson Floyd is recipient of ATA's 2021 Legacy Scholarship. Paul loves to fish, even though he doesn’t have a lot of time for it. He also loves watching Auburn sports and college football in general, along with some NFL, college baseball/ softball and college basketball. Paul has been a strong supporter of the Alabama Turfgrass Association for many years. In addition to the ATA he is also a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the Alabama GCSA, the Sports Turf Managers Association, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Aquarium and Zoos Facility Association. Over the years he has received many awards, including the ATA President’s Award “Sports Complex of the Year” for Jack Allen Complex (Decatur). Paul says, “Seeing my kids achieve scholarships and bettering themselves in other ways is an honor for me. When I leave a job, looking back and knowing that I made a difference, organizationally and visually, is an honor for me. I like to make a difference.” Thank you, Paul, for making a difference in our industry!

Paul with his family

“There is a lot more power in watching and learning than following advice from someone."

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Cover Story >>>

INTRODUCTION of the COVER STORY SERIES:

“ LOOKING to the

FUTURE ”

PESTICIDES of the

This issue of Alabama Turf Times starts a four-part Cover Story Series that all members of the Alabama

FUTURE

Turfgrass Association should find very interesting and thought-provoking. The series is titled “Looking to the Future – Where Will the Turfgrass Industry Be in Ten Years?”

By Eric Reasor, Ph.D. Southeast Research Scientist, PBI-Gordon Corporation

We’ve all seen many changes in every aspect of managing turfgrass during our careers, but the history of turfgrass advancement is still relatively new in the scope of human evolution. Mankind benefits from the functional, recreational, and aesthetic of turfgrass, which enhances quality of life, while at the same time offering environmental protection if handled correctly. With that in mind, the challenges that turfgrass managers face are many and only seem to grow as do expectations and regulations.

This series of articles will cover some of the more important topics that we all face in our day-to-day operations: Pesticides; Equipment and Technology;

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Plant Breeding; and Labor. The Alabama Turf Times Editorial Staff wish to thank each contributor in advance for their expertise and prognostic abilities. We also hope that each of you reading these articles enjoy and gain insight into what the future may hold. And perhaps ten years from now, we’ll “Look Back to the Future” to see how the predictions fared.

esticides have undergone significant changes in the past 50 years with an increased focus on environmental and applicator safety. Alabama Turfgrass Association members and the entire turfgrass industry will see pesticide technologies in the future look very different than the past. However, despite many future changes, pesticides will continue being a highly effective tool for turfgrass pest management.

IMPORTANCE of PESTICIDES in PEST MANAGEMENT Pesticides are any substance or mixture of substances used to kill pests or manage the damage they cause and are an important tool for managing turfgrass pests1. Turfgrasses have been used for functional, recreational, and aesthetic purposes to enhance human lives for hundreds of years,2 and many pests can significantly reduce these desired qualities. For example, disease and insect pests can infect or feed on turfgrass plants, leaving infected areas susceptible to wear damage, or environmental stresses such as drought. Furthermore, weed pests such as large crabgrass and white clover can compromise the safety of natural grass athletic fields by increasing the surface hardness ~ 50% compared to hybrid bermudagrass3. Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach that combines multiple chemical and non-chemical methods for pest management. Most of these techniques involve maximizing turfgrass growth and plant health by species and variety

selection, mowing, cultivation, fertilization, and irrigation. Although these cultural practices are critical for pest management, turfgrass quality expectations and lack of control thresholds drive the need for pest-free turfgrass. As a result, pesticides are still the backbone of turfgrass pest management1. The widespread use and necessity of turfgrass pesticides will require the industry to evolve as the pesticides change in the future.

HISTORY of PESTICIDES

Pesticides and their applications will continue to evolve in the future just as much as it has changed in the past. Low-risk synthetic organic compounds are still being developed; however, a new focus has shifted to other types of pesticides and pest management strategies. Examples of these include biological and RNAi pesticides (which will be described in more detail below). In addition to chemistry changes, pesticide applications and delivery systems will change with formulation technology and site-specific applications6, 4. Biological pest control and biopesticides are tools with a recent substantial increase in research and development. Biological control is founded on using beneficial organisms to reduce populations of pest organisms, or at least keep them below destructive thresholds. Turfgrass managers already implement some biocontrol by promoting a healthy environment for optimal turfgrass growth. This type of biocontrol can be described as general pest suppression, whereas specific pest suppression uses specific, selected organisms, to manage pests. Biopesticides are pesticides, but they are derived from natural materials such as animals, bacteria, fungi, plants, and certain minerals. Biopesticides are classified based on their origin and it must provide some level of pest control to be considered a biopesticide7. Microbial biopesticides have a living organism or a product of a living organism as the active ingredient, and biochemical biopesticides have naturally occurring compounds, such as plant extracts, as the active ingredient. There are commercially available products of both biopesticide categories. However, pest control may be limited when high pest populations or environmental conditions highly conducive to damage are present. Furthermore, biopesticides may be limited in long-term storage stability and formulation difficulties. In specific turfgrass situations, biopesticides can be one alternative to synthetic pesticides. Examples of beneficial organisms used in turfgrass to manage specific pests are Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Research and development into biopesticides will continue to increase in future decades. It has been predicted that the biopesticide market will equal and potentially outpace synthetic pesticides by the 2060s8. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference (RNAi) pesticides are another growing area of pesticide research and development. RNAi is a naturally occurring process that uses double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to interfere with normal RNA processes. Normal RNA processes start with DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) transcribing into RNA and then RNA translating into amino acids, which are then used to make proteins. RNAi pesticides disrupt a targeted step in these processes. This allows specific genes within plants and pests to be targeted and manipulated to achieve a desired result. Applications of RNAi compounds are being developed to provide an alternative to synthetic organic compounds. The RNAi currently used for pest management involves dsRNA that can silence essential genes in insects, pathogens, and weeds. These applications are highly specific for the target pest, where non-target effects are minimalized, or even avoided. RNAi has already been used to target plant diseases such as cereal rusts and Botrytis grey fruit mold. It has also been used to develop virus-resistant crops such as papaya, plum, squash, and tomato9. The use of RNAi pesticides in turfgrass pest management will likely be pest specific and will still rely on proper turfgrass cultural practices.

A l ab am a Tur f Tim es >>> S pring 2022

Understanding the history of pesticides and their use is important to the future of pesticides. There are currently five main time periods of pesticide use that describe the type of pesticides used during those times. Current time periods can be described as 1) early pest management prior to year 1000, 2) 1000 to 1850, 3) 1850 to 1940, 4) 1940 to 1970, and 5) 1970 to present. Additional time periods are likely to occur as pesticides enter a new era in the future. The first recorded use of pesticides is about 4500 years ago by Sumerians, who applied sulfur compounds to battle insects and mites. This type of pesticide use continued until approximately year 1000 when the use of plant, animal, or mineral derivatives increased. From 1850 to 1940, pesticides were mainly inorganic compounds and industrial by-products. Moreover, pesticide use during these times typically involved high active ingredient application rates and unsafe application methods. Following the 1940s and scientific advancement after WWII, synthetic organic compounds were being developed for pesticides as a result of organic chemistry being applied to pesticide science. These synthetic organic pesticides still had high application rates in the kilograms per hectare for active ingredients, such as thiuram and DDT. However, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) was established in 1947 to set guidelines for pesticides registered in the United States. FIFRA determines product uses, application rates, and potential hazards. They also developed the pesticide labeling process to instruct end-users on proper and safe applications. Pesticide science vastly changed in the 1970s. Pesticide research expanded outside of the US and Europe and became a world-wide field. The active ingredients themselves begin to change with lower-risk synthetic organic molecules effective at extremely low dosages. Furthermore, these newer active ingredients are more readily degradable, less persistent in the environment, and are more selective against the target pest4. Why the change? In 1972, FIFRA was revised and was moved to the responsibility of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This revision shifted the emphasis of the regulatory process toward environmental protection and public health5. Another major change with FIFRA was the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996. This legislation tasked the EPA with conducting the most comprehensive and historic review of pesticide and food safety laws. The FQPA amended FIFRA by fundamentally changing the EPA’s pesticide evaluation and regulation processes. Through this change, thousands of pesticides and their uses were either modified or eliminated. Then in 2007, an amendment to FIFRA required the EPA to review registered pesticides at least once every 15 years. This review process has yielded changes with many active ingredients and their uses5.

PESTICIDES of the FUTURE

Cover Story >>> Continued

PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS of the FUTURE Pesticide applications and formulations are evolving similar to pesticide active ingredients with a focus on increased environmental safety and reduced inputs. Precise, site-specific pesticide applications is one method that can reduce overall pesticide inputs, and pesticide formulation technology can increase the environmental safety of the final pesticide product. Applying safer pesticides in more precise locations aligns with the future direction of pesticide regulation. New application strategies will be a significant change from traditional broadcast or blanket applications, but the technology involved will be end-user driven (Photo 1).

The theory of precision turfgrass management (PTM) is to measure detailed, site-specific information to precisely apply resources (e.g., water, fertilizer, pesticides). Precision turfgrass management has the potential to reduce overall pesticide inputs by only targeting areas with a present pest population, areas with repeated history of pest issues, or areas with highly conducive environments. This would rely on sensor technology, GPS, and GIS systems to accurately measure, analyze, and apply the data10. Sensor equipment could be mounted to a variety of ground or aerial equipment such as mowers, tractors, golf carts, or even drones to make the necessary measurements for management decisions (Photo 2).

PHOTO 1: Drone technology will become more widespread in the near future. The photo on the left is what the drone sees during a typical fairway flyover. The photo on the right is a NDVI map (normalized difference vegetation index). This shows turfgrass health / stress across the fairway – GREEN is healthy and higher “quality” and RED is stressed or lower “quality”. Drones and ground equipment are both capable of collecting NDVI data. Aerial and ground NDVI measurements have shown strong correlation. Similar technology is being perfected to reduce overall pesticide inputs by only targeting areas when a pest population reaches a specific threshold. Photo courtesy Dr. Chase Straw, Texas A&M University.

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

PHOTO 2: Precision Turfgrass Management (PTM): Researchers measuring turfgrass surface and soil characteristics for developing site-specific, PTM programs. The aerial drone is measuring normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), while the Toro Precision Sense 6000 tow-behind ground unit measures soil moisture, soil compaction, soil salinity and NDVI. Photo courtesy Dr. Chase Straw, Texas A&M University.

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Researchers are in the early stages of developing the PTM technology for turfgrass pest management. Initial technology will likely focus on controlling specific pest species or issues and may not be applicable to every situation. Turfgrass managers already practice some sort of PTM by managing various areas differently based on many factors, including soil characteristics, turfgrass species, slope, height-of-cut, traffic patterns, etc. These management differences are based on anecdotal or quantified data, but the evolution of PTM will be based on acquiring real-time, detailed site information to make decision making more precise and efficient.10 Many hurdles remain for the wide adoption of PTM, nevertheless

it is one of the key components of the future of pesticides and their applications. Pesticide formulation research is important because the pesticide active ingredients comprise only a percentage of the final product. The co-formulants are just as important as the active ingredient for pest control efficacy, product storage/ stability, product compatibility, and overall product performance. Different pesticide formulations have advantages and disadvantages, but there has been a shift in trends due to growing concerns on using solvents as co-formulants. Solventbased emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulations are being phased out with the focus shifted on solvent-free formulations

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Continued <<< Cover Story

(granules [G], soluble liquids [SL], suspension concentrates [SC], and water dispersible granules [WDG]). A new, water-based formulation, emulsion-in-water (EW), uses almost no solvents and has emulsifying agents to improve handling, storage, and transport characteristics. Synthetic pesticide formulation research will continue to evolve for increased applicator and environment safety because synthetic pesticides are still the most economical and effective pesticide option. Nanotechnology is one of the more recent developments in pesticide formulation research11. Nanotechnology research involves manipulation of particles ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm)12. For reference, one nm is one-billionth (10 -9) of a meter and there are 25,400,000 nm in one inch (Figure 1).

technologies will be commercially available for pest control in turfgrass. Moreover, it is possible some will not provide acceptable pest control, be too injurious to desirable species, or too costly for wide adoption. As a result, synthetic pesticides will remain the most effective pesticide tool until these technologies are developed specially for turfgrass.

LITERATURE CITED 1. Koppenhofer, A.M., R. Latin, B.A. McGraw, J.T. Brosnan, and W.C. Crow. 2013. Integrated pest management. In Turfgrass: Biology, Use, and Management. eds. J.C. Stier, B.P. Horgan, and S.A. Bonos. Madison, WI. pp. 933-1006. 2. Beard, J.B. and R.L. Green. 1994. The role of turfgrasses in environmental protection and their benefits to humans. J. of Environ. Qual. 23:452-460. 3. Brosnan, J.T., K.H., Dickson, J.C. Sorochan, A.W. Thoms, and J.C. Stier. 2014. Large crabgrass, white clover, and hybrid bermudagrass athletic field playing quality in response to simulated traffic. Crop Sci. 54:1838-1843. doi:10.2135/cropsci2013.11.0754

ONE INCH

= {

25,400,000 nm

4. Umetsu, N. and Y. Shirai. 2020. Development of novel pesticides in the 21st century. J. Pestic. Sci. 45(2):54-74. doi:10.1584/jpestics.D20-201

}

FIGURE 1: For reference , it would take 25,400,000 nanoparticles stacked side-by-side to equal one inch. Many nanopesticides will be encapsulated within tthe range of 1 to 100 nanometers. Not seen with the naked eye, it takes electron microscope technology to view these particles.

6. Umetsu, N. and A. Ando. 2004. Development of environmentally friendly agrochemicals. In Frontiers of Environmental Pesticide Science. eds. M. Ueji et al. Soft Science. pp. 224-248 7. Damalas, C.A. and S.D. Koutroubas. 2018. Current status and recent developments in biopesticide use. Agriculture. 8(13). doi:10.3390/ agriculture8010013 8. Olsen, S. 2015. An analysis of the biopesticides market now and where is going. Outlooks Pest Mgt. 26:203-206. 9. Mezzetti, B. J. Sweet, and L. Burgos. 2021. Introduction to RNAi in plan production and protection. CAB International. doi:10.1079/ 9781789248890.0001 10. Carrow, R.N., J.M. Krum, I. Flitcroft, and V. Cline. 2010. Precision turfgrass management: Challenges and field applieds for mapping turfgrass soil and stress. Precision Agric. 11:115-134. doi:10.1007/ s11119-009-9136-y 11. Prasad, R., A. Bhattacharyya, and Q. D. Nguyen. 2017. Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Recent Developments, Challenges, and Perspectives. J. Frontier Microbiology. doi: 10.3389/ fmicb.2017.01014 12. Hobson, D.W., 2011. Industrial biotechnology and commodity product. In Comprehensive Biotechnology (Second Edition). eds. M. Butler and M. Moo-Young. Volume 3: pp. 683-697 13. De Oliveira, J.L., E.V.R. Campos, and L.F. Fraceto. 2018. Recent developments and challenges for nanoscale formulation of botanical pesticides for use in sustainable agriculture. J. Agric. Food Chem. 66(34):8898-8913. doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b03183 14. Khot, L.R., S. Sankaran, J.M. Maja, R. Ehsani, and E.W. Schuster. 2012. Applications o nanomaterials in agricultural production and crop protection: A review. Crop Protection. 35:64-70. doi.org/10.1016/ j.cropro.2012.01.007 15. Mishra, S., C. Keswani, P.C. Abhilash, L.F. Fraceto, and H.B. Singh. 2017. Integrated approach of agri-nanotechnology: Challenges and future trends. Front. Plant Sci. 8:471. doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00471

A l ab am a Tur f Tim es >>> S pring 2022

These nanoparticles are being developed to encapsulate nano-sized pesticide active ingredients to potentially provide a “controlled release” of the pesticide to the target pest. Furthermore, encapsulation materials can be biocompatible and biodegradable11. Pesticides formulated as nanoparticles have the potential to increase the efficacy against target pests, reduce the physical degradation, and further reduce the environmental risk13, 14. For example, nanoparticles have been reported to protect neem oil (Azadirachta indica) from degradation to extend its efficacy against insect pests7. However, nanotechnology in pesticide science has been sparsely researched in field conditions and thus not widely commercialized due to several challenges. There are concerns regarding environmental fate, bioavailability and release rates, transport and storage, and cost effectiveness7, 15. Nanotechnology and nanopesticide research will continue, but their application in turfgrass and availability to turf managers is still unknown. Pesticides and their use have vastly changed within the past 50 years, with an increased focus on environmental and applicator safety. Alabama Turfgrass Association members and turfgrass managers could witness even greater significant pesticides changes in the future. Pesticides will continue to evolve with newer technologies such as biological and RNAi pesticides. It is uncertain when some of these new pesticide

5. Reicher, Z.J., P.H. Dernoeden, and D.S. Richmond. 2013. Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and growth regulators used in turfgrass systems. In Turfgrass: Biology, Use, and Management. eds. J.C. Stier, B.P. Horgan, and S.A. Bonos. Madison, WI. pp. 891-932.

Feature >>>

A NEW STANDARD for SPORTS FIELD MANAGEMENT By Barry Stewart, Ph.D. Associate Professor – Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

thletic field managers combine science, art, and long hours of hard work to provide playing surfaces that are safe, playable, and aesthetically pleasing. As Alabama Turfgrass Association members know, there are numerous “standards” that give guidance to sports turf managers as to what minimums should be for athletics fields. Textbooks like the excellent “Sport Fields: Design, Construction and Maintenance” by Puhalla, Krans and Goatley, and Standard Test Methods, Specifications and Guides, like those published by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) provide guidance for what practices should be used to create safe and playable athletic fields. Awareness of these standards becomes important if the management of a field ever comes into question such as could happen in a dispute over liability. The STMA (Sports Turf Managers Association) has recently released “Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Environmental Sports Field Management” which represents a new standard. A great thing

about this publication is that it is available for free. It was developed by many volunteers serving STMA from industry and academia, as well as the STMA staff. If you are a sports field manager, you should read this manual before you head into your 2022 field management season. You may find an idea or two you can implement, and it would be a good refresher for even the most seasoned professional. For years I have used Puhalla, Krans and Goatley as a textbook for my PSS 4443 Athletic Field Management Course at Mississippi State University. I will still recommend it as a supporting book for this class, but this semester I am going to use STMA’s “Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager” as my “textbook”.

Above: Overseeding at Smithville, MS High School

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Feature >>> Continued

The manual was designed to provide guidance, but be adaptable as a general use guide, as well as for use at individual facilities. You may choose to adapt STMA’s BMP Manual for your own facility and possibly include parts for your employee manual. STMA’s BMP Manual will also help sports field managers educate a variety of stakeholders. These include decisionmakers such as athletic directors, facility managers, municipal managers, regulatory agencies, recreation committees, parent organizations, and the interested public. This will educate them on what athletic field managers do; why they do it; and how their management affects playability, sustainability, and the environment. The manual consists of 137 pages plus appendices and is divided into 10 sections: 1. Introduction, 2. Planning, Design and Construction; 3. Turfgrass Establishment; 4. Cultural Practices; 5. Pesticide Management; 6. Sustainable Landscaping; 7. Synthetic Turf; 8. Maintenance Operations; 9. Emergency Preparedness; and 10. Regulatory Information. Section 4. Cultural Practices covers 51 pages and is broken down into: mowing; nutrient management; irrigation; cultivation and surface management; and integrated pest management (IPM). Each section ends with a discussion of best management practices for each topic. This is a very comprehensive publication and covers every aspect of athletic field management except for the management of people.

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Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

Gulfport Sportsplex, Gulf Coast Softball Challenge

Feature >>> Continued

With STMA being a national organization, the manual has information on both warm and cool season grasses. When tailoring this for regional, or facility use, it could be adapted for your specific grasses and practices. Much of this guidance is relevant nationwide. This starts with growing the thickest, strongest, healthiest turfgrass you can grow and the practices that allow a field manager to do this. That is what section four is all about. Successfully incorporating these BMPs requires an experienced, educated sports field manager, and the dedication to see them through. Turfgrass fields are dependent on an adequate supply of water to perform well. Water is the medium that carries nutrients from the soil to the plant, provides some of the raw materials for photosynthesis and cools the plant through transpiration. There is an emphasis placed on water conservation and protecting water quality. Being good stewards of water will be an area of emphasis for all turf managers moving forward. Climate change will add uncertainty to the availability of water to be used for turfgrass. With some public opinion saying turfgrass uses too much water, it behooves us to manage it wisely. Proper irrigation scheduling, selection of water efficient turfgrass species, and cultural practices that allow better water infiltration and increased water holding capacity are highlighted in the manual. A tiered approach to water quality protection is presented, in which water quality is protected to keep problems from occurring. Water is controlled to mitigate potential problems, and water quality is monitored to ensure that fields are having a minimal effect on the environment. The use of assessment tools is highlighted to allow field managers to know where they stand, monitor the effects of their management, and assess how things may be improved. From simple tools like soil tests to more advanced methods such as the Playing Conditions Index (PCI) developed by STMA, data collection, documentation and analysis is emphasized to give the field manager a picture of current conditions and outcomes. To use these tools: records must be kept; observations must be recorded; field use should be documented;

and pictures should be taken. As Dr. Wayne Wells told me many times “The best tool many turf managers have is their eyes.” The data generated will provide a basis for assessment of needs and justification for resources to counteract the degradation that field use causes. Many fields today are experiencing more use than ever before, so documenting the effects of this increased use is a key to justifying increased maintenance. Having numbers and pictures that stakeholders can understand may be influential in getting those groups on board to help you make your case with those who control your budget. ATA members will appreciate that an integrated pest management (IPM) approach is also emphasized. Again, growing the thickest, strongest, healthiest turfgrass is the best defense against pests. The first line of defense in an IPM approach is to limit the amount of stress on our turfgrass. To do this, impediments like soil compaction, poor drainage, and nutrient deficiencies must be addressed. With this line of thinking we are proactive and not reactive. For example, using an aerifier to relieve soil compaction will help our turfgrass out compete goosegrass. Or perhaps by improving the drainage of an area, it will be less prone to pythium in the spring. Of course, there will be times when chemical application must be made to combat a disease flare up or a pest like armyworms that can cause severe damage if not acted upon quickly. Chemicals are one of the many tools we have to provide safe, playable and beautiful athletic fields. To summarize, “Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Environmental Sports Field Management” is a very useful and timely document that every ATA sports field manager should have. The manual can be used like a textbook and guide to provide BMPs for many aspects of athletic field management. It can be used as a template to write a BMP manual, or it can be adapted to be a guide for a specific facility or be the basis of an employee manual. It can be downloaded for free at https://www.stma. org/knowledge_center/bmps/ . While you are there you should consider joining STMA, many ATA members belong to both organizations.

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Spring 2022

University of San Diego – Soccer Field

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Alabama Turf Times - Spring 2022

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