Mississippi Turfgrass - Spring 2018

Spring 2018

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine

The

Centipedegrass

Conundrum Holistic Weed Control

Plus, Highlights from

GCSAA Conference & GIS and MTA Hospitality Night

Spring 2018

Contents • The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine Features

8 Upcoming Event —

YardDawg Classic at The Bridges Golf Club, June 26, 2018

10 Recent Event —

Snapshots from the MTA Hospitality Night at the GCSAA Conference & GIS

10

12 Cover Story —

The Centipedegrass Conundrum: Holistic Weed Control Departments

6 From the MTA President

9 Calendar of Events

18 Mississippi State Turf Team

18 Index of Advertisers

Cover Photo Credit: James Bartley, Harrell’s, Centipedegrass Guru 4 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

12

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 5

From the mta president

David Leon

Summertime Musings

Mississippi Turfgrass Association Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Fax: (662) 325-2705 www.msturfassociation.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 Office: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedgecommunications.com Mississippi Turfgrass Editor James D. McCurdy, Ph.D.

MTA OFFICERS

C

ongratulations, you’ve made it to summertime! As I write this, I’m hopeful all the spring rains are gone. I hope by the time this magazine arrives on your desk that we’re looking behind each cloud hoping for a rain shower to cool things off. It is funny how we get so tired of rain during the winter/spring months, but during the summer we almost forget what rain looks like. There’s one thing for sure that I learned growing up on a farm, it’s rare that you get the perfect amount of rain spread out over your growing season. Thank the Lord for irrigation!

We’ve got a red hot lineup of events this summer. I hope you will be able to attend all of them. The Yard Dawg Classic will be held at The Bridges Golf Club in Bay St. Louis on June 26th. Thanks to Erick Coomer and staff for hosting this year’s event. I look forward to having a blast knocking the ball around and catching up with friends and colleagues all while raising money for research. Speaking of research, the Mississippi State Turfgrass Research Field Day will be held in Starkville on August 21st. Come take a look at all the hard work and research our Mississippi State staff has done to help make our job easier. Whether you’ve just got into the profession or have been in it for years, Field Day is a great place to catch up on the latest research in the industry. It’s also a great place to meet vendors and connect with the larger industry.

Last but not least, thanks to the sponsors that make these events happen.

Having your support makes all the difference in the world. If you’re interested in sponsoring upcoming events, speak with Mrs. Linda Wells or Dr. Jay McCurdy.

Thank you, and may you have your best year yet!

David Leon

2018 MTA President

President David Leon Turf & Aquatic Specialties, LLC (601) 529-2458 Vice President Al Osteen (601) 214-9907 Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Philley Mississippi State University (662) 325-2728 Past President Erick Coomer The Bridges Golf Course (228) 860-5292 Administrative Secretary Linda Wells Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Cell: (662) 769-7558 lmw218@pss.msstate.edu

Directors

Paul Battle Battle Sod Farm (662) 661-2040 Keair Edwards City of Gulfport (228) 861-5641 David Jumper Ole Miss Golf Course (662) 915-5181 Jeremy Tate Tate’s Turf LLC (662) 209-0023 Robb Webb GreenPoint Ag (228) 861-5641 Reuben Wedgeworth Agri-AFC (601) 498-0750

6 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 7

Upcoming Event

Yard Dawg Classic June 26, 2018

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association invites you to play in the 16th Annual Yard Dawg Classic Golf Tournament at the Bridges Golf Club in Bay St. Louis, MS. You will note that you can form your own team. Individuals who wish to play and do not have a team will be assigned to a team by the tournament committee. Your team members do not have to be MTA members—they can be a friend, family member, green committee member, etc.

Player List:

711 Hollywood Blvd Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Team Entry Fee: $400 Individual Entry Fee: $100 Student Entry Fee: $50

Deadline to Register June 20, 2018

9 a.m. – Registration/Warmups (Coffee & Pastries)

10 a.m. – Scramble Tee Off

1 _ ____________________________________________

(Box Lunch Provided)

2 _ ____________________________________________

Monday, June 25th – 6 p.m.

3 _ ____________________________________________

Fish Fry

4 _ ____________________________________________

The Bridges Clubhouse 711 Hollywood Blvd.

Hosted by Gold Sponsors

Methods of Payment: American Express

Visa

MasterCard

Check*

If paying by credit card, signed entry may be faxed to (662) 325-2705 *Check – Make payable to MTA

Total_ ______________________________________________________________

Bonus! Bonus! Bonus!

Hole in One Contest!!

Winner will receive a golf cart donated by Benji Nelson.

Credit Card #_ ________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________ City:_ ________________________________State:_ _____ Zip:_________________ Expiration Date:_ _________ Signature:______________________________________

Hollywood Casino Hotel Discount Available for Monday night, June 25th. $79 – (866) 758-2591.

Registration code is MTA0625.

8 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

MTA Linda Wells Box 9555 Mississippi State, MS 39762 (662) 769-7558 lmw218@pss.msstate.edu www.msturfassociation.org

Calendar of Events

Mark Your Calendar and Save These Dates June 26

Yard Dawg Classic Golf Fundraiser The Bridges Golf Club Bay St. Louis, MS

August 21

Mississippi State Turfgrass Research Field Day Rodney Foil Plant Science Research Center Starkville, MS

November 27–29

Deep South Turfgrass Expo Mississippi Coast Convention Center Biloxi, MS

Mississippi Turfgrass is the Mississippi Turfgrass Association magazine. Subscriptions are complimentary to MTA members. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, its board of directors, Mississippi Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as MTA members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in any issue of Mississippi Turfgrass.

Copyright © 2018 by the Mississippi Turfgrass Association. Mississippi Turfgrass is published quarterly.

Subscriptions are complimentary to members of MTA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: MTA allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to MTA. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 9

Recent Event

Left to right: Linda Wells, Amanda Miles and Melanie Bonds welcome members as they come in the door for Hospitality Night

Left to right: Angie Chrestman (MSU Career Center Director); Dr. Eric Reasor; Stephen Miles; Wayne Philley; Linda Wells.

This photo was taken at the MSU booth at the GIS.

It was a full house at the Zinc Bistro Wine & Bar Restaurant in San Antonio!

“Hospitality Night ” Snapshots from the

at the GCSAA Conference & GIS • February 7

Hospitality Night Sponsors — T hank You!

10 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

San Antonio, Texas

Our

event was held at the Zinc Bistro Wine & Bar Restaurant in San Antonio. We continue to have a terrific turn out—130! Hospitality Night continues to be a favorite activity of all the associations participating—MSU Alumni, AGCSA, LMGCSA, GCGCSA. We want to thank all of our sponsors for supporting us and making our party a success! v

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 11

Cover Story

The

Centipedegrass

Conundrum Holistic Approaches to Weed Control

12 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

Photo Credit: James Bartley, Harrell’s, Centipedegrass Guru

By Jay McCurdy and Michael Richard, Mississippi State University

C

entipedegrass has become perhaps the most common low maintenance turfgrass species in the southeast. We can think of no other that has the breadth of utility in poor soils and areas with infrequent care.

Unfortunately, its finicky response to routine maintenance means it sometimes gets “loved to death” by those responsible for its care.

Centipedegrass was first introduced in 1916 from Southeastern Asia. Seed were collected by the plant explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer (the namesake of ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass and the ‘Meyer’ lemon) who was employed by the

Figure

1

USDA’s Office of Seed and Plant Introduction. He drowned somewhat mysteriously near Shanghai in 1918 while exploring southeastern China via the Yangtze River.

There are at least eight species within the genus Eremochloa. Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is the only one cultivated as a turfgrass species. Centipedegrass has many other common names. Chinese lawngrass or China grass denotes its origins. It is called cemetery grass due to its prevalence within cemeteries and poor man’s or lazy man’s grass because of its low maintenance requirements.

Centipedegrass is a warm-season, lime-green, medium-textured, slow growing grass found throughout the southeastern United States as low maintenance turf. It persists in humidsubtropical and tropical climates. Centipedegrass persists as far north as Tennessee and coastal Virginia, although it is easiest to maintain where winter temperatures are mild. Centipedegrass is one of the least drought tolerant warm-season turf species. For this reason, it tends to do well in gulf-coastal environments due to timely rainfall during peak summer time temperatures (Figure 1).

Centipedegrass injury due to drought conditions in the fall of 2016.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 13

Cover Story • Continued

Centipedegrass varieties include ‘common,’ ‘TifBlair,’ ‘Oaklawn,’ and ‘Tennessee Hardy.’ Centipedegrass spreads by aboveground stems called stolons, as well as by seed. Seed take roughly three weeks to germinate and require adequate soil temperature to do so (approximately 80 degrees). Centipedegrass is commonly propagated vegetatively as sod but may also be established by sprigs or plugs.

Centipedegrass thrives in soils of moderate to low pH (between 5.0 and 6.0). Prior to establishing any turfgrass,

Figure

2

a soil test should be performed in order to determine soil pH. Other site considerations should include shade, wear and expectations. Centipedegrass persists in moderate shade better than bermudagrass but not nearly as well as St. Augustinegrass. Centipedegrass has poor wear tolerance and is slow to recover from injury because of its slow growth rate. Low fertility requirements and short statured growth make centipedegrass well suited for low to no mow scenarios, but property owners expecting thoroughbred

performance will be unhappy with a plow-horse trod.

Once established, nitrogen inputs should be limited to less than 2 lbs nitrogen per 1,000 ft2 per year. By contrast, this is roughly half that recommended on low maintenance bermuda and zoysia grass lawns. When using controlled release nitrogen sources, we recommend even less. In some environments, nitrogen input may not be needed every year.

Some of the most experienced centipedegrass gurus suggest a potassium

Herbicides applied in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 4, 2015. Spray volume was 30 gallons per acre. A non-ionic surfactant was included.

Photos were taken 2 weeks after treatment. Notice slight turfgrass injury results from all treatments.

Princep 4FL, 32 fl oz

Tenacity, 8 fl oz

Tenacity + Princep

MSM Turf, 0.5 oz

14 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

Continued

supplement in the spring and fall. Some folks use foliar apps of iron to correct the bleached appearance of grass grown in soils where pH is above optimal. The darker color lasts until the leaf tissue grows enough to be mown.

Humic and fulvic acids, as well as various other soil amendments are frequently suggested, though research is scant in centipedegrass.

Centipedegrass does not have underground rhizomes like bermuda and zoysia grasses. When over fertilized, it becomes thatchy and prone to stress related decline. To prevent thatch, only fertilize when grass is actively growing, which in most southeastern lawns is after the third or fourth mowing event. Centipedegrass does well when maintained at relatively low mowing heights (¾ to 1.5 inch), but it does not recover well from scalping. Mowing low according to the 1/3rd rule during growing months helps promote lateral growth. Bag clippings if they accumulate or clump together and add them to your compost.

Holistic Weed Control Unfortunately, centipedegrass does not conform to scheduled applications as well as bermuda and zoysia grasses.

Lawn care professionals who manage centipedegrass well are less governed by routine schedules and make decisions based upon concern for plant health rather than pest control. They scout and spot treat problematic areas.

They run routes that are focused on sensitive species — centipede, St. Augustine, and carpet grasses. And most importantly, they educate consumers about expectations and appropriate cultural practices.

The essence of weed-free centipedegrass is dense, healthy turf. Centipedegrass is highly susceptible to herbicide injury during fall and spring transition periods, regardless of labelling. For instance, auxin mimicking herbicides (2,4-D, MCPA, dicamba and others) are tolerated when turf is actively

growing, but during fall and spring transition, centipedgrass is susceptible to injury and slowed growth. Likewise, metsulfuron is labelled, but when applied during transition or even during mostly dormant winter conditions, injury and thinned stands are fairly common. When actively growing, phytotoxicity is transient, but during fall and spring dormancy or summer drought stress, even the slightest injury may push it over the edge.

Best management practices for centipedegrass weed control: • Prioritize plant health. Manage fertility, soil pH, cultural practices and especially thatch if you want a resilient centipedegrass lawn.

• Rely upon fall preemergence herbicide applications for control of annual bluegrass and cool-season broadleaf weeds rather than winter/ spring postemergence treatments.

It is fairly typical to apply low rates of mitotic inhibiting herbicides (ex.

Barricade, Pendulum, Dimension) in conjunction with simazine at a fall timing. Some practitioners apply reduced rates of Specticle in the fall.

• Decrease rate or forego use of preemergence herbicides in the spring.

Fly-away or looping stolons in lawns treated with preemergence herbicides are typical. Gallery might be an exception as it tends to be very safe on grasses. Unfortunately, gallery lacks control of grassy weeds.

• Reduced rates of simazine and atrazine have long been standard recommendations for spring broadleaf/ Poa control with the added benefit of some preemergence activity. For new customer accounts, a round-1 “clean-up” option is atrazine.

• In general, avoid use of postemergence herbicides during spring and fall periods of static growth. Even though they’re labelled, products containing auxin mimicking herbicides (ex. 2,4-D, dicamba, mecoprop,

•

Cover Story

clopyralid, and others) can be particularly problematic during periods of transition or slow growth. Herbicides are rarely the only cause of decline, but when combined with stress, such as drought or slowed recovery from winter, they too frequently result in thinned turf or stunted growth.

• When possible, spot treat postemergence herbicides rather than broadcast apply. We realize how impractical this can be, but so is re-sodding an entire yard.

Preemergence herbicides that are labelled include (but are not limited to): Barricade and others (prodiamine) Dimension and others (dithiopyr) Gallery (isoxaben) Gemini (prodiamine, isoxaben) Echelon (prodiamine, sulfentrazone) reehand (dimethenamid, F pendimethalin) Kerb (pronamide) endulum and others P (pendimethalin) Pennant Magnum (metolachlor) S pecticle Flo (indaziflam) — Not for use in sod Surflan (oryzalin) Tower (dimethenamid) Many postemergence herbicide labels limit or restrict use to periods of active growth. Several products (ex.

Triplet-SF) limit application timings to dormant centipedegrass only. Our experience has been that centipedegrass green-up can be delayed even when applications are made according to label directions. Read the label and do not take risks when unnecessary.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 15

Cover Story • Continued

Products that are labelled include (but are not limited to): Aatrex (atrazine) venue South (penoxsulam, A sulfentrazone, dicamba, 2,4-D) Banvel (dicamba) Basagran (bentazon) lindside (metsulfuron, B sulfentrazone) Celero (imazosulfuron) elsius (thiencarbazone methyl, C iodosulfuron, dicamba) Certainty (sulfosulfuron) hange-Up (MCPA, C fluroxypyr, dicamba) onfront (triclopyr, clopyralid) — C Not labelled for residential use.

Defendor (florasulam) Dismiss (sulfentrazone) Image (imazaquin) Katana (flazasulfuron)

Figure

3

A centipedegrass lawn that has thinned due to poorly drained soil. The grass in the foreground is actually carpetgrass, which tolerates standing water and wet soils.

LockUp (penoxsulam, dicamba) ontrel (clopyralid) — L Not labelled for residential use. anor, MSM-Turf, Rometsol, M and others (metsulfuron)

Segment (sethoxydim) S peedzone Southern (carfentrazone, 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba)

Princep 4L (simazine)

S witchblade (halauxifen-methyl, fluroxypyr, dicamba)

ylex (topramezone) — P spot treatment only

Tenacity (mesotrione)

Quicksilver (carfentrazone)

rimec Southern (MCPA, T 2,4-D, dicamba)

elzar (halauxifen-methyl, R florasuluam) — Centipede tolerance improved with addition of dicamba (0.12 to 0.24 lb ae/A) S edgehammer, ProSedge, and others (halosulfuron)

16 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

Vista and/or Spotlight (fluroxypyr) Xonerate (amicarbazone) Centipedegrass is tolerant of a few postemergence herbicides that are unique in warm-season turf. Only

apply when turf is actively growing and is not under stress.

• Sethoxydim (Segment, Vantage) is labelled for grassy weed control at a reduced use rate. It will not control annual bluegrass or goosegrass, but it will control crabgrass with two applications roughly three weeks apart.

• The HPPD inhibitors mesotrione (Tenacity) and topramezone (Pylex) control crabgrass and goosegrass.

Notice that Pylex is labelled for spot treatment only in residential centipedegrass.

• Winter-time applications of atrazine or simazine are sometimes applied for broadleaf and grassy weed control.

Continued

For whatever reason, crabgrass and goosegrass are rarely problematic in healthy centipedegrass. In our opinion, the most problematic weeds in centipedegrass are summer broadleaves that would exist regardless of spring preemergence application (ex. Virginia buttonweed, dichondra, dollarweed, common lespedeza, chamberbitter, and various sedges). Products that combine ALS inhibitors with auxin mimicking herbicides (ex. Celsius or Avenue South) or combinations of auxin mimicking herbicides (ex. Change-up, Trimec Southern or Vista) plus low rates of metsulfuron are usually well tolerated during peak summer growth and result in fairly broad spectrum control of broadleaf weeds. Sedgehammer, Celero, Katana, Image, Certainty or Dismiss are all options for control of sedges.

St. Augustine and carpet grasses are frequently found in mixed stands with centipedegrass. Keep in mind that herbicide selection should account for the presence of these sensitive warmseason species. For instance, Celsius is labelled across a range of warm-season turf species, but it is a standard recommendation to control carpetgrass.

Many an LCO has killed carpetgrass without knowing it was present.

Centipedegrass is susceptible to a number of pests other than weeds, including ground pearls, large patch and nematodes. Proper pest identification is necessary in order to adequately treat these problems. Long term decline due to these or other pests may indicate that a site (or property owner) is not conducive to centipedegrass growth.

Renovation and establishment of a more suitable grass species is a frequent recommendation.

In summary, use caution when applying herbicides to sensitive species, particularly centipedegrass. Prioritize plant health, and above all else, educate the consumer so that they have realistic expectations and perform cultural practices properly. v

Figure

4

•

Cover Story

From left to right: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass stolons.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 17

Mississippi State Turf Team

Gary Bachman, Ph.D. Associate Extension/ Research Professor Specialty: Ornamental Hort.

Coastal Res. & Ext. Center Phone: (228) 546-1009 gbachman@ext.msstate.edu

Geoff Denny, Ph.D. Associate Extension Professor Specialty: Commercial Ornamental Horticulture Phone: (662) 325-1682 gcd42@msstate.edu

Wayne Philley, M.S. Senior Research Associate Specialty: Turfgrass Breeding and Evaluation Phone: (662) 325-2728 wphilley@pss.msstate.edu

Jason Ruffin Research Associate Specialty: Turfgrass Mgmt., Turf Research Facility Manager Phone: (662) 325-2640

Clarissa Balbalian, M.S. Diagnostics Lab Manager Specialty: Plant Pathology Phone: (662) 325-2146 cbalbali@ext.msstate.edu

Alan Henn, Ph.D. Extension Professor Specialty: Ext. Plant Pathologist Phone: (662) 325-4535 ahenn@ext.msstate.edu

Mike Phillips, Ph.D. Department Head and Professor Dept.: Plant and Soil Sciences Phone: (662) 325-2311 jmp657@msstate.edu

Barry Stewart, Ph.D. Associate Professor Specialty: Sports Turf Science Phone: (662) 325-2725 bastewar@pss.msstate.edu

Donna Beliech Area Extension Agent IV Rankin Co. Extension Service Phone: (601) 825-1462 donnab@ext.msstate.edu

Blake Layton, Jr., Ph.D. Extension Professor Specialty: Ext. Plant Entomologist Phone: (662) 325-2085 blayton@entomology.msstate.edu

Eric Reasor, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Specialty: Turf Breeding and Management Phone: (662) 325-8280 eric.reasor@msstate.edu

Maria Tomaso-Peterson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Specialty: Turfgrass Pathology Phone: (662) 325-2593 mariat@pss.msstate.edu

John Byrd, Ph.D. Professor Specialty: Invasive Weed Mgmt.

Phone: (662) 325-4537 jbyrd@pss.msstate.edu

James McCurdy, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Specialty: Turfgrass Extension Specialist and Weed Scientist Phone: (662) 325-2331 jmccurdy@pss.msstate.edu

Michael Richard Extension Associate Specialty: Sports Turf Mgmt.

Phone: (662) 325-2311 mpr160@msstate.edu

Jeff Wilson, Ph.D. Regional Extension Specialist Specialty: Ornamentals, Landscape, Turfgrass, Fruits and Vegetables North MS Res. & Ext. Center Phone: (662) 566-8019 jwilson@ext.msstate.edu

Index of Advertisers

Agri-AFC,LLC...................................................9 www.agrainc.com

Harrell’s LLC....................................................3 www.harrells.com

RD Murphy, LLC.............................................17 www.rdmurphy.com

Bayou Bend Turf Grass..................................11 www.bayoubendturf.com

Humphries Turf Supply....................................7 www.humphriesturf.com

Riebeling Farms, Inc.......................................7

Boshancee Nursery, Inc..................................7 www.boshanceensy.com

Jackson Sand..................................................7 www.jacksonsand.com

Color-Flex Distance Markers........................17 www.color-flex.com

Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation... Inside Front Cover www.jerrypate.com

CoverSports USA.............................................5 www.coversports.com

JNT Turf Solutions LLC.....................................9

Donkey Forklift.............................. Back Cover www.hol-mac.com

18 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2018

Progressive Turf Equipment, Inc....................5 www.progressiveturfequip.com

Southeast Turf Maintenance...........................9 www.southeastturf.com Sur-Line Turf, Inc..........................................11 www.surlineturf.com Winstead Turf Farms........... Inside Back Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com