Mississippi Turfgrass - Summer 2019

Celebrating

60

Years

Serving the green industry Summer 2019

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow:

Congratulations to Wayne Philley on his Retirement

Plus:

St. Augustinegrass Management

Turfgrasses for the 21st Century

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Alec Kowalewski, Ph.D., Oregon State University

As water restrictions tighten in many drought-stricken areas of the U.S., golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, property owners and sod producers increasingly value drought-tolerant turfgrass. Selected for its superior drought and wear tolerance, TiFTUF™ has been rigorously developed and tested for more than two decades by a team of researchers led by Dr. Wayne Hanna and Dr. Brian Schwartz at UGA’s Tifton Campus.

TiFTUF™ was bred in 1992, as one of 27,700 experimental bermudagrass genotypes. in 1999, ninety of the most promising genotypes were planted under a rainout shelter and evaluated through 2001 under deficit irrigation.

Under this drought stress, TiFTUF™ (tested as experimental name DT-1) maintained its quality and green color the longest. in 2011 continuing drought study testing established that TiFTUF™ requires 38% less water than Tifway. Since then, TiFTUF™ has been further tested in 19 drought-stress trials, 2 sports field wear tolerance trials and 4 irrigated, non-stress trials at The University of Georgia, The University of Florida, North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M University as part of the Federal Specialty Crop research initiative (SCri) grant. it has now been determined that TiFTUF™ will become the University research standard by which all drought tolerance will be determined. in 2013, TiFTUF™ was entered into the National Turfgrass evaluation Program (NTeP) bermudagrass trials where it is being evaluated in 20 locations across the United States until 2017. NTeP results from 2014 reveal that TiFTUF™ scored the highest quality ratings in the following test locations: North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma and California.

TiFTUF™ also ranked in the highest statistical group for quality in Alabama, Georgia, indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri.

Fine textured and dense, TiFTUF™ exhibits several additional stellar qualities, including superior wear tolerance, early spring greenup, excellent fall color retention and extremely rapid grow-in. if you’re seeking a truly superior turfgrass for performance, aesthetics and sustainability, you’ve just found it.

“ With its combination of drought tolerance, aggressive growth and superior fall color, it has a great place in the industry.”

Grady Miller, Ph.D., North Carolina State University “ it also survives winters in Kansas. With 94% survival, it is no different than Latitude 36 TM, Yukon, Patriot TM and Riviera.”

Jared Hoyle, Ph.D., Kansas State University “ TifTuf TM performed very well on our large-scale Linear Gradient irrigation System at the university of florida. it maintained good quality with signif- icantly less water compared to the other commer- cially produced cultivars.”

J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., University of Florida “ We found evidence that TifTuf TM used less water than Tifway 419 and TifSport. it’s just a very tough and drought-tolerant grass. As soon as it quits raining, TifTuf TM is still performing well, unlike others that can start to fail.”

Brian Schwartz, Ph.D., University of Georgia “ With today’s extreme environmental conditions, there has never been a greater need for a superior drought- and wear-tolerant grass like TifTuf TM. its aggressive grow-in under cold and drought conditions makes TifTuf TM the environmentally and financially successful turfgrass choice. This rigorously tested grass that maintains its color and quality will create the most sustainable, environmentally friendly lawns, sports fields and golf courses around the world.”

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Summer 2019

Contents • The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine Features

8 Upcoming Events —

Field Day Deep South Turf Expo

8

10 Cover Story —

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow: Congratulations to Wayne Philley on his Retirement

14 Turf Talk —

St. Augustinegrass Management Departments

6 From the MTA President 18 Index of Advertisers

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 ©2019 by the Mississippi Turfgrass Association.

Mississippi Turfgrass is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of MTA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. 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.

4 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

10

14

From the mta president, Al Osteen

Fighting the Good Fight W

ell at least it dries up quicker after it rains now. It sure has been wet around here for the past 9 months or so. Of course it will now turn blistering hot and dry. I know everyone is getting very busy with the grass growing, and working on making your facilities look their best. Best of luck to everyone out there fighting the good fight.

Please remember to consider all of our sponsors when making purchases for your business and remember how much we appreciate all they do to support MTA. Our friend and MTA colleague Wayne Philley is retiring at the end of June.

I first met Wayne Philly in the fall of 1986 when I worked for him and Dr. Jeff Krans at the MSU North Farm helping to maintain the turf research area — hard to believe that was over 30 years ago now. Wayne has been a long time member of the MTA and has served as MTA Secretary/ Treasurer for the past 15 years. He has gone over and above supporting MTA and has done an excellent job managing our funds and tending to our financial obligations. We are excited that Dr. Barry Stewart, of the MSU Turf Team, has agreed to take on this very important role for us.

Wayne has been involved in all aspects of MTA through the years and has helped it to flourish and continue to grow into the respected turf management organization it is today. Join me in wishing all the best to Wayne and his family in his retirement. His research and contributions to the turfgrass community have been extensive and impactful, and his dedication to his profession, and MSU, are second to none. Myself, all of the MTA members, and the entire turf industry, will miss Wayne’s guidance, participation and especially his cheerful and enthusiastic presence at our gatherings.

Next up is the August 20th MSU Turf Field Day. Please make plans to come to this event. Turf equipment demonstrations, information on what’s new in MSU turf research, and educational seminars will be on the agenda.

Don’t forget to recommend joining MTA to anyone in our industry that might be new to the area. Please let them know that their membership supports research, education, scholarships, and good networking opportunities when working in the turf profession.

Hoping everyone is having a good turf management season!

Al Osteen

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 President Al Osteen (601) 214-9907 Vice President Jeremy Tate (662) 209-0023 Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Philley Mississippi State University (662) 325-2728 Past President David Leon Turf & Aquatic Specialties, LLC (601) 529-2458 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 Justin Lanford Starkville Country Club (662) 822-5806 Rob Webb GreenPoint Ag (601) 594-5798 Reuben Wedgeworth Agri-AFC (601) 498-0750

Faculty Advisors Jay McCurdy, Ph.D. (662) 325-2331 6 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

Barry Stewart, Ph.D. (662) 325-2725

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Upcoming Events

8 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

Save the Date for

Deep South Turf Expo 2019!

October 1–3 at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi This event features an exceptional educational program with sessions led by researchers and industry leaders from across the country.

Don’t miss out on these opportunities to grow your knowledge and your business: Trade Show Networking opportunities (Gold Tournaments, Skeet and Trap Tournament, Tail Gate Party and more) Breakout sessions for Golf, Sports Turf and Grounds, Lawncare and Landscape and Sod CEU and Pesticide Certification

Visit deepsouthturfexpo.org for more details and to register!

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 9

Wayne Philley

Cover Story

“Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow”

W

ayne Philley has been a part of the Golf & Sports Turf Management Program for so long, it is hard to imagine it without him. We are certainly thankful that he answered the ad for a field technician in the Starkville Daily News placed by Dr. Jeff Krans — and that Dr. Krans hired him! But then, we all know how shrewd he is. That was the beginning of a long commitment and dedication to Mississippi State University and to the turf industry of Mississippi.

A native of Mississippi, Wayne received his AA Degree at Wood College in Mathiston, MS, a BS in Crop Science from MSU with an emphasis in Plant Breeding. Over the years he continued his education by taking additional classes and attending workshops and conferences all over the country.

He and his lovely wife, Helen, have one daughter, Amanda.

When asked who mentored him along the way, his list reads like a Hall of Fame of Turf and his own name should be right in there. “Too many to list for fear of leaving anyone out,” he said, but here are a few: Jeff Krans, Roy Creech, Coleman Ward, Vance Watson, Euel Coats, Mike Goatley, Clarence Watson, Wayne Hanna, Richard Mullenax, Phil Busey, Paul Williams, Ed McWhirter, Jim Price, Wayne Wells, Brian Baldwin, Barry Stewart, Gregg Munshaw, Christian Baldwin, Ted Wallace, Jac Varco, Jay McCurdy, Eric Reasor.

What he likes most about his job is collecting different turfgrass ecotypes, crossing them, and observing the progeny these parents produce. He is very good at that…a lot of his “babies” have earned international recognition and made millions of dollars in royalties for Mississippi State University.

Also, a lot of professional sports teams (baseball, football) are playing on turf developed by Wayne and Dr. Jeff Krans.

We could probably wallpaper the hall of third floor Dorman outside his office with all his awards and accomplishments — he received the Louis and Doris Wise Support Staff Award in 1995, CALS and MAFES Research Award 2004, MSU Office of Technology Management Innovator of the Year Award 2013, MTA Outstanding Turf Professional,

10 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

MTA Distinguished Service Award and the 2019 MSU Zacharias staff award just to name a few. He is a member of ASA, CSSA, GCSAA and MTA, where he faithfully served as Secretary/Treasurer for many years.

The best advice he was ever given? “Do your best and God will do the rest.”

“I love this job in which God placed me. Any accomplishments, including the seven US patents, numerous invention disclosures, cultivar and germplasm registrations and publications are results of being allowed to work here for forty years.”

Although very modest when it comes to himself and his work, accolades from some of those who have worked with him through the years, acknowledge the importance of his place in turf history.

Dr. Jeff Krans

Congratulations on your retirement from Mississippi State and the Turfgrass Program. I clearly remember your first days on the job and your eagerness to work hard and do a good job. You accepted all duties and responsibilities

Congratulations on your retirement, Dr. Wayne Philley!

that came your way and worked hard on self-improvement.

You did a great job and thank you for all you did to help me get things done.

When I look back, I think we made a good team in research. You did the hard work and kept the field plots going and on track. The Bermuda grass cultivar development turned out better than either of us ever expected. The timing was right and we had some good luck along the way.

Some of my best memories of us were on our trips to turfgrass meetings. We always shared a room and enjoyed going to the presentations. You made great professional progress by going to these meetings that added value to our turfgrass research. Thanks for having that self-initiative and adding new ideas to our work.

I know you and Helen are looking forward to living in Mathiston and traveling to seeing your daughter Amanda and her husband as well as other trips. Best of luck to you and Helen on your retirement.

Dr. Mike Goatley

Wayne Philley‌ my first thoughts: what a nice man and what a difference he has made to the MSU turf program, Mississippi State University, and the turf industry of the US as a whole. Wayne is one of the most recognized researchers from the Mississippi State program and his efforts in breeding are appreciated both nationally and internationally.

Wayne, you defined what it means to be a team player and that is the most important skill that you and so many of our colleagues taught me during my time in Starkville.

Thanks for all that you did for me in support of my teaching, research, and outreach efforts, but also for all the behind the scenes efforts on behalf of the MTA. Most of all thanks for being such a wonderful person and colleague that I and so many others are privileged to call a friend.

Dr. Barry Stewart

I have been very fortunate to have worked with Wayne Philley and am extremely happy for he and his family on his impending retirement. I’ve spent the last week working with Wayne on our National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) rain out shelter. He is such a good person to work with. He has a calming aura that makes things go better.

Wayne is a consummate professional who is always on time, professionally dressed and ready to work. He has an almost magical ability to be able to work hard at tasks that are dirty and never get dirty. I wish I had this ability, but alas I do not.

I cannot begin to count all the times Wayne has come in early, stayed late or dropped everything he was doing to show a client, customer or colleague our turfgrass plots. He is an outstanding promoter and ambassador for our turfgrass research. His institutional knowledge will be greatly missed.

Wayne, my friend, Happy Retirement! You have certainly earned this. Enjoy!

Dr. Wayne Philley and Dr. Barry Stewart planning turf trials Jackie Sherrill, Dr. Jeff Krans, Dr. Wayne Philley

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 11

Cover Story • Continued

to our offices. Those years working with Wayne never really felt like going to work — it was more like going to hang out with your buddy for eight hours a day, five days a week.

I learned a lot about research and professionalism from Wayne and if he had any interest in spending his retirement breeding cool-season grasses in the transition zone, I’d hire him in a heartbeat.

Congratulations on your retirement, Wayne, you had a career that you should be proud of.

Dr. Philley leading a session at Field Day

Dr. Wayne Philley: St. Augustinegrass breeder

Dr. Gregg Munshaw

When I was writing up my masters and Ph.D. research, there was a publication that I often referenced as the gospel when it came to seeded Bermudagrass. The title was something like ‘A Guide to Seeded Bermuda grasses’ by Philley and Krans, and if I sited it one time, I sited it 50 times.

So when I found out I was going to be interviewing at Mississippi State and meeting the Wayne Philley, author of such publications as ‘A Guide to Seeded Bermuda grass’, I felt like a little girl at an Elvis concert! And then when I got the good news that I was going to be working with him, I was absolutely over the moon. Wayne and I clicked immediately as we had several interests in common — similar research ideas, we both liked good rock music (I introduced him to some newer sounds, he introduced me to some older ones), we both were into guitars, we both enjoyed a good comfortable brown shoe, to name just a few.

Wayne and my office doors were right next to each other so we had a seven and a half year conversation, both of us sitting in our desk chairs, maybe talking a little louder than normal so we wouldn’t actually have to stand up. When we got too loud, Barry Stewart and Wayne Wells would get involved and we would have a little pow-wow at the entrances 12 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

Dr. Wayne Wells

It is indeed a pleasure to recognize and honor Mr. Wayne Philley as he plans his retirement. On criteria of professionalism and dedication to MSU; serving as a role model for faculty, staff and students; demonstrating outstanding initiative and cooperation; competence and expertise; and making an impact personally and professionally on campus and elsewhere he gets an A+ in every category.

With a 40+ year MSU career of research, teaching and support of campus functions and activities, Wayne has worked with and has seen many university presidents, department heads, and turf faculty members come and go, budgets cut and promotions slow, and yet he has never gotten discouraged or changed his focus which is to wake each day with optimism and the idea that this is another opportunity to enhance the life of another student, colleague or improve the turfgrass industry.

Wayne’s accomplishments in the realm of teaching, research and extension are well documented through articles written, patents obtained, speeches given, and classes taught.

Aspects of his initiative, dedication and service are often unnoticed unless you have closely worked with him as I had the opportunity and pleasure to do for thirteen years. His attitude and willingness to assist with outreach activities whether it is turf troubleshooting, giving a presentation, reviewing an extension article or attending a meeting is impeccable. Due to his uncanny eye to notice a mutation in a turfgrass cultivar or the subtle differences among treatments in research trials, he is recognized nationally for his competence and expertise in breeding southern turfgrasses.

Oh, I should also mention that his turf patents have generated millions for MSU, and professional athletes across the country have played on grasses he has developed. No doubt his daily presence will be sorely missed by MSU and the turf industry, but we all celebrate his accomplishments and wish him the very best in retirement.

Dr. Jay McCurdy

During my time at MSU, there have been few people I have relied upon and confided in as much as Wayne Philley. His experience and knowledge have been instrumental to the success of our MSU turf program. Wayne has witnessed firsthand the turbulent nature of a large diverse faculty group.

He has worked with numerous department heads, almost a

dozen different turf faculty members, and more university presidents than most of us will ever know.

His research efforts have led to the issue of seven patents and four commercial variety releases, including ‘Express,’ ‘Pride,’ ‘Choice,’ and ‘Supreme’ bermudagrasses. Choice, also marketed as ‘Bull’s-Eye Bermuda®’ and ‘BOBSod®,’ has generated over $2.5 million dollars in revenue and was, until a few years ago, the largest patent royalty generator at MSU. Most recently, MSU released one of Wayne’s improved St. Augustine grasses (the experimental cultivar ‘MSA 2-3-98’), which is a sustainable alternative to existing options in shaded warm-season lawns of the mid- and deep-south.

As an educator, Wayne is an indispensable part of the Mississippi State Turfgrass Team. He has served as a committee member on graduate projects and as author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, grants, and contractual service agreements. He is a talented statistician and enjoys his frequent consultations with Masters and Ph.D. students concerning their projects.

Wayne has exemplified professionalism and dedication to the turfgrass community. His friendly smile and caring nature will be missed in the halls of Dorman. I wish him well, and I hope he won’t be a stranger.

Linda Wells

I am happy for Wayne on the occasion of his retirement. But I am sure going to miss him!

We have worked side by side for over fifteen years. He was always there to ground me when I became worried that maybe we wouldn’t get enough sponsors for this or that event, or worried that someone’s feelings may have been hurt or maybe we should do things differently this year. He was always there, calmly advising and supporting. A very good friend as well as a colleague, they don’t come any better than Herbert Wayne Philley. Thank you, Wayne! v

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Turf Talk

St. Augustinegrass Management

By Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., Maria Tomaso-Peterson Ph.D., and Wayne Philley Ph.D. St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is one of Mississippi’s most common turfgrass species, yet its culture and production in much of the south is fraught with difficulty. Here, we offer advice and considerations for St. Augustinegrass management in the mid- and deep-south.

The

earliest documented case of St. Augustinegrass propagation as turfgrass is near Orange Park, Florida in 1880.

It has since become a staple species for lawns and commercial properties throughout the southeast and other tropical and sub-tropical climates around the world. Although viable seed are often produced, commercial seed production has been limited throughout the history of the grass. Therefore, it is often established by plugs, sprigs, or sod, sometimes passed from neighbor to neighbor or relocated from original homesteads. (Fig. 1) St. Augustinegrass is one of the few native species cultivated as turfgrass in the southeastern United States — another being various carpetgrasses (Axonopus species). St. Augustinegrass is known as “Charleston” grass to some and as “Buffalo” in Australia and the wider South Pacific. It spreads quickly by above ground stolons and forms a low-growing, dense turf with coarsetextured leaves. St. Augustinegrass

performs well in full sun but is one of the most shade tolerant warmseason turfgrasses.

St. Augustinegrass is a prominent species along Mississippi’s gulf coast.

It can also be found in older neighborhoods as far north as Memphis and Little Rock. The diverse climate regions of the southeast make St. Augustinegrass management challenging. Due to its tropical origins, St. Augustinegrass is well adapted to the humid climate and is tolerant of mild salinity and poor water quality. However, it lacks tolerance to freezing temperatures and can be difficult to maintain in northern areas of the state and region.

Because St. Augustinegrass lacks below ground rhizomes, its stoloniferous regrowth is vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. Most St. Augustinegrass varieties need approximately 200 frost free days. Note that frost free days do not trend horizontally northward.

For instance, historically, Memphis has approximately 220 frost free days, while Corinth has 190, and Starkville has 200.

Some varieties of St. Augustinegrass are better adapted to cooler temperatures than others. For instance, ‘Floratam,’ is common in Florida and in areas of Mississippi south of Interstate10, but it does not tolerate the frequent freezing temperatures in the rest of Mississippi. ‘Common’ St. Augustinegrass is probably the most prevalently produced in the state and region; however, the improved cultivars ‘Raleigh’ and ‘Palmetto’ are increasingly soughtafter for cold tolerance and resistance to disease and insect damage. Researchers at Mississippi State recently released the experimental cultivar ‘MSA 2-398’ for commercialization. It has cold tolerance equal to or greater than Raleigh with improved turf quality due to higher density and finer leaf texture.

Management Considerations

Is St. Augustinegrass the right choice?

Although it does well in shaded scenarios, no turfgrass does well in absolute shade. Bermuda and zoysia grasses are more appropriate than St. Augustinegrass for high traffic scenarios. If you

Figure 1: St. Augustinegrass seed is rare. This Pennington product held by Wayne Philley was dated 1993.

Figure 2: Chinch bugs adults are black with shiny white wings. Nymphal instars are smaller and change color as they develop. (Photo credit: Dr. Blake Layton, MSU Extension Service).

14 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

are parking cars or hosting back-yard weddings, St. Augustine is going to have a hard time recuperating.

Insects, such as southern chinch bugs, and diseases, like gray leaf spot and large patch can also devastate St. Augustinegrass. This can be especially evident while the grass is affected by other abiotic and biotic stresses (for example: shade, drought, herbicide injury, over-irrigation, improper fertility, traffic stress, etc.).

Fertility

Figure 3: Large patch disease is somewhat preventable using proper cultural practices. Disease severity can be lessened with fall and spring fungicide applications. (Photo credit: Dr. Maria Tomaso-Peterson, MSU MAFES)

During active summer growth, St. Augustinegrass should be mown roughly weekly. Like most turf species, the 1/3rd rule still applies. Never remove more than 1/3rd of above ground leaf length at any one time. If excessive clippings accumulate (a sure sign of over fertilization and/or poor mowing practices), then clipping removal is acceptable, but the preference is for clippings to be returned for proper nutrient cycling.

St. Augustinegrass recovers slowly from mower traffic, so avoid sharp turns and repetitive mowing patterns.

Augustinegrass while not affecting other surrounding turf species. Floratam was selected for resistance (non-preference) to chinch bugs. But in most areas of our state, the poor winter survival of Floratam is consistently more problematic than chinch bug damage.

Scouting to correctly differentiate between insect damage and disease is critical. Insecticides will not control disease, and vice versa. One popular method to determine if insects are causing problems is the float test. Using a cylinder with both ends open, insert one end a few inches into the soil and fill it with water. If the area is affected by chinch bugs they will float to the top in about 10 mins time.

Controlling chinch bugs starts with proper thatch management. Chinch bugs make their homes in the thatch between soil and canopy level. Thatch can accumulate to excessive levels if mowing occurs infrequently or if too much fertility is applied at once. If thatch accumulation is greater than roughly an inch thick, then mechanical thatch removal by raking, light verticutting, or aerification may be warranted.

Many common lawn applied insecticides control chinch bugs. Examples include products containing clothianidin or any of the pyrethroid insecticides, such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, lambdacyhalothrin, or permethrin. (Fig. 2)

Insects

Disease

There is no substitute for a proper soil analysis. But generally speaking, St. Augustinegrass needs far less nitrogen than the average lawn care company applies. Insects and diseases take advantage of over fertilized and over irrigated lawns. This is especially true for St. Augustinegrass. The northernmost lawns of the state need no more than two to three pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 ft2 per year. That number is slightly higher along the coast, but still, excessive fertility only breeds more problems. This amount can be reduced further by spoon feeding nutrients every few weeks throughout the growing season, or by using slow release nitrogen sources that have an extended nutrient release curve that prevents loss.

Mowing

Chinch bugs are the most troublesome insect pests of St. Augustinegrass. In drier years, the southern chinch bug can be particularly problematic on St.

Large patch is a common disease of St. Augustinegrass lawns in our region and is caused by the fungus (Rhizoctonia solani). Large, circular

patches with bright orange perimeters are especially evident during cooler spring and fall temperatures when the disease is active. Once summer temperatures arrive, the disease subsides and St. Augustinegrass slowly recovers.

Preventing the disease through proper cultural practices is key. Disease severity is made worse by an overabundance of soil moisture during the spring and fall months. St. Augustinegrass is well adapted to medium and course textured soils, but poorly drained, heavier soils often lead to decline. This is most obvious in areas with standing/pooling water. Likewise, irrigating too much or too often may worsen the problem.

Thatch accumulation is also a key contributing factor. (Fig. 3) Certain fungicides may help alleviate symptoms of large patch. Products containing strobilurin or DMI fungicides are commonly applied during the fall, two to three weeks prior to disease outbreak, and repeated during early spring green-up (roughly 50% green leaves).

Fungicide applications should be lightly watered into the upper most soil layer.

Take-all root rot (Gaeumannomyces graminis) is less common than large patch but is all the more troublesome.

This is a root rot disease that is difficult to identify; therefore, a lab identification is often required. A key distinguishing factor when diagnosing take-all in the field is the ease with which grass stolons pull away from the soil. Maintaining relatively low soil pH (<6) is a standard recommendation, even though St. Augustinegrass thrives in soils around 6.5 to 7.5 pH. Acidifying fertilizers are recommended when take-all root rot has been diagnosed.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ 15

Turf Talk • Continued

Figure 4: Gray Leaf spot affects St. Augustinegrass during the warm, humid summer months.

(Photo credit: Dr. Maria Tomaso-Peterson, MSU MAFES)

16 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

Strobilurin or DMI containing products can be used to reduce the spread of the root rot disease; however, they may not always be effective. These applications should occur during the spring when soil temperatures range between 65 and 70 degrees. They should be immediately watered into the root zone. If bare areas occur in the turf, topdress with a fine sphagnum peat moss to reduce soil pH and encourage regrowth into affected areas.

Gray leaf spot (Pyricularia grisea, or P. oryzae) is very common in the warm, humid southeast. It affects St. Augustinegrass during periods of prolonged wetness, especially during the warmer summer months. To prevent excess leaf moisture, late afternoon or evening irrigation should be avoided.

Excess summer fertilization can also increase disease severity. When applied preventatively, strobilurin fungicides are effective at reducing gray leaf spot severity. (Fig. 4)

Weeds and herbicides

St. Augustinegrass can be injured by many common herbicides used on bermuda and zoysia grasses. Varietal differences are usually noted on label directions, along with use precautions about timing, appropriate temperature range, etc. Bottom line: no application is always safe. Avoid taking unnecessary risks. And always read and follow label directions.

Many preemergence herbicide labels limit use to areas of established turf only. Some restrict use on sod. (Fig. 5) Preemergence herbicides that are labelled include (but are not limited to): • Barricade 4FL and others (prodiamine) • Bensumec 4LF (bensulide) • Cavalcade 65 WDG (prodiamine, quinclorac) • Dimension 2EW and others (dithiopyr) • Gallery 75DF and others (isoxaben)

• Gemini 3.7 SC (prodiamine, isoxaben) • Echelon (prodiamine, sulfentrazone) • Freehand (dimethenamid, pendimethalin) • Kerb SC T&O (pronamide) • Pendulum AquaCap and others (pendimethalin) • Pennant Magnum (S-metolachlor) • Prograss (ethofumesate) • Ronstar (oxadiazon) – Not labelled for residential use. Do not apply to St. Augustinegrass in California • Specticle Flo (indaziflam) • Surflan (oryzalin) • Tower (dimethenamid) Most postemergence herbicide labels thoroughly discuss use precautions in St. Augustinegrass or include application directions. But piecing together a narrative based upon common labels can be challenging, even for experts.

For instance, Triplet-SF (containing 2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba) limits application timings to dormant St.

‘Bottle-brush’ or ‘stubby roots’ are a sign of preemergence herbicide injury. If applied excessively, even labelled preemergence applications can increase susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, ultimately leading to decline.

Augustinegrass only. The analogous Trimec Classic product (also 2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba) says to avoid application during spring green-up and not to apply to ‘Floratam.’ (Fig. 6) Regardless of labelling, a few precautions are worth noting. 1) St. Augustinegrass is extremely susceptible to injury during transition periods going into or coming out of winter. 2) High temperatures (~80°F or more) exacerbate injury, and low temperatures may

Decline due to wintertime application of normally tolerable treatments is common, especially in northern Mississippi.

prolong symptoms due to inability to recover. 3) Do not apply postemergence herbicides when grass is under stress from drought, temperature, insects, disease, or other herbicides. 4) Many herbicides caution against broadcast applications in order to reduce risks; alternatively, some caution against spot application, presumably due to the risk of splotchy lawns, or worse, dead spots.

Postemergence herbicides that are labelled include (but are not limited to):

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 17

Turf Talk • Continued

• Fahrenheit (dicamba, metsulfuron) • Image (imazaquin) • Lontrel (clopyralid) – Not labelled for residential use • Manor, MSM-Turf, Rometsol, and others (metsulfuron) • Manuscript (pinoxaden) – Sod only • Octane 2SC (pyraflufen-ethyl) • Princep Liquid (simazine) • Quicksilver (carfentrazone) • Relzar (halauxifen-methyl, florasulam) • Sedgehammer, ProSedge, and others (halosulfuron) • Speedzone Southern (carfentrazone, 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba) • Switchblade (halauxifen-methyl, fluroxypyr, dicamba) • Tenacity (mesotrione) – Sod only • Triad Select (2,4-D, MCPA, dicamba) – Apply during dormancy only • Trimec Classic (2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba) – Do not apply during spring transition or to ‘Flortam’

• Aatrex (atrazine) • Aethon (pyrimisulfan, penoxsulam) • Asulam (asulox) • Avenue South (penoxsulam, sulfentrazone, dicamba, 2,4-D) • Banvel (dicamba) • Basagran T&O (bentazon) • Blindside (metsulfuron, sulfentrazone) • Buctril 4EC (bromoxynil) – Do not apply to residential, playground, or schoolyard turf • Coastal (prodiamine, simazine, imazaquin) • Celero (imazosulfuron) • Celsius WG (thiencarbazone, iodosulfuron, dicamba) • Certainty (sulfosulfuron) • Change-Up (MCPA, fluroxypyr, dicamba) • Defendor (florasulam) • Dismiss (sulfentrazone) • Dismiss NXT (carfentrazone, sulfentrazone)

• Trimec Southern (MCPA, 2,4-D, dicamba) • Triplet SF (2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba) – apply during dormancy only • Vista and/or Spotlight (fluroxypyr) – Do not apply to St. Augustinegrass in Florida • Xonerate (amicarbazone) Jay McCurdy is an Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University.

Maria Tomaso-Peterson is a Research Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology at Mississippi State University.

Wayne Philley is a Research Associate and Turf Breeder in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. v

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18 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Summer 2019

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