Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
March/April 2014
Biology & Management
of the Annual Bluegrass Weevil in Turfgrasses
Turf Disease Diagnosis Plus, Highlights from the VTC’s 54th Annual Turf & Landscape Conference & Tradeshow
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | March/April 2014
16
20 13 Upcoming Events
Save These Dates!
16 Recent Event
Highlights from the VTC’s 54th Annual Turf & Landscape Conference & Tradeshow
20 Turf Pest Spotlight
Annual Bluegrass Weevil... Biology & Management in Turfgrasses
24 Turf Basics
Turf Disease Diagnosis
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24 Departments 06 President’s Message
from Fred Biggers, CGCS
08 Director’s Corner
from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.
10 Editor’s Perspective
from Mark Vaughn, CGCS
12 VTF Report
from Betty Parker
14 News from the VTC 27 Industry News 30 Turfgrass Calendar 30 Index of Advertisers
President’s Cover Message Story
Looking Back, Looking
Fred Biggers, CGCS 2014–2015 VTC President
Forward
“O
utstanding” is the word that best describes the 54th Annual VTC Turf and Landscape Conference and Tradeshow. With more than 1,000 attendees (vendors and participants), this year’s Conference was a big success. The tradeshow was improved this year, with new-record total booths, lunch on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and a new “Putting Green” contest conducted by the Virginia Sod Growers and the VTF. That the Annual Conference and Tradeshow was such a great success was due to (1) the dedicated work of our VTC executive director Dr. Tom Tracy, outgoing VTC president Frank Flannagan and the VTC board of directors, (2) all of whom spent countless hours contributing to the day-to-day management of the VTC, and all of the hard work organizing the Conference program by Mr. Rick Owens, CGCS, and his Conference Program committee. Many, many thanks go to all of our dedicated commercial vendors who have once again stepped up in record numbers to support this year’s VTC Conference and Tradeshow. As I take over the VTC president’s responsibilities, I would like to thank Mr. Frank Flannagan for his excellent leadership over the past two years as president and for all of his cumulative years of board service to the VTC. Frank has been the best kind of leader — one who keeps everyone informed of important issues and inspires others to take their board service seriously because of the hard-working example that he provides. The VTC board has made several key improvements to the association over the past year. For instance, if you are a VTC member, included in your membership is free Pesticide Recertification training and free Fertilizer Applicator training at regional seminars hosted by the VTC and available to all members at various regional locations around the state throughout the year (see the Calendar of Events on page 30). The VTC has also made considerable strides in making its board of directors more representative of the overall turfgrass industry. We have strived to include professionals from the STMA, VTF, VT, PGMS, RPLCA, DCR, Virginia Sod Producers, the VGCSA and our vendor segment to represent their respective areas of interest while serving on the VTC board. Much of this restructuring came out of the feedback gained from the Virginia Turfgrass Summit last fall. The Virginia Turfgrass Summit produced timely information and feedback from all areas of the state’s turfgrass industry. Many thanks go to Dr. Mike Goatley for heading up this gathering, which was held at Wintergreen Resort back in November 2013. Another meeting of the Turf Summit participants was held at the VTC conference to further work on committee assignments. One of the central themes brought out by the Turf Summit group was that
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the VTC needs to be the “umbrella” group, acting to bring all of these different organizations together to present a unified voice for the entire Virginia turfgrass industry. Five different areas of concentration were identified through the Turf Summit program: Fundraising, Public Relations, Presenting a Unified Voice, Education and Stewardship. You will most likely hear more details about these different committees and the Turfgrass Summit from Dr. Goatley in coming issues of the Virginia Turfgrass Journal. I encourage each of you across the state of Virginia to consider serving on a VTC committee or Turf Summit committee to help truly make the VTC your organization. We need your help and participation to make our turfgrass industry voice heard across the state. Give us a call: contact the VTC office or any officer or director listed in the VTC directory or Virginia Turfgrass Journal magazine. Our next big VTC event on a statewide level will be the Bob Ruff Memorial Research Golf Tournament, to be held at Wintergreen Resort–Stoney Creek Courses on Monday, June 2, 2014. Please consider gathering up a team, and come and participate in this great event to raise funds for turfgrass research (and have fun doing so)! Fred Biggers, CGCS 2014–2015 VTC President
Director’s Cover Corner Story
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
Turfgrass Day at the Commonwealth’s Capitol
A
Turfgrass Day was held at the General Assembly on Thursday, February 27. By any standard of measure, the event was a tremendous success! Many thanks to: Brad Copenhaver of the Virginia Agribusiness Council for running the logistics and giving much-needed on-site leadership; Gil Grattan of Virginia Green for delivering the seeds to the General Assembly Building; Rick Williams of Pennington Seed for working with the VTC to custom print our logo on three-pound bags of quality seed; and all persons who gave up a day to inform decision-makers about the value of turfgrass. We were well represented by Joe Belmonte, Wes Bray, Kevin Cooper, Harry Delyannis, Gil Grattan, Jimmy Rodgers, Christian Sain and Steve Smith. Wes Bray worked with one of his clients, Senator McWaters, to enable us to attend a session of the senate. Here are a few highlights of the day. We distributed bags of grass seed to members of the General Assembly and members of the Governor’s cabinet. A custom-designed, colorful rack card was delivered with each bag. One side of the card contained facts about the value of turfgrass. The other side invited persons to attend
On the loading dock, unpacking the threepound bags of seed to be distributed.
— as our guest — one of the two Virginia Tech turfgrass field days scheduled to be held this summer. Numerous significant visits and contacts were made. Three of us were able to spend twenty minutes with Ralph Northam, Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor. Dr. Northam (he is a medical doctor) graciously gave of his time as we discussed the environmental and economic value of properly maintained turfgrass. Three others had a very productive meeting with Senator McWaters. We were able to visit regulatory persons at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. When the Senate was in session, Sen. McWaters introduced members of Virginia Turfgrass Council and mentioned some good things about our industry. Lieutenant Governor Northam, serving in his role as president of the Senate, echoed the Senator’s remarks and added that we work for turfgrass care that is good for the environment. Many thanks for all the persons who made the turfgrass day a success! Our goal of delivering a positive message about turfgrass was achieved. c
Senator Jeff McWaters (second from left, holding the seed) with (left to right) VTC members Wes Bray, Harry Delyannis and Joe Belmonte.
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Virginia Turfgrass Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Office: (757) 464-1004 Fax: (757) 282-2693 vaturf@verizon.net Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editor Mark Vaughn, CGCS VTC OFFICERS President Fredrick Biggers, CGCS Wintergreen Resort (434) 325-8252 Vice President Rick Owens, CGCS Laurel Hill Golf Club (703) 674-6934 Treasurer Brian Vincel, CGCS Spring Creek Golf Club (434) 566-2580 Past President Frank Flannagan Belmont Golf Course (804) 262-4939 VTC DIRECTORS Marc Petrus Mark Roberts Christian Sain Michael Skelton Steve Smith Rick Viancour, CGCS Jimmy Viars Scott Woodward  VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. Erik Ervin, Ph.D. David McCall Executive Director/ Director of PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 Virginia Turfgrass Foundation Betty Parker (757) 574-9061
Editor’s Perspective
Where Will You Choose
Excellence Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor
This Year?
“The
thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat.” For those of my vintage, these words spoken by the legendary Jim McKay signaled another Saturday afternoon edition of ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” I thought of this the other night as I watched the obscure winter sport of curling during the Olympics. Before the days of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, etc., if you ever saw other sports besides baseball, football, basketball and the golf and tennis majors, it would be on WWOS. I confess: I love the Winter Olympics. Considering that I grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line, that probably seems strange, since I’ve never participated (save sliding down a ski mountain) in virtually any winter sports. And yeah, I know the Olympics have been hijacked by the politicians and anyone else with a cause. But, if you can get beyond the BS, it is athletic excellence at its pinnacle. Whether riding on the razor’s edge at 80 mph, twisting and flipping 40 feet in the air above rockhard ice, pinballing down a mountainside, fighting back the excruciating pain of a cross-country marathon or gracefully gliding around a speedskating rink, it is competition at the highest level. Confession #2: I’ve never been a fan of everybody gets a trophy and a happy meal (sorry, soccer moms). Competition pushes us all to achieve what we never thought possible, but just as importantly, it teaches us how to deal with the other 90% of the times when we don’t hit the bull’s-eye. I think what really blows me away is the high levels of training and sacrifice for years or even lifetimes to get that ONE shot to experience that thrill of victory or agony of defeat. Oh, sure, we say, these “golden children” were hand selected from their crib, fed a special diet from day one and
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sheltered from all the ugliness of life to make their ascent easy. But then the curtain is pulled back, and we see stories of miscarriages, mentally impaired siblings, mothers in jail for dealing drugs, families living out of cars and crippling injuries. Then, we’re not quite so smug. In a society where the choices seem to be gotta have it RIGHT now, or don’t worry about it, just kick the can down the road, are the rest of us conditioning ourselves if we can’t to simply give up? Are we willing to do the hard work now to reap the reward down the road? I asked a veteran superintendent in a particularly hot stretch of weather a couple of summers ago how he was holding up. Fine, he said, and then he recounted a rather panicked phone call he received from a fellow supt. a few miles away. His summer was not so fine, and he wondered if the vet would visit and give him a quick fix to his struggles. I thought his response was not cocky, but classic. “I told him, ‘Hell, don’t call me in August. I can’t help you in August. Call me in April. That’s when I start preparing for August.’” So, where will you choose excellence this year? And I’m not by any means limiting that to our chosen profession. Where will you seek it out? What will you pour your competitive juices into? If Bob Farren and staff will have me, I plan on being a small part of the excellence surrounding my third U.S. Open at Pinehurst at the ripe young age of 57. I’m going to get the dust off that guitar and finally learn to play the darn thing, at least enough to satisfy me. And I’m going to find some young kid and start telling him/her the same thing that “too small to play in the NFL” Super Bowl Champ Russell Wilson’s dad told him from a young age: “Why not you, Russell? Why not you?” Why not, indeed. c
VTF Report
One for $3; Two for $5 Betty Parker VTF Manager
(Putts, That Is)
T
hat’s what could be heard over the loud speaker at the VTC’s Annual Turf and Landscape Conference and Tradeshow this past January in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Virginia Turfgrass Foundation was raising money for research and, more importantly, promoting an awareness of the VTF’s purpose. Special thanks to Tom Tracy and the VTC, as well as our sponsors: Virginia Sod Growers, Luck Stone and Sod Solutions. Also, thanks to the vendors that
The VTF putting green, thanks to the Virginia Sod Growers, Luck Stone and Sod Solutions.
Matt Williams, big winner of the Pennington Seed products.
donated prizes: Pennington Seed, VTC, City of Fredericksburg, Lee Dieter, Sunbelt Rentals and the Expo Center. Scott Woodward and his merry band of SOD GROWERS did a fantastic job building the putting course and also helping run things smoothly. Below are pictures of our big winners. If you didn’t have a chance to join in on all the fun, it is never too late to contribute (really, that’s what this is all about!). Call me at (757) 574 9061, and let’s talk money! c Greg Austin, winner of the flat screen TV on Tuesday.
Hank Kerfoot, winner of PGA book donated from Lee Dieter’s vast collection.
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Aaron Evans, winner of the Odyssey Putter donated by Sunbelt Rentals.
Todd Mason, winner of the flat screen TV on Wednesday.
Upcoming Events
Save These
Dates! June 2
Bob Ruff Jr. Memorial Research Golf Tournament Wintergreen Resort/ Stoney Creek G.C. Wintergreen, VA
June 24 Hampton Roads AREC Turfgrass Field Day, Pesticide Recertification and Certified Fertilizer Applicator Hampton Roads AREC Virginia Beach, VA
August 26–27 VT / Blacksburg Turfgrass Field Days Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
For more information and to register online, see the Events page at vaturf.org. c
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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News from the VTC
Meet Your New
2014 VTC Leaders PRESIDENT
DIRECTORS
Fredrick Biggers, CGCS Wintergreen Resort Wintergreen, VA (434) 325-8252 fbiggers@wintergreen resort.com
Marc Petrus Innovative Turf Services Mechanicsville, VA (540) 220-7883 marcpetrus@aol.com
VICE PRESIDENT Rick Owens, CGCS Laurel Hill Golf Club Lorton, VA (703) 674-6934 rickjowens@yahoo.com
TREASURER Brian Vincel, CGCS Spring Creek Golf Club Gordonsville, VA (866) 783-1064 bvincel@springcreek living.com
PAST PRESIDENT Frank Flannagan Belmont Golf Course Henrico, VA (804) 262-4939 fla20@co.henrico.va.us
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Tracy, Ph.D. Virginia Turfgrass Council Virginia Beach, VA (757) 464-1004 vaturf@verizon.net
Mark Roberts The Steward School Richmond, VA (804) 980-1440 mark.roberts@steward school.org Christian Sain The Country Club of Virginia Richmond, VA (804) 287-1464 christian.sain@theccv.org Michael Skelton Culpeper Co. Parks & Rec. Culpeper, VA (540) 825-7794 skeltonma@msn.com Steve Smith Specialty Turf Services Chester, VA (804) 347-7272 scsmith620@gmail.com Rick Viancour, CGCS Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Williamsburg, VA (757) 220-7489 rviancour@cwf.org Jimmy Viars Gloucester County Public Schools Gloucester, VA (804) 815-2779 jimmyviars@gc.k12.va.us Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms Nokesville, VA (540) 727-0020 shwturf1@aol.com
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VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (chair) Virginia Tech, CSES Dept. Blacksburg, VA (540) 231-2951 goatley@vt.edu Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA (540) 231-5807 saskew@vt.edu Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Ag. Research Station Virginia Beach, VA (757) 363-3912 jderr@vt.edu Erik Ervin, Ph.D. Virginia Tech, CSES Dept. Blacksburg, VA (540) 231-5208 ervin@vt.edu David McCall Virginia Tech, PPWS Dept. Blacksburg, VA (540) 231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Recent Event
Highlights from the VTC’s
2014 Turf & Landscape Conference & Tradeshow January 27–30
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Also, Kudos to Our Scholarship winners
Congratulations to the 2014
VTC AWard winners
Louis & Ginger Brooking Turfgrass Graduate Student Scholarship Adam Boyd Virginia Tech Sandeep Rana Virginia Tech
Thomas Hutcheson Jr. Memorial Scholarship
The VTC Award
VTC President’s Award
(with Fred Biggers, CGCS, right)
(with Frank Flannagan, right)
Special Award
Lifetime Membership Award
(with Frank Flannagan, right)
(with Fred Biggers, CGCS, right)
Gil Grattan Virginia Green Lawn Care
Mark Petrus Innovative Turf Services
Bobby Estienne Virginia Tech
W.S. “Bill” Connelly Scholarship Kyle Dupper Virginia Tech
Schmidt Undergraduate Research Award Paul Delagrange Virginia Tech Taylor Kaempf Virginia Tech
Gil Grattan Virginia Green Lawn Care
Bobby Jenkins Rock Harber Golf Club
VGCSA Scholarship Chantel Wilson Virginia Tech
R.D. Cake/Silver Tray Award Cutler Robinson, CGCS | Bayville Golf Club (Cutler was unable to attend.)
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Recent Event continued
Thanks to Our Generous 2014
Conference Sponsors Platinum Sponsors Horizon Sod Solutions Gold Sponsor Helena Chemicals Pennington Seed Sunbelt Rentals Bronze Sponsors MiniVerde Ultradwarf Scott Turf Equipment WinField Solutions Fellowship Breakfast Specialty Turf Services Putting Contest Virginia Sod Growers Wi-Fi Sponsor Southern States Cooperative
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Recent Event continued
Seen on the Tradeshow Floor!
Thanks to Our Exhibitors Agrium Advanced Technologies AQUA-AID Aquarius Irrigation Supply ArcTech, Inc. Arysta LifeScience Corp. Ballard Sports Barenbrug USA BASF Bayer Environmental Science Brandt Consolidated Buy Sod, Inc. Capital Sports Fields Charlottesville Power Equip./Ventrac Chesapeake Valley Seed City of Fredericksburg Clear Vision, LLC Collins Wharf Sod Davisson Golf Dow AgroSciences E&S Equipment Edward Jones Egypt Farms Engage Agro USA Finch Services/Revels First Products Fisher & Son Co. Floratine Products Group FMC Professional Solutions Foley Mfg. Genesis Turfgrass GCSAA Golf Memorabilia Gowan Company Graden USA, Inc. Growth Products H&H Farm Machine, Inc. Harmon Turf Services Holganix Horizon Innovative Turf Services John Deere Landscapes Kenneth Cominsky Kipps Nursery Knox Fertlizer Company Landscape Supply Leading Edge Communications Lebanon Turf Luck Specialty Products Magic Deicing McDonald Sons/McDonald Design Group McGill Premium Compost Mid-Atlantic Assn. of Golf Course Superintendents
Mid-Atlantic Irrigation Mid-Atlantic Stihl MiniVerde Ultradwarf NanoQuantics National Arboretum Newsom Seed Oakwood Sod Patten Seed/Super-Sod PBI Gordon Peebles Golf Car Sales/Club Car Pennington Seed PGMS – VA Plant Food Company Playbrooks for Golf Propump & Controls/Flowtronex RBB Sales & Consulting Rainbird Reddick Equipment Co. of NC, LLC Richmond Landscape Contractors Assn. Riverside Turf Roxbury Farm & Garden Center RSG Landscaping Saturated Solutions Schaeffer Mfg. Co./FTG Scott Turf Equipment/LASTEC SePRO Corporation Smith Turf & Irrigation Sod Solutions SOLitude Lake Management Solu-Cal-USA/Nutrite Southern States Cooperative Sports Aggregates STI Pre-Owned Equipment STI Turfcare Sunbelt Rentals Sweep-N-Fill Syngenta Target Specialty Products The Turfgrass Group Trinity Turf Turf & Garden Turfline Turf-Vu VA DCR Valent U.S.A. VDACS VGCSA/NGCOA Watkins Nurseries/ VA Resources Recycled WeedMan WinField Solutions, LLC Woodward Turf Farms YardWorks, LLC
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Turf Pest Spotlight
By Steven McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions, and Peter Dernoeden, Ph.D., University of Maryland
The
annual bluegrass weevil (Listronotus maculicolis, Dietz; ABW) formerly was considered a species of Hyperodes. A member of the weevil family, it is a pest of highly maintained, shortcut turfgrasses in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. To date, ABW has been found in Virginia, Delaware, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. The ABW also has
damaged turf in Canada. It has been estimated that golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions spend over $6,000 annually, using five or six insecticide applications per year, to manage this pest. For years, it was believed that the destructive ability of ABW was restricted to annual bluegrass (Poa annua spp. annua L.), including the perennial subspecies Poa annua spp. reptans Hauskn., and that ABW was isolated to the northeastern states. Recent research and field observations, however, have proved this theory incorrect, and substantial dam-
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age has been observed in creeping bentgrass fairways and putting green collars in the Mid-Atlantic region.
About the ABW
ABW has a complete life cycle, with as many as two to four generations per year. The small (0.125 inches long), compact adults range in color from black to gray (Photo 1). Adults have a characteristic weevil snout. The weevil’s body is covered with fine hairs and scales, which are easily observed under magnification. It is difficult to distinguish between male and females.
Cover Story continued
When adults emerge from the pupal stage, they appear reddish. The eggs of the ABW are very small and oblong, but they can be found (using a macroscope) in leaf sheaths of the grass plant. Larvae are legless, with creamy white bodies and darkbrown heads (Photo 2). Some larvae have black inner markings on their back. Older larvae appear slightly curved, but not nearly as C-shaped as white grub species (Photo 3). Immature ABW adults (aka callow adults) look similar to adults, but are smaller in size and have a reddishbrown color that gradually darkens. Weevils over-winter as adults in higher-mown turf and litter in wood lines. They begin to migrate from the fine-turf areas to these sites in early autumn. It is believed that they fly back to over-wintering sites, although a mixture of flight and walking has been observed. Migration back into fine-turf areas typically happens during early spring (early April in the Mid-Atlantic region). Adult feeding occurs during the day and consists of minor leaf chewing, which is no more damaging than mowing. Adults are especially visible in the springtime on warm, sunny days, walking across turf. Once adult weevils begin to feed, oviposition of eggs begins. Females chew a hole in the base of shoots and deposit eggs in between leaf sheaths. Eggs are deposited in small groups (2 or 3), and each female can produce 40 or more eggs. Larval formation takes about a month for all five instars, and development from egg to adult takes two months.
Plant damage begins when adult females chew into outer leaf sheaths and lay their eggs, which leads to a yellowing of plants. When the eggs hatch, young larvae feed on the inner leaf sheaths during their first two instars. Sometime between the second and third instar, larvae begin feeding on stem or crown tissue. As more eggs hatch, more severe damage can occur. Damage to closely mown annual bluegrass mimics anthracnose basal rot and summer patch. In mixed stands with creeping bentgrass, annual bluegrass is the preferred host. Once the annual bluegrass has been eliminated, larvae will feed on creeping bentgrass. Over time, larvae are capable of causing significant thinning and damage to creeping bentgrass, especially in collars and the edges of approaches and fairways. Damage associated with the fifth instar is the most destructive. At this point, turf will appear wilted
1.
Photo 1. A mature annual bluegrass weevil. Photo 2. First and second instar ABW larvae. Photo 3. ABW larvae in thatch.
2. 3.
ABW damage
Most ABW damage is caused by the larval stage (each ABW larva is capable of killing 10 or 12 plants) and can go unnoticed for some time. In the Mid-Atlantic, damage often shows up in mid-to-late May and can occur throughout the summer months (Photo 4). Often, damage is first noticed in the perimeter of greens and fairways that support a high population of annual bluegrass. Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Turf Pest Spotlight continued
Few natural enemies exist. Although biological control has been investigated, results are highly variable, even in controlled studies. Spinosad (Conserve®, a biological product derived from a bacterium), however, is highly effective on larvae. Where there is a chronic infestation of ABW, however, cultural or biological options alone should not be expected to provide acceptable levels of control.
Chemical control
4. Photo 4. ABW damage to a golf fairway, near a possible overwintering site.
(i.e., blue-gray or purple in color) due to damaged stems. Turf eventually turns brown and dies out. As the fifth instars molt to pupae and then to callow adults, the damage to turf may continue to worsen, although most of the feeding has stopped for this generation. During mid-summer generations, many different lifecycles usually are present. For example, in July, you could see true adults on the surface, with early instar larvae, late instar larvae and callow adults in the same general area. This overlapping of lifecycles complicates control measures.
Scouting for ABW
In early spring, the most effective scouting method for adults is a soap flush. Mix one fluid ounce of a lemon-scented soap into one gallon of water in a watering can. This amount of soapy solution should treat about 25 to 50 square feet. Wait about five minutes, and if present, adults will become visible on the grass leaves. Liner pitfall traps also may be useful in tracking migration patterns in a single location. The limitation to the pitfall-trap method, however, is that it is a snapshot of a single location.
First and second instar larvae are very small and difficult to detect; however, scouting can be accomplished by using a salt flush. To conduct a salt flush, take a cupcutter plug of turfgrass, and remove all soil. Using a knife, cut the plug into four pieces, and place them into a solution of salt and water. This solution can be made by placing one pound of salt into a gallon of water and mixing. Within 10 minutes, early instar larvae will float to the surface and appear white with a small, brown head capsule. Late instar larvae can be easily detected by cutting a wedge of turf with a knife or cup cutter and looking in the turf/thatch interface. The threshold for damage when turf is vigorously growing is 30 to 50 larvae per square foot. This threshold significantly decreases as turf becomes stressed, especially in summer. When feeding occurs, turf plants can easily be pulled from soil.
Cultural management
Cultural-management options include proper turf nutrition and irrigation, which can mask ABW symptoms. The most effective cultural control method is to reduce or eliminate annual bluegrass as much as possible.
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Insecticides remain the most effective way to ensure that turf stands are not severely damaged by ABW. Some strategies suggest spot-treating areas that have high populations of adults or had past ABW infestations. Insecticides need to be applied before damage is seen and while adults are active in early spring and before eggs are laid. Typically, chemical applications are made when adults are observed walking across golf course fairways, greens and roughs, which may be associated with the blooming of Forsythia spp (i.e., not a full bloom, but later when plants are half green and half yellow with flowers). Sequential applications are needed in early spring if you suspect a long migration period or have had damaging populations in previous seasons. In high-pressure situations, up to 6 insecticide applications per season may be needed on a 30- to 45-day interval or when significant adult activity is observed. Some insecticides currently labeled for control of ABW adults include several in the pyrethroid class [e.g., deltamethrin (DeltaGard®), bifenthrin (Talstar®), cyfluthrin (Tempo®), lambdacyhalothrin (Scimitar®)] and chlorpyrifos (Dursban®). These insecticides generally provide high levels of adult ABW control (greater than 85% control). The neonictinoids are systemic, long-residual, preventatively applied insecticides for white grub control, but they can be used in ABW management programs, if the
applications are timed properly. Neonictinoid insecticides [i.e., imidacloprid (Merit®), clothianidin (Arena®), dinotefuran (Xylam®) and thiamethoxam (Meridian®)] should be applied just prior to egg laying, to target early instar feeding, but proper timing is difficult to achieve. Neonictinoid insecticides have been shown to provide between 20% and 100% control, but they probably should not be relied on for highly effective control under significant pressure. Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepyrn™) is a newer systemic insecticide that generally will provide more consistent control, when compared to the neonictionids. This insecticide controls white grub species and is used to target ABW larvae in leaf sheaths. When larvae are observed in thatch or soil in damaged turf, the three curative chemical options include trichlorfon (Dylox®), indoxacarb (Provaunt™) and spinosad (Conserve®). When targeting larvae below the soil/thatch surface, obtaining greater than 80% control can be difficult due to the insecticides being tied up in thatch. For chronically infested sites, multiple preventive applications of various classes of insecticides may be needed to provide acceptable control. In New England, resistance to the pyrethroid class has been documented. Thus, proper rotation and even tank-mixing different classes of insecticides could provide a delay in the development of tolerant ABW populations, as well as provide for more effective control. Control measures should focus on targeting adults in early spring or when they are observed walking on turfgrass surfaces. Chemicals should be applied in the proper amount of water (typically ≥ 1.5 gallon/1,000 ft2). It is important that insecticides targeting surface adults or larvae within leaf sheaths or stems should be allowed to dry or receive less than 0.125 inches of irrigation following treatment. Insecticides targeting larvae in the thatch/soil should be watered in. c Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Turf Basics
It is important to search for both above-ground symptoms and below-ground symptoms before submitting a sample.
W
Plating the samples on growing media will help identify causal pathogens.
By Steve Kammerer, Ph.D., Technical Managers, Syngenta
hen lumped with all other day-to-day tasks, disease management can be one of the most challenging problems that face golf course superintendents. Sometimes when problems arise on turfgrasses, an unknown “disease” is the presumed culprit. Sample diagnostics can be useful in identifying the primary potential pathogens and when they are most likely to be infecting. This information is critically important in designing an agronomic program for the prevention of diseases. This article is a short guide to taking the right steps to diagnosing problems associated with pathogens and then extrapolating the results of a turfgrass diagnosis summary.
Turfgrass disease symptoms versus infection
Diseases of turfgrass are symptoms of infection by a biotic (living) agent. Not all diseases of turfgrass are caused by fungi. Plant parasitic nematodes are also classified as causing disease in turf. Interestingly enough, fungal pathogens and the diseases they cause have been documented as being more likely in turfgrass that has been damaged/ stressed by nematode feeding. The time period between infection and the appearance of visible symptoms can be short, as in the case of Pythium blight (Pythium aphanidermatum) and dollar spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa). Long infection periods that precede disease
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symptom expression exist with the diseases take-all patch and bermudagrass decline (Gaeumannomyces graminis varieties). In the case of leaf and sheath spot (Chrysorhiza / Rhizoctonia zeae), sometimes called “mini-ring,” while infection may be rapid and progress for months, no obvious visible symptoms may be apparent until stresses that slow turfgrass growth favor the growth of the pathogen over the host (the turfgrass).
First steps to field disease diagnosis
First, get out your disease guides. The Turfgrass Disease Compendium, published by the American Phytopathology Society (APS), is a great
Disease diagnosis should not be rushed, if possible. Proper incubation can help identify causal pathogens so that effective treatment can be implemented.
guide that describes the biology of the pathogens, along with pictures. Second, invest in a good handheld field macroscope, and get down on your hands and knees. Dissect a portion of the affected turfgrass. Take photos, and make notes of symptoms where they are occurring. Close-up photos, where you can literally see the individual turfgrass leaves, are critical. You cannot assume that all the symptoms in one area or all over the golf course are due to just one pathogen. Third, cut into the soil, and observe the roots and soil profile. Many fungal pathogens of turfgrass are soil-borne and most active right at or below the soil surface, whereas the symptoms may appear on the aboveground tissue.
Steps for preparing a sample for laboratory diagnosis
For laboratory diagnostics at a university clinic or otherwise, take samples as early as possible. As part of my Ph.D. project at the University of Florida, I conducted a two-year scouting program in South Florida on seashore paspalum fairways. Twenty percent of the time when I visited a golf course and recovered a pathogen, there were obvious classic symptoms of the disease. However, 80% of the time, there
were vague to slight symptoms not consistent with typical of Rhizoctonia or Rhizoctonia-like diseases, yet fungal isolates within this group were still recovered. With regard to most of these “exceptions” where I obtained these fungal isolates from the surface of sterilized turfgrass tissue, the superintendents were largely unaware of any disease issues or infection. Another important finding was that 35% of these recovered fungal isolates were associated with samples of belowground root and rhizome tissues. As many sprayed fungicides bind or enter leaf tissue quickly upon drying, generally less fungicide moves to belowground turfgrass tissues as compared to aboveground tissues. Thus, there may be a better chance of identifying/ recovering the causal pathogen from the belowground tissues. Take the samples prior to — not after — a fungicide application. Even if the diagnostic laboratory that analyzes an attempt to induce the fungal pathogen to grow out of the affected tissue for more conclusive identification, a fungicide application (especially of a xylemmobile fungicide) can really complicate the already difficult task of identifying the causal fungus. This can result in a diagnosis of “no pathogens found.”
If you are sending a sample to a diagnostic clinic or lab, confirm that someone will be there to receive the sample when it arrives. Do not ship a sample on a Friday because your sample may sit for three-plus days before someone sees it. Keep the samples out of the heat and sun after taking them and prior to shipping. If you will be traveling or outside for several hours or more, get a small cooler to keep the samples cool, but do not immerse the samples in ice or cold water. Samples should not dry out. Wrap the turfgrass samples in aluminum foil and then place in paper bags. Label each sample, if they are taken from different areas. Use overnight shipping so that the samples will arrive as fresh as possible. Most clinics have a submission form. It is extremely helpful to include additional information on the submission form or via email. Photos of the symptoms can be extremely helpful, and be sure to include any obvious cultural issues of the sample location, such as “This is a ‘push-up’ green that has drainage problems.” A short chronology of activities 30 to 45 days prior to the appearance of symptoms will also be helpful. This should include fungicides applied and major cultural practices recently performed. Any and all additional information you provide can be extremely helpful. A cup-cutter sample of the affected area is generally adequate for any diagnostic clinic. If variable symptoms exist, several samples are useful. Because no superintendent wants a green to resemble Swiss cheese, an alternative is to get a smaller core sampler. Additionally, multiple smaller samples are better than one big cup-cutter sampler. Sample from the edge of the affected areas. Typically, diagnosticians at turf diagnostic labs plate out several pieces of turfgrass tissue on selective media and then assess the plates following incubation over a period of days to help quantify the results. It can be common to identify more Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Turf Basics continued
Sometimes, two diseases can be present and active at one location. Both Rhizoctonia and Pythium were identified in this location.
than one presumed fungal pathogen out of a sample.
Interpreting the diagnosis
A superintendent once told me that when he sends out a turfgrass sample, he doesn’t include any photos or additional information with the sample. When I asked why, he said he wants a definitive diagnosis of what is present and feels that including additional information biases the diagnosis and leads to guessing. Disease diagnostics, especially for turfgrass, is a science and an art that takes experience. There are “tricks” to diagnosing the most likely causal pathogens. Some fungi grow optimally at high temperatures, some at low temperatures, and some can grow through specific fungicides that inhibit other fungi — selective media incorporate some of these fungicides into the media. Certain fungi express very definitive and unique characteristics when the infected plants are grown in a highhumidity growth chamber versus when they are grown in a petri dish. I receive phone calls from extremely frustrated superintendents or distributor reps who tell me, “I sent a sample to University A, then another sample to University B and then yet another sample to a third lab, and I got three different answers.” Or worse yet, “I got a
diagnosis of no disease found.” I try to respond that “no disease found” is great information, as it means that either the pathogen is in remission and your efforts are providing benefit, or the problem is not a disease but something else. This will save a lot of guessing and unnecessary fungicide applications. I’ve had a few superintendents “test me” by letting me sample an area that they had already treated once or several times with fungicide or had spot-treated with a non-selective herbicide to see if my diagnoses were just educated “guesses.” A credible laboratory is one where every diagnosis is not necessarily a disease. A turfgrass sample sent to a diagnostic lab is a “snapshot in time.” It can be quite common to get a different diagnosis each time you take and ship a sample, even to the same lab. It has been documented that zoysiagrass initially damaged by Rhizoctonia experienced delayed recovery due to secondary infection by Pythium. I worked with a golf course that had severe yearly outbreaks of Bipolaris leaf spot, even after several fungicide applications. Upon taking samples from this golf course, I recovered Pythium from about 15% of the surface sterilized tissue. We designed an economical preventive fungicide program, targeting applications prior to the heavy summer rains and focusing on a Pythium
26 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal March/April 2014 www.vaturf.org
Diseases such as Rhizoctonia zeae can be found in hard-to-find areas, such as the crown of the plant.
fungicide in conjunction with a contact fungicide for the Bipolaris. These preventive applications resulted in less fungicide applied, less spraying, less money spent and less time/labor involved in fighting this continuing problem curatively. Most important, the turfgrass responded favorably, and the disease was much less severe. Remember that turfgrass damaged by disease requires time to recover and grow new tissue. If the weather or growing conditions are less than optimal, turf recovery may be slow. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the disease or the pathogen is still active. Additionally, weak turfgrass is much more susceptible to infection by secondary pathogens, so preventive fungicide applications need to be initiated or continued until the point that the turf has fully recovered.
Conclusion
Disease management is a challenging facet of turfgrass management. Planning and use of preemptive turfgrass sampling techniques for pathogen detection will help guide activities on the golf course and will assist in identifying the diseases of significance that need attention. Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the February 17, 2012, edition of the USGA Green Section Record, Vol. 50 (4). c
Industry News
Virginia’s Award Winners at the 2014 National Conference of the Sports Turf Managers Assn.
Mark Roberts and The Steward School (Richmond, VA) received STMA’s 2013 High School Baseball Field of the Year. Virginia Tech’s Turfgrass Student Challenge Team placed 2nd in the 4-year student category at the STMA national meeting in San Antonio, TX on January 24, 2014. Pictured (left to right), with STMA 2013 President Mike Goatley, Ph.D., are VT team members Robert Estienne, Charles Henderson, Charles Krips and C.J. Buck.
Mike Hopkins and Louisa County High School (Louisa, VA) received STMA’s 2013 High School Soccer Field of the Year award.
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Industry News
New Turfgrass Exhibit to Open in Washington, D.C.
28 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal March/April 2014 www.vaturf.org
The
U.S. National Arboretum and the National Turfgrass Federation are collaborating in the development of a new exhibit in Washington, D.C., to highlight various uses of turfgrass. The exhibit is the centerpiece of the fouryear “Grass Roots Initiative” that focuses on the environmental, economic and recreational benefits of turfgrass in landscapes, golf courses and athletic fields. The Grass Roots Initiative is “committed to helping citizens, including national decisionmakers, understand new and emerging science underlying our nation’s beautiful lawns, athletic fields and gardens,” notes National Arboretum Director Dr. Colien Hefferan. The Initiative will feature a website accompanying the exhibit, as well as professional and scientific symposia and homeowner-focused workshops and demonstrations. Directed to audiences ranging from homeowners to professionals to policymakers, the Initiative will showcase the value of turf as an environmental asset when properly managed and the importance of research to continue to leverage that value. In addition, the Initiative is coordinating the National Arboretum, the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery in an attempt to develop a “National Greenscape Corridor” that links the three facilities. It is also coordinating public messaging and outreach to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable turfgrass and landscape maintenance practices at these culturally historic landscapes. The 1.3-acre exhibit space will be located near the front entrance of the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., which hosts about 500,000 visitors annually. Rain Underground, a Baltimore-based landscape architecture firm, donated the exhibit design, which will include displays featuring a compact golf hole, sports fields, lawn areas with a variety of warm- and cool-
season grass species, irrigation and fertilizer displays, a green roof using grasses and a rain garden demonstrating the ability of grass to absorb water and nutrients. In all, the exhibit will contain 14 interactive displays designed to engage visitors to learn more about turfgrass uses, history and best management practices for maintenance. Additionally, hundreds of ornamental grasses will link various elements of the exhibit and will thematically link the exhibit with other garden areas across the Arboretum’s nearly 450 acres. While plans for the exhibit have been in the works for over a year, a full-time Initiative coordinator, Geoff Rinehart, was hired last September, and the groundbreaking for the exhibit was last November. To date, the National Turfgrass Federation has raised $400,000 over the four-year life of the exhibit for construction. Most of the construction will take place this spring as soon as the weather cooperates. In addition to monetary donations from over 15 sponsors, much of the labor and materials for the irrigation system, the golf display, sports fields, permeable paver pathways, green roof and sod installation are being donated or provided at a deep discount. While turf associations in Maryland and Virginia may be most familiar with the project, Rinehart wants to elevate awareness about the exhibit on a national level “since this is not just a Washington, D.C. or a Mid-Atlantic project, but a national project.” The exhibit is slated for a late-spring opening this year, and a grand opening date will be announced once the construction timelines become clearer. For more information about the exhibit or the Grass Roots Initiative, contact Geoff Rinehart at geoffrey.rinehart@ars.usda.gov or visit the Initiative Facebook page at facebook.com/NTFGrassRootsInitiative. c
Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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Turfgrass Calendar April 22
VTC Regional Seminar
Pesticide Recert./Fertilizer Cert. (VTC members attend free!) Lorton, VA
May 20
VTC Regional Seminar
Pesticide Recert./Fertilizer Cert. (VTC members attend free!) Staunton, VA
June 2
Bob Ruff Jr. Memorial Research Golf Tournament
Wintergreen Resort/Stoney Creek Golf Course Wintergreen, VA
June 16–22 U.S. Open
Pinehurst Resort & C.C. Pinehurst #2 Village of Pinehurst, NC
June 17
Advertisers Index June 24
Hampton Roads AREC Turfgrass Field Day, Pesticide Recertification and Certified Fertilizer Applicator
Hampton Roads AREC Virginia Beach, VA
July 29 – August 1
TPI Summer Convention & Field Days
(Turfgrass Producers International) Ritz Carlton, Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
August 26–27 VT/Blacksburg Turfgrass Field Days
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
October 14–16
NRPA Congress and Expo
(Nat. Parks & Rec. Assn.) Charlotte Convention Ctr. Charlotte, NC
VTC Regional Seminar
Pesticide Recert./Fertilizer Cert. (VTC members attend free!) Hampton, VA
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