Virginia Turfgrass Journal - July / August 2017

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

Offer Improved Site-Specific Management of

ATHLETIC FIELDS

Dollar Spot Suppression = Chlorothalonil + Ferrous Sulfate Make the Most of Your Minutes: 12 Quick Tips

July/August 2017

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | July/August 2017

20

16 16 Cover Story

Unique Perspective Drones Offer Improved Site-Specific Management of Athletic Fields

20 Feature Story Incorporating Ferrous Sulfate into Your Dollar Spot Suppression Program

22 Feature Story Dollar Spot Suppression = Chlorothalonil + Ferrous Sulfate

24 Professional Development Make the Most of Your Minutes: 12 Quick Tips 4 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

24 DEPARTMENTS 6 Presidentʼs Message

from Rick Owens, CGCS

8 Directorʼs Corner

from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

10 VTF Report

from Betty B. Parker

12 Editorʼs Perspective

from Mark Vaughn, CGCS

14 VTC Membership Form 26 Turfgrass Calendar 26 Virginia Tech Turf Team 26 Index of Advertisers

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

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President’s Message 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

I Ask You to

SERVE WITH US

Rick Owens, CGCS 2016–2017 President

In

the middle of a long hot summer, it is difficult to see past one’s own job and consider volunteering extra time to serve our profession, but this is exactly what I asking you to do now. The Virginia Turfgrass Council is directed by its board of directors.

Many important decisions are made by the board and are implemented by our executive director, Dr. Tom Tracy.

The board is filled with dedicated individuals from a cross section of the turf industry. This includes sports turf managers, lawn care professionals, sod farm managers and golf course superintendents as well as industry people who support all these diverse sections of the turf industry. We also have a committee system where the board can reach out and draw in others to contribute. The standing committees are as follows; Budget, Membership, Nominations, Legislative, Trade Show and Program.

Having a strong committee system brings the board of directors closer to the membership. These committees can create a much larger pool of ideas and talents. The Budget committee exists to create a budget and monitor its implementation. The Membership committee exists in order to promote and increase the membership. The Nominations committee forwards the names of deserving individuals in our industry who are worthy of awards and other recognitions. The Legislative committee monitors new laws and regulations that affect our industry. Its members also contact and inform lawmakers of the Virginia Turfgrass Council’s goals and our efforts to promote a safe and prosperous environment.

The Trade Show committee works with our executive director to secure exhibitors and run a successful Trade Show at the Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo in January in Fredericksburg. The Program committee assists Virginia Tech and University of Maryland professors to put together the fine education program we see every year at this same event.

Please consider joining a committee. Your industry needs your support!

Rick Owens, CGCS 2016–2017 VTC President 6 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

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 Rick Owens, CGCS Laurel Hill Golf Club (703) 674-6934 Vice President Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms (540) 727-0020 Treasurer Michael Skelton Culpeper County (540) 727-3412 Past President Fredrick Biggers, CGCS Wintergreen Resort (434) 325-8252 VTC DIRECTORS Steve Glass Tony Montgomery Jesse Pritchard, CSFM David Smith T.J. Skirsky Rick Viancour, CGCS Jimmy Viars, CGM Craig Zeigler 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 Ph.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 VIRGINIA TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Betty Parker (757) 574-9061

Director’s Corner

Come to the Valley

A GREAT SUCCESS! In

our on-going quest to serve the turfgrass industry, the VTC took a dramatic step in May. We worked with Virginia Tech, James Madison University, SiteOne Landscape Supply, and many others to produce the first-ever Come to the Valley conference this past May. More than 100 persons attended this two-day event, which was held in Harrisonburg at James Madison University. We provided a diverse list of courses: pesticide and fertilizer certification and recertification; irrigationsystem maintenance; pollinator updates; spray-nozzle demonstrations; and the ever-popular “weed walk.”

Please make plans to attend next year’s Come to the Valley, scheduled to be held again during May. We are moving the event to the Frontier Culture Museum, which is located in Staunton. Bring your family! They can enjoy the museum while you attend the conference.

And don’t forget Come to the Bay, a regional conference held in Virginia Beach during February. Come to the Bay was started three years ago and is the model we are using for Come to the Valley.

“Keeping Pesticides and Fertilizers Out of Virginia’s Waters” is a new workshop we are planning to offer at both events. This workshop will feature topics such as Legal Issues; Establishing and Maintaining Turfgrass to the Water’s Edge; Using Plants other than Turfgrass as Buffers; and Using Non-

Plant Structures as Buffers. We plan to intersperse the presentations with examples from golf courses, parks, residences and commercial landscapes.

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

Contact a Board member or me if you want to help with either Come to the Valley or Come to the Bay. We will find a slot for you!

Dr. Frank Wong of Bayer details how to promote and protect pollinators.

Dr. David McCall gives the group a demonstration on selecting the right nozzle for the application.

8 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

VTF Report

2017 Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Classic

Record-Breaking Amount RAISED for

Betty B. Parker VTF Manager

TURF RESEARCH A

good idea that actually worked! When the VGCSA and VTC decided to combine their turf research fundraisers into one mega event, the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Classic was launched on Monday, May 22, at The Country Club of Virginia. Gross revenues surpassed $90,000, and a multitude of top industry vendors took the lead in ensuring the best event ever. The event included a new Richmond-based Field Day, showcasing research in the “transition zone.”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the way the industry stepped up,” said Dr. David McCall, Virginia Tech’s lead representative on the project. “And we were also excited to be able to conduct research in the warmer climate of Richmond, which is more prominent statewide than what we have in Blacksburg.”

For the record, 68 companies supported the event, which drew 192 players in the two-course tournament contested over the James River and Tuckahoe Creek Courses. Host superintendent Christian Sain was largely

responsible for the invitation to play at The Country Club of Virginia, which offered a beautiful setting, outstanding facilities, great food and beverage, and superior service. It was a tremendous event, and a bad forecast retreated to yield a very nice day for golf.

Two companies headlined the sponsorship challenge at the highest level (Hokie Patron, $5,000) — Landscape Supply and Harrell’s. Smith Turf & Irrigation collaborated with Toro and Turf Equipment & Supply to sponsor the tournament but also to donate a Toro MP5800 Geo-Link Sprayer to Virginia Tech, a valuable piece of equipment retailing for $100,000! In addition, Virginia Green and BASF came in the next level (Dr. John Shoulders Patron, $4,000). Seven companies contributed at the $3,000 level — Bayer, Buy Sod, Green Golf & Turf, Homefield Fertilizer / Meadowspring Turf, PBI Gordon (Kabuto), Turfbreeze and Virginia Sand & Stone.

In addition, many companies donated items to a silent auction, and many participants entered the 50–50 raffle to help grow the support of Tech.

10 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

HONOR ROLL OF SPONSORS Hokie Patron ($5,000) Harrell’s Landscape Supply Dr. John Shoulders Patron ($4,000) BASF Virginia Green $3,000 Patron Bayer Buy Sod Green Golf & Turf Homefield Fertilizer / Meadowspring Turf PBI Gordon (Kabuto) TurfBreeze Virginia Sand & Stone Dr. Wayne Bingham Patron ($2,000) Innovative Turf Services Lebanon Turf Luck Ecosystems Smith Turf & Irrigation Southern States Syngenta

Orange & Maroon Patron ($1,000) Billy Casper Golf, Davisson Golf, Genesis Turfgrass, Growth Enhancer Turf Consultants, Harco Fittings, Helena Chemical, Intelligro, Knox Fertilizer, M&M Consulting, McDonald & Sons / Modern Turf, Nufarm , Peebles Golf Car Sales, Revels/Finch, Salisbury Country Club, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Target Specialty Products, Tidewater Turfgrass Association, Trinity Turf, Inc., Turf Equipment & Supply/Toro, Virginia Sports Turf Managers Assn, Virginia Turfgrass Association, VTC, Willard Companies and YardWorks

Tuckahoe Creek Low Net McDonald & Sons/Modern Turf — Kyle Trzaskos, Logan Thompson, Buddy Smith and Randy Allen (54)

Closest to Pin James River — Scott Cornwell and Kyle Miller Tuckahoe Creek — Tommy Adams and Conner Hall

Tuckahoe Creek 2nd Net Davisson Golf — Rob Hessler, Mike Mueller, Lentz Wheeler and Mark Kingora (54)

Long Drive James River — Mike Hagemann Tuckahoe Creek — Matt Drayton

(A big thank you to David Norman and the VGCSA for allowing us to reprint this article, which first appeared in the VGCSA newsletter, the Commonwealth Crier.)

Hole Sponsors ($300) Better Billy Bunker, Brookmeade Sod Farm, Capillary Concrete, Chantilly Turf Farm, Christian Sain, Earthworks, East Coast Athletics, Fisher & Son, FMC, GCSAA, Harmon Turf Services, Howard Fertilizer, Hydro Solutions Inc., JRM, Inc., MAPGA, McGill Compost, Old Dominion GCSA, Precision Labs, Quali-Pro, Select Source (2), Textron Golf, United Turf Alliance, VGM Club and Woodward Turf Farms

TOURNAMENT RESULTS James River Low Gross Virginia Green #2 — Chris Snow, Ralph Reahard, Ross Sumner and Troy Hall (53)

James River Low Net Yardworks — Billy Stinson, John Kauzlarich, Charles Paulette and Jeff Mayo (54)

James River 2nd Net Tidewater Turfgrass Assn. — Rob Wilmans, Jeff Yarborough, John Crain and Tim Doran (54)

James River 3rd Net Lebanon Turf — Ed Holland, Steve Cohoon, Chris Gray and Mike Lytle (55)

Tuckahoe Creek Low Gross Revels/Finch — Jeff McMackin, James Hockman, Ben Longest and Dylan Payne (58) Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

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Editor’s Perspective

THE

DE V IL

W ENT DOWN TO

Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor

SOUTHSIDE …

THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO SOUTHSIDE… He was lookin’ for some grass to kill.

He was in a bind ‘cause he was way behind; He was willin’ to make a deal.

A sly grin creased ‘ol Red’s face As the summer began real slow.

A little DryJect, a little Trimmitt…

This Penncross will think it’s in Ohio.

When he came across this redhead Ridin’ a sprayer on a day real hot The DEVIL slid up on the passenger seat And said “Boy, let me tell you what…

Then spoonfeed, Cascade, Check them off the list.

A little Heritage, some Dac Action, THIS is a summer of bliss.

I bet you didn’t know it, But I’m a turfhead just like you.

And since you have no hair and your skin is fair, I’ll make a bet with you,

(Guitar, piano, fiddle solos)

Now, you grow pretty good poa, son And your crabgrass ain’t bad either.

But summer’s comin’, and I got a feelin’ It’ll melt the pearls off June Cleaver.”

The boy said, “The name is Red, And yes my hair is thin, But I’ll take your bet ‘cause my turf ain’t wet And my green kyllinga’s comin’ in.”

“Red, you put your potash down And vertidrain your greens, ‘Cause hell’s comin’ down in Southside And your boss is pretty mean And if you win, you’ve got a job ‘Til July of ‘18 But if you lose, Your paycheck’s lookin’ lean…

(Fiddle solo) 12 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

With Red still smiling, the DEVIL said, “So you think the battle’s won?

Well, just sit down by your weather station And let me ruin all your fun.”

Fire in the root zone, run rot run.

Penncross cooking in the midday sun.

Afternoon rain, now the bathtubs’ full.

37 years of the same @#$* bull!

(Fiddle solo) Ol’ stubborn bowed his head But wouldn’t concede defeat Moss is a pretty good surface, And it stimps about 8 feet.

DEVIL said, “Red I’ll see you next August.

I’m sure you’ll try again.

You grass boys are gluttons for punishment.

Don’t you know you’ll never win?”

And he said, “Fire in the root zone, run rot run……”

VTC Membership

JOIN THE

TODAY!

Membership Benefits For ALL members include:

FREE pesticide recertification training at the oneday regional seminars.

FREE Certified Fertilizer Applicator training at the Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo in January (M-A-T-E) and the Come to the Bay (February) and Come to the Valley (May) regional conferences.

FREE entry to the research tour of turfgrass studies in June at the Hampton Roads AREC. FREE subscription to our bi-monthly Virginia Turfgrass Journal, offering research and industry updates.

Valuable assistance on state and local legislative and bureaucratic issues. Do you know that every member of Virginia’s General Assembly receives our bi-monthly Virginia Turfgrass Journal? Several Delegates and Senators have said how much they appreciate being on our mailing list.

Monthly email of job postings.

Discounts to every one of our activities.

Join as a GROUP or as an INDIVIDUAL Individual Membership One Year — $85 Individual Membership Two Years — $150

Platinum Group Membership Membership fee of $1,250 includes: 11 to 20 members.

Send up to 100 of your employees to one of our Regional Pesticide Training Classes — AT NO COST. Year-round membership listing and link from VTC website.

Fertilizer Certification Training and Recertification Training (3A, 3B 60) at your site.

Gold Group Membership Membership fee of $800 includes: 6 to 10 members Silver Group Membership Membership fee of $400 includes: 1 to 5 members

14 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

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OR Join/Renew online at

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• Mail it to the address at the bottom of this page.

• Or fax it to 757-282-2693

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Payment SELECT ONE Platinum Group Membership (11 or more members + Year-round listing and link from VTC website) ..................$1,250 Gold Group Membership (6 – 10 members) ..................................................................................................................$800 Silver Group Membership (1 – 5 members) ...................................................................................................................$400 Individual for Two Years ..................................................................................................................................................$150 Individual for One Year ...................................................................................................................................................$85

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Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 • Phone: 757-464-1004 • Fax: 757-282-2693 Email: vaturf@verizon.net • Web: www.vaturf.org Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 15

Cover Story

UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

Offer Improved Site-Specific Management of

ATHLETIC FIELDS

By Travis Roberson, MS Student, Weed Science, and David McCall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science, Virgina Tech

S

ports turf managers often do a remarkable job of maintaining fields at high standards, often with budgets that do not align with expectations. Field managers are constantly tasked with doing more with less. In many instances, problems that arise in a localized area within a field result in widespread management decisions that impact a series of similar fields nearby.

A recent example is the development of large patch on bermudagrass athletic fields in the Mid-Atlantic.

Certain conditions contribute to this disease, such as poorly drained soils.

However, many sports turf managers fire up their sprayers to apply a fungicide across affected and neighboring fields to prevent further spread. In reality, the affected areas were likely more susceptible to disease for a reason, but it is often difficult to tell that reason by routine scouting.

A bird’s eye view can reveal issues or clues that may otherwise be missed.

This unique vantage point is the same reason that coordinators often call

plays from high up in the press box during football games. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are not new in our society or even in turf management, but we are in the midst of rapid change in how these devices can be used to our benefit.

A primary focus of my research program at Virginia Tech is to develop novel approaches for studying disease epidemics and environmental stresses using aerial imagery collected from drones. This approach allows turf managers to have a better understanding of underlying issues that may lead to more effective, site-specific management, thereby reducing total inputs and reducing the bottom line in the budget. Below are brief project descriptions from two graduate students in my lab about how they are using drones to improve turf management.

Jordan Booth, CGCS, uses drones to develop spring dead spot distribution maps. We are using these maps to make fungicide applications only where needed and to gain a better understanding of the principle factors

16 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

that drive disease development. Travis Roberson is developing unique methods to monitor for drought stress using both visible light and near-infrared light, starting with ground-based measurements and using aerial imagery to estimate across larger areas.

Mapping spring dead spot with drones Precision agriculture (PA) is defined as the application of technologies and principles to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production to improve crop performance and environmental quality. PA uses information obtained from a variety of sources to implement site-specific management practices.

One source of information used in PA is the use of small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),given their low costs of operation and great flexibility in mounting and operation of image-acquisition equipment. UAVs can provide a rapid, high-resolution view of large acreage in a matter of

PHOTO

1

Snapshot overview of a golf fairway with spring dead spot.

minutes and offer a safe, affordable option when compared to piloted aircraft.

The information obtained by UAVs has led to informed decisions and reduced inputs generally associated with PA. Primary turfgrass management practices are very similar to crop-based agriculture including irrigation, fertilizer application and pest control. As in crop production, turfgrass managers are interested in ways to improve efficiency and plant health while managing a budget. Water management, pest control and cultural practices need to be balanced to provide a safe, high-quality turfgrass surface while minimizing expenses.

Like all agriculture, PA must be adapted and tailored to turfgrass management. This new field of advanced management practices in turf is known as Precision Turfgrass Management. At Virginia Tech, we are researching how Precision Turfgrass Management, and specifically the use of UAVs, can benefit sports turf managers by reducing inputs and increasing efficiency associated with pest control.

Bermudagrass is the preferred choice for sports fields in the southern U.S. as well as the transition zone.

There are a variety of bermudagrass hybrids for use in sports turf, offering distinct advantages. Hybrid bermudagrasses grow vigorously in nearly all types of soil, exhibit excellent tolerance to heat and drought and produce a dense, uniform turf that is resistant to traffic and wear.

One of the most limiting factors of successful bermudagrass management in the U.S. is the prevalence of spring dead spot (SDS). SDS is the most destructive disease of bermudagrass in climates where bermudagrass enters winter dormancy. Outbreaks are most severe under high-maintenance conditions. While symptoms, including circular patches of dead turf and slow turf recovery, occur in the spring of the year, the disease infects the turf in the late summer or early fall of the previous growing season. This makes the timing of fungicide applications difficult to predict because symptoms are not present during application.

Suppression of SDS with conventional chemical control has proven inconsistent. Like all pests, certain products have greater suppression efficacy than others. Unfortunately, the most effective fungicides are also the most expensive. In many instances, this makes the most effective chemical programs cost-prohibitive. Many turfgrass managers opt to make applications of less expensive, less effective fungicides or no preventative applications at all.

Our research aims to study if the use of UAVs and Precision Turfgrass Management could help with disease suppression. To design the study, the following questions were asked: • Would UAVs be able to quickly and accurately generate disease incidence maps? • Would it be possible to apply the most effective SDS fungicides precisely and accurately, based on disease incidence from the previous season? • Would precision applications increase disease suppression while decreasing inputs and costs?

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

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Cover Story continued

These questions are beginning to be answered. Partnering with the Un-manned Systems Lab in the Mechanical Engineering department at Virginia Tech, our team has utilized UAVs to create high-resolution diseaseincidence maps. In spring 2016, disease-incidence maps were generated from five different bermudagrass golf course fairways infected with SDS. Aerial imagery was collected using an Iris+ (3D Robotics, Inc.) multirotor UAV, fitted with a HERO 3 (GoPro, Inc.) digital camera and PixHawk Mini mission planner. Aerial images were mosaicked using Agisoft PhotoScan 1.2.6 Professional. Spring dead spot ground-truth coordinates were obtained to geo-rectify the maps using the Raven Phoenix 300 w/Omnistar HP correction for sub-decimeter

spatial resolution. The fairways were rated visually and using digital image analysis to determine accuracy and to quantify disease incidence.

In fall 2016, these disease incidence maps were used to make preventative fungicide applications to compare the efficacy of the fungicide Tebuconazole 3.4 F (tebuconazole, Quali-Pro) vs. the efficacy of Velista (penthiopyrad, Syngenta) vs. the site-specific application of Velista based on disease incidence. It is known that Velista is more expensive than Tebuconazole, but it has proven to be more effective in other SDS suppression trials. The applications were rated in spring 2017 and compared to non-treated plots.

This research aims to translate remotely sensed data gathered through UAV imaging into usable information

for site-specific management of SDS on bermudagrass fairways. Additionally, exploration into the spatial distribution of SDS across fairways may enhance our understanding of the disease epidemiology by focusing on changes in microclimate and soil characteristics.

Predicting water deficiencies with unique sensors on drones Water usage receives much scrutiny in our industry because this limited resource drives global food and fiber production. Drought restrictions are first imposed to non-essential commodities, which includes recreational areas such as sports fields.

This scrutiny has led sports turf managers to explore various methods to minimize their water usage, including

PHOTO

2

Quadcopter equipped with a MicaSense Rededge sensor taking flight on a golf course fairway.

18 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

Cover Story continued

the use of underground moisture sensors, installation of more sophisticated, site-specific irrigation designs and wetting agents. Handheld soil moisture meters are sometimes used in conjunction with hand watering to deliver irrigation only to areas in need.

While this method is increasingly common in our industry, it is labor intensive and still possesses the human element of possibly missing an area that is drought stressed.

Measuring canopy light reflectance has shown potential for detection drought stress to turfgrass. The most commonly studied reflectance index on turfgrass status is the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).

This index measures red and near infrared light reflectance from turf and has been related to turf quality,

PHOTO

3

canopy structure, water needs and nitrogen needs.

While this index is important for turfgrass research, a primary limitation is not being able to distinguish declining vigor caused by water deficiencies from other stressors. An alternative index (WBI) utilizes waterabsorption characteristics within a stable region of near-infrared light and minimizes the influence from other stressors.

Previous research has shown that WBI is closely related to moisture stress in sandy, low-organic soil with creeping bentgrass. We are now investigating how the WBI may be used on bermudagrass to predict water deficiencies on various soil textures. To date, the relationship between WBI and moisture stress appears to be stable

from bermudagrass grown across soil textures in greenhouse conditions.

This research will continue at both the canopy level and with remotely sensed data collected using drones.

In collaboration with the Unmanned Systems Lab at Virginia Tech, we are developing a drone equipped with customized sensors capable of measuring reflectance within the water absorption region. We were able to validate aerial detection of moisture stress using visible and near-infrared light with data collected on the ground at predetermined GPS coordinates.

This article first appeared in the May 2017 issue of SportsTurf Magazine, the official publication of the Sports Turf Managers Association.

A comparison of maps generated from data collected from a drone flight. On the left is an aerial image of a normal color image, and on the right is an aerial image based on the green-red ratio vegetation index closely related to soil moisture.

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 19

Feature Story

Incorporating FERROUS SULFATE into Your Dollar Spot Suppression Program

By Camden D. Shelton, M.S. candidate; David S. McCall, Ph.D., Turfgrass Pathology; Erik H. Ervin, Ph.D., Turfgrass Scientist; and Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D., Weed Scientist, Virginia Tech

R

esearchers at Virginia Tech first demonstrated in 2012 that ferrous sulfate (20% ferrous sulfate-heptahydrate) applied at 1 lb./1,000 ft2 can reduce dollar spot pressure without traditional fungicides. This strategy has not been widely adopted, largely because of the excessive rates and unknown impact on the turfgrass system over time.

Because previously tested ferrous sulfate rates were so high, trials were established to determine if lower rates could also provide desired control.

Studies were conducted at the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center in Blacksburg, VA, in 2016 on a ‘007’ creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) putting green and an ‘L-93’ creeping bentgrass fairway. Ferrous sulfate was applied at five rates (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 lbs. /1,000 ft2) every 14 days and evaluated weekly for its ability to reduce dollar spot.

After one season, our data suggest that rates can be reduced to 0.5 lbs.

/ 1,000 sq. ft. without compromising efficacy. The reduction was evident on both green and fairway trials, but this research needs to be repeated to validate our findings.

While this research shows potential as a management option, it was apparent that this strategy alone would not be sufficient for acceptable control.

Therefore, we have begun investigating how the use of ferrous sulfate may impact a chlorothalonil fungicide program.

Our data suggest that ferrous sulfate can extend the longevity of dollar spot control with chlorothalonil (3.6 fl. oz. /1000 ft2 Daconil WeatherStik) by 5 days. Chlorothalonil reapplication interval was extended from 11 and 9 days without ferrous sulfate to 16 and 14 days when ferrous sulfate was applied on fairways and greens, respectively.

In conjunction with our trials on extending chlorothalonil longevity, we investigated how ferrous sulfate can reduce the total amount of chlorothalonil

Dollar spot suppression with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) applied at 0 lb. (untreated control-top).

needed to maintain dollar spot below an acceptable threshold. Chlorothalonil treatments were applied as follows: 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 fl. oz. /1000 ft2 of Daconil WeatherStik across plots treated with and without ferrous sulfate applied every other week. To date, the addition of ferrous sulfate has shown a substantial reduction in the amount of chlorothalonil necessary to maintain dollar spot below an acceptable level, but the reduction appears to be largely based on disease pressure. During mild infestations, the rate of chlorothalonil needed should be significantly lower than during a more severe outbreak when accompanied with ferrous sulfate.

This research may help turf managers adhere to annual site-use limitations of chlorothalonil while still achieving acceptable dollar spot control throughout the season.

This article previously appeared in the March 2017 issue of Golfdom magazine.

Dollar spot suppression with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) applied at 0.5 lb. per 1,000 ft2 on a 007 creeping bentgrass putting green.

20 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

Feature Story

DOLLAR SPOT SUPPRESSION = Chlorothalonil + Ferrous Sulfate

By Camden D. Shelton, MS candidate; David S. McCall, Ph.D., Turfgrass Pathology; Erik Ervin, Ph.D., Turfgass Scientist; and Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D., Weed Scientist, Virginia Tech

C

hlorothalonil, applied alone or in combination with other fungicides, is often used for preventive or curative control of dollar spot on creeping bentgrass. Golf course superintendents relying on chlorothalonil may find that restrictions on its use prevent them from achieving desirable levels of dollar spot control throughout the season.

Ferrous sulfate applied at 1 lb. product/1,000 ft2 has also been found to control dollar spot. The objective of this research was to determine whether combining ferrous sulfate and lower

rates of chlorotahlonil could result in acceptable dollar spot control.

We conducted our research in 2016 on a 007 creeping bentgrass putting green and L-93 creeping bentgrass fairway in Blacksburg, VA. Treatments included Daconil WeatherStik (chlorothalonil) applied at rates of 1, 2, 3 and 4 fl. oz./1,000 ft2 with or without FeSO4 (20% ferrous sulfate-heptahydrate) applied at 1 lb. product/ 1,000 ft2.

Using a conservative estimation method, chlorothalonil rates were reduced by 1.4 kg ai/hectare under heavy pressure (putting green) and 3.1 kg

Dollar spot suppression with 2 fl. oz. chlorothalonil.

22 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

ai/hectare under mild pressure (fairway). In related studies, ferrous sulfate extended the longevity of chlorothalonil by five days, and ferrous sulfate rates were cut in half (0.5 lb product/1000ft2) without sacrificing control (see page 20).

Studies are being continued this year with reduced rates of ferrous sulfate and chlorothalonil.

This article previously appeared in the February 2017 issue of Golf Course Management magazine.

Dollar spot suppression with 2 fl. oz. chlorothalonil + 1 lb. FeSO4.

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Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Virginia Turfgrass Journal, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or VTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright Š2017 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to VTC, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Virginia Turfgrass Journal allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to VTC. 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 37068-0142, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 23

ST of YOUR MINUTES:

Professional Development

Make the M

12 Quick Tips to Help Stressed-Out Professionals Better Manage Their Time

By Jackie Gaines, Lecturer and Author

A

sk any working professional what he or she could use more of, and you’ll probably keep getting the same answer — time. In the frantic pace of the digital age, time is something everyone seems to be short on now. (It’s almost laughable that we once thought technology would help create more leisure time!) But if workers could figure out how to make the most of their waking moments, they could be far more productive and happy regardless of their time constraints.

Success at work and in life often comes down to one thing: developing better time management skills. Our minutes have become hot since time is so scarce these days, and we toss them away without a second thought.

The truth is, we will always have obligations, deadlines and responsibilities, but if you learn how to handle your hot minutes, you can work with the clock instead of against it.

Here are some no-fail tips to help you make the most of your time (no matter how little you have!) and achieve a healthier and happier worklife balance.

Prioritize sleep so you can function when you’re awake.

If you do nothing else, prioritize your sleep needs. You will be more productive and feel more ambitious when you get the rest your body requires.

Schedule sleep like any other daily activity on your to-do list. Pencil in a stopping point in your day, and stick to it without fail. Then wind down with a book or another relaxing bedtime ritual to help you drift off to sleep.

Don’t stay on your email all day.

Constantly checking your inbox is distracting and slows you down. Designate

a few times in your workday to check email so that you remain in control of your schedule and aren’t being reactive to new messages as they appear.

Choose human connection over technology.

Though technology has improved our lives, it comes with its own set of problems. Emails and texts are convenient, but they create room for confusion and miscommunication. Whenever possible, talk in person in order to get your message across clearly.

easy as it sounds. It’s very common to forget to listen after you speak your thoughts in a conversation, and you often lose important info as a result.

When you are talking with a coworker, manager or anyone else, be sure that you turn off that pesky inner monologue, and focus when it is the other person’s turn to speak.

Stop shuffling papers.

It’s okay to turn down invitations, cancel plans or disconnect from the outside world every now and then. Saying no is a skill that will benefit you throughout life, so allow yourself to politely start bowing out of unnecessary commitments right now.

Most of us waste a lot of time shuffling papers from one pile to another.

Chances are that your desk is full of paper you don’t know what to do with. Stop this maddening cycle by touching each sheet of paper just once and figure out the appropriate action. Either put it in a to-do pile so you can deal with it immediately, a file (for documents you must keep) or the trash. This keeps the papers moving and keeps you sane!

Set achievable goals each day.

Step away from the internet.

Even the most thoughtfully constructed to-do list will be useless if it is too ambitious. What’s the point of writing down unachievable tasks? We’re not superheroes and shouldn’t try to be.

Make your daily goals small enough that you can actually get them done.

Remember that you can always do more if you have the time.

Surfing the web is a huge time waster for most people. An innocent little break often turns into an hour (or more) of wasted time that you can’t get back — especially when you should be working or headed to bed to get some rest. Shut off access to the internet at a certain time each day to avoid getting lost in cyberspace. Also, implement breaks from recreational internet use — about a month — to focus on other aspects of your life that may need attention.

Learn to say no, and mean it.

Give multitasking the ax.

Multitasking is ineffective and counterproductive. People work best when they give focused attention to the task at hand. So, aim to work on only one project at a time, and give yourself permission to forget about other priorities until you are done.

Listen up!

Active listening consists of being present and engaged when communicating with another person, but it’s not as

24 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

Have some fun along the way.

It’s important to remember that stressed-out people aren’t all that productive. You have to relax and schedule “recharge time” into your life to avoid burnout — especially if you have an intense work environment. Be sure to build in time for fun on the weekends and on some evenings, but try to make

work fun, too. If appropriate at your office, find ways to infuse a little lighthearted play into your workday.

Stop owning other people’s stuff.

How often do you hear yourself saying, “Never mind. I’ll do it myself.”?

Probably more often than you’d like, and this habit takes up your precious minutes in no time. The solution is to hold others accountable for their responsibilities. This includes your children, your spouse and your colleagues.

Let “never mind...” be the exception instead of the rule.

Let go and delegate.

Learn to know when to let someone else handle a task. It can be hard to relinquish control, but it is also necessary to delegate, especially if you’re in a leadership position. Remember that delegating is not admitting you can’t handle your responsibilities — not at all. Rather, it’s about maximizing the potential of your entire workforce.

Summary Remember that you have two choices when trying to manage your time. You can either let your priorities and obligations run your life, or you can take charge of your minutes and let them work for you to achieve your goals in a timely manner. While you won’t ever succeed long-term by racing the clock, you can drop your bad habits, improve ineffective practices and kick stress to the curb so that your whole life improves.

About the Author Jackie Gaines is a high-performing senior executive with a progressive career encompassing more than 38 years of sustained leadership and accomplishments. She lectures all over the country and has received numerous awards along the way. She has written four books: Wait a Hot Minute! How to Manage Your Life with the Minutes You Have, Believing You Can Fly, The Yellow Suit: A Guide for Women in Leadership and Destination Infinity: Reflections and Career Lessons from a Road Warrior.

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

| 25

Turfgrass Calendar September 26–28 NRPA Congress and Expo

(Nat. Rec. and Park Assn.)

New Orleans, LA

October 18–20

Virginia Tech Turf Team

Advertisers Index

Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D.

Agronomic Lawn Management ............. 23 www.FertilizerWithALM.com

Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-5807 saskew@vt.edu

LANDSCAPES 2017

(formerly the PLANET Green Industry Conference) Kentucky Epo Center Louisville, KY

October 19–20 GIE+Expo — Green Industry Equipment Expo and School of Grounds Management

Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY

October 20–23 ASLA – Annual Meeting & Expo

(American Society of Landscape Architects) Los Angeles, CA

Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D.

Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 (757) 363-3912 jderr@vt.edu

Erik H. Ervin, Ph.D.

Virginia Tech 339 Smyth Hall, CSES Dept.

Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-5208 ervin@vt.edu

Buy Sod ...................................................... 3 www.buysod.com Carolina Green Corp. ............................. 23 www.cgcfields.com Chesapeake Valley Seed ........................... 5 www.chesapeakevalleyseed.com Collins Wharf Sod Farm ......................... 11 www.collinswharfsod.com Colonial Farm Credit.............................. 23 www.colonialfarmcredit.com Daniel Sod Farms .................................... 23 www.danielsodfarms.com Fisher & Son Company, Inc. .................. 21 www.fisherandson.com Leading Edge Communications ............ 14 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com Luck Ecosystems...................................... 14 www.luckstone.com

December 11–14 Turfgrass Short Course

Henrico, VA

January 16–19, 2018 STMA Conference and Exhibition

Fort Worth Convention Center Fort Worth, TX

January 29 – February 1, 2018 M-A-T-E: Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo

Fredericksburg, VA

Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D.

Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall, CSES Dept.

Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-2951 goatley@vt.edu

Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center San Antonio, TX

February 12–15, 2018 TPI International Education Conference & Field Day

(Turfgrass Producers Intl.)

Westin LA Paloma Resort Tucson, AZ

Modern Turf, Inc. ................................... 25 www.modernturf.com PBI Gordon Corporation ....................... 13 www.pbigordon.com Progressive Turf Equipment, Inc............. 5 www.progressiveturfequip.com

David McCall, Ph.D.

Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu

Smith Seed Services ................................ 23 www.smithseed.com Smith Turf & Irrigation ........... Back Cover www.smithturf.com TMI Truck & Equipment, Inc................ 11 www.tmitrucks.com

February 3–8, 2018 Golf Industry Show

Mid-Atlantic STIHL, Inc. .......................... 9 www.stihldealers.com

WITH SUPPORT FROM: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D.

Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu

26 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL July/August 2017 www.vaturf.org

The Cutting Edge of VA ......................... 25 www.tce-va.com The Turfgrass Group .. 7, Inside Back Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com Virginia Sand & Stone.... Inside Front Cover www.virginiasand.com Weed Man ............................................... 23 www.weedmanfranchise.com