Harper Lin
Golf greens are highly susceptible to turfgrass diseases due to a combination of environmental, management, and biological factors. To prevent fungal infections, it is crucial to address abnormalities promptly and implement preventive measures. This includes regular soil testing, adjusting watering practices according to weather conditions, and aerating the turf more than once a year. Additionally, the selection of disease-resistant grass cultivars and proper cultural practices, such as mowing height adjustments and sand topdressing, can reduce the vulnerability of turfgrass to fungal pathogens. Controlling moisture levels is essential, as excess moisture fosters the growth of fungi, especially during autumn and winter. Integrated Pest Management programs and judicious use of fungicides also play a vital role in maintaining healthy golf greens.
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What You'll Learn
Preventing fungus with Integrated Pest Management
Golf greens are highly susceptible to turf diseases due to environmental, management, and biological factors. High-maintenance practices, such as low mowing heights, stress the grass, weakening the plants and making them more vulnerable to diseases. Additionally, golf greens often feature a monoculture of grass species, making them more susceptible to diseases that target specific grass varieties. Heavy foot traffic and poor air circulation further contribute to the challenge of maintaining healthy greens. Therefore, careful management, including regular monitoring, proper cultural practices, and judicious use of fungicides, is essential for preventing turf diseases.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a sustainable approach to managing pests and diseases that focuses on long-term prevention and minimizing the use of pesticides. Here are some ways that IPM strategies can be implemented to prevent and manage turf fungus on golf greens:
- Regular Monitoring and Early Detection: Inspect the turfgrass regularly for any abnormalities or early signs of disease. Early detection is crucial for successful disease management.
- Cultural Practices:
- Proper Mowing: Avoid scalping the turf by adjusting mower heights appropriately.
- Soil Management: Conduct regular soil tests and maintain balanced nutrient levels, addressing issues like nitrogen deficiencies or excesses.
- Aeration: Aerate the turf more than once a year to improve soil drainage and reduce compaction.
- Water Management: Adjust watering practices according to weather conditions to avoid over-irrigation and waterlogging.
- Traffic Management: Redirect foot traffic and maintenance equipment to reduce soil compaction and grass damage.
- Tree Management: Prune or remove trees to improve air circulation and reduce shading, which can create favourable conditions for fungus.
- Biological Control: Explore the use of biological control agents, such as the fungus Metarhizium brunneum, which can help control pests like white grubs that damage turfgrass roots.
- Judicious Use of Fungicides:
- Preventative Fungicide Programs: Consider implementing preventative fungicide treatments before symptoms appear to better control certain types of turf fungus, such as anthracnose.
- Alternate Management Practices: In addition to fungicides, incorporate other management practices, such as sand topdressing, lightweight rolling, and proper irrigation, to reduce disease severity.
By adopting an IPM approach, golf course managers can effectively prevent and manage turf fungus, reducing the reliance on chemical treatments and promoting a healthier and more sustainable turfgrass ecosystem.
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Reducing stress and improving turf nutrition
Golf greens are highly susceptible to turf diseases due to environmental, management, and biological factors. To reduce stress and improve turf nutrition, it is essential to address these factors and implement preventive measures. Here are some strategies to achieve this:
Reducing Stress
- Mowing Heights: Golf greens are often mowed low to provide a smooth playing surface, but this can stress the grass and weaken its defence against diseases. Adjusting mowing heights can help reduce stress on the turf.
- Monoculture: Golf greens often feature a single grass species, making them vulnerable to diseases that target that specific type. Introducing grass variety can improve disease resistance.
- Soil Compaction: Heavy foot traffic and maintenance equipment compact the soil, reducing oxygen availability to the roots and making the grass more susceptible to disease. Aeration techniques, such as deep-tine aeration, can help alleviate soil compaction and improve drainage.
- Irrigation Practices: Maintaining proper moisture levels is crucial. Excess moisture can foster fungus, while under-watering can stress the turf. Regularly monitor soil moisture and adjust watering accordingly.
- Nutrient Management: Nitrogen deficiencies can weaken turfgrass and make it more susceptible to certain diseases, such as anthracnose. Proper nutrient management, including light and frequent applications of nitrogen fertilizer, can reduce stress and improve turf health.
Improving Turf Nutrition
- Integrated Pest Management: Implement a year-round Integrated Pest Management program to control and prevent turf diseases. This includes the strategic use of fungicides.
- Cultural Practices: Embrace cultural practices such as mowing, verticutting, and rolling to curtail turf stress and optimise cut heights.
- Nutrient Optimisation: Determine the optimum nutrient balance for your golf course based on grass species, soil type, climatic conditions, and seasonality. Use a nutrient calculator and growth models to create a customised nutrition strategy.
- Biostimulants: Incorporate biostimulants like seaweed extracts, humic acid, and amino acids to promote healthy root zones and enhance turf resilience.
- Dew Control: Include dew suppressants in your maintenance program to minimise leaf wetness, which can increase the risk of pathogen development in cooler temperatures.
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Controlling moisture to prevent fungus
Controlling moisture is essential for preventing turf diseases caused by excess moisture levels, especially during autumn and winter. Here are some ways to control moisture and prevent fungus on golf greens:
Monitoring and Scheduling
Greenkeepers should implement a moisture monitoring schedule, using moisture meters to check soil and surface levels daily during high-risk seasons. Early identification of issues is key to preventing turf diseases.
Wetting Agents and Drainage
Apply wetting agents to the turf year-round to maintain consistent moisture control. Regular aeration, sand topdressing, and deep-tine aeration improve drainage, especially in high-traffic areas, preventing waterlogging during heavy rainfall.
Dew Control
Include dew suppressants in your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to minimise leaf wetness, a major contributor to pathogen development in cool temperatures.
Turf Selection
Choose disease-resistant cultivars to prevent turf diseases and reduce the need for chemical treatments. Consult a turf care professional to select the most suitable grass species for your local conditions and long-term disease prevention.
Nutrition and Biostimulants
Implement a month-by-month nutrition strategy to promote healthy root zones. Biostimulants like seaweed extracts, humic acid, and amino acids support disease tolerance and stress recovery. Foliar-applied phosphite strengthens plant immunity against pathogens. Lighter fertiliser applications in autumn and winter prevent nutrient imbalances and keep turf healthy.
By following these practices, you can effectively control moisture levels and prevent the development of turf diseases caused by excess moisture.
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Identifying and treating turfgrass diseases
Turfgrass diseases are often caused by fungi, and golf greens are particularly susceptible due to a combination of environmental, management, and biological factors. High-stress maintenance practices, such as low mowing heights, create favourable conditions for turfgrass diseases to develop.
To identify and treat turfgrass diseases, it is important to follow these steps:
- Identify the disease: Recognise the symptoms of common turfgrass diseases such as Pythium Blight, Necrotic Ring Spot, Anthracnose, and Brown Patch. Each disease has distinct signs, such as small spots that enlarge over time for Pythium Blight, circular thinned patches for Necrotic Ring Spot, bright yellowing of turf in irregular patterns for Anthracnose, and circular straw-coloured infection centres for Brown Patch.
- Determine the conditions promoting disease development: Understand the environmental and management factors that contribute to the disease. For example, Pythium Blight is caused by over-irrigation or heavy rain, Necrotic Ring Spot thrives in moist soil and high temperatures, Anthracnose is associated with poor drainage and compaction, and Brown Patch is favoured by high relative humidity and excess soil moisture.
- Implement management techniques: Alter or eliminate the conditions conducive to the disease. This may include adjusting mowing heights, improving drainage, reducing thatch, correcting irrigation practices, and avoiding nitrogen application during active disease periods.
- Apply fungicides: Use recommended fungicides to prevent or treat turfgrass diseases. Preventive fungicide programs, beginning before symptoms appear, often provide better control of diseases like Anthracnose. However, always consider the specific product, timing, weather conditions, and other factors when applying fungicides.
It is important to note that proper cultural practices, such as correct mowing, irrigation, and fertility management, play a crucial role in reducing the risk of turfgrass diseases and should be the primary focus of management techniques. Additionally, regular monitoring and soil testing are essential for early disease detection and prevention.
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Using fungicides to control fungus
Golf greens are highly susceptible to turf diseases due to environmental, management, and biological factors. To control the spread of fungus on golf greens, superintendents can implement a variety of strategies, including the use of fungicides. Here are some detailed guidelines for using fungicides effectively to manage turfgrass diseases:
Start Early with a Preventative Program:
Don't wait until you see signs of disease to act. Begin a preventative fungicide program 2 to 4 weeks before symptoms typically appear. This proactive approach will save money, time, and help stay ahead of issues. Identify seasonal diseases that affect your area and target them before infection occurs.
Rotate Products and Chemistries:
Avoid using the same fungicide for every application. Rotate products with different FRAC codes and alternate between new and old chemistries. Using a demethylation inhibitor (DMI) repeatedly can lead to disease resistance, rendering it ineffective. By switching up products and modes of action (contact/systemic), you can prevent pathogen resistance and improve control.
Use Appropriate Rates and Tank Additives:
Opt for higher rates of fungicide that offer more extended control to avoid frequent repeat applications. Tank additives like drift control and sticker/spreaders enhance the effectiveness of the fungicide.
Track and Record Applications:
Keep a record of the classes of fungicides you apply and when you apply them. This record-keeping will help guide application timing in subsequent years, as disease outbreaks can vary across the growing season, even within a small geographical area.
Implement Cultural Practices:
In addition to fungicides, incorporate cultural practices such as proper mowing, light and frequent sand topdressing, lightweight rolling, soil testing, aeration, redirecting traffic, reduced watering, and tree pruning or removal. These practices can help alleviate poor drainage, compaction, and wet surface conditions that favour disease development.
By following these guidelines and working with experts in the field, golf course superintendents can effectively manage turfgrass diseases and maintain the health and aesthetics of their greens.
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Frequently asked questions
Some common types of fungi found on golf greens include Pythium Blight, Anthracnose, Dollar Spot, Necrotic Ring Spot, and Fairy Ring.
To prevent fungi from growing on your golf greens, you should carefully manage the grass by regularly monitoring it, implementing proper cultural practices, and using fungicides judiciously. Maintaining the right balance of irrigation and avoiding over-watering or under-watering can also help.
Pythium Blight, or simply Blight, is a feared disease in the turfgrass community. It is caused by over-irrigation or heavy rainfall, leading to excess moisture. In its early stages, it appears as small, irregular spots that may enlarge over time. The affected area will appear water-soaked and dark, eventually collapsing and taking on an oily appearance.
Anthracnose is a common and damaging disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum cereale. It typically affects annual bluegrass, causing bright yellowing of the turf in irregular patterns. It is associated with stress factors such as excessive shading, poor drainage, soil compaction, temperature extremes, nitrogen deficiencies, and low mowing heights.
