EVALUATION of ORGANIC INPUTS for REDUCING DOLLAR SPOT DISEASE on COOL-SEASON TURFGRASSES Cody James Be
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ABSTRACT Title of Thesis: EVALUATION OF ORGANIC INPUTS FOR REDUCING DOLLAR SPOT DISEASE ON COOL-SEASON TURFGRASSES Cody James Beckley, Master of Science, 2018 Thesis Directed By: Assistant Professor, Dr. Joseph A. Roberts Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Lolium perenne, Poa annua, and Agrostis stolonifera are turfgrass species commonly grown on golf course fairways; however, they are susceptible to dollar spot (Clarireedia spp.). Field studies were conduction to assess: 1) the effects of organic fertilizer treatments and fungicide programs on dollar spot severity; and 2) the impact of organic amendments on dollar spot severity and residual fungicide efficacy. Alternating applications of organic and conventional fungicides reduced seasonal dollar spot severity to the same degree as conventional fungicides. Dollar spot was more severe in Lolium perenne and Poa annua treated with organic fungicides. On A. stolonifera, organic biosolids compost, biochar, and vermicompost amendments suppressed dollar spot to the same degree as conventional fertilizer in year one of the trial, while dollar spot was more severe on A. stolonifera fertilized with organic biosolids compost in year two. Fertilizer treatments had no effect on residual fungicide efficacy on A. stolonifera. EVALUATION OF ORGANIC INPUT EFFECTS FOR REDUCING DOLLAR SPOT DISEASE ON COOL-SEASON TURFGRASSES By Cody James Beckley Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science 2018 Advisory Committee: Assistant Professor Joseph A. Roberts, Chair Associate Professor Mark J. Carroll Associate Professor Thomas R. Turner Associate Professor Stephanie A. Yarwood © Copyright by Cody James Beckley 2018 Dedication I would like to dedicate this work to my fellow turfgrass managers in the Mid- Atlantic region. Your friendship and support has brought me continual enjoyment and success in my career. I hope my work may be beneficial now and in the future as we seek to maintain turfgrass in a responsible and sustainable manner. ii Acknowledgements Support for this project was provided by grants from the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Shore associations of golf course superintendents. I would like to thank my friends and colleagues from the golf industry for their encouragement and support of this study. I would like to thank the Baltimore Composting Facility, Mirimichi Green, and Davisson Golf for their donations of materials for the project. I would like to thank Mr. David Funk, Mr. Joseph DeRico, Mr. Matt Katsuleres, Mr. Joseph Doherty and the rest of the staff of the Paint Branch Turfgrass Research Facility staff for their assistance with the establishment and maintenance of the trial. I would like to thank Dr. Jeffery Buyer and Mr. Stanley Tesch from the USDA-ARS for their technical assistance with PLFA analysis. I would like to thank Mr. Jon Lobenstine, Mr. Marty Eader, Mr. James Weaver, and Mr. Brandon Franz for their assistance at Needwood Golf Course. I would like to thank Dr. Joseph Roberts for his friendship and guidance, as well as the rest of my committee, Dr. Mark Carroll, Dr. Thomas Turner, and Dr. Stephanie Yarwood. I would like to thank my parents, Jim and Terri Beckley, as well as my brothers and extended family for their encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Skye and my boys Henry and Sterling for their continual love and support during our time in College Park. iii Table of Contents Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii List of Tables vi List of Figures viii List of Abbreviationsz ix Chapter 1. Review of the Literature: Dollar Spot Disease and Organic Inputs 1 General Introduction: Pathogen, Epidemiology, Host and Symptomology 1 Chemical Fungicide Use 5 Impact of Fertility 6 Biological Control Agents 9 Natural Organic Amendments and Fertilizers 12 Summary and Thesis Overview 20 Literature Cited 24 Chapter 2. Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Source and Fungicide Source on Dollar Spot Disease of Perennial Ryegrass Golf Course Fairways 34 Abstract 34 Introduction 35 Materials and Methods 38 General Management Practices 38 Treatment Design 39 Data Collection and Analysis. 41 Results 42 Dollar Spot Severity 42 Turfgrass Quality 45 Turf Color – NDVI 46 PLFA Analysis 48 Discussion 49 Conclusion 55 Literature Cited 57 Chapter 3: Effects of Organic Amendments on Dollar Spot Disease of Creeping Bentgrass Golf Course Fairways 86 Abstract 86 Introduction 87 Materials and Methods 93 General Management Practices 93 Treatment Design 94 Data Collection and Analysis 98 Results 99 Dollar Spot Severity 99 Fertilizer Effect on Fungicide Efficacy 101 Turf Quality 102 NDVI Values 103 Root Area 105 Tissue Nitrogen Analysis 106 Discussion 106 iv Conclusion 111 Literature Cited 113 Bibliography 149 v List of Tables Table 1. Fungicides used per treatment for dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway in location 1, 2016 and 2017. ........................... 61 Table 2. Fungicides used per treatment for dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway in location 2, 2017 and 2018. ........................... 62 Table 3. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia Spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2016. ...... 63 Table 4. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia Spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2017. ...... 64 Table 5. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for dollar spot at location 1, 2017. 65 Table 6. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia Spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2017. ...... 66 Table 7. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia Spp. on a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2018. ...... 67 Table 8. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for dollar spot at location 2, 2018. 68 Table 9. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on turfgrass quality of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2016. .......................................................... 69 Table 10. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on turfgrass quality of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2017. .......................................................... 70 Table 11. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on turfgrass quality of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2017. .......................................................... 71 Table 12. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on turfgrass quality of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2018. .......................................................... 72 Table 13. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2016. ............ 73 Table 14. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI at location 1, 2016. .............................................................. 74 Table 15. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 1, 2017. ............ 75 Table 16. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2017. ............ 76 Table 17. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI at location 2, 2017. .............................................................. 77 Table 18. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI of a perennial ryegrass fairway at location 2, 2018. ............ 78 Table 19. Concentration (nmol/g soil dry weight) of fatty acid biomarkers following seasonal treatments at location 1, 2016. ...................................................................... 79 Table 20. Concentration (nmol/g soil dry weight) of fatty acid biomarkers following seasonal treatments at location 1, 2017. ...................................................................... 81 Table 21. Concentration (nmol/g soil dry weight) of fatty acid biomarkers following seasonal treatments at location 2, 2017. ...................................................................... 83 Table 22. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) as applied in main plot treatments, 2017-2018. ................................................................................................................ 119 Table 23. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia spp. on a ‘007’ creeping bentgrass fairway, 2017. ............... 120 vi Table 24. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia spp. on a ‘007’ creeping bentgrass fairway, 2017. ................................ 121 Table 25. Influence of fertilizer and fungicide applications on dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia Spp. on a ‘007’ creeping bentgrass fairway, 2018. ............... 123 Table 26. Fertilizer by fungicide treatment means for dollar spot disease caused by Clarireedia spp. on a ‘007’ creeping bentgrass fairway, 2018. ................................ 124 Table 27. Fertilizer effect on threshold fungicide applications for dollar spot disease caused