Pest Management Strategic Plan for Turfgrass in Virginia and North Carolina, with Input from Maryland and South Carolina
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PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR TURFGRASS IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, WITH INPUT FROM MARYLAND AND SOUTH CAROLINA WORKSHOP DATE: August 19, 2008 PMSP COMPLETED: June 2011 SOUTHERN REGION IPM CENTER VIRGINIA TECH 2011 Funding for this project was provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2011-51120-31171, "Management of the Southern IPM Center 2011" TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 2 SUMMARY OF PRIORITIES FOR TURFGRASS IN VA AND NC .......................................... 3 PRODUCTION AND CULTURAL PRACTICES ........................................................................ 4 ARTHROPOD PESTS ................................................................................................................... 7 SUMMARY – CHEMICAL ARTHROPOD CONTROL ............................................................ 18 VERTEBRATE PESTS ................................................................................................................ 18 SUMMARY – CHEMICAL VERTEBRATE CONTROL .......................................................... 23 DISEASES AND NEMATODE PESTS ...................................................................................... 24 SUMMARY – CHEMICAL DISEASE CONTROL .................................................................... 39 WEED PESTS .............................................................................................................................. 39 SUMMARY – CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL......................................................................... 49 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ 49 ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 49 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 50 EFFICACY TABLES AND TURFGRASS ACTIVITIES TIMELINE ...................................... 52 PARTICIPANTS AND STATE CONTACTS – BLACKSBURG, VA ...................................... 58 Turfgrass Pest Management Strategic Plan – Virginia & North Carolina 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act, an urgent need has developed to address current pest management issues and embrace alternative or “reduced risk” pest control options for various commodities. The USDA Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP) is funding the production of Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs), which identify pest management needs and priorities for specific crops in particular regions. These documents are developed through the collaboration of stakeholders, including growers, commodity associations, specialists, food processors, crop consultants, and the EPA. A workshop was held on August 19, 2008, in Blacksburg, VA, to solicit input from managers of turfgrass sites (ex. athletic fields, home lawns, golf courses, and commercial lawns); sod growers; Extension agents; researchers; and specialists from Virginia and other states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland. The meeting’s purpose was to identify critical pest management needs in the turfgrass industry. The following PMSP outlines the cultural practices used in turfgrass management along with the pests and diseases of greatest concern to sod growers and turfgrass managers. Research specialists in the areas of entomology, weed science, and pathology have assembled data tables to demonstrate the efficacy of currently available chemical and nonchemical control methods. The critical needs outlined on the next page must be addressed in order to ensure the success of future turfgrass management in Virginia and North Carolina. NOTE: Please refer to “Abbreviations” at the end of this report for a list of abbreviations and acronyms used for organizations and other terms discussed below. Turfgrass Pest Management Strategic Plan – Virginia & North Carolina 2 SUMMARY OF PRIORITIES FOR TURFGRASS IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA RESEARCH EXTENSION REGULATORY PRIORITIES PRIORITIES PRIORITIES • Examine drought resistance • Create an alert system for • Once the Virginia of various turfgrass species. pest degree-day models. Department of Agriculture • Gather more data on plant • Increase awareness of the and Consumer Services physiology – fertilizer costs online irrigation model, (VDACS) takes control, have increased so must which provides real-time eradication efforts are too increase efficiency. Also data (one day behind). late. must understand how • Disseminate information on • Loosen restrictions on different products work organics and cultural reusing wastewater. within the plant and what practices, especially • Bilingual labeling – need reactions take place in the targeting the average universal compliance. soil. consumer. • Get involved with • Continue research efforts • Implement more school organizations (e.g. RISE) on fire ants. programs and improve that fight to keep chemicals • Develop degree-day information in textbooks. labeled. models for various pests • Develop bilingual • Address crop seed (e.g., and generate state-specific educational tools. annual rye, Bermuda, and data. • Publish nutrient orchardgrass) designation • Examine the use of management guides for in grass seed because often organics (fertilizers and different sectors because weeds are considered crops chemicals) and cultural consumers are buying and on the label. practices to control pests. misapplying fertilizer. • Enforce regulatory • Conduct additional • Develop a certification measures fairly and ensure research on dallisgrass. program for urban nutrient homeowners are doing their • Study biorationals, management. part to apply chemicals specifically their cost- • Address crop seed (= turf safely. Currently, average effectiveness and efficacy. weeds) designation in grass consumers are allowed to • Determine the fate and seed. buy chemicals and apply efficacy of nitrogen from • Develop Extension tools them indiscriminately. an economic standpoint, covering organic control • Overhaul EPA risk create a ranking system for methods. assessments because their organics vs. nonorganics, • Provide most current pest assumptions are often and develop a quantitative management information unreasonable. way to measure. via an easily accessed and frequently updated database. Turfgrass Pest Management Strategic Plan – Virginia & North Carolina 3 PRODUCTION AND CULTURAL PRACTICES An urgent need has developed for pest- and disease-management strategies that do not rely exclusively on chemical controls for several reasons: 1) chemicals are extremely expensive to develop, 2) many reliable pesticides are being phased out due to exposure limits and environmental issues as a result of stricter regulations governing the application of these products, and 3) pests and diseases are continually developing chemical resistance. Cultural practices can be altered to keep turfgrass healthy and free of pests or diseases depending on the type or variety and the intended use. In general, in Virginia, turfgrass is grown and maintained primarily in four basic areas of the community: 1) home or commercial lawns, 2) sports fields, 3) sod farms, and 4) golf courses. Specific cultural practices will differ depending on where the turfgrass is grown and for what purpose. Turfgrasses are grown in all 100 counties of North Carolina. Higher maintenance turf such as that found around single-family dwellings, on golf courses, and on commercial property is concentrated in population centers of the state. For the sake of brevity, general turfgrass cultural practices are detailed below. One of the most important factors to consider when planting turfgrass is site selection. Choosing turf that is well adapted to its environment is the first line of defense against pests and diseases. Turfgrass sites should have rich, loose soil that drains well. Soil should be analyzed before planting turfgrass and, if necessary, the pH may be adjusted. Nutrients can be added by using an appropriate fertilizer. Adequate airflow is necessary to keep foliage dry and discourage fungal growth. Undergrowth and nearby shrubs should be removed and relocated to allow air movement. When choosing turfgrass types or varieties, use turf that is well suited for the area, activity, and intensity of management. Twelve turfgrass species are utilized in North Carolina. They are tall fescue, fine fescue, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, bahiagrass, annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, carpetgrass, and bentgrass. The best turfgrasses to plant in the northern Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountain areas of Virginia are cool-season grasses, particularly Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine-leaf fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Kentucky bluegrass should be planted in mostly sunny conditions. It is an aggressive creeping grass that spreads by underground stems called rhizomes. Kentucky bluegrass is typically considered a higher maintenance turf than most other cool-season species and prefers an aggressive irrigation and nitrogen fertility program. Under an intensive management program, Kentucky bluegrass will produce thatch that needs to be managed every three to four years. Tall fescue is a bunch-type grass that tolerates a wide range of soil and