A PUBLICATION OF THE TRI-STATE TURF RESEARCH FOUNDATION WINTER 2014 VOL. 17 NO. 1 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE A Little Support Goes a Long Way was watching television the other day each of the six affiliated associations who and a commercial came on where this orchestrate the foundation’s activities— Ilittle boy kept asking his father, a fund the MetGCSA, New Jersey GCSA, Matt Ceplo, CGCS, President manager, questions: Who? . What? . Connecticut AGCS, Long Island GCSA, Tri-State Turf Research Foundation Where? . Why? It got me thinking that Hudson Valley GCSA, and the MGA—as the same questions could be asked of us. well as our executive director, Ed Brockner. solutions to these turf woes. Since then, we have funded numerous research ARE WE? Take a look at the back page of this WHO projects that have helped area super- publication and you will see the intendents find turf-saving controls for Founded in 1990, the Tri-State Turf representatives from your association. This turfgrass pests and problems common to Research Foundation is one of the type of involvement allows us to stay in tri-state area golf courses. leading supporters of turfgrass research tune with your turf concerns and problems in the Northeast. The Tri-State’s board and better represent the research needs of Unlike any one association, the Tri- is made up of three representatives from area superintendents. State’s focus is on research and research alone. We can devote the time needed WHY ARE WE HERE? INSIDE THIS ISSUE to solicit and collect donations, canvass area superintendents’ research needs, and The Tri-State Turf Research Foundation review research proposals from university 2 Rutgers Research Team Develops was founded with the belief that there is professors. Then once committed to funding strength in numbers: We knew that if all Best Management Practices for a project, we monitor that research, making the local associations joined forces and Anthracnose Control sure to get timely updates so findings can pooled their resources, we could better be disseminated to area superintendents. 5 Rutgers Researchers Seek fund important research more than any one Sustainable Approach to association or group could do on its own. Few association boards can take time away from their many other duties to regularly ABW Control At the foundation’s start, area super- secure and manage significant research intendents were combating moss and 8 Ball Roll: The Measure endeavors on their own. And why should the highly damaging summer patch they? With a few representatives from of Success disease. Thanks to the joint effort of our each of the participating associations, the six affiliated associations, as well as area 10 Prepping Greens for Tri-State Turf Research Foundation is clubs and vendors, the Tri-State was able here to do this very important job, which Tournament Play to fund research that produced viable benefits everyone! Insert: Special Thanks to Our 2014 Contributors (continued on page 12) 1 SPECIAL FEATURE Rutgers Research Team Develops Best Management Practices for Anthracnose Control irst observed in New Jersey in 1930, Rutgers research team in their quest The research team’s most recent findings anthracnose disease continues to to delve deeper into best management indicate that nitrogen fertilization is Fplague annual bluegrass (Poa annua) practices (BMPs) for anthracnose control the most influential cultural practice putting greens—particularly those and, ultimately, a more viable solution to affecting anthracnose severity in annual that have been subjected to intense this turf-threatening disease. bluegrass putting greens. N-deficient turf maintenance practices, such as decreased proved to be not only more susceptible THE TRIALS mowing heights, reduced irrigation, and to anthracnose, but also less capable minimal nitrogen fertilization to increase of recuperating from disease damage. Drs. Murphy and Clarke and graduate green speeds. Also notably influential in suppressing assistants Charles Schmid, James anthracnose activity were increasing Caused by the fungus Colletotrichum cereale, Hempfling, and Ruying Wang devoted mowing height and sand topdressing the disease infects leaf, crown, stolon, or the past three years to conducting trials frequency, as well as maintaining suitable root tissues of the grass plant, resulting that examined the impact of the following potassium levels. in foliar blight or basal (stem) rot. As the factors on anthracnose development disease’s prevalence soared in the mid-’90s, and severity: Other practices the researchers studied— Rutgers’ Dr. James Murphy and Dr. Bruce such as foot traffic, irrigation, lightweight 1. Nitrogen (N) source Clarke began to scrutinize the role cultural rolling, and the application of plant 2. practices might play in anthracnose Potassium (K) fertilization and soil pH growth regulators—have also been shown severity on annual bluegrass turf. to have an impact on anthracnose severity 3. Sand topdressing and foot traffic but to a lesser degree. With prior funding from the Tri-State 4. Mowing and rolling Turf Research Foundation, the Rutgers BMPS FOR ANTHRACNOSE CONTROL research team determined that sand 5. Plant growth regulators topdressing and both granular and soluble The researchers have organized their 6. Irrigation nitrogen fertilization play a significant role findings into a working outline of BMPs 7. in suppressing anthracnose activity. Cultivation practices for controlling anthracnose on annual bluegrass putting green turf. Here are In 2012, the foundation agreed to provide 8. The effect of combining BMPs on their recommendations: an additional three years’ support to the fungicide efficacy and turf quality NITROGEN » Nitrogen should be applied to maintain vigor of the putting green turf without overfertilizing. Annual “summer” soluble-N rates totaling approximately 2.4 to 3.6 lbs. N/1000 ft.2 should be applied to reduce anthracnose incidence and severity. A rate at the higher end of the range will be needed if N rates have been low historically. » Beginning soluble-N programs earlier in the spring (April or May) at 0.4 to 0.8 lbs. of N/1000 ft.2 per month can build up nitrogen in the turf heading into summer, which can result in decreased anthracnose severity. » Any granular-N fertilization should be applied in the spring at rates of 1 to 3 lbs./1000 ft.2 to reduce disease severity. Again, a rate at the higher end of the A mowing treatment being applied on the annual bluegrass plots. range will be needed if N rates have been 2 SPECIAL FEATURE (CONTINUED) Rutgers Research Team Develops Best Management Practices for Anthracnose Control » Mefluidide (Embark) and ethephon (Proxy) can be used to suppress seed-head formation in annual bluegrass turf without increasing anthracnose. » Mefluidide or ethephon applied in the spring (March or April) at label rates with subsequent applications of trinexapac- ethyl at 0.1 to 0.2 fl. ozs./1000 ft.2 every 7 to 14 days throughout the spring and summer will provide the best turf quality and may reduce anthracnose. IRRIGATION » Increased anthracnose can result when annual bluegrass is consistently subjected to wilt stress or excessively wet conditions. » Irrigating to replace 60 to 80 percent of potential evapotranspiration, combined with hand watering to avoid wilt stress, has the dual benefit of providing a quality playing surface while avoiding conditions favorable for anthracnose. Mowing treatments being applied during the morning while fungicide treatments are being prepared. TOPDRESSING AND FOOT TRAFFIC » Biweekly sand topdressing in the low historically. Use slow-release N or split » Roll and/or increase mowing frequency summer with up to 100 lbs./1000 ft.2 applications of N when applying higher N to maintain ball roll distances (green provides a protective layer of sand around rates as granular applications. speed) at higher mowing heights. Rolling the crown. This slightly raises the effective POTASSIUM and double-cutting increase ball roll, but height of cut, reducing the incidence of will not increase disease severity. anthracnose. » Potassium should be applied to maintain at least moderate levels of soil K. » Rolling every other day can result in » Topdressing in the spring at 400 to slightly decreased anthracnose severity, 800 lbs./1000 ft.2 is more effective than » Soluble-K applications made at a regardless of roller type. fall applications in reducing anthracnose 4:1 N:K ratio every 14 days should be severity. sufficient to reduce anthracnose severity. » Be wary of the extra traffic stress at the More K was not any more effective or perimeter of putting greens if you adopted Note: These rates do not take into account detrimental. the practices of rolling and double-cutting. the quantity of sand that would be needed MOWING AND ROLLING “Spot” rolling and double cutting only to fill coring holes. If coring is done at around the hole location of large putting the same time as topdressing, more sand » Avoid mowing below 0.125" when greens may be a method to reduce traffic would be needed. The precise amount will using fixed-head mowers; a slightly lower stress at the perimeters. depend on the diameter and spacing of bench setting might be feasible for flex coring holes. units. If feasible, raise the cutting height as PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS high as 0.141" for greater suppression of » Routine trinexapac-ethyl (Primo » Anthracnose does not appear to be anthracnose. Slight increases in mowing MAXX) use, even at high rates and short affected by different sand incorporation