FEATURE TURF DISEASES Course disease alert! Dr Kate Entwistle offers details of two new diseases which have been identified on UK golf courses Rapid Blight Brown Ring Patch Two newly emerging turf loss of Poa annua and Agrostis spp Symptoms can develop when 4), but lack of recovery prompted an ABOVE: Fig. 5. General diseases have recently been from the sward. temperatures rise above 15C analysis that eventually identified symptoms of Brown Ring confirmed in samples received Analysis of the turf identified the and salinity levels are >2.0dS/m the real problem. Patch (Waitea Patch) in the UK, 2011 (photograph courtesy T from golf courses in the UK presence of a non-fungal organism (although Labyrinthula has been Due to the way in which Kvedaras, ITS Ltd) and Ireland and it is suspected called Labyrinthula within the isolated from turf growing in much Labyrinthula affects the plant, the that they are more prevalent plant tissues and a disease known lower salinity conditions). sward initially becomes yellow, Further in areas of fine turf than are as Rapid Blight was recorded for Because the causal organism is then becomes red in colour before information currently recorded. the first time in Europe. Subse- not a fungus, most fungicides will the tissues eventually ‘rot’ and the Douhan, G. W., Olsen, M. During 2012, The Turf Disease quent collaboration between The have no effect either on the organ- sward thins. The symptoms can W., Herrell, A., Winder, C., Centre will be collating information Turf Disease Centre and Dr Mary ism or on the development of symp- appear very much like Anthrac- Wong, F., and Entwistle, K. 2009. Genetic diversity on turf samples received for analy- Olsen at the University of Arizona, toms. However, research completed nose (or Take-all Patch disease in of Labyrinthula terrestris, sis that are positively identified with confirmed the identity of the organ- by Dr Olsen and others researchers Agrostis-dominated turf) but there a newly emergent plant pathogen, and the discovery either of these two diseases and a ism as L. terrestris, a new species across the USA has shown that the will be no distinct blackening of the of new Labyrinthulid summary will be published later of Labyrinthulid that Mary had active ingredients pyraclostrobin, crown tissues, symptoms that are organisms. Mycological Research 113: 1192-1199 this year to show their recorded initially identified in 2002 as the trifloxystrobin and mancozeb, can typical of Anthracnose Basal Rot. cause of this increasingly impor- provide effective control but that Rapid Blight is considered to be Stowell, et al. 2005. Rapid regional occurrence. Blight: A New Plant Disease The most important step in effec- tant turfgrass disease. results are much better if products a unique example of an emergent http://www.apsnet.org/ publications/apsnetfeatures/ tive turf disease management is the Over the past three years, The are applied prior to or at the onset of plant disease potentially induced Documents/2005/RapidBlight. identification of the cause and with Turf Disease Centre has received disease, rather than curatively. by human activity (Douhan et al, pdf the apparent emergence of these a small number of turf samples In order for the correct product to 2009) and I am sure that in the MAIN ABOVE: Rapid Blight on that is present but also ambient Toda, T., Mushika, T., new disease problems, this fact has affected by Rapid Blight that have creeping bentgrass in Spain be applied effectively, the presence future it will be confirmed on more Hayakawa, T., Tanaka, A., temperature and the level of salinity Tani, T., and Hyakumachi, M. never been more important. originated from Ireland, Spain and of this Labyrinthula sp. must be amenity areas where water with 2005. Brown ring patch: A new INSET ABOVE: Fig. 2. Fairway in the rootzone or applied irriga- Portugal but it is believed that the accurately identified but because high salt content is used for irriga- disease on bentgrass caused damage caused by Rapid Blight tion. Poa species are very heavily by Waitea circinata var. Rapid Blight - A non-fungal incidence of this disease is much in Spain it is not a fungus, L. terrestris can’t tion. circinata. Plant Dis. 89:536-542 affected by this pathogen, as too http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/ disease higher than has currently been are Lolium perenne and Agrostis be cultured in the laboratory in the Now that we have learned how to doi/pdf/10.1094/PD-89-0536 recorded. same way that fungi can. identify this disease, sample analy- spp. Warm-season turfgrasses can Wong, FP & Kaminski, JE. In 2004, turf samples were In Spain, the disease showed harbour Labyrinthula within the During 2011, turf samples in sis can confirm its presence and 2007. A new Rhizoctonia received from a golf course in the dramatic development of symp- which Labyrinthula was again potentially save significant manage- disease of Bluegrass putting plant tissues but they don’t show greens. GCM Sept, 98-103 UK where the greens were showing toms on creeping bentgrass greens evidence of any disease. detected, were received from golf ment time and costs by allowing http://www2.gcsaa.org/ a progressive decline in turf quality. (with patches up to 2m diameter) courses in Ireland and the UK. implementation of effective control GCM/2007/sept/pdfs/ If these grasses are over-sown rhizoctonia.pdf Patches of affected turf up to 30cm and extensive discolouration and In the UK, the symptoms on the options. Detailed information on Fig. 3(TOP) and 4 (SECOND with cool-season turf, the young TOP) . Rapid Blight in the UK, Kate Entwistle, The Turf across were becoming red/brown turf loss on fairways (Fig. 1 & 2). seedlings inevitably become affected course had been consid- Rapid Blight disease can be found in 2011. General symptoms Disease Centre, Tel: +44 in colour, watersoaked in appear- The severity of the problem is cor- ered as being Anthracnose disease the article Rapid Blight: A New Plant and close-up (photographs (0)1256 880246 E: kate@ infected and disease symptoms will courtesy David Stansfield, David theturfdiseasecentre.co.uk ance and thinning out due to the related with not only the grass type develop. and managed accordingly (Fig. 3 & Disease, by Stowell, et al, 2005. Stansfield Ltd) 30 GI APRIL 2012 APRIL 2012 GI 31 FEATURE TURF DISEASES Course disease alert! Dr Kate Entwistle offers details of two new diseases which have been identified on UK golf courses Rapid Blight Brown Ring Patch Two newly emerging turf loss of Poa annua and Agrostis spp Symptoms can develop when 4), but lack of recovery prompted an ABOVE: Fig. 5. General diseases have recently been from the sward. temperatures rise above 15C analysis that eventually identified symptoms of Brown Ring confirmed in samples received Analysis of the turf identified the and salinity levels are >2.0dS/m the real problem. Patch (Waitea Patch) in the UK, 2011 (photograph courtesy T from golf courses in the UK presence of a non-fungal organism (although Labyrinthula has been Due to the way in which Kvedaras, ITS Ltd) and Ireland and it is suspected called Labyrinthula within the isolated from turf growing in much Labyrinthula affects the plant, the that they are more prevalent plant tissues and a disease known lower salinity conditions). sward initially becomes yellow, Further in areas of fine turf than are as Rapid Blight was recorded for Because the causal organism is then becomes red in colour before information currently recorded. the first time in Europe. Subse- not a fungus, most fungicides will the tissues eventually ‘rot’ and the Douhan, G. W., Olsen, M. During 2012, The Turf Disease quent collaboration between The have no effect either on the organ- sward thins. The symptoms can W., Herrell, A., Winder, C., Centre will be collating information Turf Disease Centre and Dr Mary ism or on the development of symp- appear very much like Anthrac- Wong, F., and Entwistle, K. 2009. Genetic diversity on turf samples received for analy- Olsen at the University of Arizona, toms. However, research completed nose (or Take-all Patch disease in of Labyrinthula terrestris, sis that are positively identified with confirmed the identity of the organ- by Dr Olsen and others researchers Agrostis-dominated turf) but there a newly emergent plant pathogen, and the discovery either of these two diseases and a ism as L. terrestris, a new species across the USA has shown that the will be no distinct blackening of the of new Labyrinthulid summary will be published later of Labyrinthulid that Mary had active ingredients pyraclostrobin, crown tissues, symptoms that are organisms. Mycological Research 113: 1192-1199 this year to show their recorded initially identified in 2002 as the trifloxystrobin and mancozeb, can typical of Anthracnose Basal Rot. cause of this increasingly impor- provide effective control but that Rapid Blight is considered to be Stowell, et al. 2005. Rapid regional occurrence. Blight: A New Plant Disease The most important step in effec- tant turfgrass disease. results are much better if products a unique example of an emergent http://www.apsnet.org/ publications/apsnetfeatures/ tive turf disease management is the Over the past three years, The are applied prior to or at the onset of plant disease potentially induced Documents/2005/RapidBlight. identification of the cause and with Turf Disease Centre has received disease, rather than curatively. by human activity (Douhan et al, pdf the apparent emergence of these a small number of turf samples In order for the correct product to 2009) and I am sure that in the MAIN ABOVE: Rapid Blight on that is present but also ambient Toda, T., Mushika, T., new disease problems, this fact has affected by Rapid Blight that have creeping bentgrass in Spain be applied effectively, the presence future it will be confirmed on more Hayakawa, T., Tanaka, A., temperature and the level of salinity Tani, T., and Hyakumachi, M.