Category: Disease Control

There are sporadic reports of brown ring patch (formerly called Waitea patch) from across the Midwest . Interestingly, the disease currently is causing concern in southern California as well. The risk of structural damage (a.k.a. dying turf) is greater on...

With the bermudagrass damage in southern IN and Kentucky , we are fielding many questions on cultivar survival. Following is our winterkill data from 2003 of bermudagrass grown in West Lafayette under fairway conditions. Combining this data and other data...

As bermudagrass begins to green up in southern IN and Kentucky , it is apparent that moderate to severe winter damage has occurred. Though we may be a little premature because full green-up and growth is still a week or...

With the mild drought stress over the last week, lawns are extremely susceptible to cosmetic damage from mowers, spreaders, and human traffic (photos). Drought stress may not have been easily visible before mowing. Turf likely was at the drought stressed...

We have received a number of calls, email, and electronic photos inquiring about brown patches to entire lawns turning brown apparently overnight (see photos). Following are the three most likely culprits: •  Seedheads – Especially on perennial ryegrass lawns, seed...

There have been several reports of gray leaf spot outbreaks throughout Indiana and the lower Midwest during the past two weeks. The disease will develop over a broad range of environmental conditions (not just hot and wet). Our research results...

We have received a number of calls, email, and electronic photos inquiring about current brown patches in the lawn. Dollar spot is active throughout the state and could be causing problems in lawns. Dollar spot causes very noticeable lesions and...

Red thread and its close relative pink patch, are now appearing on home lawns (and golf course roughs) in the central and southern parts of Indiana. Red thread first appears as small (quarter to golf ball size) gray – tan...

The cool wet weather the last two weeks is favoring Microdochium nivale, the pathogen that causes pink snow mold (sometimes referred to as Microdochium patch). The color of pink snow mold scars indicates the activity of the patch. Straw colored patches...

With the continued cool wet weather, Rhizoctonia Large Patch (RLP) is affecting bermudagrass fairways. Prior to widespread use of bermudagrass in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky, we thought RLP affected only zoysia and was thus known as zoysia patch. However,...

With the continued cool wet weather, Rhizoctonia Large Patch (RLP or zoysia patch) is in high gear. This follows a warm winter that also encouraged RLP, which is the only major disease of zoysiagrass in Indiana. Like snow mold, a...

The summer’s heat and humidity have taken an unusually high toll on turf in lawns, athletic fields, and golf courses. Most of the decline can be attributed to poor root growth weakening cool-season grasses and starting an avalanche of secondary...

A few rust calls are starting to trickle in, which is typical at this time of the year. Rust symptoms are reddish-orange lesions or spots on the leaf blades and a rust-colored powder that you can rub off with your...

Random patches of wilted turfgrass that are unresponsive to irrigation, assume a gray/green appearance and then turn tan/brown just before dying MAY be suffering from nematodes. These symptoms are somewhat characteristic of several diseases, insect infestations and even environmental stresses,...

Reports of turfgrass damage due to white grub feeding are beginning to trickle in. Damage potential seems to be widely variable this year. Some areas that were dry during the beetle egg laying season last year reported very few Japanese...

There have been numerous reports of gray leaf spot outbreaks throughout Indiana and the lower Midwest during the past three weeks. We generally expect that hot humid conditions will favor gray leaf spot development. However, you may recall that outbreaks...

Persistent air temperatures of 90F and soil temperatures greater than 80F combine with high humidity and adequate rainfall (in some areas) is doing in the Poa annua (annual bluegrass)and Poa trivialis (rough bluegrass)on golf courses. After a week or two...

Persistent air temperatures of 90F and soil temperatures greater than 80F combine with high humidity and adequate rainfall (in some areas) is also doing in the Poa annua (annual bluegrass)and Poa trivialis (rough bluegrass)on lawns and athletic fields. Patches of...

Dollar spot, pythium, brown patch, rust, and perhaps other diseases are ravaging perennial ryegrass lawns currently (See the attached (undoctored!) photos). Turf performance in July and August is the main reason I don’t recommend perennial ryegrass for lawns in Indiana....

Dollar spot has arrived on golf courses. The standard mid- to late May fertilization of 0.75-1.0 lb N/1000 sq. ft. with primarily slow release N should have helped minimize some dollar spot. On golf courses with a long history of...