Category: News
Top Ten Turf Tips of 2010
Top Ten Turf Tips of 2010 Part II: Summer diseases in Residential Turf Part III: Summer weeds: Common summer weeds and their control Part I: Too hot: Why some turfgrass species look poor in summer Color Variation in Residential and Commercial Lawns Crabgrass Control Now is the time to seed lawns and other turf areas […]
What is Driving Recent Increases in Fertilizer Prices?
Fertilizer prices are on the upswing again, buoyed by the high prices of agricultural products that have stimulated increased demand. While the general U.S. economy struggles to recover from the financial crisis of 2008, the demand for agricultural products continues in a strong position due to favorable exchange rates, grain usage for biofuels, production concerns […]
What is Driving Recent Increases in Fertilizer Prices?
by Bruce Erickson, Purdue Agricultural Economics Fertilizer prices are on the upswing again, buoyed by the high prices of agricultural products that have stimulated increased demand. While the general U.S. economy struggles to recover from the financial crisis of 2008, the demand for agricultural products continues in a strong position due to favorable exchange rates, […]
Purdue Turf Club Apparel
Dear Supporter of the Purdue Turf Science Program, The Purdue Turf Club would like to extend our greetings and future holiday wishes to you. As we enter the end of the growing season we begin to consider the upcoming industry conferences. With these comes the opportunity for our Turf Science students to compete in the […]
Rick Latin on Sabbatical Leave
Rick Latin will be on sabbatical from October 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011. He will be conducting research on turf disease management and fungicide performance with Dr. Phil Harmon at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Rick will make periodic trips back to campus and will fully participate in the Expo in January. […]
Predicting the Future and Documenting the Past
When weather patterns are not typical, as with this summer, it is useful to both look ahead and behind to help improve your maintenance practices and better time future applications. Documenting the Past One advantage to tough summers like this is they provide an opportunity to learn. Experiencing tough summers will prepare us to better […]
Contact Information for Dr. Aaron Patton
Dr. Aaron Patton has joined the Turf Program as the Turf Extension Specialist. If you need to contact him, his contact infomation is Phone 765-494-9737 Fax 765-496-6335 email ajpatton@purdue.edu Department of Agronomy 915 W. State Street West Lafayette, IN 47907
Call Before Sending Samples to PPDL!
Our Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab (PPDL) will be a little light on help over the next two weeks (June 19 – July 5). Remember that the lab processes samples from all plants and crops—and even though we try to give turf a high priority—there may be delays in how the samples are addressed. I […]
Dr. Aaron Patton Joining Purdue as Turf Extension Specialist
When I was 15 years old, I started working at the Indiana University golf course in Bloomington where I cleaned golf carts, helped out on the driving range, and occasionally worked in the pro shop. While there I had the opportunity to meet the golf course superintendent, Brent Emerick, and I began to be more […]
James Rutledge Awarded The Musser Award of Excellence
The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation has selected James Rutledge of Purdue as the recipient of the 2010 Musser Award of Excellence. The award, which carries a stipend of $25,000, was announced earlier this year at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, Calif. Rutledge earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from North Carolina State University, […]
Purdue Turfgrass Research Report Available On-Line
The summary of our turfgrass research in the year 2009 is now available at www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/report/2009/index.html. The overall goal of our research program is to minimize inputs while maintaining turf quality, minimizing costs, and further protecting our environment. Our research summary contains reports of on-going research at Purdue University . The report is a cooperative effort from […]
Open Position on the MRTF Board of Directors
There is one opening on the MRTF Board of Directors in the upcoming December elections. MRTF’s mission is to support research and education and thus help advance our industry. We are looking for a potential board member dedicated to our industry and desiring to help steer the direction of turfgrass research and education. The commitment […]
Reminder: New golf course pesticide rule went into effect August 1, 2009
The Indiana State Chemists Office’s (ISCO) new pesticide rule went into effect Aug. 1 and includes: Any person applying any pesticide to a golf course must have a commercial pesticide applicator license or be under the direct supervision of a licensed commercial pesticide applicator. A non-certified applicator can apply pesticides if directly supervised by a […]
Reicher to join University of Nebraska in March
After 21 years at Purdue, 17 of which as the Extension Specialist, I will be leaving Purdue University. Kim and I will be moving to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where Kim will become the Director of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture in mid-August. I am what’s considered a “spousal hire” […]
Believe it or not, drought symptoms appearing in turf
With no rain in Indiana last week (5/17-23) followed by extremely erratic and spotty rain this week (5/24-30), drought symptoms are starting to show up near sidewalks and driveways and in other hotspots like south-facing slopes, compacted soils, and fairly new sod laid over compacted soils. Symptoms are typical drought stress starting out with a […]
Dallisgrass healthy in southern IN
Dallisgrass has reemerged and is very healthy with the rain and warming temperatures. Dallisgrass is often mistaken for crabgrass but typical preemergence or post emergence crabgrass herbicides do not work on dallisgrass. MSMA is currently the standard control but that herbicide will not be available after 2010. Our current research is focusing on Syngenta’s Tenacity […]
Purdue Turfgrass Research Report Available On-Line
The summary of our turfgrass research in the year 2008 is now available at www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/report/2008/index.html. The overall goal of our research program is to minimize inputs while maintaining turf quality, minimizing costs, and further protecting our environment. Our research summary contains over 20 reports of on-going research at Purdue University . The report is a cooperative […]
MSMA is a “stop sale” agreement, not a “stop use”
As a follow up to the Feb. 13 Turf Tip on the new restrictions on MSMA, the Indiana Office of the State Chemist indicates this is “stop sale agreement” and not a “stop use”. Therefore, you are free to use according to the label on the actual container, any MSMA that you have in storage […]
Professionals Only: Syngenta’s Tenacity receives federal label for residential and sports turf
After much delay, Tenacity has finally received its federal label for residential and sports turf. That’s the good news, but the bad news is that state labeling is still ongoing and it won’t be for sale likely until Fall 2009 or early 2010. Experimental product is available on a limited basis from your Syngenta rep […]
MSMA still available but use is limited
Though MSMA is rarely used by professionals anymore in cool-season turf, it is an excellent postemergent crabgrass herbicide for zoysia and bermudagrass grown in the southern half of Indiana. It is especially useful during sprigging or seeding operations because it is safe on seedlings. Following is a brief summary of the current status and the […]