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troubleshooting

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LHAP 106 Turfgrass & Ext Softscape Presentation turf

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Slide 1 LHAP 106: TESM. Troubleshooting: Disease, Deficiency and Damage Slide 2 Which diseases and damage due to pests or climate have you seen in industry? Slide 3 Slide 4 Turfgrass Nutrient Deficiencies Patterned? (poor application) Salt burning? (big splotch where it fell) Generalized - look at the blades to further diagnose Slide 5 Nitrogen deficiency due to poor application practices Slide 6 Early signs of Phosphorous deficiency – looks similar to early drought stress ( dark green ) Slide 7 Phosphorous deficiency 6 weeks after seeding Kentucky Bluegrass Slide 8 Advanced Phosphorus deficiency on bentgrass, reddish purple stand due to deficiency in older leaves Slide 9 Early spring chlorosis due to Potassium deficiency (right side of plot) Slide 10 Chlorosis on bluegrass showing Iron deficiency in irregular patterns Slide 11 Interveinal chlorosis caused by iron deficiency Slide 12 Weeds!! Slide 13 Cold Damage Frost Replaces dew in cold season: Water in cells freezes Traffic over the frozen tissues ruptures cells Avoid traffic until frost has disappeared Consider irrigation to melt frost Ice damage also occurs where drainage is poor (greens tarps) Winter Desiccation: In Chinook zones, consider use of snow fence to help accumulate and protect from warming winds on high value turf. Slide 14 Slide 15 Damage & Disease Insects Invertebrates Rodents Fungi Slide 16 Slide 17 DEW WORMS Slide 18 Rodents and Insects Mice, Ground Squirrels, Pocket Gophers (burrow) Moles (damage turf looking for insects to eat) … and Dew Worms… as well as dogs (urine) Insects: Correctly ID the Insect Know it’s lifecycle and when / how it causes damage Ascertain tolerances: Deal with it when it is most vulnerable Root feeders: Grubs (beetle larvae) Shoot feeders: Sod Webworm (lawn moth larvae) Burrowing: Ants Slide 19 Chinch Bug Symptoms: Irregular shaped brown spots Especially near pavement / concrete Identify the insect first! Control: Usually insecticides Slide 20 Turfgrass Diseases Relative Humidity (RH) Refers to the amount of moisture in the air Affects evapotranspiration (ET) RH is greater at plant canopy level Affects potential for disease (next slide) Slide 21 Humidity Potential for disease High humidity favours penetration and infection of certain pathogens (fungus) KB/Fescue mixes - powdery mildew, dollar spot, snowmoulds Bentgrass – brown patch, fusarium patch, dollar spot, melting out, blight Fungal growth in Alberta favoured by cool wet weather Slide 22 Will not kill turf Appears as whitish powder on the leaves Caused by low nightly temps, high humidity, and shade May appear quite suddenly Diseases: Powdery Mildew Slide 23 Powdery Mildew Slide 24 Powdery Mildew Powdery Mildew left over, likely from Fall, living under the snow Note, it is against a building, full shade exposure. Best response is to get rid of lawn in this area Slide 25 Caused by fungi that create web-like mycelium Gray mould – damages mostly the leaves Pink mould – invades crowns and roots Damage is seen as snow melts (late winter, early spring) Circular patches of dead and matted leaf blades; smaller patches may join together Not usually a problem on medium managed lawns Major concern on golf courses and high play areas Snow Moulds Slide 26 Snow Molds Fungi are active at temperatures just above freezing in moist conditions Under snow cover or anything that covers the grass (ie. leaves) Normally killed by dry cold winter air Fall care is crucial Apply fall fertilizers well before dormancy, or after leaf growth has stopped Remove all leaves from the lawn Avoid piling snow deeply along pathways etc. No chemical treatment is recommended In most cases healthy growth will resume Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide 29 Can be a problem on all types of turf Caused by a variety of fungi Mushroom is the fruiting body Converts decomposing matter to N Irregular circles of darker green turf with compacted area in the center Mycelial growth causes soil to be impervious to water Can mask with heavy fertilization and watering Fairy Ring Slide 30 Slide 31 Other Mushrooms… Slide 32 Circular dead areas or rings of dead grass (often with live grass in the center) Yellow patch, summer patch, fusarium patch, take-all patch - includes rhizoctonia Fungi favoured by wet conditions in spring and fall Attack root systems and crowns Factors - soil compaction, soil layering, excessive thatch Remedy – mow higher, overseed Patch Diseases Slide 33 Appears as large, irregular dead patches Spreads quickly affecting leaves and crowns killing plants Occurs in the summer with dews and higher evening temperatures Hot, humid weather Often seen first in low areas or swales where soil moisture is maintained Pythium Blight You may recognize Pythium from Damping Off disease in 1st year… Slide 34 Usually occurs on taller mown turfgrasses in spring and fall Crowns and roots not infected - plants are not killed and will usually recover Red threads results in patches of tan or pink turf KB, Perennial ryegrass, Tall fescue Usually where nutrition is poor, long evening dew Important to provide adequate N Red Thread Slide 35 Slide 36 TAKE HOME MESSAGES… Stay within mowing height ranges Provide balanced Nitrogen Provide good drainage Avoid thick thatch layers Watch areas of shade Be diligent during times of low night temperatures and high humidity, heat and drought stress susceptible host + pathogen + environment = Disease Slide 37 Why does my grass look so crappy? Slide 38 Slide 39 Homeowner has 2 large dogs and does not clean up after them… but look at where the downspouts are and how much under fence clearance there is… Slide 40 Slide 41 So, Managers must ask: Why DOES my grass look so crappy? What are the Symptoms Is it a patch? is it fungal, fertiliser, thatch, urine, or chemical? Is it leaf discolouring? Is it yellow / brown, white, or red? Is it on the new growth or the old? Is it a ring? Is it green or brown? Is it spongy? Thatch Is it patterned? Marcelling? Mower problem or Thatch problem? What are the regular cultural practices Mowing, Watering and Fertilising done properly? Could Compaction be the problem? Could Thatch be the problem? Soil Tests read correctly What is the environment like Are fertiliser formulations correct for the weather? Is it hot, or cold; humid or dry? Has it been frosty? Slide 42 Before you go… please fill out the course feedback form!!

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Slide 1

LHAP 106:

TESM.

Troubleshooting: Disease, Deficiency and Damage

Slide 2

Which diseases and damage due to pests or climate have you seen in industry?

Speaker Notes

Fungal disease reference: http://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/plant-disease/

Slide 3

Slide 4

Turfgrass Nutrient Deficiencies

Patterned? (poor application)

Salt burning? (big splotch where it fell)

Generalized - look at the blades to further diagnose

Speaker Notes

Mobile nutrients can be translocated from old tissue (bottom of the plant) to new tissue (top of the plant); symptoms occur on lower, older leaves as the new emerging leaves demand the nutrient. The mobile nutrients are Nitrogen (N), , Potassium (K) and Magnesium (Mg).
Low levels of these nutrients from tissue tests on actively growing greens may indicate low plant metabolism, low soil levels, low free water soil content, plant stress, or low root health.
Immobile nutrients are not easily translocated in plants. Deficiency symptoms occur on upper, new leaves. Nutrients that are immobile in plants are boron (B), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn).
Low levels of these nutrients in plant tissue usually mean the root system is not absorbing these nutrients for some reason. Immediate foliar application will address the problem within hours, and soil applications of highly soluble nutrients may correct the problem in several days.

Slide 5

Nitrogen deficiency due to poor application practices

Speaker Notes

Pale yellow-green or light green colour that changes to a yellowish hue as the symptoms progress
starts at older leaves; tips start yellowing and then dying (new growth may stay green for a while) and gradually works its way down to the sheath and stem; new young growth stays healthy and green; shoot density decreases substantially if the deficiency persists
Stunting of shoot growth, stunted growth rate, shorter internodes
Decreased plant size
Decreased plant densities
Remember to use moderate N levels to avoid issues with over application
Needed for vigorous growth, vegetative leaf and stem growth and dark green leaf colour; feeds soil MO as they decompose organic matter; part of proteins, enzymes, chlorophyll, growth regulators

Slide 6

Early signs of Phosphorous deficiency – looks similar to early drought stress ( dark green )

Slide 7

Phosphorous deficiency 6 weeks after seeding Kentucky Bluegrass

Speaker Notes

First appears as dull, dark green coloration of the lower, older leaves
plants tend to be spindly and dwarfed (but not as much as with N deficiency); poor growth, sod slow to knit, poor root growth, delayed maturity
Dark green coloration changes to dull blue-green as the P deficiency progresses
purple discoloration appearing along the entire margin of the blade as well as the basal main veins
Progresses to reddish colour from leaf tips to base and eventual necrosis

Slide 8

Advanced Phosphorus deficiency on bentgrass, reddish purple stand due to deficiency in older leaves

Slide 9

Early spring chlorosis due to Potassium deficiency (right side of plot)

Speaker Notes

Appears as a general drooping of the leaves
Stunted internodes and roots
Lowered resistance to disease and cold injury
Reduction in density
turf grass leaves feel soft when touched and lays down when walked on (footprinting).
Leaf blades tend to be horizontally inclined at best; if any water deficit occurs, wilting is immediate.
On older leaves, get moderate yellowing develops in the interveinal areas (spotting) while the veins themselves retain a natural healthy green colour.
Then bronzing and dying of tips and leaf margin (scorching and leaf tips roll)
Turf – yellow streaked leaves followed by browning and death of tips and margins; wilts sooner during droughts, lowered resistance to disease and cold injury, reduction in turf density

Slide 10

Chlorosis on bluegrass showing Iron deficiency in irregular patterns

Speaker Notes

Iron is necessary for chlorophyll maintenance
Appears as an interveinal yellowing of the new growth area (similar to N but Iron affects the new actively growing tissue while N affects the older tissues).
If it persists, it will spread down to affect the older leaves (then its hard to tell apart from N)
Iron chlorosis is often caused on the prairies due to excessively high pH levels – iron is bound up an un available to the plant;
Treating Iron Deficiencies
The treatment of an iron deficiency may be as simple as an occasional application of an iron fertilizer or as complex as dealing with a high concentration of bicarbonate ion in an irrigation supply. If the potential" exists for iron deficiencies to occur, the superintendent should thoroughly investigate all possible alternatives before establishing a turfgrass site. These alternatives might include selecting an iron efficient cultivar or, when constructing a putting green, selecting a sand with a low concentration of calcium carbonate, for example. It also may be possible to change a management practice that is weakening the root system and resulting in insufficient iron in the turf.
The three most common approaches to dealing with iron problems through fertilization or application of other materials have been:
A foliar spray of Fe at a relatively low rate (1-4 Ibs. Fe/acre).
A soil application of an ironcontaining fertilizer at a relatively high rate.
An application of a strongly acidifying fertilizer.
The most common forms of iron fertilizers are inorganic iron salts and organic iron chelates. An iron salt is a water soluble form of iron that contains iron or iron and ammonium as the cations paired with an anion such as sulfate (e.g. ferrous sulfate, ferric sulfate or ferrous ammonium sulfate). Iron salts applied to the soil are rapidly converted to insoluble iron hydroxides, iron phosphates or iron carbonates. A chelated source of iron contains an iron molecule surrounded by an organic complexing agent that allows the iron to be more available to the plant. The acid-containing materials provide some iron to the plant, and also help to lower the pH of the root zone, which makes the iron in the soil more available.
The most frequently cited research
Their results showed that foliar sprays of iron chelates (4.3 Ibs. Fe/acre) or a soil application of ferrous ammonium sulfate, ferrous sulfate or the acid-treated mine tailings (all at 21.41bs. Fe/acre) corrected the deficiency. The main difference between the foliar applications and the soil treatments was that the soil treatments resulted in improved color for more than a year. In

Slide 11

Interveinal chlorosis caused by iron deficiency

Slide 12

Weeds!!

Slide 13

Cold Damage

Frost

Replaces dew in cold season:

Water in cells freezes

Traffic over the frozen tissues ruptures cells

Avoid traffic until frost has disappeared

Consider irrigation to melt frost

Ice damage also occurs where drainage is poor (greens tarps)

Winter Desiccation:

In Chinook zones, consider use of snow fence to help accumulate and protect from warming winds on high value turf.

Speaker Notes

Chinook or winter thaw leaves standing water
Plants drawn out of dormancy with warm temps, and water is taken up; roots absorb, crowns initiate growth, cells fill with water, then temps drop, and freezing occurs, cell walls are ruptured
May cause partial kill (slow green up in the spring) to total kill of the plant (seen over larger areas)
Common on poorly graded areas, low spots – where water collects http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/winterkill-of-turfgrass
High costs for golf courses that run a tee-time every 7 minutes… huge loss of profit to avoid traffic. Possibly irrigate away the frost, or shut down early?!
(You can actually see the footprints where people walk and cells are burst)

Slide 14

Slide 15

Damage & Disease

Insects

Invertebrates

Rodents

Fungi

Speaker Notes

Photo source: https://pixabay.com/en/animal-attractive-beautiful-brown-1238239/
Damage caused by rodents, insects, and people!!

Slide 16

Slide 17

DEW WORMS

Speaker Notes

https://greenlandgarden.com/pdf/tips/Dew%20Worms.pdf
Photos of lawn and casting, ekawahara 2021

Slide 18

Rodents and Insects

Mice, Ground Squirrels, Pocket Gophers (burrow)

Moles (damage turf looking for insects to eat)

… and Dew Worms… as well as dogs (urine)

Insects:

Correctly ID the Insect

Know it’s lifecycle and when / how it causes damage

Ascertain tolerances:

Deal with it when it is most vulnerable

Root feeders: Grubs (beetle larvae)

Shoot feeders: Sod Webworm (lawn moth larvae)

Burrowing: Ants

Slide 19

Chinch Bug

Symptoms:

Irregular shaped brown spots

Especially near pavement / concrete

Identify the insect first!

Control:

Usually insecticides

Speaker Notes

Bottom left Video: Mark Pacumio

Slide 20

Turfgrass Diseases

Relative Humidity (RH)

Refers to the amount of moisture in the air

Affects evapotranspiration (ET)

RH is greater at plant canopy level

Affects potential for disease (next slide)

Speaker Notes

Relative Humidity - When the air can't "hold" all the moisture, then it condenses as dew.
RH – the drier the air; the more moisture it will draw out of the plant and soil via transpiration and evaporation
DRAW CONCRETE SIDEWALK AND BRICK WALL W TURF - Relative Humidity lowers away from concrete, and above the plant.
RH is greatest at canopy level - that’s why dogs love to lie in it in the heat!

Slide 21

Humidity

Potential for disease

High humidity favours penetration and infection of certain pathogens (fungus)

KB/Fescue mixes - powdery mildew, dollar spot, snowmoulds

Bentgrass – brown patch, fusarium patch, dollar spot, melting out, blight

Fungal growth in Alberta favoured by cool wet weather

Speaker Notes

High humidity Needed for mycelial growth and spore production
Here we have low RH so don’t treat diseases in a preventative way – we really don’t deal with them as much as in other parts of the country

Slide 22

Will not kill turf

Appears as whitish powder on the leaves

Caused by low nightly temps, high humidity, and shade

May appear quite suddenly

Diseases: Powdery Mildew

Speaker Notes

KB
POWDERY MILDEW FUNGUS
Will not kill turf
Appears as whitish powder on the leaves
Particular problem in the fall
Most common on Kentucky bluegrass
Most common in turf from July to September, and occasionally in the spring
Most common during overcast periods of cool, moist weather
Disease descriptionA gray or white coating of mycelium and spores develops on leaves, especially on some cultivars of Kentucky blue grass. Leaves may turn yellow, orange or brown. All regions. Rarely severe on mature turf in Prairies until fall. Predisposing factors
shaded situations under trees or north sides of buildings, from May to November
first-year seedlings of some Kentucky blue grass cultivars in open situations may be severely damaged
excessive or deficient nitrogen favors disease
cultivars of Kentucky blue grass vary greatly in resistance in different regions, depending on physiologic form of pathogen present.
Cultural controlUse creeping red fescue for lawn turf in shaded situations rather than Kentucky blue grass. Cultivars of the latter vary in resistance according to prevalence of physiological races but Dormie, Sydsport, and Nugget often show little disease. Flyking, and Merion are moderately resistant and Park susceptible. Raise height of cut, avoid excessive nitrogen.

Slide 23

Powdery Mildew

Slide 24

Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew left over, likely from Fall, living under the snow

Note, it is against a building, full shade exposure.

Best response is to get rid of lawn in this area

Speaker Notes

Treatment – reduce water and N levels; thin out tree branches to improve light; raise cutting height; generally not necessary to use chemicals

Slide 25

Caused by fungi that create web-like mycelium

Gray mould – damages mostly the leaves

Pink mould – invades crowns and roots

Damage is seen as snow melts (late winter, early spring)

Circular patches of dead and matted leaf blades; smaller patches may join together

Not usually a problem on medium managed lawns

Major concern on golf courses and high play areas

Snow Moulds

Speaker Notes

KB, CRF
more severe in shady areas with poor air circulation, poor drainage and a thick thatch layer.
Minimize thatch, since this is where the fungus survives summer as mycelium and spores, and heavy thatch decreases the vigor of the turf
After disease damage has occurred, rake matted areas to encourage drying and promote new growth by lightly fertilizing damaged turf. In the spring, avoid succulent growth by delaying heavy nitrogen fertilizer applications

Slide 26

Snow Molds

Fungi are active at temperatures just above freezing in moist conditions

Under snow cover or anything that covers the grass (ie. leaves)

Normally killed by dry cold winter air

Fall care is crucial

Apply fall fertilizers well before dormancy, or after leaf growth has stopped

Remove all leaves from the lawn

Avoid piling snow deeply along pathways etc.

No chemical treatment is recommended

In most cases healthy growth will resume

Speaker Notes

KB, CRF

Slide 27

Speaker Notes

Photos e. Kawahara 2019

Slide 28

Speaker Notes

Photo: Alisha Shoup 2021 spring - snowmould on golf green

Slide 29

Can be a problem on all types of turf

Caused by a variety of fungi

Mushroom is the fruiting body

Converts decomposing matter to N

Irregular circles of darker green turf with compacted area in the center

Mycelial growth causes soil to be impervious to water

Can mask with heavy fertilization and watering

Fairy Ring

Speaker Notes

KB
Use root feeder or garden fork to make holes through the ring; soak frequently for 1 month
Dig out the ring
Wait for it to hit a barrier or another ring
Mushrooms develop and form large circles; circles expand
As they grow, a zone of stimulation forms where the mushrooms come up; inside of this get area of poor growth or dead grass, maybe get another zone of stimulation inside that
Can dig out (1 foot beyond the ring, remove everything inside and carefully remove the soil); refill and seed
Fungal mat is the growth, found underground; causes soil to be impervious to water

Slide 30

Speaker Notes

photo credit: E wheale 2015
You can see how they war with each other when they intersect. Best to just aerate and water deeply and fertilize all to keep it all green.

Slide 31

Other Mushrooms…

Slide 32

Circular dead areas or rings of dead grass (often with live grass in the center)

Yellow patch, summer patch, fusarium patch, take-all patch - includes rhizoctonia

Fungi favoured by wet conditions in spring and fall

Attack root systems and crowns

Factors - soil compaction, soil layering, excessive thatch

Remedy – mow higher, overseed

Patch Diseases

Speaker Notes

Source http://www.pannoneslandscaping.com/blog/brown-patches-is-it-lawn-disease/
Cooler temps and warmer temps favour different disease organisms (leading to different types)

Slide 33

Appears as large, irregular dead patches

Spreads quickly affecting leaves and crowns killing plants

Occurs in the summer with dews and higher evening temperatures

Hot, humid weather

Often seen first in low areas or swales where soil moisture is maintained

Pythium Blight

You may recognize Pythium from Damping Off disease in 1st year…

Speaker Notes

Source: https://ag.umass.edu/turf/fact-sheets/pythium-diseases-of-turf

Slide 34

Usually occurs on taller mown turfgrasses in spring and fall

Crowns and roots not infected - plants are not killed and will usually recover

Red threads results in patches of tan or pink turf

KB, Perennial ryegrass, Tall fescue

Usually where nutrition is poor, long evening dew

Important to provide adequate N

Red Thread

Slide 35

Speaker Notes

Source: http://www.turfdiseases.org/?gallery=red-thread

Slide 36

TAKE HOME MESSAGES…

Stay within mowing height ranges

Provide balanced Nitrogen

Provide good drainage

Avoid thick thatch layers

Watch areas of shade

Be diligent during times of low night temperatures and high humidity, heat and drought stress

susceptible host + pathogen + environment = Disease

Speaker Notes

Low night temperatures, high humidity, shade, low-lying areas, poor drainage, high thatch layer
Low soil fertility

Slide 37

Why does my grass look so crappy?

Slide 38

Slide 39

Homeowner has 2 large dogs and does not clean up after them… but look at where the downspouts are and how much under fence clearance there is…

Speaker Notes

This is not a simple case - yes, there are dogs, but look at the fence height relative to the lawn… note the localization toward the back gate, the downspout, and the patio…

Slide 40

Slide 41

So, Managers must ask:

Why DOES my grass look so crappy?

What are the Symptoms

Is it a patch?

is it fungal, fertiliser, thatch, urine, or chemical?

Is it leaf discolouring?

Is it yellow / brown, white, or red?

Is it on the new growth or the old?

Is it a ring?

Is it green or brown?

Is it spongy?

Thatch

Is it patterned?

Marcelling? Mower problem or Thatch problem?

What are the regular cultural practices

Mowing, Watering and Fertilising done properly?

Could Compaction be the problem?

Could Thatch be the problem?

Soil Tests read correctly

What is the environment like

Are fertiliser formulations correct for the weather?

Is it hot, or cold; humid or dry? Has it been frosty?

Slide 42

Before you go… please fill out the course feedback form!!

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troubleshooting

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