Mad March: A Relief & A Menace
Contents: Weather Update,
Sunshine Golf Course Observations, Biorational pesticides,
and NTEP Research
New CDGA Turf Team Member
- Dr. Derek Settle
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Hi I'm Derek Settle, the new Manager
of the Integrated Pest Management Program here at
the Chicago District Golf Association as of March
1st. I am excited to be a part of the CDGA turf team,
and from my training at K-State I bring an extensive
knowledge of dollar spot, brown patch, nematodes,
as well as turfgrass diagnostics. My CDGA responsibilities
can be summarized in three parts: 1) continue the
development and support of http://www.interactiveturf.com,
2) conduct and support turfgrass research efforts,
3) extension and outreach - teach and learn through
turfgrass activities. I am here to help, so please
don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meeting
and assisting you in 2006.
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Weather
For winter thus far, Lee Miller has summarized
December as being marked by two cold snaps whereas January's
weather was unusually warm. In contrast, February temperatures
were…just average. The bad news of last month was that 2006
represented the 15th driest February since 1895. Because
precipitation was below normal in February, the near-surface
soil moisture (0-6 inches) was up to 13% lower than the
preceding month in all areas except far southern Illinois
(Table 1). The entire Illinois water and climate summary
for February can be viewed by
clicking here. The good news is that as of
the second weekend in March, Illinois has received several
significant rainfall events to start busting the drought
a little.
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| Table 1. Soil moisture at 0-6 inch depth and percent
departure from previous month among select Illinois
locations on March 1, 2006. |
Many of these early March rainfall events
however, have been a little too severe in nature. In Carbondale,
1.5 inches fell on March 8, followed by 4.1 inches (!!)
on the 9th, and then capped with another 1.9 inches on the
12th. Break out the pontoons, that's 7.5 inches of rain
in 5 days!! To put last year's drought in perspective and
to rehash old wounds, 7.5 inches is more than the amount
of rain that Peoria reported for the five months of April
- August in 2005. WOW.
The tornadoes that screamed through Springfield
on Sunday, March 12th definitely continue the WOW theme
of early March weather in southern IL. We have talked to
nearly every IT subscriber in Springfield, and most escaped
(some narrowly) from significant damage. The one exception
was two Springfield Park District courses which lost over
150 trees between them. Check out the pictures below to
see some of the devastation. Luckily, and incredibly, noone
was hurt, and cleanup is fervently underway.
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| Two Springfield golf courses
(Bergen Park and Bunn) recieved significant damage from
the tornadoes on March 12th. Picture credits: Left:
Justin Fowler/State Journal Register, Right: Shannon
Kirshner/ State Journal Register |
Sunshine Golf Course Update
- Green up and fairy ring appearance
The creeping bentgrass putting greens here
at the CDGA's Sunshine Golf Course in Lemont, Illinois are
beginning to green up. In fact, on Friday 10 March, our
golf course superintendent Chris Painter and his student
intern Chris Hocker clipped our greens for the first time.
Immediately, all three creeping bentgrass putting greens
were enhanced visually by the removal of brown necrotic
leaf blade tips. Scouting for disease few fairy rings are
visible on the putting greens (Fig. 1 & 2). This
phenomenon is familiar to me, and was a common occurrence
every spring at K-State's research putting greens in Manhattan,
KS. The saprophytic consumption of organic matter by the
fungus releases nutrients which jump starts green-up and
causes the symptom. However, the effect is short-lived because
soon the entire putting green is of uniform color - masking
the arc or ring symptom.
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Figure 1. Green-up of L-93/G-2 creeping bentgrass
blend putting green at the CDGA Sunshine Golf Course
and Research Facility in Lemont, IL.
Figure 2. (Mouse Rollover) Arc-shape caused by a
soil-born fairy ring fungus visible among a matrix of
aerification holes on the 3rd hole at Sunshine Golf
Course, Lemont, IL. (3/14/06) |
Biorational Pesticides -
some questions worth asking
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During my first two weeks at the CDGA, I have fielded
several questions from superintendents and a green
committee member who are considering purchasing a
biological control product, currently referred to
as biorationals. The suffix 'rational' refers to the
fact that the biological pesticide has little or no
negative effects on the environment or other beneficial
organisms. The biorational can be either biochemical
or microbial. A 1999 article in Golf Course Management
is a good primer of biorational pesticides http://www.gcsaa.org/gcm/1999/oct99/10biorational.html.
Common living microbial organisms that are harnessed
to control pests in the turfgrass environment are
bacteria, fungi, and nematodes.
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The important point to remember is that storage,
handling, and shelf life are critical because the product
either contains a living organism or a biochemical/biochemical-like
agent. If the product is a microbe, you probably should
check the viability of the organism soon after purchase
to verify it is actually alive (ask the seller how it's
done)For example, Randy Kane has experience with Steinernematodes
used to control some common turfgrass grubs. The formulation
consisted of dehydrated nematodes, but a quick test prior
to application revealed they were dead.
A quick look through Randy's files and 'presto'
a handout from The Ohio State University by Dr. Mike Boehm.
Mike has an extensive background in the field biological
control - completing his MS, PhD, and postdoc studies within
this field. Below I have summarized the key points of his
handout. In the end, common sense rules the day.
5 Questions Worth Asking
When Considering the Use of Microbials
1. Question: Is the product making pesticidal
claims?
a. For example, if they say it kills nematodes,
then by law it is required to be registered by the EPA and
labeled accordingly.
b. Action: Ask to see the EPA label.
2. Question: What exactly does the product do?
a. For example, biological control mode
of action can include - competition, antibiotic/toxin production,
hyperparasitism, and induced resistance.
b. Action: Ask if suppression is general or specific, and
then how it works.
3. Question: Was the product tested?
a. Preferably by a non-biased university
scientist who does not benefit financially by sale of product.
b. Action: Find published articles (peer-reviewed scientific
journal preferred), get names and numbers of testers.
4. Question: Are other superintendents in the area using
the product?
a. Sometimes a sales and marketing claim.
b. Action: Make some calls using your local network of superintendent
organizations.
5. Question: Will they supply you with enough product
to test on your course to substantiate their claims?
"Approach microbial products with
a healthy does of skepticism - not a negative attitude.
Use common sense, sound judgment and ask lots of questions."
NTEP Research Plots - useful
when considering renovation
An open invitation exists to all superintendents
to view NTEP plots or any other research plots/activities
at our CDGA facility throughout the year. Just contact Lee
Miller or myself for a tour (Fig. 3). Currently the
CDGA's 3-hole Sunshine Golf Course has two 2003 National
Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) tests. We are evaluating
28 fairway/tee bentgrass cultivars/selections, and 53 fine
leaf fescue cultivars/selections for roughs. Current results
of the NTEP evaluation data from all sites in the United
States can be found on the web: http://www.ntep.org/tables.htm.
The best use of NTEP results is to determine
which turfgrass cultivars are adapted your local area. At
the CDGA we can tell you which bentgrass cultivars managed
at fairway height perform best in the Chicago area. Just
contact Lee Miller or myself for a tour (Fig. 3 &
4). Currently Randy Kane does not recommend the 7 colonial
bentgrasses included in the trial because they have not
performed well in Lemont, IL. Several new creeping bentgrass
cultivars do have good visual quality from May to September.
Additionally, several creeping bentgrass cultivars have
improved resistance to dollar spot disease compared the
standard cultivar Penncross and are comparable to L-93 (Table
2). Full 2004 results from the bentgrass fairway height
trial in Lemont, IL can be found by
clicking here. 2005 results are being tabulated
and will be viewable soon.
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Figure 3. Lee Miller points out
NTEP creeping bentgrass cultivars of interest to golf
course superintendent Tim Anderson and his first assistant
Justin Schroeder of Naperville Country Club at the Sunshine
Golf Course, Lemont, IL.
Figure 4. Wider perspective on the NTEP bentgrass
fairway plots. (3/14/06) |
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| Table 2. Monthly and mean dollar spot ratings of
the NTEP fairway/tee bentgrass study at Lemont, IL during
2004. |
I hope this month's newsletter has contained
useful information which will help interactivetuf.com users.
If you have any suggestions of material you would like included
in these monthly newsletters please let us know. Currently,
Lee is firing up the weather forecasting models, and soon
we informing you of the progress of Poa annua seedhead development
across Illinois.
