May 20, 2011 Scouting Report Clear Skies and Sun! Bentgrass is Green, Bentgrass Seed Germinates, More First Dollar Spot, Waitea Progresses, and Tim s Research Work for 2011 Chicago/ /Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org Blog www.cdgaturf.org Wed 50 low /60 highh and Thu 46 low /73 high. A pair of nice days and Friday is just as nice warmer nights and how about full sun? It means this season has justt turned the corner and is in a direction that creeping bentgrass likes (i.e., bentgrass needs average soil temperatures at 2 inches to stabilize at about 55 degrees or higher for good growth). Also, good germination of seed has begun and continued to accelerate into this week. Areas injured by season 2010 that were without complete recovery are now looking better Chicago s innerr roughs especially hard hit. Big Sky. Weibring Golf Club s number 16 looks good (home of ISU Redbirds). Settle 5-13-11 It turns out low-moww Kentucky bluegrass was also slow out of the blocks in 2011. The negative impact of repeat frost events in May did not help. Next up, we will try and experience good weather for June? June is arguably our most importantt month of root/shoot growth given what July can bring cool-season turf in Chicago. Such as, repeat daytime highs of 90+ degrees and, during a hot and humid summer, midsummer physiological decline that begins as July transitions to August. But wait, it's still May and this week felt likee heaven on earth = clear skies and sun! Page 1
Weather Update A slow spring is hopefully over In my blog this week I mentioned that we are dealing with a roller coaster ride. I was thinking that after I created a graph thatt looked like a ride in Joyland (red line). I was even feeling butterflies in my stomach? Hopefully it s over and we finish this spring period that has felt behind. In part due to repeat frosts, but also due to low light levels given a record cloudy April. Light levels in May have improved compared to April, a month of record cloudy conditions. Page 2
Diagnostic Blog by D. Settle 5-20-11 http://cdgaturf.org/ /blogs.asp?blogid=3&id=29&pid=4 Dollar Spot Spotted on Bentgrass in Central Illinoiss (again) I found myself in central Illinois this week. Remembering the report last week by Bill Sharp, University of Illinois, I kept my eyes open. Bill had reported first dollar spot on a bentgrass fairway near Champaign-Urbana. Three golf courses later on Thursday, I was still hunting in Bloomington. On my final hole of the final golf course that day, there it was! Reddish spots of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa affecting the golf green apron of Dominant creeping bentgrass (a blend of Providence + SR1020). Additionally, bleachedd white lesions could be found on a few leaf blades. With lilacs in full bloom and our continued first siting s of dollar spot I realized spring was progressing as it should. Fungicide applications to target dollar spot on large acre fairways will now begin. However, given our knowledgee of its historical disease progression in Illinois we know its development will be slow through most of June. Dare I say whimpy? In most instances on fairways we will not see dollar spot damage exceed 5-10% during most of June (some might call this acceptable). It means a great deal of flexibility in timing fungicides for dollar spot currently exists (i.e., you can wait to treat fairways if need be). In other words, don't panic just yet. I think we will have midsummer to do that... Dollar spot with its inital symptom of reddish infection centers affecting 'Dominant' creeping bentgrasss on a golf green apron in central Illinois. D. Settle 5-19-11 Page 3
Diagnostic Blog by D. Settle 5-18-11 http://cdgaturf.org/ /blogs.asp?blogid=3&id=29&pid=4 More Waitea Reported on Chicago s Poa annua Golf Greens Yesterday I received another report of Waitea on greens. It would be the 3rd report within a week s time. I traveled to confirm. The low temperatures at night (30s and 40s again) seem to not have an effect on the symptom expression. This Rhizoctonia-like pathogen infects the leaf sheath of Poa annua, but does not harm creeping bentgrass (resistant). It is likely we are just experiencing a delayed reaction of the infection that tookk place during last week s weather when highs at or near 90 degrees for 3 days straight caused soil temperatures to ramp up 10 by degrees (65 degrees on average at a 2 inch depth). Most fungicides even at low label rates are effective to control Waitea based on CDGA trials at Biltmore CC over 4 seasons (2007-2010). Only Thiophanate methyl and chlorothalonil do not control Waitea. The timing of Waitea outbreaks matches IPM of other pests such as summer patch of Poa annua and fairy ring of golf greens. So, first fungicide applications on greens are like a 1, 2, 3 punch (Waitea curative/preventive, summer patch preventionn and fairy ring prevention). Nitrogen (N) rates of 1 lb. N/ 1000 sq. ft. (well above spoon-feeding rates) have been shown to reduce Waitea and speed Poa annua recovery in California. Applying large N rates is not practical for most golf greens, but the lesson is that hungry greens may be more at- risk for Waitea outbreaks. So, do not starve greens of N. Waitea continues its debut in Chicago. Known as brown ring patch, the fungal disease causes bright yellow rings on the Poa annua component of golf greens as spring transitions to summer (May-June). Another reason we have a love/hate relationship with Poa... many problems = high maintenance! Settle 5-17-11 Page 4
Tim Sibicky, MS - TSibicky@cdga.org Manager of Turfgrass Research Blog www.cdgaturf..org Research Outlook A Busy 2011 The season is shaping up to be a busy one for the turfgrass department and for Sunshine Course too! Sunshine Course was designed to provide an array of benefits that range from a facility for use by the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation programs as well as a living research laboratory for the turfgrass program. It has also become a demonstration and research site for University of Illinois Extension consisting of annual flower trials and landscape ornamentals. All the groups involved work together to make this facility like none other in the country and dare I say the world. Sunshine Course is the host for thirteen of our research projects this year (map below), five of these are continuing to investigate the different commercially 2011 Sunshine Course Study List NCERA creeping bentgrass A cultivars - greens NCERA creeping bentgrass B fairway trial C Kentucky bluegrass cultivar trial D Tall Fescue cultivar trial E Creeping Bentgrass Cultivar Trial F Zoysia: Seed Establishment tee/fwy G Warm Season Establishment H Dollar Spot on Greens (Bayer) I Dollar Spot on Greens (Syngenta) J Dollar Spot on Greens (BASF) New Experimental Product K (Syngenta) L Fertility Study Cv. Princeville M University of Illinois Flower Trial A Sunshine Course map shows a great deal more than three golf holes. In addition to use by the Sunshine Through Golf Foundation for individuals withh special needs, it also serves as the hub for CDGA turf research. Research results are showcased at an annual turfgrass research field day, a joint effort by the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and CDGA turf programs to form iturfexpo, this year to be held September 22. Page 5
available cool-season grasses, creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poaa pratensis). The Kentucky bluegrass cultivar test is also serving to help determine safety levels of the new experimental Poa annuaa control product by Arysta Life Science, a.i. amicarbazone. Product testing for dollar spot and/or brown patch disease is being conducted on all three Sunshine Course greens and one fairway. At fairway/teebox height, we are looking into going greener, literally! A fertility trial is set on number 1 teebox (creeping bentgrass Princeville ) too compare three fertility types. A new experimental foliar product is being compared to a standard synthetic foliar, but also to granular and organic fertilizer programs. Additionally, we are continuing collaboration with Dr. Ken Diesburg of SIU to look into warm season establishmen nt in an existing rough situation and seed establishment of the warm-season grass, zoysia (Zoysia japonica). Collaborative efforts are crucial to the success of our program and benefit both on and offsite research, whether it be working with fellow researcherss or superintendents. When an issue we are interested in is not prevalent on Sunshine, we work closely with area superintendents to find a location, better suited or more susceptible to the particular concern, in turn providing results of greater accuracy. Offsite research locations this season include locations at Aurora Country Club (John Gurke), Biltmore Country Club (Brian Thomson),, Cog Hill Golf and Country Club (Scott Pavalko and Ken Lapp), Coyote Run Golf Course (Dave Ward), Kemper Lakes Country Club (Dan Tully), North Shore Country Club (Dan Dinelli), and Shoreacres (Tim Davis). The studies range from early dollar spot control, Poa seedhead suppression, Poa annua control, Waitea patch disease control, fairy ring control, screening for herbicide injury, and a creeping bentgrass variety trial for spring green-up near Lake Michigan. Collectively, itt all makes for a busy 2011 Organization is the key to keeping track of all the research studies and projects. Sibicky 5-12-11 Page 6
Final Images Waitea study site at Biltmore CCC where it has been researched since 2007. B. Thomson 5-12-11 Bloomington Country Club believes in flowers. The real greenhousee is next door. Settle 5-19-11 Page 7
Sight to behold. Crabapples in peak bloom on Chicago golf courses this week. Settle 5-18-11 Carl Hopphan, Sunshine Throughh Golf, assists with a little trim before play. Sibicky 5-20-111 There is a live up-to-date calendar of turf issues at www.cdgaturf. org Derek, Tim, Nick and Chris The CDGA Turfgrass Program Page 8