Turfgrass Anthracnose

Clint
Cox

Turfgrass Anthracnose

The scientific name for turf grass Anthracnose is

Colletotrichum cereale

There are 13 warm and cool-season grasses that can be hosts

but the primary hosts that Turf grass Anthracnose is
associated with are Annual Bluegrass and Creeping bentgrass.

The pathogen type associated with turf grass Anthracnose is a

fungus.

Favorable Environmental Conditions

-Ideal conditions for turf grass Anthracnose include
temperatures from 60 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit for
basal rot.
-Ideal temperatures for foliar symptoms to occur
usually happen with temperatures above 79 degrees
Fahrenheit.
-Also, continuous wetness of the grass for at least
12 hours or more is
- A picture of the life cycle of turf grass
Anthracnose can be found to the right.

Best IPM Control to Use

The best cultural control to use is applying the right nutrients to

the correct area.

The best biological control to use is types of annual bluegrass

and creeping bent grass that has a non-waxy cuticle.

The best chemical control to use is fungicides

The best mechanical control to use is to minimize traffic with

machinery on wet and spongy turf.

My Interest In Turfgrass Anthracnose

I personally had never heard of this condition that effects

13 cool and warm seasons grasses until I researched
different kinds of conditions that damage turfgrass here in
Kentucky.

Also, a major reason in my interest to this topic is because

since I am a turfgrass major I decided that it would be in
my best interest to focus my attention on my main study
to further my education on the subject.

Since this condition is also very common in Kentucky, it

would also be beneficial for me to know specific
information upon the subject that would most defiantly
help me diagnose problems in the future to do with
turfgrass Anthracnose.

Mowing and Rolling Strategies Experiment

was held in Brunswick, New Jersey

What it involves?

This experiment involves different mowing heights, different mowing

frequencies, and also different rolling frequencies.

Why it was done?

This experiment was done to see the different affects of mowing

heights, mowing frequencies, and rolling frequencies has on
anthracnose on annual bluegrass putting greens.

How It Was Done?

Two year trial in New Jersey which started in 2004 using annual bluegrass turf
grown on a sandy loam maintained as a putting green.

Nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium were applied to the

test area in amounts that were determined by soil test results.

The trial was lightly topdressed with medium sand, which was drug with a
cocoa-mat every 14 days.

To maintain dry soil conditions, irrigation was only applied when wilt stress
was evident and when washing in fertilizers.

Diseases other than anthracnose were treated and controlled each year.
Fungicides were not effective against the anthracnose pathogen.

How It Was Done?

Mowing treatments were set at heights of .110, .125, or .141 inches performed on
a walk-behind mower with a grooved front roller.

Mowing frequencies were set at mowing 7 to 14 times per week.

Mowing treatments were performed between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. each day.

Rolling treatment included no rolling or one pass every other day right after
mowing with a vibratory roller attached to a triplex mower.

All possible combinations of mowing height, frequency, and rolling was evaluated.

Discussion With Graphs

Graph showing the affects of different mowing

heights and rolling frequency on the percentages
of anthracnose in 2004

Discussion With Graphs

Graph showing the combinations of effects

between mowing heights and mowing frequencies

Conclusion

In conclusion to this experiment, the results show that mowing height

is the most effective way to reduce anthracnose severity.

More frequent mowing practices did not increase anthracnose disease

Also, rolling the greens actually more frequent then not resulted in a
subtle decrease in the anthracnose disease.

Nitrogen Fertility and Anthracnose Basal

Rot in Putting Greens Experiment

What it involves?

This experiment involves 3 different types of sources of Nitrogen. Urea (46-00), Methylene Urea (26-0-0) and IBDU (30-0-0).

Each of these sources of nitrogen where applied to different plots at different

amounts from April 26th to July 6th.

Why it was done?

This experiment was done to find the effects of these 3 different nitrogen
sources on anthracnose basal rot on a mixed sward of creeping bentgrass and
annual bluegrass maintained as a putting green at different amounts of each
source.

How It Was Done?

Experiment was conducted in 2005 and 2006 at Joseph Valentine Turfgrass

Research Center.

The turf being tested on was a mix of creeping bentgrass and annual
bluegrass maintained as a putting green mowed at a height of .125 inches six
times per week.

Soil type was a silt-loam with a pH of 6.9

No chemicals or fertilizers were applied before the experiment took place

and irrigation was applied as needed to prevent drought stress.

There were also control plots that were being used untouched to compare
results to at the end

How It Was Done?

Three different sources of Nitrogen was used (Urea, Methylene Urea,

and IBDU).

Each Nitrogen source was applied at 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 pound actual
nitrogen/1000 square feet.

This was on a 14 day schedule from April 27th through July 6th.

All treatments were applied 6 times during that period in 3 x 6 feet

plots. Each source of nitrogen had 3 replication plots each.

The treatments were applied with a CO2 powered sprayer that sprayed
2 gallons per 1000 square feet.

Discussion With Graphs

This graph shows the effects of

each amount of the three
different fertilizers used against
anthracnose basal rot.

Conclusion

In conclusion to this experiment, the results show that the rate at

which the application is applied is an important factor in controlling
turfgrass anthracnose.

Also the type of fertilizer that is chosen to control turfgrass

anthracnose is very important when applying to a putting green
surface.

Sources

http://
www.gcsaa.org/uploadedfiles/Course/Pests-and-Diseases/Diseases/Anthracnos
e/Mowing-and-rolling-strategies-to-manage-anthracnose-on-annual-bluegrass
-greens.pdf

http://
www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/ascomycetes/Pages/Anthracn
oseofturfgrass.aspx

http://
www.gcsaa.org/uploadedfiles/Course/Pests-and-Diseases/Diseases/Anthracnose/
Nitrogen-fertility-and-anthracnose-basal-rot-in-putting-greens.pdf