BOOK REVIEW
BIOLOGY AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF TURFGRASS DISEASES By Gary W. Beehag, Nathan R. Walker, Percy T.W. Wong and Jyri Kaapro | CABI, 304 pages. Reviewed by John Neylan
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urfgrass diseases are ever present and can have a devastating effect on the quality of turf surfaces whether they are golf greens and fairways, bowling greens or sportsfields. With a climate that seems to have become less predictable and the influence that it has on the occurrence of diseases, the recently released Biology and Integrated Management of Turfgrass Diseases will prove to be an important reference for anyone involved in the turf industry. Compiled by Australian experts Gary Beehag, Dr Percy Wong and Jyri Kaapro, together with Oklahoma State University IPM and turfgrass pathology specialist Dr Nathan Walker, this 304-page book is a comprehensive and up-to-date reference on everything to do with turfgrass diseases. It will be of interest to anyone involved in the turfgrass industry whether they are a turf manager, student, agronomist or researcher. As the title suggests, Biology and Integrated Management of Turfgrass Diseases provides an integrated or holistic view of all the elements that result in infection and then symptom expression of many turfgrass diseases. It covers all of the major diseasecausing organisms in both warm- and cool-season grasses. It focuses on the environmental and management-induced factors influencing pathogen growth and development and expression of their respective diseases. This provides the basis for then formulating integrated disease management plans based on implementation of diseaseresistant cultivars and biosecurity and hygiene practices in combination with proven cultural, biological and chemical technologies. The book comprises 11 chapters that cover in detail all of the factors that result in the expression of a turfgrass disease. The book has a central aim of educating the reader on all the interrelated factors that result in a disease occurring and allows the reader to work through why a disease is occurring and not just how to control it with a chemical application. The book is written in a way that leads you through the factors that result in the expression of a disease before it goes into the detail of individual disease organisms. The opening chapter sets the scene with a detailed review of turfgrass ecosystems and what makes turfgrasses susceptible to disease outbreaks. It highlights new disease organisms identified and the economic impact of turfgrass diseases in a turf management setting. This is followed by a detailed treatise on the environment, host and pathogen interactions. 68
Co-author Gary Beehag speaking at last year’s Australian Sports Turf Management Conference
This section emphasises the complex interactions between these key factors and why a disease may occur and the severity of the disease. This provides turf managers with an excellent insight into what factors are contributing to disease and how these may be better managed to reduce their impact. Again, it provides turf managers with a strategy to reduce the impact of disease without necessarily reverting to chemical control. In keeping with understanding when a disease may occur, there is a detailed chapter on monitoring and forecasting disease outbreaks as well as the process of sampling and identification. This chapter highlights the importance of monitoring weather conditions and the recognition of early signs of turfgrass disease outbreaks. The information provided
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allows a proactive approach to disease control which will minimise turf damage and allow for more effective control. It will also reduce the use of chemicals used to control diseases. The authors have emphasised the importance of thorough diagnosis and reporting of diseases. This involves how a sample is collected and preserved before it is sent to the laboratory and using a laboratory that has qualified plant pathologists that can identify the pathogens present and the primary pathogen that needs to be controlled. There are separate chapters dedicated to cool weather and warm weather fungal diseases. These chapters provide detailed descriptions of all of the diseases that are likely to occur on maintained turfgrass surfaces, including the environmental and management conditions that can lead to a disease outbreak. The descriptions are supported by excellent photographs and diagrams. The book not only covers fungal pathogens but also other disease-causing organisms including bacteria and viruses. This section covers in some detail the disease caused by Bacterial Wilt which has only in recent years been observed on Poa annuadominated putting greens in Australia. What this section highlights is the importance of accurate diagnosis as these pathogens can visually look like more common pathogens. The penultimate chapter covers plant parasitic and beneficial nematodes, their biology and population dynamics. Given the economic impact of a nematode outbreak and the challenges of effective control, this chapter is a good reference for turf managers. The final chapter details the range of synthetic fungicide and novel biofungicide formulations available for the control of turfgrass diseases and how they are best applied to maximise efficacy. Biology and Integrated Management of Turfgrass Diseases is a well-researched book with an extensive review of the scientific literature. In itself the book is an excellent literature review for those involved in turfgrass research. While the book has an international application, it has an excellent update on the Australian patch diseases that have severely impacted warm-season grasses over the past 20 years. The book is well supported with high quality photographs, diagrams, tables and key point summaries and has an emphasis on understanding why diseases occur and how they can be controlled or their impact minimised by manipulating the turfgrass environment. Biology and Integrated Management of Turfgrass Diseases is available in hardback and digital (ebook) formats through CABI. Visit www.cabidigitallibrary.org and search the title for further details and pricing.