Mississippi Turfgrass - Spring 2015

Spring 2015

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine

What Are Mississippi’s

Cogongrass

In vasiv e

Wee ds?

Off-the-Shelf Leaf Spot Management in Bermudagrass Virginia Buttonweed Control

Florida betony Chamberbitter

Callery pear

Spring 2015

Contents • The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine Features

8 Upcoming Events —

Mark Your Calendars for These Popular Gatherings!

10 Save the Dates!

8

Deep South Turf Expo, October 13–15, 2015 — Questions & Answers

12 Cover Story — What Are Mississippi’s Invasive Weeds?

18 Lawn Care Tips —

Off-the-Shelf Leaf Spot Management in Bermudagrass

22 Sports Turf Talk — Virginia Buttonweed Control

Departments

6 From the MTA President

7 MTA Membership Application

11 Calendar of Events

12

26 Mississippi State Turf Team 26 Index of Advertisers

www.msturfassociation.org 4 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

22

President’s Message

Lots of Happenings Toby Thornton

Coming Up Ahead

As

I’m writing this article, I’m hopeful that everyone has made it through another winter unscathed. I’m happy to move into the spring for warmer weather and the smell of fresh-cut grass. I also hope, with all the warm weather, that everyone is noticing some of the great new changes to MTA’s event schedule.

We had a successful Biloxi Turfgrass Roadshow in January, and it’s an event we’ll look forward to expanding next year. I hope our golf course superintendents were able to attend the Golf Industry Show hospitality night at the national GCSAA show, which is always a good time to socialize and catch up with old friends. I loved this event, as always, and it was great seeing everyone.

As for some of our future events, we’ve really got some great things on the horizon. To kick off our loaded schedule, the Golf Course Management workshop at Dancing Rabbit Golf Course is on May 18, followed by the Yard Dawg Classic at The Refuge on June 16. This event will be combined with the Dollars for Scholars event in 2015, due to difficulties scheduling the latter during our first annual Deep South Turf Expo, October 13–15. MSU Turfgrass Field Day will again be held in Starkville, this year on August 25. This was a fabulous event last year, and it promises to reunite the fantastic research ongoing at State with the fun and excitement of vendor booths and barbeque.

I look forward to seeing and meeting you at each of these special events, with food, education and some occasional golf. Also, as a side note, remember during these busy months to take time for friends, family and maybe an occasional vacation.

Toby Thornton 2015 MTA President

Mississippi Turfgrass Association Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Fax: (662) 325-2705 www.msturfassociation.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 Office: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedgecommunications.com Mississippi Turfgrass Editor James D. McCurdy, Ph.D.

MTA OFFICERS

President Toby Thornton Shell Landing Golf Course (601) 507-4254 Vice President Paul Welborn Lawn and Pest Solutions (662) 316-1347 Secretary/treasurer Wayne Philley Mississippi State University (662) 325-2728 Past President Josh Quinn Perfect Turf Lawn Solutions (601) 906-2591 Administrative secretary Linda Wells Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Cell: (662) 769-7558 lmw218@pss.msstate.edu

Directors

Jordan Carlisle LADD’S (601) 818-7586 Jay Coalter Patrick Farms Golf Course (601) 317-1641 Erick Coomer Greenwood Country Club (228) 860-5292 Ken Edwards City of Gulfport (228) 861-5641 Jeremy Ely Sunkist Country Club (228) 669-6745 Chris Hussey Hussey Sod Farm (662) 231-3203

6 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Adam Strehle Quality Turf Services (662) 719-8029

Membership Application Box 9555 • Mississippi State, MS 39762 • 662-325-0517 (Office) • 662-325-2705 (Fax) www.msturfassociation.org The Mississippi Turfgrass Association is a non-profit organization of individuals interested in promoting and expanding the turf and landscape industry in Mississippi and surrounding states. The objectives of the organization are to: • Promote quality turf and landscape management.

•D isseminate information and educational material on turf and landscape culture.

•S ponsor needed research, scholarships for deserving students, and conferences on timely topics.

•C ooperate with other organizations in advancing educational opportunities in turf and landscape management.

Dues Annual dues are $50 for individuals and single business representative membership * $100 for businesses requesting two to four individuals receiving newsletter * Attach names and addresses for additional newsletter mailings (business only).

Any individual interested in the advancement of turfgrass or landscape management is invited to join the organization. This includes professionals in golf course and grounds maintenance, sod and seed producers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, horticulturists, agronomists, nurserymen, educators, athletic field managers, park managers, and representatives of manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of turf and landscape equipment, chemicals, and supplies.

Membership year runs January 1 – December 31.

Name:*_________________________________________________________

Work Association

Firm or Club Name:______________________________________________ Street Address:__________________________________________________

Mail to: MTA, Box 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762

o Golf Course

City:____________________________________________________________

o Grounds Maintenance

State:___________________________________ Zip:____________________

o City/State Park Maint.

Telephone: Work: (____)________________________________________

Cell: (____)________________________________________

o Lawn Care

Email:__________________________________________________________

o Sod

Make check payable to Mississippi Turfgrass Association (MTA)

o Product Representative

If you prefer, you may pay by credit card:

o Education

o Visa

o MasterCard

o American Express

Card Number:___________________________________________________ Expiration Date:__________________________________________________

o Athletic Fields o Other

Signature:_______________________________________________________ The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 7

Upcoming Events

Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Gatherings!

May 18

Golf Course Management Workshop This educational event is hosted by Dancing Rabbit, near Choctaw, MS. The event offers recertification for MS pesticide applicators and continuing education points for certified golf course superintendents. A $50 registration fee covers meals and golf.

To register, please mail your name and a check to Harvin Hudson, 12000 Hwy. 15 N., Suite 2, Philadelphia, MS 39350.

June 16

Yard Dawg Classic The 13th Annual Yard Dawg Classic Golf Tournament will be held at The Refuge Golf Course in Flowood, MS. You may form your own team or sign up as an individual golfer (the tournament committee will assign individuals to teams). All proceeds from the tournament benefit MTA’s scholarship program and turf research at Mississippi State University. To register, complete the form on the next page and either fax or mail it in (see instructions).

August 25

MSU Turfgrass Research Field Day The 2015 MSU Turfgrass Field Day will be held in Starkville, MS. This event promises to be a fun and educational experience for all turfgrass professionals.

Like last year, vendor booths and machinery set-up will be a key feature. Please contact Mrs. Linda Wells, MTA’s administrative secretary (662-325-0517 or lmw218@pss.msstate.edu), for details about vendor booths and potential sponsorship opportunities.

8 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

2015 Yard Dawg Classic

June 16, 2015 • The Refuge Golf Course • 2100 Refuge Blvd. • Flowood, MS 39232 Location The Refuge Golf Course 2100 Refuge Blvd.

Flowood, MS 39232

Fee Team Entry Fee: $400 Individual Entry Fee: $100 Student Entry Fee: $50

(Entries are not accepted without the fee.

Pre-registration is required!)

(Boxed lunch provided)

DEADLINE TO REGISTER — June 10, 2015 Registration: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tee off is promptly at 10:00 a.m.

Player List

Note: Your team members do not have to be MTA members.

They can be friends, family members, greens committee members, etc.

1_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 2_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 3_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 4_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Payment Information

o Check

o Visa

o MasterCard

o American Express

Make checks payable to MTA, and mail to: P.O. Box 9555, MS State, MS 39762.

If paying by credit card, your signed entry may be mailed to the address above or faxed to: 662-325-2705.

Credit card information — Can not be sent via email!!

Credit card:_______________________________________________________ #:Exp. date:____________________ Signature:________________________________________________________________________________________

Awards Ceremony Following the Tournament Please bring a donation for door prizes (i.e., golf balls, gift certificate, putter, hat, round of golf, etc.).

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 9

Save the Dates!

October 13–15, 2015 — Questions & Answers

By Tricia Roberts, Executive Director, Alabama Turfgrass Association

Q. What organizations are involved with the Deep South Turf Expo?

A. The Mississippi Turfgrass Associa-

tion, Alabama Turfgrass Association, Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendents Association, Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association and Gulf Coast Golf Course Superintendents Association. We welcome participation from all over the Southeast, but these are the five founding organizations.

Q. Why is the Deep South Turf Expo forming?

A. Every organization has been

feeling the struggles of the economy, and we are no different. Everyone wants more bang for their buck; that includes our exhibitors, sponsors and members! With a regional turf conference, we can bring in the top educators to provide the highest-quality educational program for all turf managers. Exhibitors can reduce their travel costs and man-hours while reaching more customers. Sponsors can also market to a larger customer base with a regional show. Everyone wins; plus, the more successful the show, the more each founding organization will benefit financially.

Another reason, and probably the most important, are the networking opportunities that will span over a fourstate region… not just in your own state and/or organization. You will be able to reunite with college buddies, 10 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

share success stories with peers outside your “competition zone” and make new friends and business contacts!

Q. How is the Deep South Turf Expo organized?

A. The Deep South Turf Expo is a

new non-profit organization. It has its own board, bylaws, articles of incorporation, bank account and tax filing requirements.

Q. Who is on the board of the Deep South Turf Expo?

A. The board consists of the following: President: Stephen Miles, CGCS, The Preserve Golf Club (LMGCSA) Vice President: Ken Edwards, CSFM, City of Gulfport (MTA) Secretary-Treasurer: Glenn Hedden, Town of Loxley (ATA) Directors: Chris Hussey, Hussey Sod (MTA) Josh Quinn, Perfect Turf Lawn Solutions (MTA) Jeremy Stevens, The Preserve Golf Club (MTA) Wayne Bassett, Beck’s Turf (ATA) Tom Luchner, Turf Tenders Lawn Care (ATA) Jeremy Sutton, Montgomery Country Club (ATA) Tres’ Wilkinson, South Dallas Turf (ATA) Simon Parkin, CGCS, Lakewood Golf Club (GCGCSA) Mark Langner, CGCS, FarmLinks Golf Club (AGCSA)

Q. How will proceeds from this event be used?

A. Since this event will be taking the

place of the Annual Conferences for MTA and ATA (which are major funding sources for these organizations) and replacing Annual Meetings of the AGCSA, GCGCSA and LMGCSA (which are profitable but not the major funding source for these groups), the board decided to make sure all the income from these events was secured.

ATA and MTA will each receive the equivalent of a five-year-average income from their respective Conferences, and then an even split of 20% for all organizations will be paid after MTA’s and ATA’s financial obligations are met.

Q. Why are we going to Biloxi, MS? A. When choosing a location, the

Deep South Turf Expo board considered several factors: adequate space for a tradeshow, educational meeting rooms, hotel sleeping rooms and a destination that attendees would want to visit. The selection committee looked at the four member states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi).

Biloxi had everything! The Mississippi Coast Convention Center has more meeting and tradeshow space than we will ever need (no growing pains); the Beau Rivage has beautiful guest rooms and offered us a $99 room rate; and Biloxi has beautiful beaches (October is a wonderful time of the year to be at the beach), as well as casinos for our high rollers and other venues that we plan to use (golf courses, schooner cruises, sports complexes, etc.).

Calendar of Events

Q. Is Biloxi the permanent home for the Deep South Turf Expo?

A. We are not sure at this time, but it

will be our home for 2015 and 2016.

Q. How far is Biloxi?

A. Drive time to Biloxi from the

following cities:

Destin, FL..............................................3 hours Jackson, MS...........................................3 hours Birmingham, AL.....................................5 hours Huntsville, AL.........................................6 hours Shreveport, LA.......................................6 hours Memphis, TN..........................................6 hours Also, the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is served by American, Delta, United, US Airway and Sun Country airlines.

Q. What will be offered?

A. The Deep South Turf Expo will fea-

ture a large indoor tradeshow where all industry suppliers are welcome to display their goods and services. We have plenty of room for greens mowers to sod harvesters! We will offer two days of specific turf-management educational sessions that will include breakout sessions for golf course superintendents, lawn care operators, sports turf managers, sod producers and landscapers. You will be able to earn pesticide certification points (from all southeastern states), GCSAA education points, STMA education points and Certified Crop Advisor points. We will host the annual business meetings for all hosting organizations and the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. We’ll have a silent auction in the tradeshow where you can score great deals on trips, sporting equipment and turf products. We’ll offer networking opportunities like a golf tournament, sporting clay tournament, Schooner cruise, tour of sports complexes and a Surf ‘n Turf dinner. Bring your family — the Beau Rivage has a remarkable pool and spa, and the beaches offer all sorts of fun adventures like jet skis, parasailing and more!

Q. What is the conference schedule?

A. Tuesday, October 13 8 a.m. – 4 p.m......Exhibitor Move-In 12 p.m. ................ Golf Tournament, Schooner Cruise, Sporting Clay Tournament, Sports Field Tour 6 p.m.................... Expo Grand Opening Reception Wednesday, October 14 8 a.m. – 5 p.m......Expo Open 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.... Educational Breakout Sessions 12 p.m..................Lunch in Expo 2 p.m. – 4 p.m......Annual Business Meetings 5 p.m....................Silent Auction Closes 6 p.m.................... Surf ‘n Turf Dinner at Beau Rivage Thursday, October 15 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.... Educational Breakout Sessions 8 a.m. – 12 p.m....Exhibitor Move-Out 12 p.m.................. Conference Adjournment & CEU sign-ups

Q. What dates have been secured?

A. October 13–15, 2015, and

October 11–13, 2016. Don’t worry — we planned around the Green Industry Expo and the Sunbelt Expo in October.

For our sports turf managers and golf course superintendents, this is a perfect opportunity to attend a regional show, especially when your national shows are on the West Coast and travel budgets are limited!

Q. How can I register?

A. Exhibitor contracts have been

mailed already. The conference brochures will be mailed in early summer.

In the meantime, check out our website at www.DeepSouthTurfExpo.org for updates and online registration opportunities. Go ahead and book your hotel room at The Beau Rivage by calling 1-888-567-6667, and tell them you are with the Deep South Turf Expo to get the $99 room rate. v

May 18

Golf Course Management Workshop Dancing Rabbit G.C. Philadelphia, MS

June 16

2015 Yard Dawg Classic and Dollars for Scholars Location TBA

July 19–21

PLANET Legislative Day on the Hill Washington, D.C.

July 9–11

TPI Live Show & Tell (Turfgrass Producers International) Portland, OR

August 25

Mississippi State Turfgrass Research Field Day Rodney Foil Plant Science Research Center Starkville, MS

September 15–17

NRPA Congress and Expo (Nat. Rec. and Park Assn.)

Las Vegas, NV

October 13–15

Deep South Turf Expo Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Conference Center Biloxi, MS

October 21–23

PLANET Green Industry Conference Louisville, KY

October 22–24

GIE+Expo — Green Industry Equipment Expo and School of Grounds Management Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY

November 6–9

ASLA — Annual Meeting & Expo (American Society of Landscape Architects) McCormick Place Chicago, IL The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 11

Cover Story

What Are Mississippi’s

In vasi v e

Wee ds?

By John D. Byrd Jr., Extension/Research Professor of Weed Science, Mississippi State University

L

ast fall, Dr. James McCurdy asked me to write an article on invasive weeds for the Spring 2015 issue of this magazine. I procrastinated writing it over the Christmas break. I thought I had it under control until I actually started working on it.

About that time, I received an email from a graduate student in another department of the College of Agriculture, interested in plant diversity in Starkville. Specifically, the email stated, “…I’m curious if you have an idea of 12 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

the number of invasive plant species that can be found in Starkville?” It just so happened at the time I opened the email, I was also about halfway through deciphering the scientific names of 373 plants identified in a statewide survey of MDOT highway rights of way.

My initial thought was to reply to the email, “No, I do not have a list.

Every weed can be invasive unless it is growing in a pot inside your house or office.” Instead, I replied that inva-

sive is a broad adjective with reference to weeds and gave a few of these examples: • To livestock producers in Oktibbeha County, thistles, marshelder, Eastern red cedar and bitter sneezeweeds are invasive.

• To county road supervisors in Oktibbeha County, johnsongrass and Eastern baccharis on roadsides are invasive.

• To homeowners that live in many of Starkville’s residential areas, pine

trees, redbuds, maples or bermudagrass are invasive.

• Individuals who grow vegetables in a home garden would say crabgrass, nutsedge and bermudagrass are invasive.

• Dr. Victor Maddox’s least favorite ornamental is ‘Bradford’ pear because it is invasive.

Much like the definition that a weed is a plant out of place, the adjective invasive can apply to almost every plant.

How weeds spread

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines invasive as “tending to spread, especially tending to invade healthy tissue.” For weeds, we could modify that definition to… invade healthy soil. So, the severity of the headache that weeds create for us may also help influence our tendency to define them as invasive.

Many plants that produce vegetative structures, such as rhizomes, stolons, corms, tubers or fleshy roots, have evolved to invade new soil, but some more so than others. The length that these reproductive structures grow in a single growing season impacts the invasiveness of the plant. Dallisgrass, for example, produces short rhizomes, so is not as invasive as bermudagrass or johnsongrass, both of which produce longer rhizomes. Plants that produce seed dispersed by wind, such as dandelion, American burnweed, Eastern baccharis and pines, have greater potential for invasion than those plants whose seed fall straight to the soil.

Some weeds have evolved to rely on animals to disperse their seed. The seed may be embedded in mammal fur or may be consumed and dispersed after passing through the animal’s digestive tract. Regardless of whether the seed is carried inside or outside the animal, an animal can move the seed greater distances than could be achieved with only the help of gravity.

Seed digestion by an animal may not inhibit germination. A study pub-

Callery pear (‘Bradford’ pear) invading the landscape near MSU campus.

Florida betony on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College campus at Perkinston.

lished in the 1934 Agronomy Journal reported over 65% germination of smooth dock and sweet clover seed fed to cattle and over 50% of those same weed seeds fed to swine, but no germination of those seed fed to chickens.

Velvetleaf seed, however, exhibited above 60% germination after digestion by chickens compared to less than 27% germination when consumed by cattle or pigs. So, while birds can destroy the viability of some weed seed, they may actually enhance germina-

tion of certain hard-seeded weeds by consumption.

Seeds of some weeds are vectored by water. Those weeds may be aquatic, like giant salvinia or water primrose, or may be terrestrial, but they require water-saturated soils for survival, like purple loosestrife. The extent and duration of water saturation in soil varies among species. Virginia buttonweed requires a higher soil moisture content than bermudagrass but less than purple loosestrife or alligatorweed.

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 13

Cover Story • Continued

Seeds of Virginia buttonweed are moved by runoff water sheeting across the turf surface.

Most likely, however, human activity ranks as the top facilitator of long-distance weed invasion. Kudzu, brought to Philadelphia, PA, at the World Exposition in the late 1800s from Asia did not cause an invasion.

But landowners planting kudzu for forage at a time when agriculture and transportation required draft animals, and government agencies paying landowners to plant kudzu to prevent soil erosion, did cause an invasion.

A similar scenario could be happening today with some of the crops being evaluated for biofuel production. Miscanthus is a perennial grass biofuel crop that could cause that risk.

Most species of this genus, however, produce wind-dispersed seed. Some triploid cultivars are sterile. Although rare, gene re-combinations do occur in polyploidy hybrids that could generate offspring that produce seed.

For instance, after its introduction, cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) was described as sterile in North America for almost a century, when it was then discovered that cogongrass produced viable seed. Some scientists have theorized that cogongrass genotypes planted close enough for wind to disperse pollen between the genotypes caused viable seed production.

Failure to follow good sanitation practices and clean equipment of weed seed deposited during use also helps spread weeds to new locations. It has been speculated that tropical soda apple was brought into Mississippi in cattle purchased from Florida. To avoid fines, Florida livestock producers voluntarily implemented a sevenday quarantine for tropical soda apple seed to pass through cattle digestive tracts prior to shipment.

Invasive and difficult to control

After more than 25 years of weedscience activity in Mississippi, I have developed the opinion that the descriptor “invasive” is not an adjective that 14 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Spreading cogongrass seed along I-65 outside Saraland, AL.

haunts me. Instead, those plants that are both invasive AND cannot be killed with existing technology cause shivers up and down my spine.

A case in point is Florida betony (Stachys floridana, AKA rattlesnake weed), which is highly invasive. Florida betony populations can be managed in turf, although management can be a challenge for homeowners with sensitive turfs, like centipedegrass or St. Augustinegrass. But, once it invades ornamental beds, Florida betony is almost impossible to manage with techniques other than hand removal.

Another example that makes my blood boil is torpedograss (Panicum repens). Turf management professionals can suppress torpedograss in bermudagrass sod, but homeowners have no defense other than complete renovation. What makes me even madder is this: there is no protection for Mississippi homeowners and landowners against torpedograss-infested sod shipped into the Magnolia state from sod farms in surrounding states.

Most often, the buyer is not aware the sod is infested with torpedograss until it emerges after the sod has been laid and established.

I argued with the Department of Agriculture to include torpedograss as

a state noxious weed when the list was initially developed in 2004 because of the difficulty of managing torpedograss in home landscapes and rights of way. My arguments fell on deaf ears primarily because torpedograss is not on the Federal Noxious Weed list. Incidentally, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce does have a list of noxious weeds that includes cogongrass, itchgrass, giant salvinia, hydrilla, tropical soda apple, tropical spiderwort, kudzu and Chinese tallow tree.

Chamberbitter or leaf flower (Phyllanthus sp.) is another example that should have been on that list.

This annual plant in the spurge family produces gazillions of highly viable seed on each plant. Although fairly easy to manage in turf by professionals who are trained and qualified to purchase herbicides marketed for commercial applications, homeowners have few control options, other than hand removal, especially in landscape beds. Yet, it is not uncommon to see chamberbitter in containerized ornamentals headed to market.

Non-native weeds

Highly effective herbicides have helped us forget that many weeds — like

goosegrass, dallisgrass and crabgrass — did not exist in North America when the Choctaws were the only mammals that walked upright on two feet across this land. Early explorers and settlers arriving from foreign lands brought many weeds to North America in food, animals and animal feed. Of the 25 most injurious weeds to U.S. agriculture, the 1897 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture listed 19 species as having originated outside the U.S. Some of the weeds listed in that document are still problematic in Mississippi turfgrasses, such as sandbur, dandelion, purple nutsedge, buckhorn plantain, red sorrel and wild onion. Of these seven weeds, sandbur is the only plant native to the U.S. Most likely, these six species were intentionally brought by early colonists, either for food or medicinal uses, from some distant location. Humans contributed to their invasiveness.

The research-funding problem

I could not help but notice walls of privet along the U.S. Highway 82 right of way as I rode back from the Southern Weed Science Society meeting in Savannah, Georgia, at the end of January. I know that privet is not a weed problem in turf. I also know that it is not difficult to kill with several herbicides on the market and that it can be easily killed in certain soils by removing the plant along with its shallow root system. Privet is, however, highly invasive. What was most interesting was that along those vast privet walls, some plants had produced what appeared to be significantly more seed than plants that were right beside them.

Seeing those plants with different amounts of seed reminded me of how little we know about the biology and ecology of many of our problem weeds. Funding for control research is easy to secure from chemical companies that want to sell agricultural herbicides and want unbiased research to identify the strengths and limitations of that product. Funding is available from some commodity groups to The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 15

Cover Story • Continued

develop new and better ways to control weeds that are problems in crops.

Unfortunately, the turf industry lacks the advantage that the corn, soybean, wheat and cotton commodity groups possess. Currently, there is no funding source to generate the dollars

to find those answers in turf. The turf industry needs to implement a checkoff system that will generate funds that can be used to help find answers to the weed, insect, disease, fertility and irrigation problems that occur in Mississippi. A half-dollar or dollar per

Chamberbitter in centipedegrass turf near Biloxi, MS.

round of golf or 2 cents per yard of sod sold check-off fund would generate a significant resource pool from which dollars could be allocated to solve these problems.

Mississippi State is fortunate to have two new faculty members working with turf. These individuals will be evaluated partly on the amount of money they generate and the number of articles they publish. It takes dollars to fund research programs to help make them successful in the academic environment in which we operate today. It is up to the turf industry to help make them successful.

Controlling invasive weeds

Table 1. Herbicide recommendations for some invasive weeds in Mississippi.

Weed

Preemergence Herbicide

Postemergence Herbicide

Cogongrass

—

imazapyr

—

glyphosate

Chamberbitter

atrazine

atrazine

isoxaben

metsulfuron

oxadiazon

simazine

Florida betony

atrazine

metsulfuron

Privet

—

tebuthiuron

—

imazapyr

—

metsulfuron methyl

—

glyphosate

—

quinclorac

—

trifloxysulfuron

Torpedograss

16 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

There are very few herbicide options for many difficult-to-control “invasive” weeds. Most options require precise timing and multiple applications for successful control. See Table 1 for a few herbicide recommendations for some of the weeds mentioned in this article.

I’ll also direct interested readers to a couple of resources I think are very useful. One is the Weed Control Guidelines for Mississippi, which contains our current recommendations for weeds in turfgrasses. This publication can be downloaded free of charge at http://msucares.com/pubs/ publications/p1532.pdf, or printed copies can be ordered from your local county Extension office. Other useful resources can be found at the Invasive Plant Atlas of the Mid-South (IPAMS).

This website is separate from the MSUCares.com, but has two-sided fact sheets that contain color photos, biology, distribution and control recommendations for 40 exotic, invasive weeds that occur in Mississippi. Those fact sheets can be downloaded from http://www.gri.msstate.edu/ipams/ spec_desc.php. Be aware that the chemical control recommendations on those sheets are not site specific, so users must read the herbicide label to make certain the product and recommended application rate are approved for the site they intend to treat. v

The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 17

Lawn Care Tips

Off-the-Shelf

Leaf Spot Management in Bermudagrass

By Maria Tomaso-Peterson, Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University

Photo 1 Leaf spot symptoms in a bermudagrass home lawn (left). Purplish-brown leaf lesions can be observed on infected bermudagrass leaves (right). (Photo courtesy of A. Windham, University of Tennessee).

B

ermudagrass (hybrid or common) is an excellent choice for home lawn use in the southern United States. When grown under full sun and ideal management practices, bermudagrass forms a dense and lush green sod that holds up well to outdoor activities and foot traffic. Bermudagrass is durable and can grow with minimal inputs, if necessary. When grown under lessthan-optimal conditions, however, bermudagrass may become susceptible to diseases.

Leaf spot 101

Photo 2 Widespread distribution of leaf spot in a bermudagrass home lawn. The random, light-brown areas within the bermudagrass are due to leaf spot.

18 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Leaf spot is a common disease of bermudagrass home lawns, as well as other uses (e.g., golf course, athletic fields). This disease affects the foliar portion of the plant but can also spread to stems, stolons and roots. The leaf symptoms are not noticeable until the plant becomes stressed and/or environmental conditions are favorable for disease development. As disease progression occurs, bermudagrass leaves become blighted, and the lawn will appear drought-stressed. Because of this drought-stressed appearance, additional irrigation is often applied, but this will only increase disease activity.

Leaf spot is caused by the fungus Bipolaris cynodontis, which becomes active in the spring when bermudagrass transitions out of winter dormancy.

Leaf spot symptoms may be observed on leaves and stems of bermudagrass, as small, elliptical, pin-point spots (lesions) that are dark purplish-brown.

The older leaves of the plant become infected first, with a progression of

lesion development moving upward to the younger leaves. As a result of plant infection, the turfgrass will lose its uniform green color, developing a brownish-yellow appearance (see Photo 1).

The overall symptoms in the turf will be random, from small concentrated areas to widespread distribution throughout the turf stand (Photo 2).

Disease development is favored by cool and wet conditions. Prolonged leaf wetness resulting from cloudy, foggy or rainy days, or from early evening irrigation, is favorable for plant infection. Under extended periods of favorable conditions, areas within the lawn may turn brown due to leaves dropping off the plant stems.

Leaf spot is also prevalent in the autumn when environmental conditions mirror those of springtime as the turfgrass is transitioning into winter dormancy. When leaf spot is active in the fall, those affected plants and areas within the lawn may not green up in the spring as quickly as unaffected plants. This can result in thin, brown areas where the plants appear to be dead. Over time, the affected areas will green up but may become the first to show leaf spot symptoms in the spring if environmental conditions are favorable. When a home lawn exhibits an annual cycle of leaf spot, disease-management strategies need to be implemented to avoid further bermudagrass damage and/or loss.

Leaf spot management

When approaching a disease-management plan for a bermudagrass home lawn, the environmental conditions and prevailing weather conditions should be considered. Cultural inputs — such as proper application and timing of fertilizer, correct mowing height and water management — may reduce undue plant stress. Very often, cultural practices alone are not enough to reduce disease activity, and in those instances, a fungicide may be required.

Homeowners have two options for home lawn disease control. A professional spray service may be employed that has access to different fungicide The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 19

Lawn Care Tips • Continued

classes and is licensed to apply them in a home lawn setting. The DIY homeowner has limited fungicide options that may be purchased at the local box store or garden center.

Our research

To better inform the homeowner on fungicide efficacy for leaf spot control in bermudagrass, we conducted a study to evaluate those fungicides labeled

for leaf spot control. The study was conducted on the R.R. Foil Research Center in Starkville on Mississippi State University’s own bermudagrass variety, MS-Choice. The study was initiated in late May 2010. Table 1 summarizes the products and rates of each entry. All products were labeled for leaf spot control in bermudagrass home lawns and applied on a monthly basis.

Table 1 Home lawn-labeled fungicide evaluation for control of leaf spot on MS-Choice bermudagrass maintained as home lawn turf in Mississippi, 2010.

Fungicide Trade Name

Formulation

Common Name

Rate of product/1,000 ft2

Maxide G

Granular

azoxystrobin

2.0 lbs.

F-Stop G

Granular

myclobutanil

4.0 lbs.

High Yield T&O G

Granular

PCNB

7.5 lbs.

Immunox EC

Liquid

myclobutanil

14.0 fl. oz.

Green Light Systemic WP

Powder

thiophanate-methyl

4.0 oz.

Check

Liquid

water

—

Efficacy of fungicides labeled for bermudagrass home lawns and available to homeowners and local outlets.

“Area under the disease progress curve” represents the amount of seasonal leaf spot severity for each treatment; the lower the value, the less leaf spot was present throughout the growing season. The letters outside the data bars represent statistical differences; data values followed by the same letter are not statistically different according to Fisher’s protected lease significant difference test (P = 0.05).

Seasonal Leaf Spot Control of Bermudagrass 310 A

Green Light Systemic WP (4.0 oz. Thiophanate-Methyl)

227 BC 305 A

Immunox EC (14.0 fl. oz. Myclobutanil) 236 ABC

High Yield T & O (7.5 lb. PCNB)

261 AB

F-Stop G (4.0 lb. Myclobutanil) 181 C

Maxide G (2.0 lb. Azoxystrobin) 0

20 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

50 100 150 200 250 300 Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC)

Research results

Plots treated with water (check) and Immunox had the greatest leaf spot severity in MS-Choice over the summer and early fall. The granular product Maxide had the best leaf spot control (Figure 1).

When temperatures were greater than 90ºF, the products containing myclobutanil and PCNB turned the leaves yellow after application. This reaction is referred to as phytotoxicity and is a short-term response. However, under phytotoxic conditions, the bermudagrass may become more susceptible to leaf spot disease.

Final thoughts

Figure 1

Untreated Control

Leaf spot severity ratings were taken throughout the summer, with the study concluding in early October.

The amount of seasonal leaf spot severity was determined using area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC); a value that represents the cumulative amount of disease through the duration of the study.

350

Environmental stewardship should be at the forefront of disease-management practices. Cultural practices are designed to promote plant health, and a healthy plant is a happy plant! Quite often, Mother Nature dictates our ability to mow, manage irrigation and make fertilizer and herbicide applications in a timely manner. Sometimes, it may be necessary for a fungicide application. When selecting a fungicide product, be sure to choose one suited to the turfgrass species, and always follow all label directions.

If leaf spot is a continual occurrence in the home lawn, a preventive fungicide program may need to be implemented early in the growing season and continued into winter transition to ensure control. Leaf spot activity may differ from year to year, depending upon the environmental conditions. Further information on home lawn disease control may be found at msucares.com/lawn/lawn/ diseases/index. v

Sports Turf Talk

Controlling

Virginia Buttonweed

By Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University

V

irginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana L.) is a troublesome turfgrass weed throughout the state of Mississippi and in the surrounding southeastern states. Buttonweed is one of a few key “driver weeds” in the Southeast that dictate market success of new herbicides (others include white clover and dandelion).

Therefore, most new broadleaf herbicides are trialed extensively for its control. Yet, even with increased industry focus, this weed continues to be a common weed in almost all turf scenarios, including sports, lawn and golf turf.

Virginia buttonweed is a native plant commonly found from Florida through the lower Midwest. It’s a spreading perennial broadleaf that reproduces by seed and fleshy roots and from stem fragments. It has opposite, lance-shaped leaves that produce small, white, four-lobed flowers that mature into small, elliptical-shaped seedpods. Purple leaves during latespring/early summer emergence are a distinguishing characteristic of this particular weed.

Virginia buttonweed favors moist to wet areas, but it can become a nuisance throughout most maintained turfgrass scenarios. The plant spreads outwards in a mat and rarely grows much taller than normal turfgrass mowing heights.

Due to its ability to reproduce vegetatively, and due to seed distribution varying within the thatch layer, preemergence herbicides provide only fair control. For this reason, cultural control strategies combined with 22 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Virginia buttonweed in centipedegrass.

Virginia buttonweed’s characteristic white, four-petal flower.

Sports Turf Talk • Continued

post-emergence herbicides are the most effective means of management.

Cultural prevention

As with most weeds, Virginia buttonweed is especially problematic in poor

turf stands. Improving stand density of turfgrass can be helpful, although excess fertilization and moisture may contribute to the increased invasiveness of this pest. A brief guide to nutrient and moisture management for turf-

Characteristic purpling of older leaves. This is especially evident after stress from environment or herbicidal treatment.

Postemergence herbicides for Virginia buttonweed control in turf trialed at Mississippi State University during summer 2014.

Bermuda

Centipede

St. Augustine

Zoysia

Tall Fescue

Turf Species Sensitivity

2,4-D

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Fair

Celsius

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Good

Dicamba

Y

Y

S

Y

Y

Good

Escalade 2

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Excellent

Trimec Southern

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Good

SpeedZone Southern

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Good

Metsulfuron-Methyl (MSM-Turf or Manor)

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Excellent

Flazasulfruon (Katana)

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Excellent

Herbicide

24 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Virginia Buttonweed Control

grass can be found in the MSUcares publication, Establish and Manage Your Home Lawn (P1322).

Herbicide recommendations

Pre-mixed products containing auxin-like herbicides, such as 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba, etc. (Trimec, SpeedZone, Spotlight, Weed-B-Gon and countless others), are effective if they’re applied several times during the early summer growing season. These broadleaf-specific herbicides are most often available for homeowners at their local lawn and garden store. However, commercial applicators may find that the phenoxy-type herbicide fluroxypyr and equivalent mixtures (e.g., Escalade 2, Change Up and several others) may provide better control than those previously mentioned.

The sulfonylurea herbicides, such as chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron, trifloxysulfuron, etc., are also very effective at extremely low use rates.

Professional turfgrass managers, however, should expect relatively slower development of symptomology using sulfonylureas than with previously mentioned auxin-like products.

This delay does not equate to lack of effectiveness. In trials at Mississippi State University during summer 2014, metsulfuron-methyl (MSM-Turf or Manor) and flazasulfuron (Katana) provided good to excellent control of Virginia buttonweed and also white clover (Trifolium repens). Commercial applicators may find that products such as Celsius (containing thiencarbazone and iodosulufron, in addition to dicamba) may provide better control of a range of broadleaf weeds, in addition to Virginia buttonweed.

Caution should be taken to calibrate application equipment and apply herbicides accurately to prevent turf and landscape injury. Read product labels carefully and completely, as not all products can be applied to all warmseason turf species. More specific information on controlling weeds in home lawns can be found in the turf section of Extension publication #1532, Weed Control Guidelines for Mississippi. v

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The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine • 25

Mississippi State Turf Team

Gary Bachman, Ph.D. Associate Extension/ Research Professor Specialty: Ornamental Hort.

Coastal Res. & Ext. Center Phone: (228) 546-1009 gbachman@ext.msstate.edu

Index of Advertisers

James McCurdy, Ph.D. Assistant Extension Professor Specialty: Turfgrass Extension Specialist and Weed Scientist Phone: (662) 325-2331 jmccurdy@pss.msstate.edu

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Clarissa Balbalian, M.S. Diagnostics Lab Manager Specialty: Plant Pathology Phone: (662) 325-2146 cbalbali@ext.msstate.edu

Wayne Philley, M.S. Senior Research Associate Specialty: Turfgrass Breeding and Evaluation Phone: (662) 325-2728 wphilley@pss.msstate.edu

Christian Baldwin, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Specialty: Turfgrass Mgmt.

Phone: (662) 325-8280 cmb907@msstate.edu

Mike Phillips, Ph.D. Department Head and Professor Dept.: Plant and Soil Sciences Phone: (662) 325-2311 jmp657@msstate.edu

Donna Beliech Area Extension Agent IV Rankin Co. Extension Service Phone: (601) 825-1462 donnab@ext.msstate.edu

Wayne Porter, Ph.D. SE Regional Extension Specialist Specialty: Horticulture Phone: (601) 482-9764 wporter@ext.msstate.edu

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John Byrd, Ph.D. Professor Specialty: Invasive Weed Mgmt.

Phone: (662) 325-4537 jbyrd@pss.msstate.edu

Michael Richard Extension Associate Specialty: Sports Turf Mgmt.

Phone: (662) 325-2311 mpr160@msstate.edu

O2YS Corporation..................................17 www.o2yscorp.com

Keith Crouse, Ph.D. Associate Extension Professor Specialty: Soils Phone: (662) 325-3313 keithc@ext.msstate.edu

Jason Ruffin Research Associate Specialty: Turfgrass Mgmt., Turf Research Facility Manager Phone: (662) 325-2640

Geoff Denny, Ph.D. Assistant Extension Professor Specialty: Commercial Ornamental Horticulture Phone: (662) 325-1682 gcd42@msstate.edu

Barry Stewart, Ph.D. Associate Professor Specialty: Sports Turf Science Phone: (662) 325-2725 bastewar@pss.msstate.edu

Alan Henn, Ph.D. Extension Professor Specialty: Ext. Plant Pathologist Phone: (662) 325-4535 ahenn@ext.msstate.edu Lelia Kelly, Ph.D. Extension Professor Specialty: Consumer Horticulture North MS Res. & Ext. Center Phone: (662) 566-2201 leliak@ext.msstate.edu Blake Layton, Jr., Ph.D. Extension Professor Specialty: Ext. Plant Entomologist Phone: (662) 325-2085 blayton@entomology.msstate.edu 26 • Mississippi Turfgrass • Spring 2015

Maria Tomaso-Peterson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Specialty: Turfgrass Pathology Phone: (662) 325-2593 mariat@pss.msstate.edu Jeff Wilson, Ph.D. Regional Extension Specialist Specialty: Ornamentals, Landscape, Turfgrass, Fruits and Vegetables North MS Res. & Ext. Center Phone: (662) 566-8019 jwilson@ext.msstate.edu

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Oasis Sod Farm.....................................25 www.oasissod.com Precision Chemical...............................23 www.precisionchemical.com Riebeling Farms, Inc.............................17 Smith Seed Services.............................25 www.smithseed.com Sur-Line Turf, Inc..................................25 www.surlineturf.com The Turfgrass Group....Inside Front Cover www.theturfgrassgroup.com Winstead Turf Farms... Inside Back Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com Mississippi Turfgrass is the Mississippi Turfgrass Association magazine. Subscriptions are complimentary to MTA members. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, its board of directors, Mississippi Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as MTA members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in any issue of Mississippi Turfgrass. Copyright ©2015 by the Mississippi Turfgrass Association. Mississippi Turfgrass is published quarterly.

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