8 am Tiny Bubbles –Role of Nanobubbles in Turf Management
Dr. Eric DeBoer, Louisiana State University
Nanobubble technology is gaining attention as a tool for improving water quality and enhancing turfgrass management. This session will examine current research on its effects on soil oxygenation, root health, pesticide application and efficacy, nutrient availability, and integrated pest management practices that promote healthy, sustainable turf.
Modern Technology for Mapping Soil Moisture
9 am
10 am
Dr. Chase Straw, Penn State Precision soil moisture mapping is transforming the way turf managers make irrigation and pest management decisions. This session will demonstrate how modern mapping technologies can improve water management, optimize pesticide application timing and performance, reduce off-target movement, and support integrated pest management and sustainable turfgrass maintenance.
Know
the
Enemy: Understanding Mechanisms of Activity and Application Timing of Fungicides and Nematicides
Dr. Aaron Tucker, Auburn University
Understanding how fungicides and nematicides work is essential for making informed management decisions. This presentation will examine pesticide modes of action, target pests, application timing, resistance management strategies, and best practices for maximizing efficacy while promoting responsible and sustainable pest management.
11 am New Goosegrass and Poa Herbicides in Golf
Dr. Scott McElroy, Auburn University
Stay ahead of challenging turfgrass weeds with the latest research on goosegrass and Poa management. This presentation will discuss new herbicide technologies, modes of action, application timing, resistance management, and integrated weed management strategies to improve control and support responsible pesticide use.
Pesticide
Selection BMPs
Go Beyond Just Killing the Pest
Dr. J. Bryan Unruh, University of Florida
Selecting the right pesticide involves more than simply eliminating a target pest. This session will explore best management practices for pesticide selection, including understanding modes of action, application considerations, environmental impacts, resistance management, and strategies for achieving effective control while protecting turf health and surrounding resources.
Managing Fields Through Heavy Traffic and Overuse
Dr. Barry Stewart, Mississippi State University
Learn how traffic stress impacts turfgrass health, pest pressure, and disease development. This presentation will discuss best management practices for field recovery, including rotational use, overseeding strategies, renovation timing, and integrated approaches that combine cultural practices with effective pest management programs.
Management Practices Impacting Athlete Safety and Performance
Dr. Chase Straw and Ava Veith, Penn State Healthy turf is the foundation of a safe playing environment. Learn how management decisions involving irrigation, nutrition, pesticide selection and application, disease prevention, and cultural practices influence turf quality, playability, and athlete safety. This session will highlight integrated pest management strategies that promote resilient turf systems.
Insights into Managing Sports Fields
Quincy Landry, Brightview
Effective sports field management requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond routine maintenance. Learn how proper cultural practices, pest identification, pesticide selection and application, disease prevention, and integrated turfgrass management strategies can improve field quality, athlete safety, and long-term turf health.
CEU & Pesticide Sign-out and Expo Adjournment
12 pm
Turfgrass Cultivar Showcase: New Grasses for Southern Lawns
Dr. Marta Pudzianowska, Mississippi State University and Dr. Kevin Kenworthy, University of Florida New turfgrass cultivars offer exciting opportunities for improving lawn quality and reducing management challenges. Learn how cultivar selection impacts pest susceptibility, disease development, water and nutrient requirements, and overall turf performance while supporting integrated pest management strategies for Southern landscapes.
Herbicide Programs for Home Lawns
Dr. Jay McCurdy, Mississippi State University
Develop a stronger understanding of herbicide programs for residential turf. This presentation will cover weed identification, herbicide selection, label considerations, application timing, modes of action, and resistance management strategies to improve control, enhance pesticide efficacy, and support responsible pesticide stewardship.
Diagnosing Turf Problems Faster and More Accurately
Dr. Dave Han, Auburn University
Before selecting a treatment, you must first identify the problem. This presentation will provide practical tools for diagnosing turf issues, recognizing pest and disease symptoms, understanding contributing factors, and making informed management
The Curious Case of Yellowing Centipedegrass
Dr. Aaron Tucker, Auburn University
Not all yellowing turf is the result of the same problem. This presentation will examine the diagnostic process for identifying the causes of yellowing centipedegrass, including insect pests, diseases, nutritional issues, and environmental stresses. Learn how accurate identification supports proper treatment selection, responsible pesticide use, and effective integrated pest management programs.
Pesticide recertification points for Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee
CEUs for GCSAA, CCA, PGMS and ASBA
Nutrient BMPs for Sod Production
Dr. Travis Shaddox, Bluegrass Arts & Science
A well-managed fertility program is the foundation of healthy turf and effective integrated pest management. This presentation will discuss nutrient BMPs for sod production, including soil testing, fertilizer selection, application practices, nutrient uptake, and how proper nutrition influences turf health, disease development, pest susceptibility, and overall management success.
Precision Sod Farming: Sensors, Drones, and Data Analytics
Amy Wilbur, Mississippi State University, Chase Straw, Penn State and Kyle Foreman, Mississippi State University Precision agriculture tools are providing sod producers with new opportunities to make more informed management decisions. Learn how emerging technologies such as moisture mapping, drone imaging, AI-assisted scouting, and variable-rate applications can improve pest identification, pesticide efficiency, application accuracy, and integrated pest management strategies while promoting environmental stewardship.
Beau Rivage-Promenade
ACTIVITIES & ACCOMMODATIONS
TAILGATE CELEBRATION
Kick off the Expo with your peers at Tailgate Celebration at The Preserve Golf Club, opening night, Tuesday, October 27th. Sponsors will be cooking up some tailgate favorites for you to enjoy while mingling and networking with attendees from all over the southeast. This event is free and open to all attendees, exhibitors, and guests. Preregistration is required to help plan food. Directions: 8901 Highway 57, Vancleave, MS 39565. Just 17 miles from Biloxi, travel east on I-10 and take exit 57 / MS-57. Turn north and the golf club will be two miles on the left.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Our host hotel is the Beau Rivage Resort, a Four-Diamond development by MGM Resorts International that sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi. The Deep South Turf Expo has secured a discounted room rate of $142 (plus $19 resort tax) for DSTE attendees. Make your reservations directly by using our exclusive link found by clicking the red button at www.DeepSouthTurfExpo.org. It is important that you DO NOT use a third party provider/discounter to make your reservation; only use our link. Don’t delay—our room rate is only available until September 25, 2026.
SCRAMBLE GOLF TOURNAMENT
The scramble golf tournament will be held on Tuesday, October 27th at The Preserve Golf Club. The Preserve is an 18-hole course which has been integrated within an 1800-acre native preserve full of live oaks, cypress swamps, long leaf pines and native grass prairies and designed by Jerry Pate. Bring your clubs and prepare yourself for a wonderful afternoon of golf with your peers. Lunch, two drink tickets and two mulligans will be included in your registration (and the Tailgate Celebration will follow immediately after play). Pre-registration is required; all participants must be registered for the DSTE as an attendee or exhibitor. Directions: 8901 Highway 57, Vancleave, MS 39565. Just 17 miles from Biloxi, travel east on I-10 and take exit 57 / MS-57. Turn north and the golf club will be two miles on the left.
With over 20 educational sessions to choose from, plus a tradeshow with more than 80 exhibitors, this regional event is designed to benefit every turfgrass manager. Learn the latest and greatest research and management practices for growing the best southern turf. We welcome all sod producers, lawn care operators, landscapers, golf course superintendents and sports field managers to Biloxi, Mississippi for our eleventh annual Deep South Turf Expo. Look inside for more details and registration information.
FUTURE DATES
OCTOBER 2027 12 – 14
Grow your knowledge, discover new products, and connect with turf professionals from across the Southeast at the Deep South Turf Expo. Explore expert-led educational sessions, visit the trade show to see the latest products and technology, and take home practical solutions you can put to work right away. Open the brochure to see what’s waiting for you at the Deep South Turf Expo! NOVEMBER 2028 7 – 9
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Golf Course Superintendents
Lawn Care Operators
Parks & Recreation Supervisors Landscape Contractors
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sales@leadingedgecommunications.com
Equipment Suppliers Sod Producers
STEP 1 – Attendee Information Name:
STEP 2 – Conference Registration
Includes all educational sessions, tradeshow, tailgate celebration, tradeshow lunch and continental breakfasts. Note: On-line registration closes on Friday, October 16th!
STEP 3 – Ticketed Events
STEP 4 – Payment Total from Step 2 – Conference
If paying by check, please make out to DSTE and include with registration form. Refund request must be received in writing to t he registrar no later than October 16, 2026. Refunds will be issued minus a $75 administrative fee. No refunds will be issued for requests afte r October 16, 2026.
Remit registration form to: Deep South Turf Expo, P.O. Box 2323, Auburn, AL 36831 For assistance with registration, please call 334-821-3000 or email: info@DeepSouthTurfExpo.org Please complete one form per person. Registration is available online at www.DeepSouthTurfExpo.org
2026 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Eric DeBoer, Ph.D.
Dr. Eric DeBoer is an Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Management in the School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences at Louisiana State University AgCenter. Dr. DeBoer earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Crop and Soil Science from Michigan State University and earned his master’s degree and doctorate in Horticultural Science at the University of Arkansas. He currently serves as education advisor for the Louisiana Turfgrass Association, the Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA and the Deep South Turf Expo.
Josh Dyer
Josh Dyer is a Solutions Expert at Automated Outdoor Solutions where he has been assisting turf professionals find solutions with autonomous technology. Prior to sales, Josh was a golf course superintendent for over 24 years with the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
Kyle Foreman
Kyle Foreman holds a Master’s degree in Turfgrass Management from Penn State University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Plant and Soil Science at Mississippi State University. His research focuses on the use of precision irrigation on golf courses. He is the owner of FGS Consulting in Georgetown, Texas, where he works with a range of clients to improve turfgrass management practices, reduce inputs, and maximize turf quality through practical, datadriven solutions.
David Han, Ph.D.
Dr. David Han is an Associate Professor and Turfgrass Specialist for Auburn University in the Crop Soil & Environmental Science Department and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. He earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Cornell University. He also serves as the Educational Director for the Alabama Turfgrass Association and the Deep South Turf Expo.
Kevin Kenworthy, Ph.D.
Dr. Kevin Kenworthy leads the University of Florida’s turfgrass breeding program with objectives focused on reducing water use and improving pest resistance in new cultivars that increase industry profit. The Turfgrass Producers of Florida, the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association, and their respective members have provided critical support towards the development and evaluation of breeding lines. CitraBlue St. Augustinegrass, and CitraZoy and Brazos zoysiagrasses are releases from this program.
Quince Landry
Quince Landry is the Senior Manager of Sports Turf Operations at Brightview Landscapes – Sports Turf Division. Recently, he had the honor of hosting the CONCAF Championship Finals in Los Angeles, California at SoFi Stadium, providing insight and knowledge for 2026 FIFA World Cup. Quince received his Bachelor degree in Turf Management from Louisiana State University. Prior to his role at Brightview, he worked for SGL (Stadium Grow Lighting), and has worked in MLB, MiLB, NFL, and NCAA serving as head groundskeeper or manager at several locations including Death Valley at LSU, the Biloxi Shuckers, and Corpus Christi Hooks.
Jay McCurdy, Ph.D.
Dr. Jay McCurdy is a Professor and Head in the Department of Ag Science and Plant Protection at Mississippi State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Martin, a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and a Doctorate in Agronomy and Soils from Auburn University. He has served as academic liaison for the Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendent’s Association, the Mississippi Turfgrass Association and the Deep South Turf Expo.
Scott McElroy, Ph.D.
Dr. J. Scott McElroy is a Professor of Turfgrass Weed Science at Auburn University, where he has focused his career on advancing weed management and improving turfgrass systems. He earned his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University and previously served on the faculty at the University of Tennessee before joining Auburn, where he has worked for the past 18 years. Dr. McElroy is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America, serves as Treasurer of the International Turfgrass Society, and holds an Alumni Professorship at Auburn University. His recent work includes extensive research on robotic mowing technologies and their integration into modern turf management practices. Dr. McElroy also serves as the Educational Advisor for the Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Deep South Turf Expo.
Marta Pudzianowska, Ph.D.
Dr. Marta Pudzianowska is an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University, with over nine years of experience in breeding warm-season turfgrasses. She authored and co-authored articles in peer-reviewed journals in the scope of genetic diversity and population structure of warm-season turfgrasses, breeding and selection of warm-season turfgrasses for drought and salinity tolerance. Her work in warm-season turfgrass breeding at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) resulted in co-authorship of two cultivars of bermudagrass (‘Coachella’ and ‘Presidio’). Currently she leads bermudagrass and carpetgrass breeding programs at MSU.
Travis Shaddox, Ph.D.
Dr. Travis Shaddox is President of Bluegrass Art and Science LLC. Dr. Shaddox previously held faculty positions at the University of Florida and the University of Kentucky. Dr. Shaddox received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from the University of Florida, and received his B.S. degree from Oklahoma State University. His research focuses on soil fertility and turfgrass nutrition.
Barry Stewart, Ph.D.
Dr. Barry Stewart is a Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. He teaches courses in Turfgrass management and plant science. The focus of his research has been on Turfgrass and soil interactions. He received his Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences from Virginia Tech in 1996 and has been a faculty member at Mississippi State since 2000.
Chase Straw, Ph.D.
Dr. Chase Straw is an Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Soils and Director of the Center for Sports Surface Research at Penn State University. He earned his B.S. in Turfgrass Science from the University of Kentucky and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Before joining Penn State in 2025, he served as an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University and completed a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on technologydriven strategies to enhance golf courses and sports fields, integrating sensing, mapping, and data analytics to improve performance and safety. He recently served as Academic Director on the Sports Field Management Association’s Board of Directors from 2023 to 2025.
Aaron Tucker, Ph.D.
Dr. Aaron Tucker is an Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Science at Auburn University. A native of Mississippi, he is a graduate of the Mississippi State University Turfgrass Program and earned his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Virginia Tech. With a strong background in both research and extension, Dr. Tucker’s work at Auburn focuses on turfgrass pathology, plant physiology, and integrated disease management. Dr. Tucker serves as Educational Advisor on the Alabama Turfgrass Association Board of Directors as well as on the Alabama GCSA Foundation Board.
J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D.
Dr. J. Bryan Unruh is a Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida, IFAS, West Florida Research and Education Center, where he has held a faculty position since 1996. Dr. Unruh received his Ph.D. in 1995 from Iowa State University and his M.S. and B.S. degrees from Kansas State University in 1991 and 1989, respectively. Dr. Unruh’s integrated turfgrass science research and extension program focuses on water quality (nutrient impairment) and quantity (drought), pest management, and new cultivar development. Results from his team’s work are included in all three Florida turf industry Best Management Practice (BMP) manuals. Dr. Unruh also serves as the Educational Advisor for the Gulf Coast Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Deep South Turf Expo.
Ava Veith
Ava Veith is a Ph.D. student at Penn State, where her research focuses on quantifying withinfield variability and athlete–surface interactions. She has gained professional experience as a Playing Surface Data Technician with the Kansas City Current (NWSL) and as an Assistant Pitch Manager–Testing at MetLife Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She began her doctoral research in fall 2025, where she continues researching how field variability impacts athletes and aims to translate those findings into actionable, data-driven guidance for sports field managers.
Amy Wilber
Amy holds a B.S. in turfgrass science from The Ohio State University and a M.S. in weed science from Mississippi State University. She is currently an Extension Associate and Ph.D. student at Mississippi State University. Her research focuses on the evaluation of new herbicides, practical applications of herbicides for turfgrass producers, and remote sensing for turfgrass and weed detection.
Agra Turf, Inc. 19 www.agrainc.com
Aqua Aid Solutions........................ 7 www.aquaaid.com
Greene County Fertilizer Co. 19 www.greenecountyfert.com
Harrell’s LLC Inside Front Cover www.harrells.com
Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Back Cover www.jerrypate.com
Leading Edge Communications 16 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
Regal Chemical Company ............ 3 www.regalchem.com
Riebeling Farms, Inc. 19 riebelingfarmsinc@gmail.com
Smith Seed Services 15 www.smithseed.com
Sur-Line Turf, Inc. 15 www.surlineturf.com The Aquatrols Company ............. 10 www.aquatrols.com The Turf Zone 15 www.theturfzone.com The Turfgrass Group 5 www.theturfgrassgroup.com
Trimax Mowing Systems 10 www.trimaxmowers.com
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