Disease Rx
As Fall Approaches,
It’s Time to Treat for Spring Dead Spot in Bermudagrass By Joseph Roberts, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Pathology, University of Maryland
As
the name implies, “spring dead spot” is a disease that occurs in the spring. However, fall is a critical time of year for preventing this devastating disease. The 2014– 2015 winter was harsh on warm-season turfgrasses in the Mid-Atlantic, and predictions for 2015–2016 appear similar. As the summer season comes to an end and temperatures begin to drop, here are some thoughts to consider in preventing this disease from wreaking havoc on your warm-season turf next spring.
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MTC Turf News
Multiple fungi cause spring dead spot. •O phiosphaerella korrae is primarily observed in California and eastern United States, including Maryland. • Ophiosphaerella herpotricha is primarily observed in the mid-western states, ranging from northern Texas to Kansas and east to Tennessee. • Ophiosphaerella narmari is primarily observed in Australia with a few exceptions in the United States.
Which turfgrasses are affected?
Spring dead spot is a disease of warmseason turfgrasses and is considered the most destructive disease of bermudagrasses managed in the transition zone. Although not as common, zoysiagrass and buffalograss can also become infected. Ophiosphaerella korrae is also known to infect some cool-season turfgrasses (i.e., bluegrasses and fescues), causing necrotic ring spot disease in temperate climates.