Pennsylvania Turfgrass - Winter 2022

Winter 2022 • Vol. 11/No. 1

Taking Grass Weeds out of Non-mowed Fine Fescues with ACCase-inhibiting Herbicides PLUS

Looking Back at the

FALL ARMYWORM INVASION OF 2021

Vol. 11 / No. 1 • Winter 2022

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 99 Boalsburg, PA 16827-0550 Phone: (814) 237-0767 Fax: (814) 414-3303 info@paturf.org www.paturf.org Publisher: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, TN 37064 Phone: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedgecommunications.com Pennsylvania Turfgrass Editor Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Penn State University • mjs38@psu.edu

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Pennsylvania Turfgrass Associate Editor Heather Welch Penn State University • hgw1@psu.edu President Tom Fisher Wildwood Golf Club – Allison Park, PA (412) 518-8384 Vice President Rick Catalogna Harrell’s Inc Territory Manager (412) 897-0480 Secretary-Treasurer Shawn Kister Longwood Gardens, Inc. – Kennett Square, PA (484) 883-9275

16 8 Cover Story

Taking Grass Weeds out of Non-mowed Fine Fescues with ACCase-inhibiting Herbicides

14 Feature

Charity Golf Tournament Raises $21,000 For Thomas L. Watschke Award of Excellence

Departments 5 Advertiser Index 6 President’s Update 6 Penn State Turf Team 19 Penn State News

16 Feature

Looking Back at the Fall Armyworm Invasion of 2021

18 Between the Lines

Job Prospects and Challenges in the Turf Industry

4

Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM

Past President Pete Ramsey Range End Golf Club – Dillsburg, PA (717) 577-5401 Director of Operations Tom Bettle Penn State University Assistant Director of Operations Nicole Kline Pennsylvania Turfgrass Association Directors Steve Craig Centre Hills Country Club Tanner Delvalle Penn State Extension Elliott Dowling USGA Andy Moran University of Pittsburgh Tim Wilk Scotch Valley Country Club Matt Wolf Penn State University

Advertiser Index

Aer-Core, Inc....................................... 19 www.aer-core.com

Beam Clay.............................................6 www.BEAMCLAY.com

Coombs Sod Farms............................. 10 www.coombsfarms.com

Covermaster, Inc...................................5 www.covermaster.com

DryJect – PA........................................ 15 dryject.us

East Coast Sod & Seed....................... 13 www.eastcoastsod.com

Fisher & Son Company, Inc............. Inside Front Cover www.fisherandson.com

FM Brown’s & Sons............................. 10 www.fmbrown.com

Forse Design Incorporated....................7 www.forsegolfdesign.com

George E. Ley Co................................ 13 www.gelcogolf.com

Greene County Fertilizer Co................ 13 www.greenecountyfert.com

Mitchell Products................................ 17 www.mitchellsand.com

Progressive Turf Equipment Inc............7 www.progressiveturfequip.com

Quest Products Corp............ Back Cover www.questproducts.us

Seedway.............................................. 10 www.seedway.com

Shreiner Tree Care.................................5 www.shreinertreecare.com

Turf Science...........................................3 www.turfscience.net

The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (PTC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Pennsylvania Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or PTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Copyright © 2021 by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council. Pennsylvania Turfgrass is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to PTC members. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Pennsylvania Turfgrass allows reprinting of material published here.

Permission requests should be directed to the PTC. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Mike Kachurak

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President’s Update

R EFLECTION, DOWNTIME and PR EPAR ATION

The

age-old question that vexes turf managers…What do you do in the winter?

Once you brush the look of incredulity from your face, how do you respond?

Are you scrambling to wrap up every loose end from the previous season?

Do you enjoy some well-deserved rest? Are you chomping at the bit for 2022? With any luck, we are a combination of all three scenarios, optimizing the mix of reflection, downtime, and preparation. Regardless of the season, your PTC is always working to provide the best for our members and the Turf Program we hold in high regard.

If we have gleaned anything from the past 24 months, it is that fluidity in our daily ideas and actions often produces the most valuable of products. Evidence of this phenomenon can easily be found in our industry as we do our best to steer the ship through so many variables that lay just out of our reach. This offseason is full of exciting events with roots in tradition but retooled for the times we live in. Looking back to fall, many of our PTC members and Industry Colleagues made the trip to University Park to enjoy a beautiful day at the Blue Course for the Thomas Watshcke Memorial Golf Outing. The following day, nearly 80 Turf and Ag students attended the Job Fair presented by the College of Agriculture and the William F. Randolph Turfgrass Fund. This ever-expanding event was held in the HUB Robeson Center and boasted robust student attendance while providing important resources like mock interviews and resume critique. The 29 employers in attendance had the opportunity to meet with these students, establishing key networks with the future of our industry. A panel discussion moderated by Tyler Bloom (Tyler Bloom Consulting) featured informative insights from industry luminaries Chris Brown (Teed & Brown), Dan Douglas (Reading Fightin’ Phils), and Doug Brooks (Castle Pine Golf Club). Mid Atlantic Field Representative Katrin Wolf was in attendance and got us up to speed on happenings with GCSAA. Looking ahead, our exciting regional seminars will welcome our members this winter and spark new ideas for the 2022 season ahead. If you haven’t registered for these seminars, please head over to PaTurf.org for a full breakdown of meeting sites and agendas. Thank you for your continued support of the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council!

Tom Fisher PTC President

Penn State Turf Team

Jeffrey A. Borger Senior Instructor in Turfgrass Weed Management 814-865-3005 • jborger@psu.edu

Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D. Professor of Plant & Soil Science 610-396-6330 • maf100@psu.edu

David R. Huff, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Genetics 814-863-9805 • drh15@psu.edu

Brad Jakubowski Instructor of Plant Science 814-865-7118 • brj8@psu.edu

John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-865-3007 • jek156@psu.edu

Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-863-1017 • pjl1@psu.edu

Ben McGraw, Ph.D. Associate Professor of

Turfgrass Entomology 814-865-1138 • bam53@psu.edu

Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D. Professor of Soil Science 814-863-1368 • asm4@psu.edu

Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 • mjs38@psu.edu

Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Management aturgeon@psu.edu

Wakar Uddin, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Pathology 814-863-4498 • wxu2@psu.edu 6

Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

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Cover Story

Taking Grass Weeds out of Non-mowed Fine Fescues with ACCaseinhibiting Herbicides

By Peter Landschoot, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Science

O

ne of the toughest tasks for a turfgrass manager is to control grass weeds without injuring desirable grasses.

One group of postemergence herbicides, the acetyl-CoA carboxylase-inhibiting herbicides (or ACCase-inhibiting herbicides), is particularly important for selective suppression or control of stubborn weeds like quackgrass, wirestem muhly, tall fescue, bentgrass, and annual grasses in non-mowed fine fescue stands (Figure 1). Achieving successful weed control with ACCaseinhibiting herbicides requires some experience and careful examination of herbicide labels for rates, timing of applications, and use of surfactants.

General characteristics of ACCase-inhibiting herbicides The ACCase-inhibiting herbicides are foliar absorbed and move through phloem to the growing points of target weeds. Hence, they are classified as systemic herbicides. Generally, herbicides in this group act slowly on susceptible grass weeds, taking two to three weeks to express complete suppression or control following

8

Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

applications. The mode of action of ACCase-inhibiting herbicides involves inhibition of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase enzyme (abbreviated ACCase) in plants. ACCase is an essential enzyme catalyst in fatty acid and cell membrane synthesis. The ACCase inhibitors are important for controlling weed grasses in broadleaf crops such as soybeans, in ornamental beds, and in stands containing some wildflower species because of the high degree of tolerance of broadleaf plants to these herbicides. Fine fescue species are known to have a high degree of tolerance to most ACCase-inhibiting herbicides, perhaps because of a less sensitive ACCase enzyme or the ability to quickly degrade the herbicide (Al-Khatib, 2019). Sedges are also tolerant of ACCase-inhibitors, thus none of these herbicides are labeled for control of nutsedge or false green kyllinga.

The PROPs, FOPs, and DIMS The ACCase-inhibiting herbicides include two major subgroups, the aryloxyphenoxypropionates and the cyclohexanediones. To simplify terminology, aryloxyphenoxypropionates are often referred

FIG. 1. Tall fescue infesting a stand of fine fescue.

to as PROPs and FOPs, and include three important grass herbicides used in non-mowed fine fescues: fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (Acclaim Extra), fluazifop-P-butyl (Fusilade II Turf & Ornamental Herbicide and Ornamec 170), and quizalofop-P-ethyl (Assure II and Targa).

The cyclohexanediones, frequently called DIMs, include sethoxydim (Segment II and Sethoxydim SPC) and clethodim (Tapout, Envoy Plus, and other products).

Acclaim Extra (fenoxaprop-P-ethyl) is known mostly as a postemergence summer annual grass herbicide but can also suppress common bermudagrass in some cool-season turfgrasses. Acclaim Extra is labeled for fine fescues provided application rates do not exceed 28 fl oz/acre for a single application. A trial conducted at Penn State in June of 2020 showed no injury to non-mowed creeping red fescue following applications of Acclaim Extra at 13, 20, 28, and 39 fl oz/acre with a nonionic surfactant added to the mixtures.

Acclaim Extra has only postemergence activity, and plants should not be under drought stress when applications are made. As with all postemergence grass herbicides, avoid mowing operations 24 hours before and after application to allow better contact with the leaf surface and translocation of the active ingredient. Acclaim

Extra should not be mixed with 2,4-D or MCPP as these herbicides may reduce efficacy.

Fusilade II and Ornamec 170 (fluazifop-P-butyl) are postemergence annual and perennial grass herbicides. These products can be sprayed over the top of many ornamental broadleaf plants and suppress or control summer annual and perennial grasses such as bermudagrass, quackgrass, and wirestem muhly in non-mowed stands of fine fescue. Fusilade II and Ornamec 170 can also be used to control weeds in stands of tall fescue when used at low rates. In trials conducted at Penn State, Fusilade II performed better than other ACCase-inhibiting herbicides with respect to suppression of quackgrass when applied at 16 fl oz/acre and mixed with a nonionic surfactant in June and again in early September. Fusilade II also showed good control of escaped creeping bentgrass in fine fescue stands following a 16 fl oz/acre application in September. Creeping bentgrass is not listed as a weed species on the Fusilade II label. For optimum herbicide efficacy, a nonionic surfactant should be mixed with Fusilade II. The product label states that a crop oil concentrate should not be used when spraying over turf and ornamentals.

Winter 2022 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass

9

Caution should be used when spraying fluazifop-P-butyl products in fine fescue stands containing native warm-season grasses. A preliminary trial on a local variety of little bluestem (a warm-season native grass species sometimes used in fine fescue stands) revealed stunting and foliar injury following an application of Fusilade at 16 fl oz/acre with a nonionic surfactant (Figure 2).

Assure II and Targa (quizalofopP-ethyl) are similar to Fusilade II and Ornamec 170 in that they are very safe on fine fescues and are labeled for control of summer annual and perennial grasses, including bermudagrass, quackgrass, and wirestem muhly. Recent trials with Assure II at Penn State have shown excellent safety on fine fescues at the 12 fl oz/ acre rate when mixed with a nonionic surfactant. Although we have not tested quizalofop-P-ethyl herbicides on other species, the Assure II and Targa labels contain information on safe establishment of wildflowers in non-crop areas. Preliminary trials with Assure II for quackgrass control in fine fescue stands have shown good suppression, but more studies are needed to determine how this herbicide compares to other ACCase-inhibiting herbicides. Assure II does not appear to have inhibitory effects on escaped bentgrass that contaminates fine fescue stands.

Quizalofop-P-ethyl herbicides have been used for postemergence control of Japanese stiltgrass in wooded areas, but this invasive weed does not appear on the Assure II or Targa labels (Jackson et al., 2020).

Segment II and Sethoxydim SPC (sethoxydim) are DIM ACCase-inhibiting herbicides, and like the PROPs and FOPs, provide post-emergence suppression or control of numerous annual and perennial grass weeds, including Japanese stiltgrass, bermudagrass, quackgrass, wirestem muhly, perennial ryegrass, and seedling tall fescue. The Segment II label has specific information for use on fine fescues managed as naturalized areas on golf courses. Trials at Penn State have demonstrated excellent safety on fine fescue species at rates up to 24 fl oz/acre when combined with 1.5 pt/acre methylated seed oil (this rate is slightly higher rate than the label recommended rate for fine fescues). However, sethoxydim herbicides can injure most other cool-season turf grasses, as well as little bluestem, when applied at maximum label rates.

10 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

Cover Story • continued

Trials at Penn State have shown good efficacy on wirestem muhly and suppression of quackgrass when Segment II is applied twice ( June and September) at 24 fl oz/acre and mixed with methylated seed oil. Our trials have also demonstrated very good suppression of 1-year-old Ky-31 tall fescue in fine fescue stands when Segment II was applied once in early September at 24 fl oz/ acre with methylated seed oil as an additive. Based on the results

of this trial, sethoxydim appears to be the most effective ACCaseinhibiting herbicide at controlling tall fescue (Figure 3) in naturalized stands of fine fescues. Methylated seed oil and crop oil concentrate products are recommended as additives for sethoxydim products for enhanced weed control. According the to the Segment II label, non-ionic surfactants are not recommended as additives.

FIG.2. Plot of severely injured quackgrass following a June application of Fusilade II (left), and herbicide-induced stunting of little bluestem after a summer application Fusilade II (right).

FIG.3. Non-treated control plot of 1-yr-old Ky-31 tall fescue mixed with hard fescue (left) and a plot of the same Ky-31 tall fescue/hard fescue mixture following a September application of Segment II (right). Note the reduction of tall fescue in the Segment II-treated plot compared to the non-treated control.

Winter 2022 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 11

Cover Story • continued

Tapout and Envoy Plus (clethodim) are not recommended for use on naturalized fine fescue stands at current label rates due to phytotoxicity concerns. Penn State trials with Tapout at 12, 24, and 32 fl oz/acre mixed with a nonionic surfactant have demonstrated various degrees of injury to fine fescues, with the 12 fl oz rate showing the least amount of injury and 32 fl oz causing severe foliar browning (Figure 4). On the positive side, none of these treatments killed fine fescues, and treated plots recovered several weeks after application. A noticeable effect of Tapout treatments included seedhead stunting, thinning, and/or complete inhibition, which could be a desirable outcome in some situations. Clethodim-containing herbicides can control annual bluegrass (along with many other

annual and perennial grasses), which makes these products somewhat unique. We plan to conduct more studies with clethodim products at lower application rates to determine if these herbicides have a beneficial role in naturalized fine fescue stands.

Resistance issues Herbicide resistance is becoming a significant problem in areas where products with similar active ingredients are used repeatedly to control certain types of weeds. At least three weed species (goosegrass, annual ryegrass, and annual bluegrass) have developed resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides.

FIG.4. Plots of fine fescue treated with Tapout (clethodim) herbicide. The plot within the yellow flags on the left was treated with 24 fl oz Tapout/acre plus a nonionic surfactant, and the plot on the right was treated with 12 fl oz/acre plus a nonionic surfactant. Both treatments reduced seedheads and the 12 fl oz rate showed only minor foliar injury.

12 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

POWER UP YOUR SOIL

In the case of goosegrass, affected plants were resistant to diclofop-methyl, sethoxydim, clethodim, fenoxaprop-Pethyl, and fluazifop-P-butyl (McCullough et al., 2016). This occurrence was detected in Georgia after 30 years of exclusive use of sethoxydim for goosegrass control in centipedegrass. A recent report from New Zealand revealed annual bluegrass resistance to an ACCase-inhibiting herbicide (haloxyfop) following applications to fine fescue turf on a golf course (Ghanizadeh et al. 2020). Although turfgrass herbicide resistance in the northeast U.S. is rare, these examples serve as a reminder to alternate among different mode-of-action classes of herbicides when making repeat applications over multiple seasons. Fortunately, ACCase-inhibiting herbicides are used infrequently in non-mowed stands of fine fescue in Pennsylvania, and no resistance problems have been reported.

Label information Some ACCase-inhibiting herbicide product labels do not provide specific information on treating naturalized areas of fine fescues on golf courses and other large properties, and instead refer to use in non-crop areas. If in doubt about proper use rates for certain weeds in fine fescues, turfgrass managers may want to check with manufacturers for more specific information concerning product uses. Always refer to product labels for mixing with other herbicides, especially broadleaf herbicides.

References Al-Khatib, K. 2019. Acetyl CoA Carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. http://herbicidesymptoms.ipm.ucanr.edu/ MOA/ACCase_inhibitors/ Jackson, D.R., S. Wurzbacher, A. Gover, and S. Templeton. 2020. Japanese stiltgrass.

Penn State Extension. https://extension. psu.edu/japanese-stiltgrass

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Ghanizadeh, H., C. H. Mesarich, and K. C. Harrington. 2020. Molecular characteristics of the first case of haloxyfop-resistant Poa annua. Scientific Reports 10,4231. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61104-0 McCullough, P.E., Y. Jialin Yu, P.L. Raymer, and Z. Chen. 2016. First report of ACCaseresistant goosegrass (Eleusine indica) in the United States. Weed Science. 64(3):399-408. https://doi.org/10.1614/WS-D-15-00203.1

Winter 2022 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 13

Feature

Charity Golf Tournament Raises $21,000 For

THOMAS L. WATSCHKE

Award recipient Andrew Wile with Christa Watschke

Award of Excellence

P

enn State Turfgrass hosted the inaugural Thomas L. Watschke Award of Excellence Golf Tournament in partnership with The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council on October 13. A total of $21,773.28 was raised to support this award in memory of Thomas L. Watschke, Professor Emeritus at Penn State.

Sixty-five golfers participated in 18 holes of scramble golf at the Penn State Blue Course. Tournament participants enjoyed a variety of competitions in addition to 18 holes of scramble golf tournament play. Activities included longest drive, closest to the pin and opportunity to win advantages.

A huge thank you goes out to the sponsors and individuals who helped make the Charity Golf Tournament an exciting and successful fundraising event.

“We are grateful for our sponsors of all levels who made this event possible and whose generous contributions helped the tournament make even more than we expected. It is an honor to provide the funds to this award of excellence in memory of Dr. Watschke,” said John Kaminski, Professor, Penn State.

The Thomas L. Watschke Award of Excellence was started in Tom’s memory by his family. His wife, Christa Watschke, was at the event to present the first award recipient, Andrew J. Wile.

“Upon completing his education, Tom contemplated a career in industry vs. higher education. Ultimately, he decided on higher education to share his passion for the study of Turfgrass and its management with others. Throughout his career, he discovered the greatest reward was the relationships he established with his students, many that lasted a lifetime! Post-retirement, Tom expressed interest in giving back to Penn State, the turf industry and most importantly, the students. Raising money for this endowment/ award allows us to award students for their academic efforts in the Turfgrass field in memory of Tom,” said Christa Watschke when presenting the award.

Andrew J. Wile is a senior Turfgrass student who will be graduating in December 2021. The Thomas L. Watschke Award of Excellence will be given to a 4th year student each fall.

For more information, please contact turf@psu.edu 14 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

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Feature

Looking Back at the

Fall Armyworm Invasion of 2021

By Ben McGraw, Ph.D.

It

would have been difficult to convince me in January 2021 that there would be a bigger insect news story than the emergence of 17-year periodical cicadas. These red-eyed menaces were the talk of the town early in summer with their near constant humming, driving those who work in landscapes to near madness over the course of several weeks. Little did we know at that time that a more insidious pest would be on the verge of invading the Commonwealth and about to cause turfgrass damage on a scale that has not been observed in many years. Here we look back at the Great Fall Armyworm (FAW)(Spodoptera frugiperda) Outbreak of 2021 to discuss what can be done in future years to prepare.

Homegrown problem: The majority of our destructive turfgrass insect pests are introduced species to North America. Invasive insects are believed to be more problematic outside of their native distribution since they are unlikely to occur along with their natural enemies, thus allowing for greater population growth. Unlike the majority of white grubs species, mole crickets, crane flies (leatherjackets), the FAW is native to the Americas. However, they are native to tropical or semi-tropical areas and incapable of persisting year-round in most areas in the United States. This means that no stage is capable of surviving in areas that experience freezing temperatures, limiting permanent populations to southern Texas and Florida. Each spring, moths in these areas deposit thousands of eggs that will hatch and become caterpillars. These voracious eating machines will feed on numerous host plants including corn, soybeans, rice, and turfgrasses (warmand cool-season turfgrasses). The literature would suggest that most turfgrasses are susceptible, including Bermudagrass, fescues, ryes, and blues. The caterpillar develops through six to seven instars, pupates in the soil (forming a reddish brown cocoon), then emerges as a moth. Some moths will remain in the region, deposit eggs to become the 2nd generation of caterpillars. This scenario will play out continuously, making for year-round threats to turfgrass loss in the south. However, some moths will be dispersed on the wind hundreds of miles which then become infestations in northern and western regions. The number of FAW generations a region may experience is largely dependent on the moth’s migration north.

The Carolinas might have several FAW generations per year, whereas Pennsylvania and points north may experience one generation per year. Surveillance of moths has shown FAW capable of being dispersed as much as 500 miles in 24 hrs! The Northeast does not typically experience FAW turfgrass damage, but rather observe boom years when southern storm activity is active in mid-summer.

Why were FAW so bad in 2021?

I have only witnessed one such destructive outbreak this far north in my career, but it was limited to a much smaller region (western NY). It is unclear as to how FAW populations reached outbreak levels so uniformly across Pennsylvania this year. Some theories are that insecticide failures are becoming more common in the South, leading to larger populations to disperse northward. We don’t expect to see FAW each year, much less such strong insect activity late in summer. Therefore detecting these insects usually occurs when they are 3rd-4th instars and turf is beginning to turn droughty. Given that the majority of the damage we observed in Pennsylvania was in the last week of August... and applying a little back calculations on the larval development time to reach these 16 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

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later instars… we can assume that the moths entered the region sometime around the end of July. Years where there are large storms/hurricane activity in mid-summer would allow for ample time for the moths to arrive in the north and develop to larvae where their feeding is very apparent. It’s possible that FAW do frequently make it to Pennsylvania but arrive too late in August to develop to large larvae (i.e. cause massive turf loss) before experiencing freezing temperatures.

What should I be aware of next year?

I do not think that FAW is a pest that we can expect to be an annual issue in Pennsylvania. However, with changing climates and increased storm activity (and power), it is possible that we could see more consistent dispersal of FAW moths into Pennsylvania on annual basis. At this point in time, I don’t think FAW is a pest where preventive measures should be put in place prior to arrival (in Pennsylvania). However, there are opportunities where prevention of other pests will reduce the likelihood of FAW damaging turf stands. Those managers that used chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) for preventive white grub control were sleeping well at night during the FAW scourge of 2021. This preventive measure continues to provide exceptional control of white grubs and caterpillars when applied in spring. I received many photos of distinct lines between Acelepryn-treated and damaged turfgrass lawns or golf course fairways in 2021.

There are numerous curative control options for those that do not experience white grub issues or who have higher tolerances for insect damage in general. This approach can be effective but must combine scouting with timely interventions. Hindsight is

always 20/20 and with turf loss to FAW still fresh in our minds, Pennsylvanians should be on the lookout for early arrivers in mid to late July rather than waiting until damage occurs in late August (or even later as observed in previous years). Caterpillar control in general is pretty simple and we live by a few tenets: 1) treat them early in their development, 2) apply contact insecticides to the foliage 3) don’t water it in or mow it off and 4) apply late in the day so the caterpillars acquire the residue while foraging. Pyrethroids are probably the most efficacious contacts available, but spinosads and indoxacarb are “softer” chemistries. Entomopathogenic nematodes are a great biological (non-toxic) option, but require some attention with storage, handling, application, and postapplication care. If you have a weedy lawn like me- then doing nothing is also a viable alternative. Although FAW damage can be severe, the recovery on mature turfs is surprisingly good with light and frequent watering and a little fertilizer.

Winter 2022 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 17

Between the Lines

JOB PROSPECTS and CHALLENGES in the TURF INDUSTRY

W

hen questions of recruitment and employment prospects in the turf industry come up, Tyler Bloom is a good man to go to for answers. The 2009 Penn State Turf Science graduate is an experienced golf course superintendent and now the owner of a consulting firm focused on workforce development in the turfgrass industry, so he has his finger on the pulse of current industry challenges and opportunities. We caught up with Tyler at a recent PSU Turfgrass Job Fair, where he served as a panelist and resource.

RECRUITING CHALLENGES In discussing the recruiting challenges the turf industry faces, Tyler Bloom pointed first to recent overall changes in wage and work environment expectations. Since March, entry-level wages rose 17.1-percent in the recreation sectors, according to the US Department of Labor, putting pressure on the turf industry to change in order to be competitive with other industries. Remote work has also changed the way American job-seekers think about the work environment. Offering flexible schedules, improved rewards or benefits, compensation, and growth opportunities helps to attract excellent candidates.

However, the volume of quality candidates entering the turf industry from entry level to mid-level management could be better, Tyler says. He points to insufficient resources for sourcing candidates and marketing of employment and career pathways, leading to low career awareness at the community level, from K-12 institutions, and from the general public. “It is hard to engage parents or job-seekers into an industry that hasn’t been visible or competitive to other industries,” he says. In his experience, managers are often more comfortable on the field than in the interview room.

They need to prioritize and appropriately designate or delegate the time and resources needed for recruitment and hiring. “If their only strategy is posting on Indeed, they will get easily frustrated when things don’t go the right way.”

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES With every challenge comes an opportunity for growth. “I personally see a huge upside, given the rising salaries for technician and assistant manager level roles,” Bloom says. Students entering the

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18 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2022

profession will have high growth potential, and with expected retirements and people leaving the industry, senior level roles will open up. He believes that businesses will continue to invest in ambitious talent so that they don’t lose good candidates.

Also, as the industry adopts new technology, he sees an increased need for the younger generation to help manage innovations, whether on a golf course, sports turf, in manufacturing, research and development, or in sales. He sees employers becoming much more accommodating and flexible to the needs of the workforce, with time off, regular eight-hour work days, and rotating weekends.

There are also opportunities for education partners to deliver their education more flexibly, with online learning much more utilized and therefore more accessible to the workforce.

QUALITY CANDIDATES, REWARDING JOBS

Who is a good candidate for a career in turf, we asked? According to Tyler Bloom, job seekers from the fields of carpentry, fishery, farming, project management, electricians, plumbers, and other trade-based careers all have hard skills that are useful in turf management. Transferable skills include the use of technology, computers, customer service, equipment operation, multi-tasking, safety, communication, and teamwork. Good candidates will typically be rule followers, thorough and accurate in their work completion, and comfortable with some level of independence and autonomy. They’ll like achieving goals consistently and efficiently in a professional work environment where they can be accountable. Mostly, Tyler says, he looks for candidates who offer soft skills and who thrive in an outdoor work environment, using their hands, and dealing with nature.

A career in turf offers a job-seeker many unexpected rewards.

Besides the compensation, there are the intangibles. “There’s never a day that you won’t learn something new, whether it is agronomicrelated, weather, government relations, people, or sales. There is a high level of dedication and commitment required to be successful, given the nature of the work itself. This leads to a lot of pride, competence, stability, and growth potential. I don’t see stagnation and complacency in growth potential, so someone can reasonably expect to make a strong salary three to five years after starting,” predicts Bloom. Beyond that, he says, “There’s a spiritual connection with the environment that is unlike anything else.”

Contact: Linda Kulp, Executive Secretary Phone: 717-497-4154 kulp1451@gmail.com

Contact: Dan Douglas, President Phone: 610-375-8469 x 212 KAFMO@aol.com

A NICHE FOR EVERY PERSON When asked about his own career path, Tyler Bloom says, “I’ve been blessed to be at the right place at the right time and capitalized on opportunities as they were presented. My passion is really centered around the game of golf and using golf as the center point for career development. My strengths have been in communication, human resource management, advocacy, and administrative type roles, so I married those skills in a unique way.” He recalls that he started as a bag room attendant at a local private club, then fell in love with the intricacies of maintaining the property, which led him to attain a Bachelor’s of Science in Turfgrass Management from Penn State University. Three internships (at Merion Golf Club, Muirfield Village Golf Club, and Southern Hills Country Club) and a post-grad job at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh for the 2010 US Women’s Open later, he moved into a Lead Assistant Superintendent role at Sunnybrook Golf Club in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. His first Golf Course Superintendent’s job was at Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore, Maryland. He has since earned an Executive Certificate in Talent Acquisition and Recruitment, and is a Certified Partner with the Predictive Index.

In 2020, he began an independent consulting firm focused on workforce development and search within the turfgrass, green, and club industry.

Tyler Bloom advises job seekers going into this field to be openminded. “There are a lot of opportunities beyond the traditional pathway of golf and sports turf, and you can pick any location in the country and internationally and find that it intersects with the turf industry. There’s a niche for every person. The only real ceiling is the one you impose on yourself.”

Penn State News

ALUMNI UPDATES Arron McCurdy (TURF ’08) is now head superintendent at Shoreacres Golf Club in Lake Bluff, IL. Patrick Haughey (TURF ‘11) is now head superintendent at Union League National Golf Club in Cape May Courthouse, NJ. Andrew Dooley (TURF ‘07) is now head superintendent at Union League Golf Club in Torresdale, PA.

UPCOMING EVENTS Northeastern Pennsylvania Golf, Lawn, Landscape and Sports Turf Conference THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022 The Woodlands Inn and Resort Wilkes-Barre, PA

Western Pennsylvania Golf, Lawn, Landscape and Sports Turf Conference The Meadows Racetrack and Casino Washington, PA

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2022 Welcoming Reception and POA Symposium in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022 Full Day Conference Ohio and West Virginia Pesticide Credits will also be available on both days.

Winter 2022 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 19

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