Tennessee Turfgrass - April / May 2016

April/May 2016

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

How the Weather Affects Insect Pests In Turf

TTA Member Spotlight on Ryan Blair and Richard Pavlasek Highlights from the 2016 University of Tennessee Herbicide Resistance Field Day

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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April/May 2016

FEATURED ARTICLES

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TTA Member Profiles — Ryan Blair and Richard Pavlasek

Cover Story — How the Weather Affects Insect Pests In Turf

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Feature Story — The Turfgrass Program at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

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Recent Event — 2016 University of Tennessee Herbicide Resistance Field Day

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DEPARTMENTS From the TTA President, Theo Lankford TTA Membership Application From the ETGCSA President, Jeff Rumph, CGCS From the TVSTMA President, Thomas Trotter From the MAGCSA President, Casey Nerren News from UT University of Tennessee Turf Team Calendar of Events Index of Advertisers 4

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016

6 7 8 10 12 28 33 34 34

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From the TTA President

Theo Lankford

Spring has sprung, folks!

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here is nothing like spring greenup, the smell of honey suckle and the inability to breathe. As I sit here thinking about what the next sentence of this letter is going to say, I can’t help but reflect over the last 12 months. The dedication of so many to make the TTA a better, more worthwhile association to be a part of makes me feel very proud to serve with such a great group of doers. Doers DO! Rest assured your board of directors is doing just that. The education committee has been hard at work making sure our education sessions are second to none. There are several other committees meeting and working to make this association the best it can be. It would be wrong of me to not mention the unbelievable dedication of our executive director, Shelia Finney. She has literally been all over the country meeting, greeting, selling and networking with other associations to increase her knowledge to do her part to make TTA the best it can be.

I know we all look forward to the conference and tradeshow each year. There are so many faces I only ever see there year after year. Take the time to reach out to one another, see what’s going on around the state, and who knows, you may learn something or

io The miss

make a new friend along the way. There is nothing like a good networking web!

I know everyone has likely heard at this point, but the UT Turf and Ornamental Field Day is in Franklin this year. The main meeting location will be at The Little Course with some offsite sessions at neighboring Battle Ground Academy. Mark your calendar for September 8, as I know it will be the place to be.

Also, don’t forget about the TTA raffle; all proceeds go to the UT Turf program.

Many of you know Ms. Liz Nutter with Leading Edge Communications. She is now at home, recuperating from a serious illness that put her in Vanderbilt University Medical Center for a month. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

— Ecclesiastes 9:10 Remember DOERs DO!

Theo Lankford

2016–2017 TTA President

n of the Te nn essee Tur fg ra ss A s s o c i at i o

To promote the turfgrass industry through education, scholarship and research.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSN. ———— MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ———— Membership applications can be submitted at any time during the year.

For more information, please contact the TTA Office at (615) 591-8286 or fax your application form to (615) 790-8600.

Please print or type the following information as you would like it to appear in the annual directory.

Name _ ____________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Facility _ ___________________________________________

Type of Business________________________________________

Address _ ____________________________________________________________

P.O. Box _ ___________________________

City _______________________________________________

State ___________

Zip _________________________________

Telephone (_____) _ __________________________________

Fax (_____)____________________________________________

Email Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional individuals from same facility requesting membership: Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Membership Categories:

Regular Membership.......................................................................................................................................

$50.00

Student Membership.......................................................................................................................................

$10.00

Retired Membership........................................................................................................................................

No Dues

Payable Dues:

# of Regular Memberships ........................................................................................................... ______ x $50.00 = $_ _____________

# of Student Memberships ........................................................................................................... ______ x $10.00 = $_ _____________

Total ............................................................................................................................................... ______

$ _ _____________

Please make check payable to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association Please send check and completed form to:

Tennessee Turfgrass Association • 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069

From the ETGCSA President

Jeff Rumph, CGCS

ETGCSA Meetings on the Calendar S

pring is in full swing as I write this letter. We have had an up and down spring with respect to temperatures, with bermudagrass emerging from dormancy but being a little slow to grow due to a few late cool spells. A rainy February was followed by a very dry March, which in my view, also slowed the growth of bermuda in its early stages.

The good news? I have heard no reports of winter injury this spring. Speaking for my own course, we have not had any winter injury and will be laying sod only on a few of the usual tees and collars that get beat up every fall, plus on a renovated area where several large trees were removed. What the summer will be like, the Lord only knows. But we seem to be off to a good start.

Speaking of good starts, as I write this, the East Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association is off to a great start this year. We’ve already had one meeting, on April 4 at Black Creek Club in Chattanooga. Host superintendent Scott Wicker had his course in great shape, and I was amazed by the clubhouse expansion that they have made since the last time we were there a few years ago — awesome stonework on the outside and beautiful on the inside. Buddy Henry from the Department of Agriculture was our meeting’s speaker, and his talk helped get us up to date on pesticide regulations and reminded us of a few that may have fallen through the cracks.

May 17 is our next meeting. This will be at Williams Creek Golf Course in Knoxville. This is a First Tee, 18-hole par-3 course with Chuck Drake as the host superintendent. We have had a meeting there before, but we’ve never had our tournament format on the course. It should be a lot of fun. Diondre Jackson will be the speaker, informing us on the activities associated with The First Tee.

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On June 21, we will be at Dorchester Golf Club in Crossville. Michael Wilson will be our host superintendent, and Greg Breeden from UT will speak about herbicide resistance. With the location of this meeting being centralized between two regions, this will be a good opportunity for members from ETGCSA and MTGCSA to get together.

July 19 will find ETGCSA meeting in Kingsport at Warriors Path Golf Course. The host superintendent for this meeting is David Cloud, and the host speaker is Dr. Beth Guertal from Auburn University.

In August, specifically August 16, we will be in Cleveland, TN, at Chatata Valley Golf Course. The host superintendent for that meeting will be Joe Starr, and Dr. Brandon Horvath from UT will speak about turf diseases.

September 8 is the date for the UT Turf Field Day. It’s not in east Tennessee this year, though. The Field Day will be at The Little Course on Conner Lane, in Franklin. Can you say “ROAD TRIP”?!

Our final outing for the year will be the 26th Annual Scholarship and Research Tournament on October 10 at Blackthorn Golf Club in Jonesboro. Our host superintendent is Russell Lutz.

Blackthorn has hosted the tournament a couple of times before, under its previous name, The Ridges. This is our first time back there since the name change and since Russell has been the superintendent. It is a great facility, and I am looking forward to it.

We have a lot to look forward to, and I hope everyone has a great year.

Jeff Rumph, CGCS

2009–2016 ETGCSA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 591-8286 tnturfgrassassn@aol.com www.ttaonline.org Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Editor Dr. James Brosnan TTA OFFICERS President Theo Lankford Kormac, LLC (615) 519-2701 Vice President Jason Pooler Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc. (731) 642-3092 Secretary/Treasurer Doug Ward Belle Meade C.C. (615) 292-6752 Past President Paul Carter, CGCS Bear Trace at Harrison Bay (423) 344-6374 Executive Director Shelia Finney Tennessee Turfgrass Assn.

(615) 591-8286 TTA 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ryan Blair Kurt Dryden Doug Estes Cal Hill Joe Hill Timothy Long Mickey Lovett Bill Marbet Mitch Parker Richard Pavlasek Jason Sanderson Chris Sykes TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Bill Blackburn Dr. Jim Brosnan Dr. Brandon Horvath Lynn Ray Jeff Rumph, CGCS Dr. Tom Samples Dr. John Sorochan Dr. Wes Totten

From the TVSTMA President

Thomas Trotter

Let Us Know

How We Can Improve I

hope everyone has had a great beginning to the season so far. There are always different challenges that come

with each year. I know that we’ve had our fair share of problems, and that’s what makes this industry so exciting to me. We

get the opportunity to work with so many different people around the area discussing similar problems and solutions.

The opportunities provided by membership in TTA and TVSTMA allow us all to expand our professional network.

I’ve been lucky to meet so many people who have helped me over my past seven seasons in Tennessee. I’m sure many of you have had the same experience.

In order to continue improving everyone’s professional network, we need to really make an effort to boost attendance for all of our events. We are currently working on some new ideas for venues and topics for future meetings. I would really like to hear more feedback from the membership about what works and what doesn’t work for our events. I’ve already talked to several people about how we can improve, but please feel free to contact me or another board member if you have tips and advice.

I look forward to the challenges of improving our organization, as do the rest of our board members. Good luck this spring, and may Mother Nature be kind to us all!

Thomas Trotter

2016 TVSTMA President

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

From the magcsa p resid ent

Casey Nerren

What a

Tough Spring!

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on’t we all wish managing a golf course in the spring was as easy as Augusta National makes it look like? It seems lately that each spring brings numerous unknown and difficult variables that we all must deal with and overcome.

The year started out with an early spring that we all enjoyed because it meant green grass, warm temperatures and, of course, golfers. All of these things added up to revenue and what we thought was going to be a great spring. Just as quickly as the early spring green-up occurred, however, so did the problems and difficulties that make our jobs more and more challenging.

Soon the warmer weather was followed by plenty of rain and cooler nights that have caused headaches for almost every superintendent in the Mid-South. The rain made it difficult to get preemerge out efficiently and on time, while also making a mess of course conditions. The cooler temperatures created an environment for slow growth on ultradwarf bermuda greens, which has led to several difficult battles that superintendents are faced with.

Initially it was the familiar battle of green speed that we all deal with when ultradwarfs first break dormancy. The green grass is refreshing to see, but the demand for fast and smooth putting surfaces makes this time of year difficult, to say the least. It seems each year the disease pressure on ultradwarf bermuda greens increases along with the pathogens we must face. The cooler nighttime temperatures and lack of growth have made it difficult for

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superintendents to deal with the disease pressure they’ve been faced with over the last couple of months. It also seems each year the diseases we are faced with become more difficult to diagnose and combat. I’m sure the diagnostic laboratories in the Southeast have been receiving plenty of samples from courses in the area!

While dealing with spring’s challenges, we must also begin planning and preparing for the rest of the season, along with the unknown that comes with it. How well you’ve planned and set goals for the season could be the difference needed to make your facility standout among others.

This time of year, we must all deal with problems similar to these and more, while at the same time making sure it’s business as usual for all golfers and members. As each spring brings new obstacles to overcome, it’s our job to do so, and do it effectively and as seamlessly as possible. Although most golfers don’t realize what it takes to achieve Augusta National’s course conditions, we all do!

We should all be proud of the course conditions we achieve this time of year, no matter how big or small the facility, because we all realize the hard work that is required and the challenges that must be overcome to do so.

Casey Nerren MAGCSA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

TTA Member Spotlight

TTA Member Spotlight on

Ryan Blair, CGCS Holston Hills Country Club, a McConnell Golf Property Current Job Title: Certified Golf Course Superintendent Location: Holston Hills, Knoxville, TN Number of years in this position: I am in my sixteenth year at Holston Hills.

Where did you attend college?

I graduated from the University of Tennessee in fall 1997.

What was your major?

I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design.

How long have you been a member of TTA? I have been a member of the TTA for 19 years. I joined right after I graduated, and I went to my first conference and show in January of 1998.

was in high school as an after school job.

I started working summers on the course grounds crew, and it just grew from there.

Why did you choose a career in the turfgrass industry? Like most in our field, I have always enjoyed working outdoors. When I was in high school, I played on the golf team and spent my days playing golf. My dad was a big golfer, so in the summer I always found myself at the course. Then one summer, I took a job on the grounds crew and decided this was the perfect fit for me. I have worked on a course every summer from that day until today.

What positions have you held with TTA? I am currently in my first year as a board member with the TTA.

What did you do before your current position, and how long were you there? Before Holston Hills, I was the assistant superintendent at Cherokee Country Club, also in Knoxville.

I was there for a little over two years.

What year did you get started in the turfgrass industry? I first started working on a golf course in 1990 when I

What do you enjoy most about your job at Holston Hills? I enjoy the changing seasons and taking care of a

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

piece of property that has a rich history and past. I am very fortunate that I have been given the opportunities to always work to improve the course and given the flexibility to operate in the best manner as I see fit. The membership here also puts the golf course first, and they place a lot of emphasis on Donald Ross, both of which are tremendous assets to me as the superintendent.

Who have been your mentors in the industry? My two biggest mentors have been David Stone and Chris Sykes.

My first year out of high school, I knew I wanted to work in the golf industry, but I wasn’t sure about the correct path to take.

Fortunately for me, I met David my first summer after high school, and he hired me for a position on his staff. David introduced me to the professional side of the business and challenged me to continue my education. Over the summers, I returned every year while I was attending the University of Tennessee and met a lot of great people over the years. After graduation, I

was fortunate to get my start at Cherokee Country Club, working with then superintendent Chris Sykes. I had met Sykes in my summer at the Honors course, and he had just taken the superintendent position at Cherokee right at the time I was graduating. Sykes was a tremendous help to my career in the fact that he let me be involved in so many aspects of the course. Not only was I continuing to learn basic turf philosophies while working with Sykes, but he also allowed me to be involved in as much as I wanted to in my years there. It gave me a rare opportunity as a new assistant right out of school to work with budgets, hiring staff, working with committees and boards, etc. This really helped me learn the business and prepared me for my transition to the superintendent position.

How has TTA enhanced your career?

Through the TTA, I have gotten to know many people just like me all over the state.

These connections have helped me continue to learn about the field I so enjoy and have shown me how many others like myself are out there that enjoy the turf field.

Do you have any specific goals for the coming year, and if so, what are they? This year is all about change at Holston Hills. The club was purchased last December by McConnell Golf, which owns about 12 other private clubs in the Carolinas. With the purchase, I am now in the corporate world, which can take some time to get use to. We no longer have greens committees or board meetings, etc. — just one owner that calls all the shots. It has been a great transition so far, just a learning curve.

What are your hobbies? Of course I really enjoy golf and especially golf course architecture. I am a history buff and enjoy going to museums and any historical places I can find. I also enjoy hiking and camping.

Tell us a little about your family.

My wife April and I met while we were attending UT. April is a senior trunk keeper with Matilda Jane Clothing. We have two children, Ella and Jack. Our daughter Ella is the older of our two children and is in the sixth grade at Gresham middle school.

Our son Jack is in the second grade at Shannondale Elementary school. T

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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TTA Member Spotlight

TTA Member Spotlight on

Richard Pavlasek, CGCS Director of Agronomy & Landscape Operations, Westhaven Golf Club, a Southern Land Company Current Job Title: Director of

Agronomy & Landscape Operations Location: Westhaven Golf Club Number of years in this position: 4 Where did you attend college?

Texas A&M University What was your major?

Agronomy-Turfgrass Management How long have you been a member of TTA? 4 years What positions have you held with TTA? Current board member and

past president of the Michiana Golf Course Superintendent Association in South Bend, IN, and past president of North Texas Golf Course Superintendent Association in Dallas/Fort Worth area.

What year did you get started in the turfgrass industry? In 1989, I took

my first turfgrass short course in 1977.

Why did you choose a career in the turfgrass industry? I grew up ranching 16

with my dad and wanted to do something in the agriculture field and loved being outdoors. We also grew coastal bermudagrass that we sold as hay to local ranchers.

What did you do before your current position and how long were you there? I served in the U.S. Air

business, as well as the networking opportunities that allow you to get to know people better who have similar interests.

Do you have any specific goals for the coming year, and if so, what are they? Provide great playing conditions

Force for 8 years prior to going to A&M.

on our golf course for our members, and get through summer.

Who have been your mentors in the industry? Dr. Richard White,

What are your hobbies? Golf, watch-

Wallace Menn, Larry Finke and my stepdad, Mark Cornelison, who was a long time superintendent in central Texas.

What have been your contributions to the industry?

Teaching and mentoring young assistants coming up in the turf business. I have always been involved with local superintendent associations and tried giving back by participating and writing articles.

How has TTA enhanced your career?

Educational services provided by TTA have been a big help in staying current with the latest trends in the turfgrass

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

ing Texas A&M sports, hunting, spending time with my family and squeezing in a trip every now and then to the casino to play craps.

Tell us a little about your family. I am married to a great lady, Darby Pavlasek.

We have been married for 7 years and met back in 2005. I have two beautiful daughters (Stephanie & Stacy) who live in Frisco, Texas, and one sweet little grandbaby (Emma Kate), who will be two in July. She has definitely stolen all of our attention. Since both of our families live back in Texas, we try and get back as often as possible. T

Cover St ory

How the

Weather Affects Insect Pests In Turf

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

By Rick Brandenburg, Ph.D., Wm. Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor, and Terri Billeisen, Post-Doctoral Researcher, North Carolina State University

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fter a record-breaking December in which record high temperatures became the norm for the whole month, many people began talking about how the warm December would impact plants and pests in 2016.

The weather is an often-discussed topic, but even more so for those of us who work outdoors. Mild winters typically cause the concern that we will be overwhelmed with pests the following year. There are often a lot of “facts” thrown around that in reality aren’t facts. Throw opinions about global climate change or global warming into the picture, and the debate over which new pests 2016 will bring is off and running.

In this article we’d like to bring some clarity to the question of how weather, both short term (daily) and long term (monthly), can impact the type and the abundance of insect pests. While we are not able to accurately predict the abundance of a pest months in advance, we can make some specific statements about common trends that can occur when certain weather patterns are observed.

the rate of development will stay the same (Figure 1).

Insects can also have a lower threshold for development where, below a certain temperature, development will not occur.

Typically, most insects do not feed, grow or develop when temperatures are approximately 50°F or less. As a result, very little growth, development and general insect activity takes place during much of the winter the transition zone. Most of the time, insects will stay put for the winter, just as they would in a much colder place like Michigan or New York. Occasionally, there may be a week or two when unseasonably warm temperatures (such as December of 2015) could cause insects in the soil to become active.

Second, cold winters rarely have an impact on insect abundance the followFigure

1

ing spring. Japanese beetle grubs have no trouble surviving even the coldest of our region’s winters; keep in mind, they survive much colder winters in New York.

Some insect pests unable to withstand low temperatures, such as fall armyworms, don’t overwinter in the transition zone even in the warmest of winters.

These insects migrate back into the state from areas where they do overwinter, such as Florida and right along the Gulf Coast. In this case, regardless of a warm or cold winter, infestations the following summer will always start over from the beginning.

In most cases, the winter weather rarely impacts the level of insect pest infestations we see the following spring and summer. One exception to this general rule in is fire ants (Photo 1, page 20).

Effect of Temperature on the Rate of Insect Development.

Effects of temperature First, it is important to understand that each and every insect is cold blooded.

In other words, an insect’s body temperature fluctuates with the surrounding air (or soil) temperature. Other than rapidly increasing its movement or orienting itself so its body is in direct sunlight, there’s very little an insect can do to increase its internal temperature. This is important because when an insect’s internal body temperature increases with the surrounding environment, its rate of development, or growth, also increases. This is not endless scale, however, as all insects have an upper threshold for growth and development, meaning that as temperatures increase indefinitely, at some point,

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Cover St ory Fire ants can be negatively affected by record cold temperatures, and the subsequent summer population may be lower as a result.

Effects of moisture Rainfall (and soil moisture) can also impact insect populations in a number of ways. As a general rule of thumb, dry weather slows the development of many insects, especially soil insects such as fire ants, mole crickets and white grubs (Photo 2). Dry conditions reduce the likelihood that eggs will survive and hatch in the soil. Newly hatched larvae and nymphs can also have trouble surviving in dry soil due to the porous composition of the soft-bodied exoskeleton through which water can evaporate.

A hot, dry summer, even when the turf is irrigated, is tough on soil insects.

These conditions can also reduce the surface activity of fire ants and may make it more difficult to control the mound.

Conversely, if it rains while eggs are being laid and new larvae and nymphs are present in the soil profile, the insect population is more likely to survive.

Although wet weather conditions can increase the likelihood of survival of insect pests, they may also increase the presence of predators and pathogens in the soil. These microorganisms can be effective against caterpillar pests like cutworms or armyworms, but they are so small that it is impossible to predict whether or not they will have an impact on a future pest population.

Some caterpillar pest (armyworm) problems are often most severe during droughts simply because there are fewer lush host plants for them to feed on. For a highly mobile insect moving into a new area under dry conditions, irrigated turf is especially attractive.

Hot, dry weather can also increase the impact of insect damage by applying additional stress to the turf, thus making it more susceptible to insect feeding. Anytime a host plant is stressed, its tolerance for insect feeding will be less. We often see this with hunting billbugs in warmseason turf such as bermudagrass or zoysiagrass. In the spring and fall, when 20

Photo

1

Photo

2

Fire ant mound in Raleigh, NC.

White grubs at the soil surface.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

Cover St ory day length is shorter and nighttime temperatures are cooler, adult billbug feeding damage becomes much more obvious simply because the plant has less capacity to tolerate feeding.

So, what now?

All of this brings us around to the big questions. Exactly what do the record warm temperatures we observed in December and the near-normal temperatures of January mean for insect pest populations in May, June, July and August?

The honest answer is that we don’t know, but I would speculate that they won’t mean too much. Yes, December was indeed a record warm month — not by a small amount, but rather by double digits. No recent previous-year temperatures have even come close. In December, plants were blooming, skunks were out running around, frogs were croaking, and it felt like our region had been moved further south to Florida. Without a doubt, some insects took advantage of the situation and were active. However, many turf insects were already in their “overwintering stage,” and that meant those insects were not going anywhere by the time December rolled around, regardless of temperature.

Specifically, I don’t think the warm December will make any difference in the lifecycle or timing of soil insects such as mole crickets or white grubs. Fire ants did take advantage of the weather and were quite active, and I am confident the queen was laying eggs, more ants were Photo

3

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hatched, and the colony was very happy.

But since these mounds are relatively active for much of the year, I don’t see much real impact for 2016.

Hunting billbugs, sugarcane beetles and annual bluegrass weevils (Photo 3) overwinter as adults (mature larvae also for billbugs), and it is possible that they used the warmer temperatures in December to continue to mate and lay some additional eggs. However, I do not believe this slight potential increase in activity will have much of an impact on overall populations for these pests.

Fall armyworms had already succumbed to mid-fall’s frosts and freezes, so there was no impact on their populations. Cutworms, which can survive cold weather, were very happy and active during December. A few golf courses actually had damage to putting greens from cutworms in December, but the overall impact on cutworm populations for 2016 will be minimal.

My prediction for 2016? Will it be a record year for insects due to the record warm weather we saw in December? No! 2016 could be a record year for some turf insect(s), but I do not think it will be due to the previous warm winter. December did not allow any insect that normally doesn’t overwinter in the transition zone to survive since January temperatures quickly brought us back to reality. The warm December did not allow any insects to complete extra generations and thus start out 2016 with larger initial populations. It was warm — it was record warm,

Annual bluegrass weevil adult.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

indeed a novel event — but I really doubt that we’ll see anything of significance relative to insect pests in turf due to this phenomenon.

There are times when strange weather significantly impacts insect populations, especially the timing of their occurrence.

My experience, however, has not been that temperatures in the winter months have much impact on the timing of insect populations, but rather the spring temperatures in late March, April and May have the greatest effect. Warm temperatures in the winter, even the extreme record warmth of December 2015, are still relatively “cold” temperatures to insects. Therefore, not much will happen in December that really contributes to the overall timing of an insect population. However, unusually warm temperatures in April CAN and DO push insect populations forward.

So, as we move into the spring and summer of 2016, keep that in mind. No matter how warm it was in December, if it is unusually cold and dry in April, insect populations will most likely be delayed, and the opposite will be true if April is warm and wet. The spring weather is a big factor in our insect issues for the rest of the year.

That being said, December was a warm month of epic proportions so we all need to be vigilant and not assume that 2016 will be a “normal” year because it may not be. We have never seen a winter month this warm in history, so we can’t let our guard down.

After near normal weather in January and February, March has chosen to be a repeat of December, with very warm temperatures through the middle of the month.

These are the conditions more likely to cause an early emergence of pest problems. But, with that said, below-normal temperatures in April or a late freeze or frost can reset all of those forecasts. The only accurate prediction is the one you develop by being vigilant about scouting and staying on top of pest issues.

We will continue to provide regular updates and reports throughout the season on turf insect issues this spring and summer on Turffiles (www.turffiles. ncsu.edu) and on Facebook “Turf, Bugs, and Rock n Roll.” T

Feature Story

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

Turfgrass Program

The at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

By Scott Boyle, Communications Coordinator, The University of Tennessee

“My

ultimate goal is to be the head groundskeeper at a Major League Baseball ballpark, and working under someone who is as well known in this industry as Fenway Park’s David Mellor provided me with a great resource,” said Drew Tice following his 2015 internship with the Boston Red Sox this summer. “He also taught me valuable lessons in maintaining and being flexible despite so many events being held on the field, in addition to the 81 regular season games that are expected, all while keeping the turf picture perfect.”

Tice just completed an internship at Fenway Park in Boston. He starts his senior year in the UT Turf program in fall 2015.

The University of Tennessee’s Turfgrass Science and Management, Department of Plant Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, faculty, staff, students and alumni practice the five W’s every day. hat can they do to help science W and education in the turf industry? here around the world can they W have an impact?

When is the optimal time for research? roving why turf is important to the P natural world. astly, who in the industry can help L make all of the above possible?

Who is possibly the most important W of them all. Relationships and networking are vital to the success of any university program. The many relationships UT’s turf professors have evolved over the years are why the program is so successful.

They lead to research, consulting, intern-

ships, advances in teaching and much more. From professional football, soccer and golf, that network of business and academic contacts enables the program to be on the cutting edge of technology and research, and it gives turf students opportunities other university turf programs don’t have. All of the professors have used their vast networks to get turf students some of the best internships and postdegree jobs in the industry.

“Everything we do is based on who we know, people we have worked with and the relationships we have built,” said Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science and Management.

As graduate students at Michigan State University, Associate Turf Professor John Sorochan, and Assistant Dean in UT’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, John Stier, helped install natural turf in the Pontiac Silverdome for the 1994 World Cup. By keeping in touch with the contacts he made during that installation, Sorochan has been able to gain internships for undergraduate students at English Premier Stadiums in Chelsea and Tottenham, and consult with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on research projects for the future. FIFA representatives visited with Sorochan and senior research leader Adam Thoms at the UT Center for Athletic Field Safety (CAFS) a few months ago to discuss future research collaborations.

“The relationships built over the years have been instrumental in the athletic field safety research conducted by the turf faculty and students,” Sorochan said.

He said his relationships and work with National Football League field managers directly led to his consulting with the NFL TTA • TVSTMA • TGCSA

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Feature Story Player’s Association on turf safety standards and practices. That experience led to Sorochan being named to the Game Day Surface Committee.

The Center for Athletic Field Safety at UTIA (established in 2011) is a partnership initiated by Astroturf as a way to conduct unbiased research on natural and artificial surfaces. CAFS is comprised of 60 small-scale research plots built with a variety of natural and artificial surfaces.

UT faculty and students use the plots to conduct research on a wide range of projects, including surface temperature, the physiological impact on the body from playing on different surfaces, wear testing and more. This safety and performance research has already had wide-reaching impacts throughout professional and amateur athletics around the world. It is already leading to the development of new, more accurate methods for testing the safety and performance of all turf systems.

Here in Tennessee, the turf faculty, students and staff get hands-on opportunities to work with the Neyland Stadium grounds crew and UT’s Director of Sports Surfaces, Darren Seybold.

“The relationship we have with Darren is great,” Horvath said. “Our students get to see how professionals like Darren and his crew maintain the fields on campus, and we assist him when he needs us. It is a win-win for everyone.”

From something as simple as finding a local site, to conducting a research trial, to being invited to speak at an international conference, it’s all about networking.

“When we think about networking, that’s really a central component of the land grant mission for a school like UT,” said Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science. “As turfgrass faculty, our objective is to provide stake-holders with research-based information/education that helps them improve their golf courses, sports fields, home lawns, etc., and we can’t really do this without a network to know who those people are and what information they need.”

UT’s turf research has already been used to assist local Knoxville sports turf managers in making safety upgrades to their fields, hopefully limiting concussions 26

and sports injuries to the youth playing in their facilities.

In recent research conducted by the UT Agri-Industry Modeling and Analysis Group, in 2013, the Tennessee turfgrass industry had a total economic contribution of $5.8 billion, 75 percent from the golf industry. UT’s involvement in golf is built off research of turf diseases, technology and assistance to golf course superintendents all over the country.

“Our turf students see the most advanced technology in the business,” Horvath said.

Collaborations with companies like StrackaLine, Perfect Putter and others have allowed Horvath and his graduate students to incorporate real-world conditions on the plots they conduct research on.

“Using the Perfect Putter system to test how a ball rolls on different greens produces data superintendents can use to educate their members,” Horvath explains.

“In a big money industry like golf, having unbiased data from UT can be the difference between spending millions on an unnecessary upgrade to a golf course, or an inexpensive repair.”

While networking is important for the professors and their research, it really impacts the students most.

Allowing students to see how their research affects the people doing the job everyday also prepares them for their careers following graduation. The more research and technology students are exposed to in school, the better prepared they will be when they hit the workforce.

Internships are also vital for UT’s turf students. In the spring of their junior

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

year, turf undergraduate students finish an abbreviated semester and head out on internships in golf course and athletic field locations around the world. The UT faculty’s vast network of turf professionals allows the University’s students to work for six to nine months at some of the most renowned facilities in the world.

Among the many locations students have interned are Fenway Park in Boston, at top 100 golf courses around the United States and the world including Winged Foot in New York and Palma Mallorca, Spain, and with NFL teams in Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Cincinnati.

In September, five current turf students will be volunteering with the grounds crew at the historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta for the 2015 PGA Tour Championship.

“These internships are a special part of our program, but they don’t exist without our network of contacts and alumni,” Horvath explains. “The sheer number of people that John Sorochan, Jim Brosnan, Tom Samples and I know after more than 20 years each in the industry gives our students so many great opportunities.

That network is everything.”

That web of professionals spreads beyond graduation as well. Nearly 100 percent of UT turf graduates have found jobs in the industry within six months of graduating, a number few concentrations can rival.

For the UT Turfgrass Science and Management faculty, staff, students and alumni, it isn’t just what you know, it is who you know that really makes the difference. T

Ne w s from UT

Taylor Williams:

The game no one saw played

For

Taylor, a senior in the Turfgrass Science and Management concentration, interning with the 2015 Baltimore Orioles grounds crew was a unique experience — even before the Baltimore riots started.

“It was a good experience to see more than just the grass side of the industry. To see how the players, the coaches and grounds crew all interacted together on the major league level,” he said, “opened my eyes to see what it takes to be a major league groundskeeper.”

When city unrest caused an Orioles home game to be played without fans, the internship became a one-of-akind experience.

“It was surreal. I’m lucky to say I was one of 25 people to see that game in person.”

As a turf student, internships offer a great opportunity for students to live the job they are studying to have. Taylor offers this advice: “Don’t take the first internship you find. Look around and find the one that fits you best,” he said. “Get to know the people in charge before you decide, and make sure their interests are similar to yours. You have a leg up on other students because you can take an internship in March, so take your time to decide. This is your chance to go somewhere you want to, so take advantage of it.” T

High School Students Visit

East TN Research & Education Center

The

UT Turfgrass Science & Management faculty hosted Gibbs High School (Corryton, Tenn.) students at the East Tennessee Research & Education Center , Monday, April 25. The visit is just one of several program/high school interactive visits run by the turf team. The students, taking Advanced Placement Environmental Science and Honors Physics, received hands-on instruction in sports turf and golf research with UT professors and research assistants. The program was started in 2015 as a way to introduce high school advanced science students to turfgrass management as a degree choice and future career.

For the turf staff, the visit was much more than a tour.

It allowed for the kind of interaction most often seen in a college lab.

“It was great to have these engaged high school students out there learning that science is a living, evolving thing,” said Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., Associate Professor Turfgrass Science and Management.

The idea for the hands-on visit came about after the UT turfgrass team talked with Powell High School leadership at a college fair in 2014. T

Photo credit: Taylor Williams

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

Photo credit: Scott Boyle

Digital Marketplace Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone and scan the code to learn more about these companies.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Recent E vent

2016

University of Tennessee

Herbicide Resistance Field Day

By J.T. Brosnan, Ph.D. and G.K. Breeden, University of Tennessee

The

University of Tennessee (UT) turfgrass team recently held their 4th annual Herbicide Resistance Field Day in conjunction with the Memphis Area Golf Course Superintendents Association on April 12 at TPC Southwind in Memphis. The event (termed #PoaDay on social media) was a huge success, breaking all previous attendance records!

Herbicide Resistance Field Day has two main objectives: Educate turfgrass managers regarding the emerging problem of herbicide resistance in turfgrass weeds, particularly annual bluegrass (Poa annua).

turf managers to become familiar with the scope of choices available in the industry today. The plot tour facilitated instruction about the importance of diversifying the herbicidal modes of action used for weed control (either through product mixture or rotation), along with varying application timing over years.

Eric Reasor, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Plant Sciences at UT, also provided an update on his dissertation Dr. Brosnan leads attendees through plots demonstrating options for annual bluegrass (Poa annua) control in bermudagrass. Photo credit: Eric Reasor.

Provide an overview of strategies to reduce the evolution of herbicide resistance in turfgrass weeds, including building herbicide management programs using the concept of diversifying modes of action.

The 2016 certainly met both of these goals. Attendees toured over 30 different field plots demonstrating different programs for preemergence, early postemergence and late-postemergence control of annual bluegrass in bermudagrass turf. Products from nearly all major agrochemical companies were featured to allow

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

Recent E vent research focused on management of off-type grasses in ultradwarf putting greens. This work is being partially funded by the Memphis Area Golf Course Superintendents Association along with the United States Golf Association. His update included a discussion of measuring golf ball dispersion to assess putting green quality along with traditional assessments such as stimpmeter readings.

Sponsorship support has been integral to the growth of Herbicide Resistance Field Day, and that certainly continued in 2016.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Dow, FMC, Harrell’s, PBI Gordon Corporation, SiteOne and Syngenta for their support of the 2016 Herbicide Resistance Field Day, as well as all of the Gold, Silver and Bronze partners of the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association.

The 2017 Herbicide Resistance Field Day (#PoaDay2017) will be held in conjunction with the Mid-South Turfgrass Council at a sod farm in the Memphis area next April. More details about the event will be posted on the University of Tennessee Turfgrass Weed Science website, www.tnturfgrassweeds.org, as they become available. T Eric Reasor discusses ball roll on ultradwarf bermudagrass (C. dactylon x. C. transvaalensis) putting greens.

Photo credit: Jim Brosnan.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com

The Turfgrass Team at the Univers ity of Tennessee Scott Boyle Communications Coordinator The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-6730 sboyle1@utk.edu

Frank Hale, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 fahale@utk.edu

Tom Samples, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Extension The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2595 tsamples@utk.edu

Greg Breeden Extension Specialist The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7208 gbreeden@utk.edu

Brandon Horvath, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-2975 bhorvath@utk.edu

John Sorochan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7324 sorochan@utk.edu

Johnny Parham Research Technician The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-7324 jparham2@utk.edu

John Stier, Ph.D., M.S. Assistant Dean The University of Tennessee 2621 Morgan Circle 126 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7493 jstier1@utk.edu

James Brosnan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-8603 jbrosnan@utk.edu

Adam Thoms Senior Research Leader The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 257-3047 athoms@utk.edu Wes Totten, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turf and Landscape Management The University of Tennessee at Martin 256 Brehm Hall Martin, TN 38238 (731) 881-7936 wtotten@utm.edu Alan Windham, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 awindham@utk.edu T

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Calen dar o f Events June 3

July 19

June 14

August 16

MTGCSA June Social Nashville Sounds Nashville, TN MAGCSA Meeting Memphis National G.C. Memphis

ETGCSA Meeting Warrior’s Path G.C. Kingsport, TN ETGCSA Meeting Chatata Valley G.C. Cleveland, TN

September 8

UT Turfgrass & Ornamental Field Day The Little Course and Battle Ground Academy Franklin, TN

January 9–11, 2017

August 18

TTA Annual Conference and Tradeshow Embassy Suites Murfreesboro, TN

Barenbrug USA..................................................... 17 www.barusa.com

Mid Tenn Turf, Inc............................................ 9, 29 www.midtennturf.com

Sur-Line Turf, Inc................................................... 32 www.surlineturf.com

Buy Sod........................................ Inside Back Cover www.buysod.com

Mid-Atlantic STIHL, Inc......................................... 21 www.stihldealers.com

The Turfgrass Group............................................... 5 www.theturfgrassgroup.com

BWI Companies.................................................... 13 www.bwicompanies.com

Modern Turf, Inc................................................... 10 www.modernturf.com

Thomas Bros. Grass, LLC...................................... 23 www.thomasbrosgrass.com

Carolina Green Corp.............................................. 29 www.cgcfields.com

RD Murphy, LLC.................................................... 15 www.rdmurphy.com

Tri-Turf Sod Farms................................................ 29 www.triturfsod.com

Coosa Valley Turf Farms....................................... 29 www.coosavalleyturffarms.com

Regal Chemical..................................................... 27 www.regalchem.com

Turf Mountain Sod................................................ 15 www.turfmountain.com

Covermaster, Inc................................................... 13 www.covermaster.com

Riverside Turf........................................................ 31 www.riversideturf.com

Turface Athletics................................................... 33 www.profileproducts.com

Greenville Turf & Tractor, Inc............................... 11 www.greenvilleturf.com

SiteOne Landscape Supply..................................... 9 www.siteone.com

Turfgrass of Tennessee........................................ 15

Harrell’s LLC............................................................ 3 www.harrells.com

Smith Seed Services............................................. 29 www.smithseed.com

Lebanon Turf........................................... Back Cover www.lebturf.com

Southern Athletic Fields....................................... 29 www.safdirt.com

McCurdy Sod Farms.............................................. 29 www.mccurdysodfarms.com

Southern State Turf.............................................. 29 www.ssturf.net

June 21

ETGCSA Meeting Dorchester G.C. Crossville, TN

MAGCSA Meeting Fair Oaks G.C. Oakland, TN

Index of Advertisers

Winstead Turf Farms...................Inside Front Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com

The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 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, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright ©2016 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association.

Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. 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, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS April/May 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com