Turf Talk
What Are Your Options for
Organic Turf Care? By Charles H. Peacock, Ph.D., NC State University
E
nvironmental awareness and sustainability in turf management have been at the forefront of the turf industry at all levels for many years. Often, questions arise as to what options there are to the use of synthetic materials for pest control in an organic approach to turf care. Before delving into options for organic approaches to turf care, the first issue is to define exactly the organic approach. A few years ago, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service published “Sustainable Turf Care: Horticultural Systems Guide.” The abstract indicates that the publication was written with the emphasis on organic and leasttoxic turf-care practices for lawncare professionals, golf course superintendents or anyone with a lawn or other turf area. The organic and least-toxic practices they promote are: • Establish and maintain a healthy soil environment. • Include a diversity of species in the turf environment. • Use cultural practices that reduce stress on turf growth. • Understand and work with your
local soil and climate conditions. • Use biological pest-control methods. If all of this sounds familiar to you, the reason could be that these are the foundational approaches for any good integrated pest management (IPM) program, which is something that university turf experts have been promoting for over 25 years!
What is IPM, and why is it important?
IPM is a program that uses information about turfgrass pest problems and environmental conditions that may precipitate these problems, and it integrates these with turfgrass cultural practices and pest-control measures to prevent or control unacceptable levels of pest damage. In another sense, IPM is a philosophy on how turf should be maintained. It is a preventative approach that incorporates a number of objectives, including the following: • Development of a healthy turf that can withstand pest pressure. • Judicious and efficient use of chemicals. • Enhancement of populations of
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natural, beneficial organisms. • Effective timing of handling pest problems at the most vulnerable stage, often resulting in reduced pesticide usage. IPM is an ecologically based system that uses biological and chemical approaches for pest control. As with best management practices (BMPs), IPM strategies should be incorporated into every aspect of turf management, especially as these relate to environmental impact. There are six basic components of IPM that are utilized in a sound program for plant and environmental protection, as follows:
1. Genetic
Selecting improved grasses that perform well in specific areas and show a resistance to environmental stress and pest problems.
2. Physical
Mechanically removing pests (i.e., hand-weeding in selected areas), and cleaning equipment to prevent spreading of diseases and weeds from infected areas.