Issue 1 • 2021 | VOL 105 CLIPPINGS CONTENTS Features 6 Expo Returns...and we can’t wait to see you! 7 Perspective on the NJTA Winter Webinars - “Let’s GROW Virtually” 8, 9, 12 New Director & Associate Director of Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science 11 Field Days is being planned ‘live’ 13 30th Anniversary Turf Symposium 15 Update from the New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation 17 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Golf Classic 18 Red Leaf Spot...or Not? 19 Membership Application 1 20 Membership Application 2 In each issue 3 Patron Directory 4 5 22 23 23 President’s Message From Your Executive Director Meet the Board of Directors NJTA Events & Dates Rutgers Extension Offices WHAT MATTERS MOST Built on a foundation of trusted relationships, count on The Toro Company and Storr Tractor Company for exceptional products, service, and support to keep your operation and your equipment running smoothly. Branchburg, NJ 908-722-9830 www.njturfgrass.org Clippings |Issue 1 • 2021 2 2021 PATRON DIRECTORY BASF David Schell 1717 Pleasantville Road Forest Hill, MD 21050 Ph: (410) 800-8762 • David.Schell@basf.com BAYER Jeffrey Weld 91 Schofield Road West Milford, NJ 07480 Ph: (914) 419-9384 • jeff.weld@bayer.com COLUMBIA RIVER SEED/COLUMBIA SEEDS Paul Hedgepath, Columbia River Seed PO Box 66, Plymouth, WA 99346 Ph: (509) 783-4052 paul@columbiariverseed.com Scott Harer, Columbia Seeds 130 NW Hickory Street, Albany, OR 07321 sharer@columbiaseeds.com DLF PICKSEED USA Jeff Sturgeon 33149 Highway 99E Tangent, OR 97389 Ph: (541) 918-1015 • jsturgeon@dlfna.com DOUBLE ‘D’ TURF Dennis DeSanctis Jr. PO Box 1090 Hightstown, NJ 08520 Ph: (732) 580-5516 • dennisjr@doubledturf.com www.DoubleDTurf.com Aeration Services GRASS ROOTS INC. Ken and Keith Kubik PO Box 336 Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970 Ph: (973) 252-6634 keith.kubik@griturf.com • ken.kubik@griturf.com LANDMARK TURF & NATIVE SEED John Brader 4908 S. Hayford Road Spokane, WA 99224 Ph: (800) 268-0180 • Cell: (301) 302-2822 john@turfandnativeseed.com LEVITT’S LLC Barry Levitt, Dennis Smith 621 Edwards Road Parsippany, NJ 07054 Ph: (973) 227-0552 • Fx: (973) 227-3174 barry@levittsllc.com • dennis@levittsllc.com MITCHELL PRODUCTS 1205 West Main Street Millville, NJ 08332 Ph: (856) 327 - 2005 www.MitchellSand.com Dave or Kevin Mitchell MOUNTAIN VIEW SEEDS Troy Kuenzi 8955 Sunnyview Road NE Salem, OR 97305 Ph: (503) 588-7333 • troy@mtviewseeds.com PBI GORDON John Wiblishauser 318 East Glenside Avenue Glenside, PA 19038 Ph: (609) 774-3310 • jwiblishauser@pbigordon.com PROSEEDS MARKETING, INC & ALLIANCE SEED JP Olsen, Henry Lesinski 13965 Westside Ln S Jefferson, OR 97352 Ph: (541) 928-9999 jolson@proseeds.net • henry@allianceseedco.com SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO Eric Nelson 14111 Scottslawn Road Marysville, OH 43041 Ph: (937) 243-2397 • eric.nelson@scotts.com SITEONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY 38668 Overlook Drive Grafton, OH 44044 Ph: (440) 336-6159 STORR TRACTOR COMPANY Steve Bradley 3191 Highway 22 East Branchburg, NJ 08876 Ph: (908) 722-9830 • sbradley@storrtractor.com SYNGENTA Lee Kozsey 3710 Amherst Court Bethlehem, PA 18020-1356 Ph: (215) 796-0409 • Lee.Kozsey@syngenta.com Our Industry Partners Ads in this issue: • BASF • BAYER • Burlingham Seeds • Columbia River Seed/Columbia Seeds • Coombs Sod Farms • DLF Pickseed USA/Seed Research • Double ‘D’ Turf • Grass Roots • Landmark Turf & Native Seed • Mitchell Products • Mountain View Seeds • Rutgers University, Plant Diagnostic Lab • SiteOne Landscape Supply Storr Tractor Company • Syngenta • Turco Golf 3 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 www.njturfgrass.org President’s Message: Rob Johnson Rob Johnson NJTA President • MORE ARTICLES COMING... ADD MORE PAGES ARTICLE COMING www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 4 We ar e Bac k! Your Executive Director Cece Peabody, MAT, CMP So, really, what does ‘We Are Back!” mean? We’ve made it through one year of CO- VID-19! Our planning committees have been meeting and we are planning to have our events ‘live’ this year! Yes, we are back (yet we are we still being cautious)...but we are so looking forward to seeing each of our members at our events this year! After months of social distancing, some people started to run out of shows to binge, skills to learn, and chores to do. Some came up with creative ideas: • A ‘MasterChef’ finalist was making gourmet dinners for his elderly next-door neighbor every day and deliverd them straight to his doorstep. • A group of bridesmaids took pictures in their gowns to cheer up their friend who had to postpone her wedding. • A man turned his living room into his favorite restaurant by making a sushi conveyor belt out of a toy train ----------------------------- Looking for a way to lift someone’s spirits? Sometimes all it takes is a few positive quotes or words of encouragement to immediately turn someone’s day around. Whether it’s your lifelong best friend or a stranger you pass on the street, taking a moment to deliver a positive message can have a long-lasting effect on the well-being of both individuals. In addition to being a mood-booster, giving and receiving compliments has uplifting effects on both parties. As the giver, giving a compliment can boost your self-confidence as well as enhance your social skills and spark creativity. If you find yourself on the receiving end of a positive message, it may boost your self-esteem. A positive message for you: “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” A. A.Mine When you can count on your turf to be at its best, others can count on you to be at yours. For turf you and your golfers can count on in conditions you can’t, look to Stressgard fungicides. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS Bayer Environmental Science, a Division of Bayer CropScience LP. 5000 CentreGreen Way, Suite 400, Cary, NC 27513. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-800-331-2867. environmentalscience.bayer.us. Not all products are registered in all states. Bayer, the Bayer Cross and Stressgard are registered trademarks of Bayer. ©2021 Bayer CropScience ES-0321-SGFT-0117-A-R1 Mike Dachowski Golf Course Superintendent, Shelter Harbor Golf Club Extraordinary is Your New Ordinary Willow Best Friend See the science behind the extraordinary at thestressgardexperience.com 5 E02624717 BCS US Premier Sponsors Receive Complimentary Clippings Ad Mar21_v02.indd 1 E02624717 BCS US Premier Sponsors Receive Complimentary Clippings Ad Mar21_v02.indd 1 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 3/10/21 12:25 PM 3/10/21 12:25 PM www.njturfgrass.org Expo Returns...And We Can’t Wait to See You! For me, Expo is a celebration that marks the end of another season, and provides a chance to re- charge my education batteries, do a lot of NJTA and Rutgers business with our strategic planning meetings, and rekindle the many friendships I’ve enjoyed through our business. When we were forced by the pandemic to cancel 2020’s confer- ence, there was a real void in my year in Decem- ber, and I found that I really missed the chance to get away to the Borgata, have some fun and grow professionally. I suspect that many readers of this newsletter felt the same, and that they wished they could also get back to a more normal existence. The Expo Planning Committee is back at work, de- veloping a program for Expo 2021 that should not be missed: -Our Education planning is well on its way toward completion, with several popular out of state speakers already committed. They said “yes” last year, and then committed right away to 2021 once we canceled. It’s nice to know that we have world- class turf professionals and scientists who like com- ing to our show! -Our Trade Show planning is moving forward as well, with a variety of contingencies being de- veloped to ensure that all of our attendees and ex- hibitors feel comfortable and safe. We are not yet sure how we will handle some key issues, including serving meals and crowd sizes, but we’ve already been discussing logistics with our friends at Borgata and have solutions ready for all possible scenarios. Though we are moving ahead as if our world will be more towards the norm, we will be ready to go with whatever is needed to provide a great and safe ex- perience for all. -Our good friend Dr. Bruce Clarke is retiring in De- cember from his position at Rutgers, and as this coincides with our Expo timing, we are developing plans to suitably acknowledge and celebrate all that he has done for us as an Association and as turf- grass professionals. by Chris Carson We are developing a special session where his career will be cel- ebrated and where per- tinent science will be passed on. NJTA - and I’m sure all reading this - want to make sure that we let Dr. Clarke know how much we admire his work and treasure his leadership and friendship. We will let you know the details of this celebration as we develop our pro- gram, and we expect this session to be memorable. -We can’t plan this, but all of us who have missed the chance to talk face-to-face with old and new friends about the turf world understand that some of the great values of Expo are the random hallway and lunch meetings that just pop up when we are together. In many respects, these serendip- itous moments of friendship are what many of us missed the most in our lost Covid year, and Expo 2021 will be sure to provide loads of these moments for all. -The social activities that you’ve enjoyed in the past are being worked on as well, and there are even some possibilities that we might expand in that area. If, like me, you lamented the absence of the Grass Roots Mix ‘N Mingle last year, for example, then you should be comforted in knowing that plans are afoot to make that cornerstone party bigger and better than ever. More details will be passed along throughout the year, but for now we hope that you will circle the dates in your calendar: Expo 2021 will be held on December 7-9 at the Borgata in Atlantic City, and our plan is that it will be the best we’ve ever pre- sented! Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 6 PERSPECTIVE ON THE NJTA WINTER WEBINARS - “Let’s GROW Virtually” Public outreach and offering/earning credits during this pandemic would have been way more difficult if not for the ‘webinars that the NJTA offered this year. The webinars started out small in the beginning (Dec 2020). After a few, the word got out. The last webinar (Mar 2021) had over 150 regis- tered. The topics ranged frome lawn and landscape/Insect comtrol, and Golf industry webinars. Some of the speakers by Ken Mc Peek, Seasons Matter Landscapers Each presenter was well versed and knowledgeable in their profession. They were will- ing and able to give their time to share their years of experience and knowledge. After each webinar, we sent out a survey to see how we can make them better and what topics attendees were interested in for future webinars. We received excellent topics and suggested speakers. We were able to offer a community ‘feel’ virtual gathering space for our members and other professionals. A bonus was participants were able to earn credits toward their professional licenses. This was a huge help for them because in person classes were suspended due to the pandemic. These webinars might become the way we all can earn our professional credits in the future. You can’t beat in person meetings, but taking classes in your PJ’s on the couch isn’t half bad either. Only time will tell. www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 7 Leadership Changes at Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science Announcement by Laura J. Lawson, Interim Executive Dean of the School of Environmental and Biological Sci- ences and Interim Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. [Pages 8, 9, 12] Dr. James Murphy and Dr. Stacy Bonos have been appointed as the New Director and Associate Director of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, respectively, effective January 1, 2021. The Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science builds on a distinguished history of research, education, and service to support the turfgrass industry in the state, nation, and world. Established in 1991, the center hosts annual symposia, field days, workshops, webinars, and other activities that are conducted by a team of approximately 30 faculty and more than 50 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and staff. With its strong foundation and international recog- nition, the center is positioned for continued excellence that serves the turfgrass industry into the future. Jim Murphy joined the Rutgers faculty in 1991 as an assistant extension specialist and was promoted in 2006 to ex- tension specialist in the Department of Plant Biology. His research focuses on the development of environmentally- sound, best management practices in multiple turfgrass systems to improve stress tolerance, suppress disease, and reduce fungicide use. Jim is also well known for his studies on the traffic tolerance of turf and the long-term effects of root zone physical properties and topdressing practices on the performance of turfgrasses on golf courses, sports fields, and landscapes. He has served in leadership roles in the Department of Plant Biology, the International Turf- grass Society, and Crop Science Society of America (CSSA). continued on next page Quality, consistency, and expertise since 1998 Bunker Sands • Topdress Sands • Divot Mixes • Rootzone Mixes • Stone Products 856.327.2005 n www.MitchellSand.com 8 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 www.njturfgrass.org Leadership Changes...continued from previous page He was elected a fellow by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and CSSA, which also honored him with the prestigious Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. His outstanding leadership at NJAES has been recognized with the 2019 Extension Special- ist of the Year Award and the 2012 Outreach Excellence Award from Rutgers Coopera- tive Extension. Stacy Bonos (GSNB ’97, ’01) joined the Rutgers faculty as an assistant professor in 2001 and was promoted in 2017 to professor in the Department of Plant Biology. Her research focuses on developing cool-season turfgrasses for enhanced stress and pest tolerance and environmental sustainability, as well as breeding switchgrass for use as biofuels. She is widely recognized for her work in classi- cal breeding and molecular biology that have resulted in the release of hundreds of improved turfgrass cultivars over the past 20 years. In particular, she has had tremen- dous success developing cultivars of creeping bentgrass with dramatic improvements in dollar spot disease resistance. Well regarded in the turf industry, Stacy has been honored with the multi-state Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee inaugural Early Career Excellence in Plant Breeding Award, was named in 2010 by Sports Illustrated Golf Magazine to its “40 under 40” list, and was recognized by CSSA as its Young Crop Scientist in 2005 and a CSSA and ASA Fellow in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Congratulations to both and welcome to their new leadership roles at the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science. continued on page 12 A GAME-CHANGING DMI THAT BRINGS TURF SAFETY INTO THE MODERN ERA Introducing Maxtima® fungicide, an advanced new turf-safe DMI that can be sprayed anywhere on your course for unrivaled broad- spectrum disease control. To learn more, visit betterturf.basf.com or contact Dave Schell at david.schell@basf.com, 410-800-8762, or Paul Ramina at paul.ramina@basf.com, 908-413-2944. Always read and follow label directions. May not be registered for sale or use in all states. Refer to label for registered uses. It is a violation to use product in a manner inconsistent with labeling. Maxtima is a registered trademark of BASF. ©2019 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved. www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 9 Kevin Coombs Cell: (856) 542-4178 kevin@coombsfarms.com 84 Route 77, Elmer, NJ 08318 Office: (856) 358-4763 www.coombsfarms.com • THE PROS OF BEING A PRO • INSTANT ANSWERS Our newest branch is always open and never further than a click away. With SiteOne Online, you can order supplies and view inventory from any computer or mobile device. It’s a new option for growing your business—and one more reason the industry’s top pros choose SiteOne. The New SiteOne Online CHECK PRICING AND NVENTORY SHOP 50,000+ ITEMS ANYTIME PLACE ORDERS FROM ANYWHERE Set up your free account today at SiteOne.com/Online. www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 10 2021 Field Days is Being Planned ‘Live’! Save the dates of July 27th and July 28th! The Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days is plan- ning to be a LIVE! 2-day event at the Rutgers Hort Farm II in New Brunswick, NJ. (Both days will be at Hort Farm II) Given the COVID-19 restrictions, we’re exploring creative ways to have a safe event. Our goal is to offer a live, in-person educational event. A virtual event may be our only option in the end, but as time moves forward, we’ll know more information pertaining to our event. Last year, the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science (CTS) and the New Jersey Turfgrass Asso- ciation (NJTA) offered the Rutgers 2020 Virtual Turfgrass Research Field Day Video Series with 31 informative videos available for viewing on the CTS YouTube Channel. Virtual Field Day was very successful given our ability to pivot and to provide the latest turf information in the midst of a global pandemic. The NJTA would like to acknowledge and generously thank our Rutgers 2020 Virtual Turfgrass Research Field Day Spon- sors: A-List, BASF, Bayer, DLF Pickseed, Finch Services, Grass Roots, Helena Agri, Mountainview Seeds, and Syngenta. We look forward to the support of ALL of our sponsors. A big thank you to the supporters of our 2020 on-line Silent Auction. We will continue with our on-line Silent Auction this year. The Silent Auction Team is working diligently to provide an unusual mix of items for our on-line Silent Auc- tion platform. We welcome your Silent Auction donation today! RutgersFieldDays-Logo_final.png Join us for our 2-day event on July 27th and 28th at Hort Farm II for Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days. Details to follow. Save the Dates! 11 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 continued om next page www.njturfgrass.org Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science Leaders continued from page 9 Sincere thanks go to Bruce Clarke, extension specialist in turfgrass pathology, who has served as director of the center since July 1993, and William (Bill) Meyer, professor of turfgrass breeding, who has served as associate di- rector since joining the faculty in 1996. Together, they have provided more than 50 years of combined and outstand- ing leadership of the center and its award-winning programs. Those who know Bruce and Bill already appreciate their contributions to making Rutgers’ turfgrass program an international leader. A few words about each of these individuals illuminate highly successful academic careers that shaped the center’s excellence and positioned its ongoing success. Bruce Clarke (CC ’77, GSNB ’82) started his career at Rutgers as an undergraduate student and in 1982 joined the faculty as an assistant extension specialist. He never looked back, thriving as a researcher and taking on leadership responsibilities to advance the field. He held the Ralph Geiger Endowed Chair in Turfgrass Science from 2005 to 2011. His research focuses on the identification and control of biotic and abiotic diseases of cool-season turfgrasses. Bruce’s work on the biology and control of anthracnose, sum- mer patch, and gray leaf spot, and best management practices for the control of these diseases are cited as some of the most important achievements affecting the playing con- ditions of golf courses worldwide. He is a New Jersey Turfgrass Hall of Fame inductee, recipient of the John Morley Distinguished Service Award from the Golf Course Superin- tendents Association of America, and ASA and CSSA Fellow. His more recent accolades include the 2020 Nebraska Turfgrass Association Presidential Award and the 2016 USGA Green Section Award from the United States Golf Association. Bill Meyer joined the center as its associate director in 1996 following a distinguished career in private industry as presi- dent of Pure Seed Testing, Inc. and vice-president of Turf-Seed, Inc. He is widely rec- ognized as one of the world’s leading breeders of cool-season turfgrasses. His efforts have led to remarkable improvements to turfgrass germplasm and ultimately improved turfgrass varieties that have been used extensively, both nationally and internationally. He has multiple industry honors throughout his long and distinguished career, including the 2009 New Jersey Turfgrass Association Hall of Fame Award, 2014 Impact Award from the National Association of Plant Breeders, the 2015 Lifetime Membership Award from the Turfgrass Breeders Association, the 2020 USGA Green Section Award, and ASA and CSSA Fellow. In 2016, Bill was named the inaugural C. Reed Funk Endowed Faculty Scholar in Plant Biology and Genetics at Rutgers. Thanks to Bill Meyer and Bruce Clarke, who have provided more than 50 years of combined leadership of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science. www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 12 30th Anniversary Turf Symposium by Dr. Phillip Vines, Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Breeding The Thirtieth Anniversary Rutgers Turfgrass Sympo- sium was held on March 18, 2021, and live streamed as a virtual event. The theme for this year’s Symposium was Advances in Turfgrass Science: Looking to the Future. Although the Turfgrass Symposium is an annual event, this was the first time it was offered in an online format. The Symposium was an overwhelming success, bring- ing together great speakers, discussions, and interac- tions. There were 374 participants from 18 countries and 34 states within the U.S who registered for the event. Dr. Laura Lawson, Interim Executive Dean of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and Interim Ex- ecutive Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, welcomed the attendees to the Symposium and shared some of the exciting news about the School and the Experiment Station. The opening session focused on New Technologies for Turfgrass Breeding and Management; Dr. Bingru Huang served as the moderator for this session. Dr. Rong Di, a faculty member in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, was the first presenter with a pre- sentation entitled “Application of CRISPR-gene editing tissue culture to improve creeping bentgrass.” Dr. Josh Friell, a Senior Research Scientist at The Toro Company, gave the second talk on “New technologies for optimiz- ing turfgrass management.” Dr. Phillip Vines, a faculty member in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, followed with his presentation discussing “Applications of high-throughput plant phenotyping in turfgrass breeding.” The final presentation of the first session, “Decision support system - Collect, analyze, deploy, and integrate edge solutions for the food and beverage industry,” was given by Mr. Naveen Singa, a Research Professional at Siemens Technology. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Cristobal Uauy (picture below), a Group Leader at the John Innes Center in the United Kingdom. Dr. Uauy’s presentation was entitled “Unlocking the polyploid potential in crops through genomics.” Dr. Stacy Bonos served as the moderator for the key- note session. “ The new bents are fantastic. 007, 777, and Flagstick are beautiful grasses. I could not be happier. ” Oakland Hills Country Club Bloomfield Township, MI Phil Cuffare, CGCS Director of Agronomy dlfpickseed.com/superbents AVAILABLE THROUGH DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS OF www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 13 30th Anniversary Turf Symposium A poster session followed Dr. Uauy’s keynote address. There were a total of eighteen poster presentations giv- en by faculty, staff, and graduate students from Rutgers University on a variety of topics related to turfgrass sci- ence. Presenting authors were Cathryn Chapman, Katie Diehl, William Errickson, Patrick Fardella, Glen Gro- ben, Joseph Heckman, Sean McBride, Thomas Molnar, Bradley Park, Jeanne Peters, Stephanie Rossi, Anna Luiza Sousa, Trini Taccad, Christopher Tkach, Phillip Vines, Shidi Wu, Zhongqi Xu, and Pingyuan Zhang. The closing session included four presentations focused on Pest Management and was moderated by Dr. William Meyer. Dr. Matt Elmore, a faculty member in the De- partment of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, started the session with a presentation entitled “Goosegrass re- sistance to dithiopyr.” Another goosegrass related talk, “Identifying the mechanism of oxadiazon resistance in goosegrass and improved understanding of PPO-inhib- itor mode of action” was given by Dr. Scott McElroy, a faculty member in the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science at Auburn University. The third presentation of the final session was from Pingyuan Zhang, a graduate assistant in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University. Mr. Zhang’s talk was entitled “Interpretations of a logistic regression model for fungicide control of dollar spot on creeping bentgrass.” The concluding presentation was made by Dr. Bruce Clarke, a faculty member in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, on “Developing turf disease control programs that are efficacious and environmentally sound.” A special slide show tribute was presented at the conclu- sion of the Symposium to honor Dr. Bruce Clarke for his 40 years of contributions to education, research and service in turfgrass science at Rutgers University. The Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science is extremely grateful for the participation of the many friends and col- leagues at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The Rutgers Turfgrass Symposium was founded on the principles of sharing ideas and engaging in dis- cussions pertaining to current and future research. The level of participation and interaction at this virtual event helped to ensure those traditions will be continued for future symposia. All oral and poster presentations from the Thirtieth Anniversary Rutgers Turfgrass Symposium were recorded and will be available for viewing at the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science website (turf.rut- gers.edu). A great deal of appreciation is owed to the Sympo- sium Organizing Committee, which was composed of Drs. Rong Di (Symposium chair), Stacy Bonos, Bruce Clarke, Matt Elmore, William Meyer, and Jim Murphy, as well as Dr. Phillip Vines and Ms. Barbara Fitzgerald (co-editors of the Symposium Proceedings). The com- mittee assembled an excellent event, despite ongoing concerns centered around the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the Symposium Organizing Committee, there are many other individuals to thank for helping to make the Thirtieth Anniversary Rutgers Turfgrass Sym- posium a success. Thanks to Mr. Bernard Ward and Ms. Alanna Perez for providing technical support, which was essential to enabling the live streaming of the event. Finally, special thanks to Dr. Bruce Clarke, Dr. Rong Di, Mrs. Anne Diglio, Ms. Barbara Fitzgerald, Dr. Jim Murphy, Ms. Casey Noon, Ms. Cece Peabody, Dr. Phil- lip Vines, and Mr. Phil Wisneski for their administrative and technical assistance in developing and advertising the event and publishing recordings of the video poster presentations to the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Sci- ence website. www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 14 UPDATE FROM THE NJ TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Greetings NJTA Members, 2020 will certainly be remembered as a year unlike any other in our lifetimes. As a membership, we cer- tainly have missed not having the Rutgers Golf Clas- sic, the Rutgers Field Days and now the New Jersey Green Expo. Despite not being able to hold any of our fundraisers this year in person, I would like to share some great news with everyone. Having the financial capacity to continue funding criti- cal research at the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Re- search in a year with very limited revenues coming in is a testament to the many members and Allied Partners that have a vested interest in the program and research. So, on behalf of the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation, THANK YOU! WE WERE STILL able to fund some research projects that are vital to the continuing pursuit of great turf in the state of New Jersey and surrounding areas. As a result of the generosity of our many sponsors, the NJ Turf Foundation was able to fund the following proj- ects: Respectfully, David Schell NJTF President Drs. Albrecht Koppenhofer and Matt Elmore’s re- search titled “Optimizing the use of annual bluegrass weevil to control annual bluegrass in creeping bent grass fairways” will receive $6,500 per year for the next two years. This project will provide crucial in- formation necessary for the transformation of a ma- jor insect pest of golf fairways into a biological weed management agent. The 2nd project funded is for Drs. Matt Elmore and Bingru Huang of Rutgers, and Dr. Aaron Patton of Purdue University titled “Understanding False-Green Kyllinga biology for integrated management in cool season turf.” False-green kyllinga is fast becoming a serious issue in New Jersey and surrounding states on golf courses. This research will assist in aiding the un- derstanding of managing this weed in cool season turf. The NJTF can fund research at the requested $10,000 per year for the next two years. The Foundation is currently working on the funding structure to support a Turfgrass Graduate Student on an annual basis for eternity. Thereby, giving the Turf- grass program another vital instrument to attract the best people in the world to continue their education at Rutgers. Website www.njturfgrass.org Facebook Twitter Linked In YouTube Add logos and/or verbiage www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 15 Better varieties for all your turf needs. MOUNTAIN VIEW SEEDS IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NJTA AND RUTGERS www.mtviewseeds.com 503-588-7333 info@mtviewseeds.com www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 16 www.mtviewseeds.com 503-588-7333 info@mtviewseeds.comBetter varieties for all yourturf needs. The 2021 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Golf Classic In the first 24 years of the Rutgers Turfgrass Re- search Golf Classic, the event was only postponed one time and that was because the course was unplayable due to flooding. It eventually moved from the original date in May to an August date. As expected, attendance was reduced because of prior commitments, and typical August stresses on turf- grass forced many registered attendees to cancel. That event however still provided every attendee the chance to enjoy a great day of playing golf with friends and business associates while actively sup- porting Rutgers’s Center for Turfgrass Science. It still proved that even a major disruption like this wouldn’t change our industry’s belief that this was a fundraising event not to be missed. Fast forward to the Spring of 2020. All of the prepa- rations for the 25th Anniversary had been completed and sponsorships and registrations were on pace for a new record. In March we were introduced to CO- VID-19 and all of our lives were changed dramati- cally. The Classic committee quickly realized that we had to postpone our event. Fiddler’s had an open date in early October and we chose that date think- ing COVID would not be an issue. As everyone now knows, that event had to be canceled. A Classic in 2020 would not be possible. The decision was made to go back to an early May date in 2021 and we would still celebrate our 25th Anniversary. We were starting from a great position. Every Premier, Eagle, and Birdie Sponsor had com- mitted to 2021 right after we canceled the October 2020 event. Everyone was enthusiastic about know- ing we finally were all going to get together. Unfor- tunately, COVID has proven to be an ongoing issue. Vaccines became available but it soon became appar- ent that keeping the May date was just too question- able. Many major companies were not allowing their people to travel or stay overnight and Rutgers Uni- versity was not opening up until July. The May date would have kept away some sponsors that had been sponsors for 24 years. We weren’t even sure how involved the Rutgers scientists and staff could be. It was a difficult decision but it had to be made. We needed a new date. www.njturfgrass.org by Shaun Barry, Golf Classic Chair Fiddler’s Elbow CC has hosted this event for most of those 24 years and they have been the per- fect hosts. The courses are great, the food is always deli- cious, and we are treated with the respect all of their members are given. Even though the club was closed in January and February, they responded to our request for a date change. The only potential open date was Monday, August 16, 2021. Every other date was filled. We would not normally pick an August date but this date would give our sponsors and potential attendees the best possible opportunity to at- tend. That was our goal. Drs. Clarke, Meyer, Murphy, Bonos, every scientist and staff member of the Center for Turfgrass Science and the entire Classic Committee hopes you will mark the new date on your calendar. It has been a long and frustrating process but it is a day that will be worth the wait. Monday, August 16, 2021 25th Anniversary Celebration Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 17 RED LEAF SPOT....or NOT? Richard Buckley, Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory Red leaf spot of creeping bentgrass is a poorly under- stood leaf spot disease in turfgrass. Almost all golf course superintendents think they have it at one point or another, but nobody ever really does. Drechslera erythrospila is a different animal from the other common Drechslera species affecting turfgrass due to one simple detail – the fungus is active at warm- er temperatures. Red leaf spot is a warm, wet-weather disease that is not prominent until the onset of summer. Red leaf spot causes oval-shaped, reddish leaf spots and rotten crowns on individual plants, and an overall general thinning of the turf stand reminiscent of brown blight in perennial ryegrass or leaf spot and melting out in Kentucky bluegrass. Diseased bentgrass on golf courses may also appear drought stressed and can thin into dry, reddish brown irregular patches. Red leaf spot on creeping bentgrass putting green. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL Caused by the fungus Drechslera erythrospila, most folks consider red leaf spot to act just like our familiar leaf spot diseases in the bluegrassess, ryegrasses, and fescues. Generally speaking, these other leaf spot dis- eases, which are each caused by unique species of the fungus Drechslera, occur during the spring. We think of leaf spot disease activity from April to about mid-May. Typically, April and May are pretty cold in the North- east and many bentgrass cultivars respond to the cold by turning all sorts of red and purple. Superintendents see the discoloration, remember their leaf spot lecture from turf school, and think “bentgrass + red leaves = red leaf spot.” I say NOT! Bipolaris leaf spot on velvet bentgrass. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL Red Leaf Spot on creeping bentgrass fairway turf. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL Conidia of Bipolaris sorokiniana on diseased bentgrass leaf. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL Interestingly enough, there is another issue that con- fuses our red leaf spot conundrum even more. A related fungus, Bipolaris sorokiniana, also causes a disease in bentgrass that clearly resembles red leaf spot. Bipolaris sorokiniana has a much larger host range and is very Continued on page 21 18 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 www.njturfgrass.org njsae New Jersey Turfgrass Association MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Membership shall be open to all interested in the development and maintenance of turf. It shall represent all facets of the turf industry, including persons or organizations that grow or manage turf, or supply materials and services to the Green Industry. JOIN ONLINE: www.njturfgrass.org - Click “Become a Member” 25 US Highway 46 West • Wayne NJ 07470 Phone: 973.812.6467 • Fax: 973.812.6529 • BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP • • Savings on Green Expo & Field Days Registration fees • Opportunities to earn Pesticide Applicator License Credits • Clippings Magazine • Members Directory + Addendum • Outreach & Education impact in Trenton • Support of Rutgers University’s Turf Research and turf programs • Marketing opportunities in NJTA publications • Participation in events that raise scholarships for the New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation • Website: www.njturfgrass.org Membership Category Types (Annual Dues based on calendar year: January 1 – December 31) All members receive separate mailings of NJTA publications and meeting notices. ❑❑ BUSINESS PARTNER (Manufacturer/Supplier or Sod Producer) $295.00 ONE TO FOUR individuals included in this membership fee. ❑❑ ADDITIONAL BUSINESS PARTNER (5 or more) $95.00 each ❑❑ TURFGRASS PARTNER (Golf Course, Lawn Care, Landscaper) $225.00 ONE TO THREE individuals included in this membership fee. ❑❑ ADDITIONAL TURFGRASS PARTNER (4 or more) ❑❑ INDIVIDUAL MEMBER (Either ONE Business or ONE Turfgrass Partner) ❑❑ STUDENT MEMBER (Those enrolled in turf-related educational programs.) $95.00 each $95.00 $25.00 Member Information Name # 1 ____________________________________________ Title ___________________________ Company or Individual ___________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________ Is this Address? _____ Your Business ______ Your Home City ___________________________________________ State _________ Zip ___________________ Phone ______________________________________ Fax ______________________________________ Email _______________________________________Cell ______________________________________ If Applicable: NJ Pesticide License # _________________________________Date of Birth (DOB) _______________________________________ Name # 2 ____________________________________________ Title ___________________________ Company or Individual ___________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________ Is this Address? _____ Your Business ______ Your Home City ___________________________________________ State _________ Zip ___________________ Phone ______________________________________ Fax ______________________________________ Email _______________________________________Cell ______________________________________ If Applicable: NJ Pesticide License # _________________________________Date of Birth (DOB) _______________________________________ Page 1 of 2 www.njturfgrass.org Updated 02/2021 New Jersey Turfgrass Association • 25 US Highway 46 West • Wayne NJ 07470 Phone: 973.812.6467 • Fax: 973.812.6529 • www.njturfgrass.org • execdirector@njturfgrass.org 19 Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 njsae New Jersey Turfgrass Association MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Membership shall be open to all interested in the development and maintenance of turf. It shall represent all facets of the turf industry, including persons or organizations that grow or manage turf, or supply materials and services to the Green Industry. JOIN ONLINE: www.njturfgrass.org - Click “Become a Member” 25 US Highway 46 West • Wayne NJ 07470 Phone: 973.812.6467 • Fax: 973.812.6529 Name # 3 ____________________________________________ Title ___________________________ Company or Individual ___________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________ Is this Address? _____ Your Business ______ Your Home City ___________________________________________ State _________ Zip ___________________ Phone ______________________________________ Fax ______________________________________ Email _______________________________________Cell ______________________________________ If Applicable: NJ Pesticide License # _________________________________Date of Birth (DOB) _______________________________________ Name # 4 ____________________________________________ Title ___________________________ Company or Individual ___________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________ Is this Address? _____ Your Business ______ Your Home City ___________________________________________ State _________ Zip ___________________ Phone ______________________________________ Fax ______________________________________ Email _______________________________________Cell ______________________________________ If Applicable: NJ Pesticide License # _________________________________Date of Birth (DOB) _______________________________________ Select Business Category that Best Describes Your Business/Profession ❑❑ Manufacturer/Supplier • BUSINESS ❑❑ Golf Course • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Landscape/Lawn Maintenance • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Irrigation Installation • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Schools & Athletic Fields • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Student – IN TURF RELATED PROGRAM ❑❑ Sod Producer • BUSINESS ❑❑ Lawn Care Applicator • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Cemetery • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Parks and Recreation • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Architect • TURFGRASS ❑❑ Professionals, University, Ext Offices • HONORARY PP aa yymm ee nn tt IInn ffoo rrmm aa ttiioo nn ((RR ee qq uu iirree dd )) •• MM AA IILL OO RR FFAA XX TT OO NN JJ TT AA OO ffffiicc ee Type of Credit Card: Card Number: Expiration Date: (MM/YY) 3 Digit Security Code: Check By Mail: (Payable to NJTA) TOTAL MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT: NJ TURFGRASS FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTION: (This portion is optional and tax-deductible) Supports Turfgrass Research & Scholarships SIGNATURE: Name on Card: Street Address: City/State/Zip: PURCHASE ORDER #: $ $ 25.00 TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: $ Since 1970, New Jersey Turfgrass Association’s (NJTA) Mission is to promote the Turfgrass Industry and enhance the environment through education, professionalism, leadership, and our partnership with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Page 2 of 2 Updated 02/2021 www.njturfgrass.org New Jersey Turfgrass Association • 25 US Highway 46 West • Wayne NJ 07470 Phone: 973.812.6467 • Fax: 973.812.6529 • www.njturfgrass.org • execdirector@njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 20 RED LEAF SPOT....or NOT? Continued from page 18 common on perennial ryegrass fairways. At any rate, infections by Bipolaris sorokiniana in bentgrass are in- distinguishable from those caused by Drechslera eryth- rospila. Should you care? Maybe not, because both dis- eases look and act the same, occur during roughly the same conditions, and have similar management strate- gies. You might not have to care about the specifics of an individual fungus to do your job, but I do! One of the factors considered in the split was how the conidia germinate. Bipolaris germinates from the poles (bipolar get it?), while all Drechslera species germinate from every cell. Pretty cool, don’t you think? And one more thing for your next cocktail party, Charles Drechsler (Some Gramincolous Species of Helminthosporium) originally described all these grass infecting fungi into the genus Helminthosporium in 1923. Conidium (spore) of Bipolaris sorokiniana (left) and Drechslera erythrospila (right) And here is how I know who is who; under the micro- scope each of these fungi are quite distinct. Conidia (asexual spores) of Drechslera erythrospila are general- ly clear (hyaline) and cylindrical. Bipolaris sorokiniana conidia, on the other hand, are darker (dematiaceous) and taper toward the ends like a cigar. In the past, both of these critters were in the same genus, Helminthospo- rium, but in the 1950’s and 60’s they were split apart. Bipolaris sorokiniana conidia germinating from the poles. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL To manage leaf spot diseases; avoid high nitrogen fertility and excessive thatch accumulation. Water to avoid drought stress and wet leaves. Renovate with improved cultivars. Where necessary, apply fungicides preventively. The follow- ing materials have performed well in research trials: azoxys- trobin, chlorothalonil, fluazinam, fludioxonil, fluoxystrobin, iprodione, mancozeb, penthiopyrad, pyraclostrobin, and vin- clozalin. Looking at this list, can you see why these diseases are pretty rare in the summer on your golf course greens, tees, and fairways? www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 21 Meet the 2021 NJTA Board of Directors Rob Johnson President Fisher & Son Matt Lindner Vice President SavATree Jason Osterhoudt Secretary Metuchen Golf & Country Club Matt Sweatlock Treasurer Cedar Park Cemetery Dave Schell Foundation President & NJTA Past President BASF Shaun Barry Golf Classic Chair Marney Stauffer Director Corteva Agriscience Michael Reed Director SynaTek Tracy Wadhams Field Days Chair Traywood LLC Justin Shield Director Down to Earth Landscaping Craig Tolley Director County College of Morris Chris Carson Expo Chair Echo Lake Country Club Serving on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Turfgrass Association is very rewarding. Donovan Maguigan Director Spingdale Golf Club Josh Kopera Director Harrell’s Aaron Kurdyla Director Garden State Landscapes We welcome you to become more involved by joining a committee for one of our events - Golf Classic, Field Days, or Green Expo. If you have interest or questions, please reach out to any of our board members or our Executive Director. execdirector@njturfgrass.org Cece Peabody, MAT, CMP Executive Director NJTA / NJTF Dr. Bruce Clarke Advisor Rutgers University Dr. James Murphy Advisor Rutgers University Thanks! www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 22 2021 EVENTS Tuesday, July 27, 2021 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Day: Golf & Fine Turf Hort Farm 2, New Brunswick, NJ Wednesday, July 28, 2021 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Day: Lawn, Landscape and Sports Fields Adelphia Farm, Freehold, NJ Monday, August 16, 2021 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Golf Classic Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club Bedminster, NJ ________ Tuesday, December 7, 2021 - Thursday, December 9, 2021 46th Annual Green Expo Turf & Landscape Conference The Borgata Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, NJ Rutgers Extension Offices & Numbers RCE of Atlantic County (609) 625-0056 RCE of Bergen County (201) 336-6780 RCE of Burlington County (609) 265-5050 RCE of Camden County (856) 216-7130 RCE of Cape May County (609) 465-5115 RCE of Cumberland County (856) 451-2800 RCE of Essex County (973) 228-2210 RCE of Gloucester County (856) 307-6450 RCE of Hudson County (201) 915-1399 RCE of Hunterdon County (908) 788-1339 RCE of Mercer County (609) 989-6830 RCE of Middlesex County (732) 398-5260 RCE of Monmouth County (732) 431-7260 RCE of Morris County (973) 285-8300 RCE of Ocean County (732) 349-1246 RCE of Passaic County (973) 305-5740 RCE of Salem County (856) 769-0090 RCE of Somerset County (908) 526-6293 RCE of Sussex County (973) 948-3040 RCE of Union County (908) 654-9854 RCE of Warren County (908) 475-6505 Please notify the NJTA office if any of the above numbers have changed. Thank you. 973-812-6467 • execdirector@njturfgrass.org www.njturfgrass.org Clippings | Issue 1 • 2021 23 2021 NJTA Board of Directors • Rob Johnson, President • Matt Lindner, Vice President • Jason Osterhoudt, Secretary • Matt Sweatlock, Treasurer • Cece Peabody, MAT, CMP, Executive Director • Dave Schell, Foundation President • Shaun Barry, Golf Classic Chairman • Chris Carson, Green Expo Chairman Josh Kopera, Director • • Aaron Kurdyla, Director • Donovan Maguigan, Director Justin Shield, Director • • Marney Stauffer, Director • Mike Reed, Director • Craig Tolley, Director • Tracy Wadhams, Director • Dr. Bruce Clarke, Advisor • Dr. Jim Murphy, Advisor New Jersey Turfgrass Association 25 US Highway 46 W • Wayne, NJ 07470-6801 Phone (973) 812-6467 • Fax (973) 812-6529 execdirector@njturfgrass.org • www.njturfgrass.org