Green World AN INDUSTRYWIDE PUBLICATION OF THE NEW JERSEY TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION Volume 5 Number 3 Sampling Turf For Nematodes Ronald F. Myers, Professor, Nematology, Cook College, Rutgers University All turfgrasses have plant-parasitic nematodes feeding upon them but most of the time root growth exceeds root destruction. When the reverse is true, economic damage occurs and light green patches, streaks and wilting become noticeable. Although an experienced observer can often note familiar root damage, nematodes must be extracted from soil samples, identified, and counted to determine if they are present in suffi­ cient numbers to cause the problem before expensive soil treatment becomes justified. HOW TO SAMPLE Soil sampling tubes of about 3/4-in. diameter are used to sample soil and feeder roots. The top portion of plant material or the top inch or so of a 5 to 10-in. soil core is discarded. The soil should not be excessively wet nor too dry. A composite sample of 15 to 20 cores consisting of a quart or more volume is more or less randomly obtained from a fairway or green. The soil sample should include some cores from the edges of damaged areas. A soil mix can be used to fill holes made by the soil sampling tube. Five acres is the maximum size turf area for a single sample. Samples should be taken from areas of similar appearance that are repre­ sentative of specific soil types, slopes or drainages. Sample problem areas first for detec­ tion of nematodes. If a nematode prob­ lem is found to exist, the other areas can then be later examined. Soil samples from turf are taken whenever the soil temperature is above 40° F. CARE OF SAMPLE Separately mix each soil sample and place about a pint of soil in a heavy plastic bag. Close the bag tightly to prevent the sample from drying out. Discard excess soil. (Page 3. please) ‘Bargain' Phone Offer May Be Something Else Be ready with some sharp questions if you get a phone call from a salesman offering fantastically low prices for chemicals. Reports of false claims and mis­ labeled products bought over the phone have been coming in from all parts of the country, according to Agri- News. This prompts some suggestions from the publication: • Do you recognize the brand name or the name of the manufacturer? If not, get advice from your county agent. • Check the product’s label for con­ tents and percentage of active ingre­ dients. • Be sure the product is labeled for your needs. A representative of a reputable com­ pany will be glad to answer your specific questions, while one of the other kind may try to dodge them. Research, Breeding In Europe Studied Fred B. Ledeboer Agronomist, Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. On a recent, unfortunately rath­ er hurried tour through several turfgrass research facilities, I received my first impression of turf research and its scope in Europe. Even to the hurried observer the most drastic difference between work in the United States and Europe is that private enterprise there contributes a great deal more to the overall pool of information than do government insti­ tutions and universities. Critical shor­ tages of funds and personnel appear to (Page 3. please) Fall, 1975 ‘Dung Beetles’ Hurt Bluegrass Fairways Tough Little Grub Resists Cyclodiene Insecticides Superintendents of several New Jer­ sey golf courses found themselves fac­ ing a new problem during the early part of the past summer. The grubs of a small beetle damaged annual bluegrass fairways by feeding on the grass roots. General wilting resulted, and then large patches of grass died. It was not uncommon to find 100 to 200 or more grubs to a square foot. This insect does not have an ap­ proved common name, but many superintendents call it “dung beetle.” Its scientific name is Ataenius spretulus Hald, and it’s a member of the order of Coleoptera and family of Scarabaei- dae. ESTABLISH RESEARCH PLOTS According to Cook College entomo­ logists, grubs have been found in fair­ ways previously treated with dieldrin, heptachlor, or chlordane. Resistance to the cyclodiene insecticides has been reported from Ohio, Connecticut, and New York, and is apparent in New Jersey. Specimens have been collected from many areas of New Jersey dating back to 1963. Research plots have been estab­ lished to determine effective control measures. No insecticides are now labeled for control of Ataenius spretu­ lus. Mature grubs are about 3/4-in. long and have a light brown head capsule. They resemble miniature Japanese beetle grubs. Adult beetles are dark brown to black, about 3/16-in. long. The insect is present in New England, most of the eastern states, and in the West as far as New Mexico. (Page 6. please) Comments and Opinions 1975 - A ‘TOUGH’ YEAR FOR TURF All summers are tough for our cool-season turfgrasses. Some are tougher than others and everyone seems to say this is one of the worst at this August date of writing. We had 20 inches of rain in June and July along with four very hot, humid days in early August. While the heat total is lower than normal, the prolonged excessive wetness caused a lot of trouble. The abruptness of the change from 60 days of excessive rainfall and moderate temperatures to the continuous hot weather was probably as damaging as either the wet weather or the short, very hot period. No one escaped the severe weather; others have experienced unusual problems with dung beetle, “Hyperodes,” and Fusarium. In my opinion, turfgrass diseases were the single most destructive agent. Survival of the grass in summer is always dubious without such a load of extra problems. Over the years, the various but limited research programs have given many answers and innovations. Yet, formal research is no help next week when you encounter unsolved problems. Besides, there are always many more problems than the limited number of research people can attack. This means the turf grower who has done trial and error work in the past will do as much or more than ever in the future. Research people are not afraid of this putting them out of business. The purpose of this editorial is to make a few suggestions on trial and error work. First, more of this should be done on small plots — not on the whole turf site. Second, there are cases where serious turf loss is occurring and the grower does not have the time for a trial plot. Thus, when prompt action is necessary and the problem has no sure cure, many turf growers prefer to use a safe treatment of uncertain value over the entire turf area rather than do nothing. If an untreated check strip is not left in this type situation, it is a serious mistake. It costs essentially nothing to do this and learn something about the value of such future treatments. If enough growers would do this, sufficient information might be accumulated in one season to establish an answer to a problem. OFFICERS OF THE N.J.T.A. Peter Loft President Bert Jones Vice President Ralph Engel Secretary and Consulting Editor William Ritchie Treasurer One day on a tour of the battlefield at Gettysburg the guide pointed to a certain spot and said, “That’s where a great general fell.” A little old lady standing nearby replied, “The government ought to fix that place. I nearly fell there myself.” Paul Boizelle Dave Buchholz Frank Cacavio Fred Eden Edgar Krause EXECUTIVE BOARD W.C. “Chuck” Wilson Roy Bossolt Past President Green World is published three times a year by the New Jersey Turfgrass Association, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903. Ralph Engel, consulting editor; Russell Stanton, managing editor. Please address inquiries concerning adver­ tising to Bert Jones, advertising director, 975 Ball Ave., Union, N.J. 07083. SEES IGNORANCE AS REAL ENEMY “Ignorance Is the Real Enemy,” wrote Dick Beeler, editor of Agrichemi­ cal Age in a recent issue. His editorial, widely quoted and reprinted, con­ cludes with the following section: Modern man is the same as ancient man, except he is surrounded by the marvelous products of the gifted few. For the most part, he simply accepts them without curiosity. When for one reason or another he requires an ex­ planation, he’s fair game for anyone who has an axe to grind and enough showmanship to sound like an authori­ ty. That’s where Rachel Carson, Arthur Godfrey, The Sierra Club, the Envir­ onmental Defense Fund, Adelle Davis, Columbia Broadcasting, Cesar Chavez, Ethel Kennedy, and The New York Times came in. These are common man’s authorities on science and agri­ culture. They are tough acts to follow. It would have been better if one of us could have written Silent Spring. In this long, discouraging battle to defend scientific agriculture, we must constantly remind ourselves that the real enemy is not the government regu­ lator, the politician, the consumer ad­ vocate or the misplaced entertainer. OUR REAL ENEMY IS IGNOR­ ANCE. The same ignorance that has been with us all these 10,000 years. If there has been one single, most serious error in the way we have conducted our battle thus far, it has been to underestimate the strength, the depth, and the nerves of that enemy. Ignorance. Once we get him sized up properly, and discover all the places he has infiltrated, ignorance is easy to defeat with one weapon — the simple truth. When it comes to agriculture and our food, all of us in this field are well within the top 5 per cent. We are well armed with the simple truth. We should all be writing editorials. It is important to support all of agriculture’s educational programs, to write letters to newspapers and con­ gressmen, to take teachers to lunch, to grab a chance to speak at Rotary, the Boy Scouts and the PTA. We hope you will. That’s where you’ll find the other 95 per cent, and it’s our only chance. WALTON ACTING DEAN Dr. Grant Walton is acting dean of Cook College, Rutgers University, suc­ ceeding Dr. Charles E. Hess who resigned to become dean of agriculture at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Walton was chairman of the Department of Environmental Research at Cook. (SAMPLING from Page 1) Protect soil samples from high and freezing temperatures. Soil heats rapid­ ly in closed bags when exposed to direct sunlight whether on a green or in the back seat of a closed car. Do not leave soil samples in the car’s luggage compartment since temperatures often exceed those lethal to nematodes. SEND TO NEW BRUNSWICK Record the date the sample was taken, the type of grass or grasses present, the site or locality, and the name and address of the person to receive the final report. Send samples to the Nematode Detection Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology, Cook College, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903. A reply with recommendations will usually be sent within 14 days after receiving the soil sample. Although this service is currently free for samples originating within New Jersey, it is expected that a fee will shortly be charged to partially cover costs. Remember, sample analysis and in­ terpretation is accurate only if the soil and roots are properly collected and arrive at the laboratory in good condi­ tion. (RESEARCH from Page 1) be the primary limiting factors in insti­ tutional agencies. Briefly, here are the impressions I received in several European countries from a visit in May and a previous tour in 1973: HOLLAND Several large seed enterprises are involved in sizable turf variety im­ provement projects, primarily via selection and polycross breeding using family groupings collected from a specific site. Some hybridization work in Kentucky bluegrasses is also being carried out. There, main efforts are expended on Kentucky bluegrass, and various fine-leaved fescue species. Strong perennial ryegrass programs are also underway to develop specific turf types as improvements over the present pasture types of which several are presently on the U.S. market. In conjunction with these improve­ ment efforts, these companies conduct expansive management studies primar­ ily practical in nature. Fertilization, mowing and treading (traffic simula­ tion) are under intensive study. Much emphasis is placed on wear tolerance as most grasses in Europe are used in sports installations. Many varieties are being developed and registered annually with the Insti­ tute for Research on Varieties of Field Crops in Wageningen. Since many breeders cover a rather small territory in which germ plasm is collected, duplication is easily possible. There­ fore a hectic pace is being set to formulate as many new varieties as possible and to register them as quickly as possible before the competition gets there first. The Variety Research Institute at Wageningen is the official government testing station where all varieties are being compared, described and then approved if novelty is shown. Impor­ tant criteria with European officials apparently are homogeneity and stabi­ lity of registered germ plasm. With cross-fertilization grasses such as fescues, bentgrasses and ryegrasses this may lead to genetically narrowly based varieties that sometimes may lack the wide range of adaptation we require in the U.S. if the variety is to be successful. But varieties such as Baron, Koket, Highlight, C-26, etc. are evi­ dence of their success. Most emphasis is placed on fine-leaved fescues, Kentucky bluegrasses and ryegrasses. Breeding methods and goals are similar to those pursued in Holland; however, the overall effort is not of the same magnitude. Dr. Skirde at Giessen’s Justus Liebig University is really the only one plac­ ing much emphasis on management practices. His main interest lies in soil modification to improve usage and durability of sports turf. Drs. Boeker and Opitz Von Boberfeld at Bonn are involved in root distribution studies under various management variables. Registered varieties are being com­ pared and evaluated by the Bundessor- tenamt in Bonn. I visited this station briefly last May. Due to lack of quali­ fied personnel for evaluation and maintenance, appearance and perfor­ mance of all grasses in these test plots was far below acceptable standards. A few varieties are now in testing programs in the U.S. Skofty, for in­ stance, is a very fine-textured Ken­ tucky bluegrass with excellent summer performance. DENMARK AND SWEDEN In these two countries practically all turf work, again primarily variety development, lies in the hands of private companies. None spends all their effort on turfgrasses alone. Other agricultural crops are of far greater importance economically. Daehnfeldt in Denmark and Weibulls in Sweden are the principal companies working in this area. Fylking, Sydsport and Emer­ ald have become quite familiar grasses in turf circles. Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. featuring: * Baron Kentucky Bluegrass * Majestic Kentucky Bluegrass * Jamestown Chewings Fescue * Manhattan Turf Type Perennial Ryegrass * Yorktown Turf Type Perennial Ryegrass** •U.S. Plant Patent #3186 Dwarf Variety **Protection applied for under the U.S. Plant Variety Protection Act GERMANY Similarly, as in Holland, breeding and variety development work in Ger­ many is done by private enterprise. LOFTS Exclusive North American Grower and Distributor: Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. Bound Brook, N.J. 08805 / (201) 356-8700 GREAT BRITAIN For years the Sports Turf Research Institute at Bingley has dominated European turf philosophy, with regard to appropriate mixtures and manage­ ment practices. Most of England’s man­ agement work is still being done at the Institute but fund shortages are limit­ ing its scope. Some private companies are now beginning to collect superior germ plasm that has evolved in England especially on overgrazed sheep pas­ tures and under low fertility condi­ tions. OTHER COUNTRIES At present we have little information about other countries in Europe. Some variety development work, we know, is under way in France with emphasis apparently on fine-leaved fescues. I cannot report first-hand knowledge on other countries, because I have not had occasion to visit them. Other countries at present apparently are utilizing turfgrass varieties and technical infor­ mation from wherever it is available, including the United States. We must remember that space in Europe is limited. All arable land is first needed for food and fiber produc­ tion. Traveling in Europe, one can easily observe a compact, intensively man­ aged vegetable garden in front of the house instead of the wide open ex­ panses of a highly manicured lawn. SUSTAINING MEMBERS Our sustaining membership list con­ tinues to grow, and the N.J.T.G.A. again expresses thanks for the contin­ ued support of these members. (Any omission from the list is unintentional and should be brought to the attention of the editor.) Andrew Wilson, Inc. 975 Ball Avenue Union, N. J. 07083 Garfield-Williamson, Inc. 1072-1074 West Side Ave. Jersey City, N. J. 07306 Greenthumb Spray Service 240 Hamlin Rd. North Brunswick, N. J. 08902 Lawn King, Inc. 14 Spielman Rd. Fairfield, N. J. 07006 Leon’s Sod Farm R. D. Box 78 Frenchtown, N. J. 08825 Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. P.O. Box 146 Bound Brook, N.J. 08805 Markos Bros. Nurseries, Inc. 1811 Richmond Ave. Staten Island, N.Y. 10314 Princeton Mfg. Co. 2625 Johnstown Road Columbus, Ohio 43210 Rockland Chemical Co. Inc. Box 204 West Caldwell, N. J. 07006 Stanford Seed Company P.O. Box 230 Chemical & Gravers Roads Plymouth Meeting, Penna. 19462 The Country Greenery, Inc. RD 1, Box 357 Pittstown, N. J. 08867 The Terre Company 1 Sampson St. Saddle Brook, N. J. 07662 Fungicides 3336 Turf Fungicide A broad spectrum systemic fungicide that prevents and controls all six major turf diseases. Bromosan Turf Fungicide The newest broad spectrum systemic fungi­ cide for those persistent trouble areas. Caddy PMAS (10%) Spotrete Granular Turf Fungicide Cad-Trete Herbicides MCPP MCPP Plus 2,4-D Methar 80 Methar 30 AMA Plus 2,4-D AMA (Super Methar) Specialties All Wet Clear Spray Tru-Green Grass* Greenzit P.O. Box 10, Somerset, N.J. 08873 ACTING CHAIRMAN Mercer Contracting Co. of Trenton 53 Flock Rd. Trenton, N.J. 08619 TURF PROTECTION CHEMICALS YOU CAN DEPEND ON. TERSAN TERSAN LSR® 1991® Dollar Spot, Leaf Spot, Brown Patch, Rust, Fusarium Patch, Brown Patch Fusarium Blight, Stripe Smut TERSAN SP® Snow Mold, Pythium TURF PRODUCTS Dr. Don Riemer, widely known for his weed control research, has been named acting chairman of the Department of Soils and Crops at Cook College. He succeeds Dr. Steve Lund who retired. Helminthosporium Disease Attacks Creeping Bentgrass William A. Meyer, Director of Research, Warren’s Turf Nursery Helminthosporium sorokinianum and erythrospilum are the two species of Helminthosporium most commonly found to attack creeping bentgrass cul- tivars. H sorokinianum causes the disease referred to as Helminthospor­ ium leaf spot and was shown to be an important and prevalent pathogen throughout Illinois by Drs. M. Britton and M. Healy. In Illinois this pathogen causes leaf spotting during May, Sep­ tember, and October. Leaf blighting caused by girdling of the leaves by lesions occurs during June, July and August. Large severely infected areas have a smoky-blue cast appearance. It has also been reported to be an impor­ tant pathogen of creeping bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass in other mid- western states and in California by Dr. R.M. Endo. Helminthosporium erythrospilum causes the disease referred to as red leaf spot on creeping bentgrass and was first described by Dr. C. Drechsler in 1935. He reported the occurence of this pathogen throughout the many eastern and midwestern states. This fungus is commonly reported to be a serious pathogen in the eastern part of the United States on most of the creep­ ing bentgrass cultivars. Dr. Herb Cole of Pennsylvania State University reports that Penncross and Cohansey (C-7) are two of the more resistant varieties to red leaf spot and are usual­ ly not as seriously affected as the other cultivars. The variety Congressional (C-19) appears to be the most suscepti­ ble variety (personal communication). This particular species has not been previously reported to be an important and prevalant pathogen in Illinois. In Dr. Drechsler’s original description of the symptoms caused by H. erythrospi­ lum he refers to the deceptive appear­ ance of the injury caused to plants. He observed the symptoms caused by this fungus over a period of 15 seasons and usually found leaves with a drought-stricken appearance, though plenty of moisture was present to sup­ port growth. An overall view of dis­ eased stands of bentgrass may have a drought-stricken appearance. Only a few times during his studies did he observe the typical leaf spotting prior to the spread of the lesions and death of individual tillers. Leaf spots, when present, are circular to elongate, straw colored and surrounded by reddish-brown borders. Red leaf spot is a warm, wet-weather disease and is usually first seen in early June. With the advent of warmer tem­ peratures disease severity increases. This fungus was first isolated by the author from diseased greens in the Chicago area in the fall of 1972. Dur­ ing the summer of 1973 this same fungus made up approximately 80 per cent of all isolations from diseased creeping bentgrass greens on 20 Chica­ go area golf courses. Toronto (C-15) was the only cultivar found to be affected during the past season. The variety Cohansey planted in adjacent plots showed good resistance. First Symptoms The initial symptoms consisted of small spots approximately 1/2 to 1 in. in diameter with indistinct margins. Plants in these spots had infected leaf tips appearing orange to reddish brown in color or leaves that were completely withered and bleached. The fungus H erythrospilum could be isolated from leaves, crowns and roots. Heavy populations of plant- pathogenic nematodes were found to be associated with some of the diseased greens. There were also some diseased greens which contained no plant- pathogenic nematodes. The impor­ tance of nematodes in this disease complex has not yet been fully deter­ mined. uss Agri-Chemicals Division of United States Steel PO Box 1685. Atlanta, Ga 30301 In tests conducted in the greenhouse in winter, plugs of diseased C-15 creep­ ing bentgrass responded to a combina­ tion of leaf spot fungicides and nemati- cides better than when those chemicals were used alone. Nematode Stress It has already been shown that nematodes can cause an additional stress to a grass plant by their feeding on root systems. Insects and other environmental and soil factors may also be involved in increasing the severity of this disease by a weakening of the plants which would reduce their ability to resist attack by plant patho­ gens. Dr. Cole and the author have also isolated H. erythrospilum from a dis­ eased Nimisila creeping bentgrass green in Ohio. Dr. Cole reports that this same fungus has been very preva­ lent throughout Pennsylvania in the last few years on different creeping bentgrass cultivars and that the most effective control consists of preventive applications of the fungicide Dyrene, Daconil 2787, Tersan LSR and Acti- dione fungicides. Once the pathogen has infected the crown and root portions of plants, fungicide applications are ineffective. On greens severely affected during the previous season, the best remedy would consist of a 7-10-day rotation of one of the above fungicides during the spring and continuing into the sum­ mer. Dr. Cole also reports that applica­ tions of high rates of nitrogen may also increase the severity of this dis­ ease. Bull Sheet, Midwest GCSA ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYING COULD BRING BIG SAVINGS Will electrostatic spraying join man’s arsenal of weapons to use against pests? Dr. S.E. Law, an agricultural en­ gineer at the University of Georgia, says yes, and he’s working to perfect a system by which the efficiency of insec­ ticide application can be increased by as much as 500 per cent. The savings in insecticide costs could be enormous. Unlike our present hit-or-miss meth­ ods, charged particles are attracted to plants evenly, and the undersides of leaves are covered as well. (GRUBS from Page 1) TWO GENERATIONS? Ataenius spretulus overwinters as an adult beetle. Eggs are deposited in the spring (usually May) and damage by grubs begins to appear in late May. Extensive damage is present by June and will last to mid-July. Pupation occurs in July, and adult beetles ap­ pear in mid-to-late July. In Ohio, grubs have been found during August and September, which indicates a possible second generation. Adult beetles have been found over­ wintering in waste piles of grass cut­ tings and other plant debris. —From Insect-Disease Newsletter, Cook College, Rutgers University Terre QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR TURF GRASS SEEDS Certified Bentgrasses by variety New Kentucky Bluegrass varieties The Perennial Ryegrasses FERTILIZERS Granular and Pulverized grades — with Natural organics, Ureaform, or the new I.B.D.U. controlled release nitrogen. INSECTICIDES WEED KILLERS The TERRE Co. FUNGICIDES 1 Sampson Street (201) 842-6655 Saddle Brook, N. J. 07662 New Jersey Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 231 New Brunswick, N. J. 08903