SEPTEMBER 1970 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association © 1970 by United States Golf Association. Permission to reproduce articles or material in the USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD is granted to publishers of newspapers and periodicals (unless specifically noted otherwise), provided credit is given the USGA and copyright protection is afforded. To reprint material in other media, written permission must be obtained from the USGA. In any case, neither articles nor other material may be copied or used for any advertising, promotion or commercial purposes. VOL. 8, NO. 5 SEPTEMBER, 1970 Research and You by William H. Bengeyfield 1 Phytotoxicity of Preemergence Herbicides by F. V. Juska, A. A. Hanson, and A. W. Hovin ............................................ 2 Super Sam by Paprocki ............................................................................................. 6 Helminthosporium Leaf Spot and Crown Rot of Kentucky Bluegrass by C. Reed Funk, Philip M. Halisky, and Peter L. Babinski 7 Plan Ahead by Holman M. Griffin .............................................................................. 11 Turf Twisters Back Cover Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION, 40 EAST 38th ST., NEW YORK, N. Y. 10016. Subscription: $2 a year. Single copies: 35tf. Subscriptions and address changes should be sent to the above address. Articles, photographs, and correspond­ ence relevant to published material should be addressed to: United States Golf Association Green Section, P. O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Calif. 92642. Second class postage paid at Albany, N. Y. and New York, N. Y. Office of Publication: 40 East 38th Street, New York, N. Y. 10016. Editor: William H. Bengeyfield Managing Editor: Robert Sommers Art Editor: Miss Janet Seagle Green Section Committee Chairman: Henry H. Russell, P.O. Box 697, Miami, Fla. 33157 Green Section Agronomists and Offices EASTERN REGION P.O. Box 1237 Highland Park, N. J. 08904 Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region and National Research Director James W. Timmerman, Eastern Agronomist (201) 572-0440 SOUTHERN REGION P.O. Box 4213 Campus Station, Athens, Ga. 30601 James B. Moncrief, Director, Southern Region Holman M. Griffin, Southern Agronomist (404) LI 8-2741 MID-CONTINENT REGION P.O. Box 592, Crystal Lake, 111. 60014 F. Lee Record, Director, Mid-Continent Region (815) 459-3731 WESTERN REGION P.O. Box 567 Garden Grove, Calif. 92642 William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region and Publications Editor G. Duane Orullian, Western Agronomist (714) 638-0962 COVER PHOTO: The ninth hole at the San Luis Rey Country Club in Bonsall, Calif. Research in turfgrass helps keep our courses playable and attrac­ tive. RESEARCH and YOU by WILLIAM H. BENGEYFIELD, Western Director and Publications Editor, USGA Green Section To turn a phrase, the golf course superintend­ ent has done more to grow grass under his feet than any other individual in the world! Along the way the Green Section, since 1923, has actively pursued and supported turfgrass research mat­ ters for the betterment of the nation’s golf courses and superintendents. Recent issues of THE USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD have told the great harvest from this research. Now an increased pace is planned by the Green Section for the 1970s. Productive turfgrass research requires not only intelligence, imagination and talent, but also an understanding of the problems the su­ perintendent faces in the field. If the researcher doesn’t know the need, he is not likely to find the answer. Therefore, during the decade ahead, it is the responsibility of us all to determine what new information we need. What new re­ search do we want to have undertaken. Once determined, this must be effectively relayed to the researcher. Here, the Green Section agron­ omist can play a vital role for all concerned. Research—real research—is the key to a better life and for us, better golfing turf. But because research has produced so many won­ ders in the past, one must be alert to the pos­ sibility of overuse or abuse of the word. The mere term “research” is not holy. It should not be considered as a sacred cow and go unchal­ lenged. All too frequently some “research projects” have in reality been simply a demonstration of already known facts or a duplication of effort already competently accomplished, documented and thoroughly investigated. Dr. Elwyn E. Deal, Assistant Director of Extension Service for The University of Maryland, recently wrote in Park Maintenance magazine, “Duplication of effort, especially in research, reduces efficiency of the people working in any field.” Duplication is not only wasteful of talent, but funds as well. Research is “laborious, careful inquiry or in­ vestigation,” (Webster). May we not also expect it to lead to the development of new informa­ tion? If turfgrass research funds are limited— and they are—should not the effort go toward needed new information rather than continually reconfirming the old? Like everyone else, the turfgrass researcher has his job responsibilities and his superiors to please. It is an old but true cliche that he must “publish or perish.” Under similar circum­ stances, we would all find ourselves publishers. It is up to us then—the users of turf culture information—to see that the researcher is aware of our needs and to financially support his in­ vestigation of those needs. In the recent past, the topic of “research needs” came under discussion at several golf course superintendents meetings attended by the author. You may be interested in the re­ plies received: Irrigation: Better sprinkler heads. Better sprinkler patterns. An independent survey of sprinkler equipment. Establishment of irrigation standards for golf courses. An accurate, mobile soil moisture sensing device. New Grasses: Dwarf varieties. Wear resistance varieties. Winter and summer hardi­ ness. Year round color for ber­ mudagrass. Growth Retardants. Better Poa annua Controls. Better Algae Control for Ponds. Labor Efficiency and Management Methods. Better Equipment and Labor Saving Ma­ chines. An Improved Dye for Winter Bermuda. Soil Environmental and Micro-Biological Studies. What would you add to the list? Certainly from the above one can see not all future re­ search needs lie in the field of agronomy or even agriculture. During the 1970s we’re going to require assistance from other branches of the university system as well. Although research has brought us a long way since the 1920s, there’s still a long road ahead. Needed now is a coordinated effort between all national turfgrass research interests. With it and the continuing work of outstanding scientists (like the authors of the following two articles), the technology of turfgrass management will enjoy unprecedented progress in the decade ahead. It is progress sorely needed and you and I and all of us have a direct stake in it! SEPTEMBER 1970 1 FIG. 1. Bentgrass varieties used in this study. Individual plots are 5 x 10 feet. Phytotoxicity of Preemergence Herbicides by F. V. JUSKA, A. A. HANSON, and A. W. HOVIN United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland Crabgrass and annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) are serious weeds which invade putting green turf. Of the two weeds, annual bluegrass is the most difficult to eradicate. Annual blue­ grass is a prolific seed producer that can pro­ duce seed under putting green height of cut. Annual bluegrass is the main grass component in some putting greens because it persists un­ der many putting green management programs. H. B. Sprague and Glenn W. Burton3 were among the first researchers to observe that lead arsenate was slightly toxic to annual bluegrass. Lead arsenate has been used to control annual bluegrass on putting greens for many years with a fair degree of success when applied at the right time and at the right amounts. Calcium arsenate is used to some extent for annual bluegrass control, but control has been some­ what erratic. Injury from calcium arsenate can result from high application rates, excessive buildup of soil toxicity levels, and from applica­ tions made during hot weather. V. B. Youngner4 states that calcium arsenate is not safe to use on greens under their conditions in the West. Although several preemergence herbicides give excellent control of crabgrass, there is justifiable concern over potential injury to bentgrass greens. There is also the possibility of injury 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD from preemergence herbicides applied for an­ nual bluegrass control. Holman M. Griffin1 re­ ported good control of crabgrass with DOPA (Dacthal) on bentgrass. His findings are sup­ ported by field experience that shows this herbicide to have a high degree of safety on all but Cohansey bentgrass greens. A. T. Per­ kins2 reported bensulide as a promising herbi­ cide to eradicate annual bluegrass without in­ jury to 16 bentgrass selections. The purpose of this study was to determine the phytotoxicity of six preemergence herbicides on several bentgrass varieties. Bentgrasses and Herbicides The experiment was set up in 1965 on bent­ grass plots sprigged or seeded in 1957. The experimental area included four replications of 5 feet by 10 feet plots planted to the following creeping bentgrass varieties: Arlington, Congres­ sional, Cohansey, Collins, C-52 (Old Orchard®), Metropolitan, Penncross, Pennlu, Seaside, Wash­ ington, and a mixture of Arlington and Congres­ sional (Fig. 1.). Herbicide treatments were ap­ plied across the replications in 16 main plots measuring 2y2 feet wide and 55 feet long. Three of six herbicides were applied on two of the four bentgrass replications. The bentgrass va­ riety subplots within herbicide treatments were 2j/2 feet by 5 feet. Herbicides and rates ap­ plied were: 1) bensulide, 15 pounds per acre; 2) DMPA, 15 pounds per acre; 3) siduron wet­ table powder, 12 pounds per acre; 4) DCPA wettable powder, 10 pounds per acre; 5) lead arsenate 96 per cent, five pounds per 1,000 square feet; 6) calcium arsenate 69 per cent, five pounds per 1,000 square feet; and 7) the control plot. Rates of all herbicides were based on active ingredients per acre except lead arsenate and calcium arsenate. All herbicides were applied with a knapsack sprayer, each in one gallon water, except for lead arsenate and calcium arsenate which were mixed with sand and applied with a fertilizer spreader. Herbicides were applied to the same plots in May for five consecutive years, from 1965 to 1969. Visual phytotoxicity notes were taken in July or August of each year. Injury scores were not obtained in 1968 because of a severe attack of disease just before ratings were to be taken. Injury to the bentgrasses was not evident in 1969. Results The amount of injury to bentgrass varieties, averaged over three years, is listed in Table 1. Of the six herbicides used in this study, ben­ sulide was the only one that did not appear to injure any of the bentgrasses tested. A trace of injury was observed from lead arsenate in 1966. There was no obvious injury to bentgrasses from lead arsenate in the other two years. Appreciable varietal differences are apparent among bentgrasses in reaction to herbicides, with the exception of bensulide and lead arsen­ ate. This is seen in the absence of siduron in­ jury on Penncross and the appreciable level of damage from this herbicide on the Washington variety. Calcium arsenate injury on C-52 was relatively severe, with only slight injury on Penn- TABLE 1. Turf injury scores on bentgrass selections (average for 1965-1967)1 Herbicides and Rates DMPA 15 Ib/A Siduron 12 Ib/A Calcium arsenate 5 lb/1000 sq. ft. Lead arsenate 5 lb/1000 sq. ft. DCPA 10 Ib/A Bensulide 15 Ib/A 1.3 .8 1.2 .3 .8 1.0 1.3 .3 .7 .8 1.3 1.0 1.0 .8 .3 2.2 1.7 .3 .7 .7 .17 1.2 .7 .7 0 .8 .17 .8 3.3 .3 .17 1.3 1.7 .17 .17 .3 0 0 0 0 0 .3 0 .3 1.2 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.7 .8 1.8 1.2 1.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Varieties Pennlu Arlington Penncross Arlington Congressional C-52 (Old Orchard®) Metropolitan Washington Congressional Cohansey Collins Seaside Scores: 0 = (no apparent injury) to 10 — (severe injury) SEPTEMBER 1970 3 scorched to form open areas. Stolons from DCPA treated plots failed to root well, the sod was less dense, and the turf had a ragged ap- appearance (Fig. 4). In 1968, both lead arsenate and calcium arsenate were applied in water with a knapsack sprayer. Within a day or two the calcium arsen­ ate plots showed considerable scorching which disappeared in approximately two to three weeks. The lack of injury to bentgrass from applica­ tion of bensulide confirms the findings re­ ported by Perkins2. Control of Poa annua with bensulide may require annual applications for two or three years to prevent seed germination. Established Poa annua may remain in the greens for a number of years because of the favorable conditions for Poa annua growth found in most putting green management pro­ grams. Date of preemergence herbicide application may be an important factor ip amount of injury that may occur. Applications made in the Mid­ Atlantic States in May, when temperatures are high, may be responsible for more severe injury to the bentgrasses, particularly from DCPA and calcium arsenate. Preemergence herbicide treat­ ments for control of crabgrass and annual blue­ grass can create problems in reseeding damaged greens. Residues from treatments can reduce the successful establishment of bentgrass seed­ lings. If herbicide injury is a problem, damaged areas should be sodded rather than seeded. Summary Phytotoxicity of 6 herbicides on 11 bentgrass varieties was observed in the field from 1965- 1969. Herbicides were applied in strips 2% feet wide and 55 feet long across plots of the 11 bentgrass varieties. TABLE 2. Injury to bentgrasses from herbicides as it varied from year to year (aver­ age for all bentgrass varieties)1 1965 1966 1967 Siduron DMPA Calcium arsenate 69% ai Lead arsenate 96% ai DCPA Bensulide .7 .0 1.3 .0 .1 .0 .6 2.5 1.3 .3 2.3 .0 1.3 .4 .2 .0 .8 .0 1 Scores: .0 (no apparent injury) to 10 (severe injury) FIG. 2. Turf injury to Washington bentgrass from siduron applied at 12 pounds ai per acre. cross and Washington bentgrass. There was variation among years in the amount of herbicide injury on bentgrasses (Table 2). Injury from DCPA rated 2.3 in 1966, compared with .1 in 1965 and .8 in 1967. DMPA rated 0 in 1965, 2.5 in 1966, and .4 in 1967 while calcium arsenate was rated 1.3 in both 1965 and 1966 but only .2 in 1967. There was 107 per cent more injury from siduron in 1967 than in 1966. In 1965, siduron injury to Washington bentgrass was 7.5 (Fig. 2) with little or no damage to several other va­ rieties. Poa annua largely filled in the injured areas of Washington bentgrass so that very little injury was observed during the next two years. The higher rate of injury from calcium arsen­ ate in 1965 was due to the susceptibility of C-52, which received an average score of 5.0 (Fig. 3) and to relative high scores assigned to Metropolitan (3.5) and Seaside (3.5). In 1965, all but two bentgrass varieties were slightly in­ jured by the calcium arsenate application. Injury from DCPA was different from that of the other herbicides in that the turf was not 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD The Authors This article is a contribution from the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md. Mr. Hanson is the Agricultural Administrator, and Mr. Juska and Mr. Bovin are Research Agronomists with the Department of Agriculture. References 1. Griffin, H. M. 1969. “Management Basis for Bent Greens in Southern Areas.” USGA Green Section Record, vol. 7, no. 1, p. 10-13. 2. Perkins, A. T. 1968. “Effective Turfgrass Weed Control.” USGA Green Section Rec­ ord, vol. 6, no. 1, p. 11-15. 3. Sprague, H. B., and G. W. Burton, 1937. “Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and its Requirements for Growth.” N. J. Agr. Sta. Bull. 630. 4. Youngner, V. B. 1969. “Poa annua: View­ points on Control Methods and Precau­ tions in the West.” Proc. 40th Annual Int. Turfgrass Conf, and Show, G.C.S.A.A. p. 74-75.. FIG. 3. Turf injury io Old Orchard bentgrass from calcium arsenate applied at 215 pounds per acre. Washington bentgrass was severely injured in 1965 by an application of siduron, but there was only a trace of injury on two other selec­ tions. DMPA did not cause any injury in 1965 but quite severe injury occurred in 1966. Old Orchard®, Seaside, and Metropolitan were most sensitive to calcium arsenate injury in 1965. There was some injury from calcium arsenate on all but two strains in 1966. Bentgrasses were discolored in 1968 when calcium arsenate was applied in liquid form. Injury from lead arsenate was negligible. Bentgrass stolons failed to root readily from applications of DCPA. Bensulide caused no noticeable injury. FIG. 4 Congressional bentgrass stolons fail­ ing to root properly. DCPA applied at 10 pounds ai per acre. SEPTEMBER 1970 APPENDIX LIST OF HERBICIDES REFERRED TO IN THIS PUBLICATION Common name Chemical name Trade name Manufacturer’s name DMPA 0-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) O-methyl * Zytron * Dow Chemical siduron DC PA bensulide isopropylphosphoramidothioate l-(2-methylcyclohexyl)-3-phenylurea dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate 0,0-diisopropyl phosphorodithioate S- ester with N-(2-mercaptoethyl) benzene­ sulfonamide * Tupersan * Dacthal * Betasan * E. 1. duPont * Diamond Shamrock * Stauffer calcium arsenate calcium arsenate lead arsenate lead arsenate several names several names various companies various companies * Mention of trade names, proprietary products, or company names does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and does not im­ ply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable. SUPER SAM by Paprocki 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Helminthosporium Leaf Spot and Crown Rot of Kentucky Bluegrass by C. REED FUNK, PHILIP M. HALISKY, and PETER L. BABINSKI Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. K entucky bluegrass, including its improved varieties, is the premier lawn-type turfgrass in the northern half of the United States. Blue­ grass is hardy, attractive and widely adapted. The development of improved, disease-resistant bluegrasses capable of producing a denser, more dependable turf under conditions of close mow­ ing would make this species of even greater value to the golf course superintendent. The first requirement of such improved varieties should be a high degree of resistance to leaf spot and crown rot caused by Helminthosporium vagans Dreschs. This disease produces purplish or brown spots with straw-colored centers on leaf blades, sheaths, and crowns. When severe, the disease drastically thins and weakens bluegrass turf, a condition referred to as “melting-out.” Most turf experts consider this to be the most destructive disease of closely-mowed bluegrass in the Northeastern region of the United States. Seasonal Development Under New Jersey conditions, Helminthos­ porium leaf spot initiates infections with the advent of cool, moist, cloudy weather in Oc­ tober and November. Large numbers of spores are produced during the late fall, winter and spring months. Highly susceptible varieties fre­ quently become nearly 100 per cent brown from disease by early March. Subsequent spring regrowth is also subject to considerable infec­ tion during periods of cool, moist, cloudy weather. The fungus virtually ceases to pro- Kentucky bluegrass showing leaf spots with dark borders and light centers. SEPTEMBER 1970 7 Table 1. Relation of turf loss due to melting-out by Helminthosporium vagans and weed invasion in Kentucky bluegrass varieties. Bluegrass Variety Anheuser Dwarf Pennstar Merion Cougar Newport Delta Park LSD at 5% Turf loss caused by melting-out (%) May Broadleaved weeds per 100 sq. ft. (no.) October 1 5 7 25 27 43 65 6 5 4 6 31 61 34 104 31 duce spores during the warmer season of May to October. However, infections already present continue to progress causing a peak of destruction in late May and early June. Defoliation and melt­ ing-out of bluegrass turf results in unsightly patches of bare ground subject to easy coloni­ zation by both crabgrass and broadleaved weeds (Table 1). Subsequent recovery of the bluegrass depends on the level of food reserves present in the plant, the environmental conditions favoring recovery, and the extent of weed in­ vasion. This disease is normally of minor con­ sequence during the bright, sunny weather of late summer and early fall. The occasional spots present on leaves produce very few spores during this warm season of bright sunshine. Management Factors The severity of this disease is greatly in­ fluenced by certain management factors. Dis­ ease injury is considerably greater under close mowing in contrast to higher mowing. Close mowing tends to deplete carbohydrate food reserves, thereby weakening the grass and making it more subject to damage and less capable of recovery. Turf receiving low levels of nitrogen fertilizer often shows greater num­ bers of leafspot lesions compared with highly fertilized turf when examined in March or April. However, observations made during late May and early June, when the crown rot phase of the disease is most severe, have shown that turf receiving high rates of nitrogen fertilizer suffers the greatest permanent damage. As shown in Table 2, turf mowed at 2^ inches and maintained at moderately low fertility showed little damage from melting-out and was virtually free of crabgrass. On the other hand, turf mowed at %-inch and heavily fertilized showed 63 per cent turf loss in early summer resulting in 33 per cent crabgrass cover by the end of the summer. Varietal Resistance Turf mowed high and fertilized lightly may not suffer as greatly from leaf spot, but neither does it possess the rich green color, density and neat appearance desired by most people. Varieties with a high level of disease resistance are therefore essential for the production of high quality turf. The outstanding success of Merion Kentucky bluegrass can be attributed primarily to its inherent resistance to leaf spot. Unfortunately, Merion is not well adapted to all areas and is subject to certain other weak­ nesses, such as susceptibility to the stripe smut disease. New varieties presently coming on the market such as Fylking, Pennstar, and Warren’s A-20 have good resistance to both leaf spot and Table 2. The effect of cutting height and fertility level on loss of Common Kentucky bluegrass turf from melting­ out by Helminthosporium vagans and subsequent weed invasion.* Fertility level** 0 pounds 30 pounds 60 pounds 2% inches % Cutting Height 1^2 inches 0/ /o 5 (1) 22 (3) 34 (7) 8 (2) 24 (12) 50 (22) % inch 0//□ 16 (1) 43 (18) 63 (33) *Percent crabgrass invasion given in paren­ thesis. **Fertility applications consisted of applying 10-6-4 fertilizer in 10 lb/1000 sq. ft/application as follows: 0 = none; 30 = early April, May and September; 60 = early April, late April, May, September, early October, and late October. 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Chemical Control The control of leaf spot and crown rot in Kentucky bluegrass usually involves a com­ bination of disease resistance, proper manage­ ment practices, and chemical control measures. Since none of the resistant varieties is immune to this disease, and since disease severity is often accelerated by uncontrollable environ­ mental factors such as cloudy weather, the use of fungicide applications is often desirable. An excellent selection of non-mercurial, low-toxicity chemicals that are highly effective against this disease is available to the golf superintendent today. These include Daconil, Dyrene, Fore, Tersan and Captan. Additionally, granular for­ mulations of PCNB also are very effective. Re­ cent work in Pennsylvania has shown that 2-3 high dosage applications of chemical at 3-week intervals during spring are often adequate for controlling this disease in bluegrass turf. Breeding Resistant Varieties When the turfgrass breeding program was started at Rutgers in 1962 the number of leaf­ spot resistant bluegrasses was very limited. They included Merion, Fylking, Pennstar, War­ ren's A-20, and Anheuser Dwarf. An extensive collection of over 6,000 bluegrasses made by Rutgers during 1962 and 1963 provided a few additional resistant bluegrasses including NJE P-1, NJE P-23, NJE P-59, NJE P-62, NJE P-107, NJE P-115, and NJE P-123. It was soon ap­ parent that bluegrass plants with adequate leaf spot resistance were very rare in old turf areas. In making the collection of the 6,000 plants thousands of other bluegrass had been rejected because of obvious deficiencies at the time of sLripe smut. They should be of considerable value to those who enjoy quality turf (Table Table 3. Reaction of Kentucky bluegrass va­ rieties to Helminthosporium vagans in New Jersey under turf mainten­ ance. 0 = best resistance. Good Resistance ♦Merion ♦Pennstar 0.7 NJE P-104 NJE P-23 0.7 NJE P-16 0.7 NJE P-1 0.8 0.8 NJE P-56 Anheuser Dwarf 0.8 0.9 NJE P-101 NJE P-5 0.9 NJE P-72 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 ♦Warren’s A-20 NJE P-106 NJE P-27 PSU K107 ♦Fylking NJE P-84 NJE P-59 NJE P-115 NJE P-69 NJE P-35 ♦Warren’s A-34 NJE P-57 NJE P-29 Belturf Windsor Campus Prato Moderate Susceptibility 3.0 3.6 4.0 4.2 ♦Delft ♦Newport ♦Newport C-l ♦Cougar Primo ♦Delta ♦S-21 ♦Geary ♦Arboretum High Susceptibility 6.0 6.5 6.8 7.0 7.0 ♦Kenblue ♦Common ♦Park *Nu Dwarf ♦Troy 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 4.8 4.8 4.8 5.2 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 8.5 ♦Varieties commercially available in the United States. Spores of Helminthospori­ um vagans which spread the disease. SEPTEMBER 1970 Melting-out of Park Kentucky bluegrass by Helminthosporium vagans. Resistant varieties Merion and Fylking show very little damage. field selection. Many of the resistant plants were also strikingly similar to each other such as NJE P-59, NJE P-107, NJE P-115, and NJE P-123 or similar to bluegrasses already on hand, such as Anheuser Dwarf, Merion or Fylking. Like present varieties, all showed some weaknesses in seed production or other aspects. Because of the difficulty of obtaining elite and novel plants possessing all desired character­ istics from field collections, a hybridization ap­ proach was initiated at Rutgers. Hybridization allows the breeder to recombine the best char­ acteristics of two or more parents into one elite variety if progenies of adequate size are evaluated. With apomictic reproduction, the im­ proved plant will breed true to type and can become the foundation of a new turfgrass variety. As a result of seven years of hybridiza­ tion work, over 100 bluegrass selections show­ ing good leafspot resistance have been obtained with dozens of others being produced each year. These selections are all moderately low-growing, turf-type bluegrasses. The more promising hy­ brids are currently being evaluated for resist­ ance to other diseases, apomictic reproduction, area of adaptation and seed production poten­ tial. The outlook for improved disease resistant bluegrass is bright. References 1. Cole, H., J. Duich, B. Taylor, and G. Brown. 1969. Fungicide programs for the control of Helminthosporium leafspot and crown rot on Kentucky bluegrass. Plant Disease Reptr. 53:462—466. 2. Funk, C. R. and R. E. Engel. 1966. In­ fluence of variety, fertility level, and cut­ ting height on weed invasion of Kentucky bluegrass. Northeast Weed Control Conf. Proc. 20:480-485. 3. Halisky, P. M. and C. R. Funk. 1966. En­ vironmental factors affecting growth and sporulation of Helminthosporium vagans and its pathogenicity to Poa pratensis. Phytopathology 56:1294-1296. 4. Halisky, P. M„ C. R. Funk, and R. E. Engel. 1966. Melting-out of Kentucky blue­ grass varieties by Helminthosporium va­ gans as influenced by turf management practices. Plant Disease Reptr. 50:703- 706. 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD PLAN AHEA0 Long range plans made from aerial photographs pay big dividends. by HOLMAN M. GRIFFIN, Agronomist, USGA Green Section Barring luck, no one makes much forward progress today unless he has a plan. Planning is an integral part of modern existence. It im­ plies mental formulation of ideas and some­ times graphic representation of these ideas. It is often the difference between success and failure and without it, a project may never come into existence. Accurate anticipation of need is what plan­ ning is all about. Attention to detail enhances the value of plans and thorough organization streamlines the operation. There are all kinds of plans used on golf courses and each type has a specific function. First, there is a job plan of very limited scope which deals with a single job. Next a work plan SEPTEMBER 1970 11 which covers all the necessary jobs on the golf course. Work plans are timely and may cover from one day to several months in scope. Beyond one year we begin to formulate long- range plans which will effect our progress in the years to come. Long-range plans may be formulated for 5, 10, 20 or more years and when properly made and followed, will insure both stability and progress. Long-range plans should definitely be positive in nature and not just a ruse used to avoid getting things done. Often I have heard the phrase, “That’s in the long-range plans,” when what is really meant is, “We realize the need and certainly hope the next generation will do something about it.” Essentially, long-range plans are concerned with new projects for improvement not covered by the routine budget; improvements which must be done in stages over a period of years and the changes required to maintain the “status quo” of the club. Progress means change, but a good long- range plan will lessen the chances of making unwise moves which may not be in the best interest of the club. This sort of planning gives a club both a goal to reach and the direction of progress toward that goal. Without a goal there can be no progress, and without direction, progress is always slower with the end result more dubious. Design changes take place at many clubs every few years, and there are some instances of clubs going through many expensive changes only to return to the original design as their final effort. Clubs which do this are very much like the man who resets his watch every time he sees a timepiece which does not agree with his. There has never been an 18-hole course built that would please everybody, even though a vast majority of courses are well designed. If plans for a new course are not well received by the majority of the people who pay the bills, then construction should never be started until an acceptable design is found. Once the course is completed it may be improved upon by correction of construction flaws or addition of new features which enhance the value of the property, but basic design changes are seldom advisable unless requested by a majority of the members. In all cases, an architect should be con­ sulted and the changes should be a part of the long-range plan. Major design changes are never urgent and the time between conception and implementation should be at least a year which by definition makes them a part of long-range planning. Long-range planning lends continuity to the Planning of any kind would have prevented the designer to the center of the new green (right), management program of any course. Green Chairman, Green Committees, Board Members and Superintendents come and go, and more often than not, continuity is sadly lacking. The formulation of long-range plans does not imply that the first green committee the club has should make a rigid 30-year program and every­ one from there on must stick to it. Long-range planning must be flexible to meet changing situations, but not flexible to the point that a new committee can take over and in one or two years change the course in chameleon fashion. The fact that some of the world's out­ standing courses are old courses which have undergone only minor changes during the years would, in itself, lend credence to the practice of making long-range plans. You may be thinking that not every golf course is a truly great one and that your own club needs some modernization and needs it now. Maybe you are faced with the seeming crisis of a new “super course” in your area competing for members. Long-range planning will be even more of an asset to you in these situations. If your basic design is poor to start with, a 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD the one you have now. Honestly, now, think of all areas of your course—greens, tees, fairways, roughs, clubhouse lawn, etc.—and I feel sure you can picture at least one or more of these areas which could be made more desirable by switching to an improved variety of turf. Increased traffic of all kinds has influenced golf course design tremendously in the last 10 years or so. Superintendents find it almost im­ possible to maintain turf on small, poorly con­ structed greens with limited cupping space. If this is your problem you have two alternatives: you can either restrict play, or you can build new greens. The second solution seems much more advisable and should be a part of long-range planning. You might also get some relief from foot traffic on greens by instituting an educa­ tional program which advises the membership of the problem and encourages them to wear golf shoes of the type with the spike shoulder recessed in the shoe sole. This won’t lessen the traffic, but it may reduce the wear on turf by 50 per cent, which in turn makes playing con­ ditions better, gives the golfer a good excuse to buy a new pair of shoes, and makes the golf professional’s cash register ring. This will be a long-range plan if you arrange it at all. Golf carts and service vehicles constitute another type of traffic which is becoming in­ creasingly difficult to deal with. Many clubs, realizing the need for cart paths and service roads, have begun to install these on a long- range basis because of the expense of putting all the necessary roads in at one time. Long- range planning will also allow you to decide better where they are needed, how successful the design will be, what width to make them to best serve your purposes, and a number of other things which may be overlooked on a short-term installation. The scope of long-range plans should in­ clude, but not be limited to, land acquisition for additional holes or a new site which would offer the golfers better facilities than they have now. Tree planting for replacement of older trees or additional trees. Beautification to make the course and grounds more appealing. Improved drainage to make the course more playable and easier to maintain. New or additional supplies of irrigation water from wells and for storage tanks and ponds. Better irrigation systems to improve the turf and save manhours. The list of ideas for long-range plans on the golf course is infinite, as is the value of such plans. Generally speaking, the happiest people are those who make things happen, and no one can make things happen without a plan. from installing a drain from the center of the bunker (left) where the first rain caused a blowout. quick refurbishing can be extremely costly and probably won't help much on the long pull. What the course may need is complete redesign and rebuilding. If the committee in charge of planning has been on the ball, they will have recognized the inherent problems on the course and will have anticipated the possible danger of competition. A long-range plan should have been formulated to eliminate any severe con­ sequences to your club. If your basic design is good, a long-range plan will show your membership where you are going and they will appreciate the fact that long-range plans will make the changes less of an inconvenience and certainly less costly than a crash program. Long-range planning should take into account that new and better grasses are being de­ veloped and that traffic is not only increasing, but also changing in type. Your long-range plans need not specify the type of grass to which you wish to change, but you can be almost certain that from now on there will be an improved turf variety for some area of your course when you are ready. The new variety probably won't be the ultimate, but it should be better than SEPTEMBER 1970 13 USGA GREEN SECTION RECC SEPTEMBER, 1970 TURF TWISTERS CHORES Question: Over the years, our greens have decreased in size due to the “cutting-in” by our operators. How can we best bring them back to their original size? (Mass.) Answer: When a grass is cut regularly at apron height, it is difficult to reduce it to putting green height over one season. Normally it is not advisable to reduce the cut from apron to putting green height in one operation. To subject the turf to such treatment would probably kill or severely injure the turf. There are several methods of successfully doing this, and a few are listed here. 1) Begin by reducing the height of cut in early fall, about l/32nd at a time. Mow the turf daily at the same height, until observation tells that you may reduce it another l/32nd of an inch. If fall weather is favorable, the area should be down to about regu­ lar putting green height before winter sets in. When greens are aerated in spring and fall, these areas should receive at least twice as much aeration as the rest of the green for several years. 2) Strip the sod, improve the soil beneath, and turf the areas with putting green sod from the nursery. With present day power sod cutters, this task has become much simplified. The best time to do this is in early to mid spring. 3) If the turf is Poa annua and you wish to establish permanent grasses in its place, reduce the height of cut in one fell swoop in early fall, and then completely renovate the newly mown area. Prepare a seedbed by thorough but shallow aeration, or by drastic vertical mowing. Then add topsoil as needed, and reseed or stolonize to bent­ grass strain desired. TO CONSIDER Question: Recently I have heard about new programs of winter feeding for cool season turf. Is this now an accepted practice? (Maryland) Answer: Research has been conducted in this area of concern for the past several years by at least four universities in the North, South, Mid-Continent and Mid Atlantic regions. Virginia Polytechnic Institute, for one, now recommends several different programs of winter fertilization for their area based on the type of fertilizer used: i.e., chemical or­ ganic or synthetic. This concept of fertilization is proving successful in certain regions and has much to recommend it from research data compiled thus far. THIS FALL Question: When is the best time to apply potassium for general turf hardiness? (Minn.) Answer: It has been our experience that periodic applications of potash throughout the season are more beneficial than a spring or fall application alone. A program of two light applications of 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per 1,000 square feet in the spring followed by an early fall application for a total of 3 to 5 pounds for the season has shown ex­ cellent results in improving summer as well as winter hardiness.