NORTHERN MICHIGAN TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION C. E. “ TUCK" TATE, PRESIDENT FRANK HEMINGER, Secretary-Treas. FREDERICK E. MILLER, VICE PRESIDENT 1 147 SANTO TUESDAY, JULY 17th, 1979 TRAVERSE CITY. Ml. 49684 ANTRIM DELLS GOLE CLUB PHONE: 616-947-9274 The above information tells you when the next meeting of this Association will be. This is a different date than printed in our membership booklet so please be sure that on your appointment calendar that you will be free to be with us. prior to this date of July 17th, there will be another important date for you to consider. Field Day at Michigan State University will be held on July 10th at East Lansing. Registration will be 9:00 A.M. at the Crops Barn, Mt. Hope & Beaumont Road. This is the same location as other years. While there, please be sure to see the location where the new turfgrass research building will be located since it is close by and on the southeast corner of Farm Lane and Mt. Hope. Two years from now, this will be the location where Field Day will be held in 1981. * For the benefit of you that do not know where Antrim Dells is located, it is at Atwood, west side of U.S. 31» 13 miles south of Charlevoix, overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. It is a beautiful 18 hole golf course built by Jerry Matthews and one of his best. It is so well thought of that they are playing the qualifying rounds there for the Michigan Amateur. Considerable thought has been given to move the tournament there in the near future. Robert McElheny is Superintendent, Gene Naymen is the Golf Professional and Jeff Kirby, the General Manager. Starting times are necessary and these can be procured by calling 616-599-2679, the pro Shop. Lunch is available in case you desire a bite before you tee off. Dinner will be served at 6:15 P.M. and this time we must know of the number that will be there by July 11th. We must advise the Chef there so that he can procure the meat for our party so don’t delay in returning the postcard. Get it in the mail today. Our speaker for the evening will be the architect that designed this golf course, Jerry Matthews of the firm W. Bruce Matthews & Son. He will be able to fill us in on all the details concerning Antrim Dells from the very beginning to what we see there. We should look forward to a very interesting evening with many new ideas to take back with us. #########*#**###*#*#**** We want to report that the benefit day for The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation was very successful at Cadillac Country Club on June 13th. Our sincere thanks go to our Coif Committee Chairman and Host, Joe Yoder. It was a beautiful day in every respect, fine weather, good conditioned golf course, splendid cooperation by the staff and above all, an excellent steak that makes ray mouth water just by writing about it. We are now looking for a location where we can hold our Uth Benefit Day in 1980 therefore if you would like to host this affair, please advise. FUSARIUM BLIGHT: higher population of fusaria in some plots decomposed Research Progress Report plant tissue more rapidly and thus less decomposable « Or. Richard W. Smiley organic litter was in that turf when the environmental Dept. of Plant Pathology stresses occured. These concepts must be studied Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 further. It may be concluded that the pathogenic fusaria are Fusarium blight of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) almost always present in turf, but if they are not, equally- continues to be a severe problem in southeastern New effective pathogens surely are, and they can al, cause the York, and it is, therefore, given considerable emphasis characteristic diseased condition of grass which we know in the Cornell University trufgrass disease research pro­ as Fusarium blight. gram. This report summarizes some recent findings. THE HOST All plant diseases are dependent upon the presence of the pathogens, the presence of susceptible host plants, and Although greenhouse tests have suggested that creeping the existance of environmental conditions that are more bentgrass is susceptible to Fusarium blight, this has rarely favorable to the pathogen’s activity than to the growth of been observed in the field. Transforming bluegrass fair­ the host or of the pathogen’s microbial competitors. Each ways to bentgrass fairways has, in fact, been accelerated of these parameters is being studied in our program. on one New York golf course where the blight reduces the bluegrass competition so that the bentgrass can be­ THE PATHOGEN come established more rapidly. The bentgrass has not Fusarium species are a normal and ubiquitous component been affected by this disease. of the turfgrass microflora, and are, therefore, almost Information is now available about the relative suscep­ always associated with healthy as well as with dying tibility of seeded Kentucky bluegrass cultivars to g.ass. The diversity of Fusarium species in turf is large Fusarium blight (Funk, 1976, Turgeon, 1976; and Gibeault (Smiley and Craven, 1979), and many species are capable et al., 1977); however, little is known about the com­ of infecting living tissue. But infection of living plants parative susceptibilities of cultivars when they are that have fusaria occupying their crown and root tissues established from sod. The reasons why seeded cultivars do not always succomb to disease. The disease-causing differ in their susceptibility to Fusarium blight, and why activity of the fusaria in living tissues becomes amplified the patch symptoms occur as they do are also unknown. if the plant undergoes a stress that causes a general These aspects of the disease are being investigated in an weakening of the plant. Fusaria readily begin the decom­ attempt to develop more efficient control measures. position process of the weakened plants in which they live, a similar process to that of the primary decomposi­ It is my hypothesis that the patch (frog-eyes, crescents, tion of plants that have died without being diseased. Turf- or solid patches) symptoms may be a reflection of the grasses continually produce new tissue, and the older bluegrass growth habit. The question becomes one of de­ parts are continually senescing and being decomposed. fining a plant that originated from a single seed, as it ages Fusarium species are important components of this and becomes more complex. The biology of tiller and natural recycling of nutrient elements. rhizome growth, and of apomictic reproduction are being studied. It is known, for instance, that from 0 to about In some instances, fusaria are not the dominant fungi in 20% of the seeds in a seed lot of any one cultivar are tissues of plants which exhibit the typical symptoms of genetically different from the other 80 to 100% which are Fusairum blight. Species of Rhizoctonia, Curvularia, or genetically identical to one another. Could the plants Drechslera ( Helminthosporium) are occasionally the arising from the off-type seed be more prone to Fusarium dominate or the only detectable fungi which can be blight, and the differences in susceptibilities among isolated from the diseased plants, but usually only one of cultivars reflect the heterogeneity of seed lots? these fungi will be dominant in a particular diseased The climate, soils, and geography of each cultivar’s origin stand. In most instances, fusaria are present, yet we must are also being investigated for possible linkages with the ask why the other fungi are apparently capable of causing cultivar’s susceptibility to Fusarium blight. A superficial the same symptoms as fusaria in the Fusarium blight and thus preliminary survey suggests that the most sus­ disease. Perhaps it is because there is nothing magical ceptible cultivars were derived from parents or selections about Fusarium, except that it is most prevalent on grass taken from more northerly latitudes, from shaded areas, at the time the disease occurs. It is known that Drechslera or from higher elevations. These factors will be con­ and Curvularia dominate the composition of leaf-surface sidered to determine if they can be used to predict a fungi in the spring and fall, and Fusarium species are cultivar’s potential susceptibility to this disease. If so, most prevalent in the summer. Rhizoctonia is a soil in­ breeders would have new guidelines to include in their habitant that is active over a wide temperature range. search for resistant cultivars. The occurence of any disease during the summer is, THE ENVIRONMENT therefore, likely to include fusaria as primary or secon­ dary invaders of weakened leaf and crown tissue. Perhaps Fusarium blight is known to become most prevalent on the overall symptoms of this disease are morejndicative heavily-fertilized turf, or turf that is cut too low, on older of plant growth patterns and of plant stress than of the turf unless it is established from sod rather than from activity of a particular pathogen, and therefore, the seed, on fully-sunlit sites, and on turf near heat-accumu­ actual pathogen which attacks the weakened plant is un­ lating sources such as sidewalks, streets, or buildings. important. This hypothesis will be carefully examined in The disease has also been thought to be associated with future investigations. drought stress, with low soil pH, and with heave accumu­ lations of thatch. Each of the latter three factors is Several of our recent studies have indicated that Fusarium contradictory to the results of recent research findings. blight has been most severe on plots where the lowest numbers of fusaria were counted in soil, and where the A survey of weather records for 1966 and for 1973 to lowest percentages of Fusar/um-colonized plant crowns 1978 (Smiley, Craven and O'Knefski, 1979) indicated that ocurred prior to disease symptom development. The Fusarium blight always occurred soon after major rainfall meaning of these results is not easy to recognize. Tenta­ events, regardless of the presence or absence of sub­ tive explanations, which have not been tested experimen­ sequent droughty periods. There was also no apparent tally, are: 1). the Fusarium-co\or\'\zed plants may have relationship between the disease and summer tempera­ been altered in their chemical composition such that they tures. These results, illustrated in Figure 2, are consistent were less severely stressed when the environmental with the occurrence of the disease on seemingly well- conditions or the management program caused a general watered lawns and fairways, and with the severe weakening of the overall plant population; or 2). the occurrence of the disease in 1976, which was one of the wettest summers in recent history. Since the disease followed major rainfalls even on irrigated turfgrasses, the r length of the wetting period may be of major importance of plant stress, or to a combination of both. Moreover, the benzimidazoles differ in their hormonal efficiency; since irrigation cycles are brief in comparison to the benomyl is slightly more eficient than methyl thiophanate, wetting cycles of large storms. and both are considerably more efficient than ethyl * Smiley and Craven (1977) observed that no relationship thiophanate and thiabendazole. The same sequence and existed between Fusarium blight and either the thatch- magnitudes occur for these fungicides in their ability to plus-soil pH or the depth of thatch at the Mill River Club control Fusarium blight and several other diseases. Much on Long Island, where the Kentucky bluegrass fairways more research on the influence of fungicides on the are about 12 years old. However, we have now obtained physiology of plans is required to answer the questions muh different results on a sodded bluegrass plot at raised by the relationships summarized here. Ithaca. The most disease on the sodded plot occurred CONCLUSION where pH values were highest, and where the thatch The absolute importance of the environment and the layer was thinnest. irregularities found in the relationship between Fusarium Decomposition of thatch is most rapid when the soil and species and Fusarium blight lead me to question the im­ thatch are not acidic, when they are well aerified, when portance of fusaria as a primary cause of this disease. the temperature is high, and when they are alternately The cause and the control of the disease can be moistened and dried. Decomposer organisms, including explained without implicating the fusaria, although it is the fusaria, are favored by these conditions. Decomposi­ certainly recognized that these fungi are potentially tion becomes intense when dry thatch is remoistened, pathogenic and are always present in turfgrasses. By and a large quantity of potentially toxic organic chemicals questioning whether fusaria are always (or ever) involved as primary pathogens, I feel that research progress can are released from the debris, especially when aeration is be accelerated to solve the many mysteries that lie poor. Anerobic and near-anaerobic conditions have been unanswered concerning the Fusarium blight of Kentucky measued in thatch on sunny days following major rain­ bluerasses. storm or irrigation events (Smiley, Craven and 0‘Knefski, THE FUTURE 1979). It is of interest to determine whether plant-derived toxins or whether poor aeration of thatch, each of which Additional research on the causes and control of would inhibit root functions, could be involved in the pre­ Fusarium blight dominates our research program. Sodded turfgrasses have not been studied in the past, and are disposition of bluegrass to Fusarium blight. The benzimdazole fungicides (benomyl, methyl thiopha- therefore being given much emphasis. Sod of Adelphi, Merion and A-34 Kentucky bluegrasses were installed on nate and ethyl thiophanate) were shown to be ineffective a fairway by the Mill River Club in Oyster Bay. The 12,000 against Fusarium blight on several golf courses in New square foot plot will be used to conduct investigations of York and in Pennsylvania in the early 1970’s. Smiley and . varietal susceptibility, mowing height, soil pH, soil Howard (1976) observed that the majority of fusaria on fertility, soil aeration, herbicides and fungicides, as well one such golf course were tolerant of the benzimidazole as some rather academic questions related to this fungicides, and pathologists in Pennsylvania made similar disease. A 9,000 square foot sod plot is also being observations. We attributed the inefficiency of these established at the Pine Lawn Memorial Park at chemicals, which are still the only commercially-available Farmingdale. Dual automatic irrigation systems ae being controls, to the presence of the tolerant strains of. installed to create two different watering regimes, and up Fusarium. But recent observations of these golf courses to 20 different varieties and/or blends will be placed in indicate that these fungicides are now beginning to con­ each of the two areas. Other variables on the plot will trol this disease again, even though the tolerant fusaria include a cutting-depth study, a sod origin study, and are still prevalent. It is now also evident that just prior to several studies of academic interest. Studies on additional the years of uncontrollable diseases, each of the golf sodded and seeded stands are being set up at Ithaca. In courses in question had been treated with tricalcium 1981 we will cut the sod produced by about 4000 indivi­ arsenate herbicide to control Poa annua (Smiley, Craven, dually cloned plants at Ithaca and move them to Long and O’Knefski, 1979). The degree of disease uncontrolla­ Island to observe their susceptibility to Fusarium blight. bility appears to be in proportion to the amount of Detailed notesojn each plant will be made from the time herbicide applied over the previous years, and it was of its emergence as a seedling until it is 5 to 6 years shown experimentally that this chemical greatly reduces old. An intensive fundamental research program is also underway in our laboratories and greenhouses at Ithaca; the oxidation of thatch and increases the occurrence of including studies of toxins produced during thatch de­ Fusarium blight. Smiley and Howard’s explanation of the composition, of hormonal effects of blight-controlling inefficiency of benzimidazole fungicides on these sites fungicides, of growth habits of individual bluegrass appears to have been based on insufficient knowledge, plants, of climatic conditions in the regions of the world and the later studies now cause us to question not only where different bluegrass varieties were originally found whether the benzimidazole-tolerant fusaria are important or bred, of precise regions of the USA where blight for disease development, but also whether the presence occurs, and of other concepts. of fusaria is at all necessary for disease to occur. Your moral and financial support of these investigations The benzimidazole and new experimental fungicides that has been truly appreciated and essential. We look forward control Fusarium blight are all systemically-translocated, to additional cooperation with each of you, and to the and all can alter the appearance of the turfgrass stand. potential of touring the plot areas with you if Fusarium The best suppressors of this disease are the fungicides blight also chooses to cooperate. that most visibly alter the turfgrass color and the leaf (This progress report is a modified version of the report published in the Proceedings of the 32nd Annual New York State Turfgrass Conference, Volume 2. Pages 46-54). shape, size, angle, and growth rate. It can be assumed that each of these fungicides also alters the physiology of (Credit SUPERNEWS) the plants, that is, that eah has growth regulant activities. The benzimidazole fungicides have been proved to be substitutes for plant hormones. They are similar to the cytokinens which regulate plant senescence, and which A bank robber shoved a note are necessary for plants to survive stressful environmental across to the teller, saying: “Put conditions. By supplying these fungicides to plants, the the money in a bag, and don't make plants would be able to withstand greater-than-normal a move." stresses of excess radiation, excess heat, drought, and The teller pushed back another anaerobiosis. It, therefore, becomes imperative to deter­ note: “Straighten your tie, stupid — mine whether the disease-controlling effect of the benzi­ they're taking your picture!” midazoles is due to fungicidal activity, to the alleviation NSW MEMBERS AND ADDRESS CHANGES WOR IN YOUR 1979 MEMBERSHIP BOOKLET Douglas L. Bebout B-l42 Jim Brocklehurst G-143 Rt. 7 Box 365 1964 Catalpa Lewiston, Mi. 49756 Berkley, Mi. 48072 Garland Golf Club O.M. Scott & Sons (Eastern Mich. Rep) Jin Cole A-144 Merle Ellis G-141 Box 82 259 Eisenhower Dr. (Home) Thompsonville, Mi. 49683 6915 W. Mich. Ave. (Office) Crystal Mountain Phone: Bus. 616-375-3535 phone: Business 616-378-2911 Home 668-3677 Ellis Cushman-Easy Go Gerald L. Jacobson A-146 John LaBoskey A-141 Rt. 1 Box 32AA 4455 McCandlish Road Northport Point, Mi. 49670 Grand Blanc, Mi. 48439 Northport Golf Club Genesee Hills Golf Club Bob Meyer Jr. Ralph H. Sill G-29 300 Haynes St. 7115 E. Shore Cadillac, Mi. 49601 Traverse City, Mi. 49684 Crystal Mountain phone: Home 616-775-2266 Chris Skellenger A-13^ Office 775-3542 Box 254 Eastport, Mi. 49627 James J. Specker A-115 Antrim Dells Golf Club 727 E. Eastreday phone: Home 616-599-2262 Sault Ste. Marie, Mi. 49783 Office 599-2679 Kinross Golf Club A new lawyer had just opened up his office. “Ah! A client al­ ready,” he thought as he saw the door opening. “I must impress him.” He picked up the telephone. “No, I’m very sorry, but I can’t take your case, even for $1,000,” he said. “I’m just too busy.” He replaced the receiver and looked at his caller. “And now, what can I do for you?” he asked briefly. “Nothing really,” was the reply. “I just came to hook up your phone.” The Bagpipe Sulfur - the Forgotten Turf Nutrient New Catalog Features Turf Care Equipment Sulfur is essential to the healthy growth of turf as well as all plants. Here are some of sulfur's benefits to turf. Ryan's professional turf care equipment line, which 1. Improves water penetration in soil. can handle golf course maintenance duties ranging 2. Increases availability of iron, manganese, cop­ from thatch removal to grass mowing, is showcased in a new catalog available free upon request from the per, zinc, and boron to the plant. 3. Improves soil structure. manufacturer. Although essentially product-oriented, the 16-page 4. Enhances color. 5. Builds healthy protoplasm and plant tissue to catalog does explain basic turf maintenance techniques such as aerification. It also contains color help resist drought. photographs, illustrations and specifications of the 14 6. Promotes turf growth and density. 7. Aids the turf response when used in combina­ products in Ryan's 1979 turf maintenance line. Ryan turf equipment is marketed by OMC-Lincoln, tion with nitrogen. of Lincoln, Neb., through nearly 100 independent 8. Helps keep alkalinity in balance. 9. Aids nitrogen release from organic matter. dealers in the United States and Canada. OMC- Lincoln is a division of Outboard Marine Corporation. 10 improves recuperation capacity. A I CREDO There must come a time In everyman's life When he is uplifted to the stars Because of something he does With all his heart and soul. It does not matter Whether this lasts For years or hours or seconds— What matters Is that it happens at all! For, a man who lives Even one hundred years Who has not been uplifted Even one second, Dies stillborn. . . . Martin Schneider GCSAA MEMBERS TO BE ADMITTED FREE TO RYDER CUP MATCU.ES************ftt‘{****!fe*>,t*!fe***ifeft Upon presentation of current GCSAA membership cards, free adnittance will be allowed to the Ryder Cup Hatches which will be played September 9-16, 1979, at The Greenbrier Golf Course, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. In order to facilitate entry to the tournament, GCSAA members should go directly to the '’Will-Call'’ trailer, present their current membership card and they will be issued a complimentary daily ticket to the grounds and golf courses. Robert V. Mitchell, a past president of GCSAA, is superintendent of The Greenbrier. FALL SEMINAR. SCHEDULE IS SET*********iefcsitS;*******sfr*ftft**sfr;fra*ftfc&*fc**i<*ft************** The 1979 Fall seminar schedule is almost complete. GCSAA will offer five two- day seminars in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 2nd & 3rd, 1979. The exact location within Cincinnati is yet to be determined. The following is a list of the seminars to be offered and the cost. Member Cost Non-Member Cost Irrigation II Equipment/Operations $80.00 $115.00 Landscape I Design Theory $90.00 $125.00 Management II Personnel $80.00 $115.00 Nutrition I Principles $80.00 $115.00 Pesticide III Insects $80.00 $115.00 The seminars are being offered immediately prior to the Ohio Turfgrass Conference. 5 • iembers and non-members should plan to attend both if at all possible. We are getting into the time of the year when we may be expecting to encounter turfgrass diseases. With this thought in mind, at the June 13th meeting at Cadillac Country Club, Dr. Joe Vargas showed the complete set of 66 slides on various diseases put together by the New York State Turfgrass Association. These sets are available from them at 8 Flint Road, Amityville, N.Y. 11701. Your check for $15.00 must accompany your order. These slides may be viewed with either a projector or hand viewer so that when disease strikes, they can be beneficial in helping identify your disease problem. Another source of excellent slides on DISEASES OF TURFGRASSES is Soil Science Society of America, 677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, Wi. 53711. This set developed by the CSSA"s Division C-5» this slide presentation focuses on several of the most common and widespread turfgrass diseases. It brings together essential information relative to the identification, nature, and control of the various fungus and nematode-incited diseases of turfgrass. A narrative is Included. Set of 80 slides. $30.00 in U.S. Currency. Another useful tool in our work as superintendents is "A TURF MANAGER’S GUIDE”. Microscopic Identification of Common Turfgrass pathogens available from The Penna. Turfgrass Council Inc., 16 Tyson Bld’g, University Park, Pa. 16802. Your check in the amount of $10.00 must accompany your order. A speed reading school in Los Angeles asked the new students to fill out a form explaining why they were taking the course. One student stated that he was a slow reader and on the freeway you have to read the exit signs fast or you never get off! Sunshine Magazine "CONSERVATION; OUR KEY TO THE FUTURE" IS TO BE THEME FOR 1980 CONFERENCE & SHOW** GCSAA’s 51st Conference and Show will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, February 17- 22, 1580. The theme is to be "Conservation; Our Key to the Future". Me have plans well underway for this conference and show, so our members should begin making their plans to attend. St. Louis is such a central location, we hope members from all parts of the United States will be able to attend. The conference and show information packets will be mailed to all members of GCSAA around the first of October, but it is not too early now to mark the dates on your calendar and plan your schedule so that you can attend. It was the start of a holiday weekend and the service station was crowded. Finally an attendant hustled up to the clergyman, who had been waiting in line for some time. “I’m sorry about the delay,” he apologized, “everybody waits until the last minute to get ready for a trip they knew they were going to take.” The clergyman smiled, “I know what you mean,” he said. . . “I have the same problem in my business.” The Emeth The August 21st meeting of our Association will be held at West Branch Country Club. The host superintendent there is David Longfield and he invites you to polish up yo ur clubs for a real test of golf. NOW our problem is knowing by by July 11th, the number that will be at ANTRIM DELLS on July 17th for DINNER. SO PLEASE GET YOUR POSTCARD IN THE MAIL IMMEDIATELY. Also remember that starting times are necessary for golf. 6