UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION S O U T H W E S T E RN D I S T R I CT TEXAS A &M COLLEGE COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS S O U T H E A S T E RN D I S T R I CT P L A NT INDUSTRY STATION BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND MARVIN H. FERGUSON MID-CONTINENT DIRECTOR NATIONAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR JAMES B. MONCRIEF SOUTHWESTERN AGRONOMIST JAMES M. LATHAM, JR. SOUTHEASTERN AGRONOMIST SOUTHERN TURFLETTER Vol. I No. 3 August 1957 FIEE ANT The following excerpts are from an a r t i c le by W. A. Kuffin, Extension Entomologist, Alabama Polytechnic I n s t i t u t e, which appeared in the June 1957 issue of Southern Seedsman. History The imported f i re ant, Solenopsis saevissima v. r i c h t e ri F o r e l ., was probably introduced into the United States through the port of Mobile, Alabama, prior to 1925- First report of the insects by farmers came from Mobile County in 1931* Since that time, the insect has spread to eight or nine states the southeast and at least 50 counties in Alabama. The i n f e s- t a t i on in this state extends from the Gulf to Morgan County in the Tennessee Valley. in Control Research work carried on by the A . P . I. Agricultural Experi- ment Station at Auburn since 19^9 has shown that the pest can be economically controlled. Chlordane, d i e l d r i n, or heptachlor have proven most e f f e c t i ve in the control of f i re ants. Area or broadcast treatment gives the most satisfactory results. Chlor- dane when applied at the rate of k pounds technical per acre, or 2 pounds d i e l d r i n, or 2 pounds heptachlor w i ll give e f f e c t i ve indicate control f or three or more years. Experimental data is that best results are obtained when one of these materials applied to the surface of the s o il in granular form. Dust or wettable powder of one of these materials when mixed with f e r- t i l i z er gives very good control. The materials can also be applied as a spray, but spray applications give the e f f e c t i ve control. least Where only an occasional mound of f i re ants occur, individual mound treatment is recommended. Mounds should be treated with 10 per cent chlordane, or 5 per cent d i e l d r i n, or 5 per cent hepta- chlor. Knock the mound down with a rake or hoe, then apply at least a cup of one of the recommended materials over the mound area. If readily available, pour 1 to 2 gallons of water over the mound a f t er the insecticide is applied. This is done in order to wash the chemical down to the lower parts of the nest. Since these ants build underground runways extending several feet from the mound, a band of the insecticide should be spread in a c i r c le at least 15 feet from the mound. GIBBERELLIC ACID -- A GROWTH STIMCJIANT A great deal of interest is being given to this newly available In general it causes rapid lengthening of stems and a plant regulator. yellowing of leaves. Flower development has been hastened in some plants but retarded in others. Root growth was reduced when stem elongation was greatly stimulated. Most experimentation has been done with ornamental and vege- table plants. Some work is currently being carried on by the U. S. De- partment of Agriculture, B e l t s v i l l e, Maryland. Preliminary results indi- cate that bentgrass and bluegrass are r e l a t i v e ly responsive to the acid. Bermudagrasses and Zoysias show l i t t le s e n s i t i v i t y. For g o lf course uses, especially southern grasses, much more work must be done with g i b b e r e l l ic acid before i ts usefulness can be determined. More information on this material can be obtained from a mimeograph (HCRB - 6) e n t i t l e d, "Gibberellic Acid -- A Plant Regulator", by Paul C. Marth, W. V. Audia and John W. Mitchell. the Plant Industry Station, Belts v i l l e, Maryland. is printed at It NEW PUBLICATION A new USDA Bulletin on insects should prove very useful to those who are as puzzled as we are on which new insecticide works on what insect. This i l l u s t r a t ed booklet gives rates and formulations of Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Lindane, Malathion and Toxaphene, and the insects which they best control. The booklet is Lawn Insects — How to Control Them Home and Garden Bulletin No. 53 United States Department of Agriculture NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS IN THE SOUTH Superintendents and t u rf workers in the South have an opportunity during the next few months to attend some of the sessions of two s c i e n t i f ic society meetings. The American Society of Agronomy meets in Atlanta, November 18 - 22, 1957- Dr. Wayne Huffine, of Oklahoma A. & M. College, Chairman f or the Turf Division of the Society, A great many papers concerning turfgrass research w i ll be presented and a turfgrass tour of the Atlanta area is planned. is Program The second meeting of the Weed Society of America is to be held in Memphis on January 13 - 15* 1958. Conference headquarters w i ll be the Peabody Hotel. Leonard Lett, P. 0. Box 9905* Memphis 12, Tennessee, Chairman of the l o c al Arrangements Committee. is REGIONAL MEETINGS September 9 The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N. C. September 17-19 Florida Turf Conference, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. October 21-22 Louisiana Turfgrass Association Conference, Lafayette, La. , - , -