UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION S o u t h e rn T u r f l e t t er No. 3 June - 1962 DR. MARVIN H. FERGUSON M I D - C O N T I N E NT D I R E C T OR N A T I O N AL R E S E A R CH C O O R D I N A T OR JAMES B. MONCRIEF AGRONOMIST H O L M AN M. G R I F F IN A G R O N O M I ST S O U T H E A S T E RN D I S T R I CT U N I V E R S I TY OF G E O R G IA A T H E N S, G E O R G IA T E L E P H O N E: L I B E R TY 8 - 2 7 41 SOUTHWESTERN D I S T R I CT T E X AS A & M C O L L E GE C O L L E GE S T A T I O N, T E X AS T E L E P H O N E: V I C T OR 6 - S 2 10 -X- -X- * * * * * * * * * x •X- WILLIAM C. CHAPIN Mr. William C. Chapin, of Rochester, New York, who has "been chairman of the USGA Green Section Committee since 1957; lost his life on May 22 in the crash of an airplane in Iowa. All Mr. Chapin1s friends in golf will he saddened "by his passing, hut those of us associated with the Green Section feel especially stricken hy our loss. He did much to help the cause of better turf in golf. His interest and encouragement helped to make the cause seem more important and the work more pleasant. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * -3f Pythium Control with Dexon? Dr. Homer Wells, of the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, has for a good many years heen searching for a fungicide which could control the cottony "blight disease which attacks young ryegrass seedlings. Where over- seeding is practiced this disease problem recurs yearly. The disease is caused by Pythium aphanidermatum. Recently, Dr. Wells has reported that Dexon, the short name for p-Dimethylaminobenzenediazo sodium sulfonate, used at the rate of 2 oz. per 10C0 square feet, has shown a great deal of promise for the control of this disease. According to our information this product has not yet been approved for use on turf, but such label approval is expected to be forthcoming. No information is available with reference to its use on bentgrass, but the fact that it has been used successfully on other species of Pythium on other crops is a basis for hope that it may be helpful in controlling the attacks of Pythium on bent. The mole cricket is a true cricket, but it is in a modified form. Mole Cricket It feeds on grass roots in moist soil. The turf on golf courses, lawns, and other irrigated turf areas provides an ideal feeding ground. The control of the mole cricket depends upon treatment of adjacent areas, such as bunkers, aprons, and flower beds close to tees and greens. A choice of many good insecticides, such as dieldrin, aldrin, chlordane, and many others, is available. Rhodesgrass Scale Rhodesgrass scale - Antonina graminis (Maskell), has been very active in Florida for some time. The damage and presence of the scale was very noticeable during 1961 and to the present time in 1962. A considerable amount of research has been directed toward discovery of the control and life history of Rhodesgrass scale. According to the USDA Bulletin #1221, the life cycle is 60-70 days and there are five generations annually, depending on the local climatic conditions. Extreme temperatures, over ICO degrees and under 32 degrees, have adverse effects. Most of the dispersion is brought about by means other than the activity of the scale, namely by agents such as animals and wind. The scale thrives under moist conditions that promote good plant growth even with high temperatures. Under drought conditions, the scale soon kills the plants and then dies itself. According to the USDA Bulletin #1221, systemic insecticides, such as demeton and schradan at 3-6 grams in at least l/2 gallon of water per square yard. cTS a soil drench, gives the best control on lawns and golf greens. Poa annua Some were present at the Tifton Conference who felt that 1 ounce of phenyl mercuric acetate per 1C00 square feet, applied after the cool season grass was established, reduced the population of Poa annua. The use of 2 ounces of lead arsenate per 1000 square feet, sprayed at 1 0 d ay intervals, had also given encouraging results. Confusion of Words It has been noticed by many that the usage of words peculiar to the turfgrass field varies greatly. The same words mean different things to different people. What would you do if you were told to drill, spike or aerate the greens? To some people, they all mean the same. Spiking, however, usually means the ' use of a machine called a spiker. It is used mainly for relief of surface compaction. It is a less severe operation than drilling or aerating. Drilling and aerating may be the same operation accomplished with different machines. One may aerate without drilling, but he cannot drill without aerating. The USGA Green Section has published a small Dictionary of Turfgrass Terms. It is available on request. The real confusion exists in plant names. The botanical name Eleusine indica has many common names. Some names used are goosegrass, crowfoot, silver crab, hard crab, iron weed, yardgrass, crabgrass, wiregrass, doggrass. These are the printable names. Which do you use? You may have a favorite epithet which you direct at this pest. Regardless of what you may call this grass, if you let it become mature before you try control measures, you will have a difficult time in eradicating it. The use of AMA or DMA at 2 ounces per 1CC0 square feet plus 2,^-D will do quite well at 7-10 day intervals where bermudagrass is the main grass in the turf. Tifton Turfgrass Conference Dr. Gene Nutter spoke on "Administration" following the banquet hour at the Tifton Conference. This was one of the highlights of a session in which the list of participants included such authorities as J. R. Watson, Jr., Charles G. Wilson, Thomas Mascaro, and Fred V. Grau. Southern Turfletter USGA GREEN SECTION BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE P A ID College Station, Texas Permit No. 80 Mr, Ralph W. White, Jr. 4-291 N. Dixie Highway Pompano Beach, Florida