Disease guide

Oxygen Foliar Nutrition Soil conditioners/improvers Turf Strengtheners Disease prevention products Penetrants/Wetting agents Granular Fertilizers Aeration Tines How can I reduce thatch? How can I stop black layer? How can I improve rooting? Remove water from golf greens Disease prevention Stronger/faster golf greens

Fusarium Blight

Symptoms & Signs
Leaf lesions first appear as irregularly shaped dark blotches, fading rapidly to a light reddish brown/straw colour. Individual lesions often involve the entire width of a leaf. They eventually produce near circular blighted patches.

Causes
   • Direct and prolonged sunlight can increase the severity
   • High nitrogen
   • Increased soil and thatch moisture
   • Thick dense thatch
   • Heavy morning dews

Cultural & Prescription Practices
   • Reduce thatch and compaction
   • Remove clippings
   • Try to irrigate more and less often (field capacity) try to refrain from syringing
   • Avoid high granular nitrogen applications, which would produce weak cell walls

Adopt a preventative nutritional approach, by spoon feeding essential strengthening products, foliar calcium, phosphite, internal silicon, potassium, amino acids.

Ensure there is enough soil oxygen, and water moves through the thatch profile quickly.

Anthracnose

Symptoms & Signs
During warm wet weather the tips of the leaves start to discolour and progresses to the sheath; however under high ambient temperatures the hole leaf can yellow simultaneously. Black fruiting bodies can be seen on dead leaves.

Scattered irregular patches start yellow then go red, moving onto a dull brown. There are two types, leaf affected, and basal rot form.

Causes
   • Warm humid temperatures
   • Extended periods of leaf wetness
   • Extremes in soil fertility
   • Anaerobic soil conditions
   • Higher than desirable populations of root feeding nematodes
   • Excess soil moisture, and compaction

Cultural & Prescription Practices
   • Reduce thatch and compaction
   • Try to irrigate more and less often (field capacity) try to refrain from syringing
   • Ensure there is enough soil oxygen, and water moves through the thatch profile quickly. Oxy-Rush & Pervade

Adopt a preventative nutritional approach, by spoon feeding essential strengthening products, foliar and soil calcium, phosphite, internal silicon, potassium, amino acids.

Would you like more information on how to fight diseases?