2007 OSU/OTF Turfgrass & Landscape Research Field Day is August 15. See Inside for Details!

TurfNews

WHAT’S INSIDE: Hort SHORTSSee Page 14 – 15

Sports Turf TIPSSee Pages 18 – 21

GREEN INDUSTRY NEWSSee Pages 4 – 9

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E O H I O T U R F G R A S S F O U N D A T I O N

Volume 69 • No. 3June – July 2007

The purpose of the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation is to promote the turfgrass industry in Ohio, to encourage the further research and education in turfgrass science and to speak on matters of policy affecting the turfgrass industry – all of which provide better turf for everyone.

TurfNews distributes useful and timely advice, information and research from Ohio’s most knowledgeable experts and professionals to OTF members and those in the turfgrass industry.

Vol. 69 • No. 3 June – July 2007

TurfNews is produced by the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation1100-H Brandywine Blvd, Zanesville, Ohio 43701-73031-888-OTF-3445 and is available to all memberswww.OhioTurfgrass.org

Back issues of OTF TurfNews are available on our website at www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

TurfNewsT H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E O H I O T U R F G R A S S F O U N D A T I O N

Inside 07 Calendar EventsOF

Message from the OTF President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Green Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Residential Lawn Care Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Golf Course Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Hort Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Graduate Student Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Sports Turf Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Phosphonate Products for Disease Control . . . . . . . . . . . 22

New Growth & Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

OSU Turfgrass Science Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Preventing MSDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Protecting Employees During the Summer Heat . . . . . . 34

Corporate Sponsor – CENTURY EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

OTF Regional SeminarJuly 17, 2007Yankee Trace Golf Club, Centerville, OH888-683-3445

OLCA Golf Outing July 26, 2007Deer Ridge Golf Club, Bellville, OH800-510-5296

Ohio Sod Producers Association Summer Field DayAugust 7, 2007Henderson Turf Farm, Tipp City, OH888-683-3445

OSU/OTF Turfgrass and Landscape Research Field DayAugust 15, 2007OTF Research & Education Center, Columbus, OH888-683-3445

Ohio Lawn Care Outdoor Summer Seminar (OLCA)August 16, 2007OTF Research & Education Center, Columbus, OH800-510-5296

OTF Golf TournamentOctober 1, 2007NCR Country Club, Dayton, OH888-683-3445

Ohio Turfgrass Conference & ShowDecember 4-6, 2007Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH888-683-3445

This Issue Sponsored By:

TOLEDO OFFICE:5959 ANGOLA ROAD • 800-346-0066

CINCINNATI OFFICE:8650 BERK BLVD. • 800-666-2460

CLEVELAND OFFICE:26565 MILES RD., SUITE 100 • 800-522-8676

COLUMBUS OFFICE:4199 LEAP ROAD, HILLIARD • 800-321-4466

Visit us on the web at: www.centuryequip.com

Century Equipment celebrated its 56th Anniversary in the year2006. We have grown from a total of three employees to over122. The primary focus of Century is Customer Quality Care– to be the best service and equipment supplier of turf,irrigation and golf cars for all our customers. We operate ourbusiness with a high degree of integrity and honesty, neverlosing focus on you, the customer, as we work every day toearn your respect and business.

Century Equipment is well recognized by all its vendor partnersas being in the top five of both market sales and service.Century’s true strength is its employees, who have providedits growth and success for over 55 years.

Century Equipmenthas been a strong supporter of OTF

since its inception in 1961.

Past OTF Presidents include these past and presentCentury Equipment employees:

Harry Murray - 1963, 1967 • Bob O’Brien - 1971John Fitzgerald - 1978 • Ed Odorizzi - 1986

Jim Sharpe - 1989 • Ed Eaton 1996 • John Mowat - 2003

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERJoe Enciso

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MESSAGEFROM THEPRESIDENT

I am a fan of history, not necessarily a history buff, but generally speaking, I’m interested in reading about evolutions. In 1998, I had the good fortunes of being Vice President of the Northern Ohio GCSA during it’s 75th anniversary. Part of the preparation for the big year included reviewing the contents of a very old briefcase belonging to GCSAA founding father Colonel John Morley. Although there were many items of historical significance (one was a letter from Donald Ross to Colonel Morley), we were fortunate that those who were involved with the association through the years understood the importance of these documents, and had the foresight to keep them preserved and in fairly good condition.

OTF will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary in 2011, and thanks to a couple of OTF pioneers, Harry Murray and Gene Probasco, the ground work is being laid to ensure as much of OTF’s historical information is captured and preserved. Both Harry and Gene are leading an ad-hoc Historical Committee that will ensure we are ready for 2011. One of the initial projects for the committee includes the development and publication of a historical book.

During our May Board meeting, Harry Murray and Gene Probasco gave a presentation on OTF’s 50th Anniversary book and introduced Ernie Shannon, who will be compiling the history of OTF through interviews and historical documents. The book will document the annual accomplishments of OTF through the eyes of each year’s OTF president.

Although there are many pictures and artifacts from the beginning years, the Historical Committee members recently received Dr. Bob Miller’s recollection of the early years. After reading the information, it’s very apparent that many of the early “founders” had a tremendous passion for the industry and getting OTF off the ground ... literally. Many people have played important roles with OTF over the years and through their dedication to our organization and industry, we have continued to uphold the vision of the initial group that met in Wooster back in the early 60’s. I feel very fortunate to have worked for mentors such as John Spodnik and Rick Kucharski as they shared their stories, vision and passion for the industry and organization.

Speaking of history, on May 30th the 2007 OTF Board created some history of it’s own during Ohio Turfgrass Week, as Senator Sue Morano (D-13th District) recognized the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation, Ohio Turfgrass Week and the board, both individually and collectively, from the Senate floor. It was a great experience for all involved and gave our organization and the turfgrass industry good exposure with our state government. Thanks to Senator Morano and her staff for arranging this opportunity.

Until next time ... keep it green!

Yours for Better Turf,Mark Jordan, CGCS

FOR THE LATEST RESEARCHAND INFORMATION FOR OHIO’S TURF

AND LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALSVISIT THESE IMPORTANT WEB SITES:

Golf Course Turf Management & Sports Turf Management Buckeye Turf

www.buckeyeturf.osu.edu/

Lawn, Grounds & LandscapeBuckeye Yard & Garden Linewww.hcs.ohio-state.edu/bygl

These sites can also be accessed from theOTF website at www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

OTF Board members (left to right) Mark Jordan, Mike Dietrich, Kevin Thompson, Don Lawrence and Todd Voss visited the Ohio Statehouse May 30 seeking a Leg- islative Proclamation for Ohio Turfgrass Week. Senator Sue Morano, District 13, introduced OTF and the board members to the Ohio Senate. Senate Chair Bill Harris thanked OTF for its support of The Ohio State University and Ohio’s turfgrass industry.

AT THESTATEHOUSE ...

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Regional Seminar July 17at Yankee Trace Golf Club

The first Regional Seminar of 2007 will be held July 17 at Yankee Trace Golf Club in Centerville, OH. OTF Regional Seminars were launched in 2006 as a valuable new benefit for OTF members. There is no fee for current OTF members to attend, while non-members pay $25 each. ODA, GCSAA and OSTMA credit will be available.

OTF/OSU Summer Turf Problemsand Solutions for where you Live, Work and Play!

Answering tomorrow’s questions today with OSU Faculty and Industry Experts. Yankee Trace Golf Club, Centerville, OH, Tuesday, July 17.

Golf Course Maintenance• USGA Mid-Season Review, Bob Brame, USGA• Disease/Summer Stress Problems, Karl Danneberger, OSU• Current Status on Diseases & Fungicide Strategies, Joe Rimelspach, OSU• What’s the View from Yankee Trace?, John Miller CGCS, Yankee Trace• Diagnosing Turf Caterpillar Damage & Controlling Them, David Shetlar, OSU Sports Turf• Diagnosing Billbug Damage & Late Season Grub Control, David Shetlar, OSU• Infield Dirt Preparation and Maintenance Issues for Budget Conscience Field Managers, Doug Gallant, Great American Ball Park• Summer Stress Problems & Fertilization Strategies for Late Summer & Fall, John Street, OSU• Preparing Sports Fields for the Late Summer/Fall Season, Pam Sherratt, OSU• Bermuda Grass Trials at Paul Brown Stadium, Darian Daily, Paul Brown Stadium Lawn & Grounds• Comparing the 88 Droughts to 2007 Drought, “What’s Next”?, Mark Grunkemeyer, Buckeye Ecocare• Summer & Fall Broadleaf Weed Control - Do’s and Don’ts, David Gardner, OSU• Dealing with Billbug & Chinch Bug Damage in Ohio Lawns, David Shetlar, OSU• Postemergence Crabgrass Control Strategies for this Season, David Gardner, OSU• Dealing with Summer Ornamental Problems & Fall Recovery Strategies, Joe Boggs, OSU Extension

Bring your samples/problems for diagnosis!

Registration is FREE for OTF Members and $25 for non-members. Registration and Continental Breakfast will be served 8:00 – 9:00 am. Sessions will run 9:00 am – 12:30 pm.

Registration is limited so watch for more information by email or fax. If you do not receive an email or fax and are interested in attending, please call OTF at (888) 683-3445 or visit www.OhioTurfgrass.org for more information.

Sponsored by Green Velvet Sod Farms

Landscape, Nursery and Spanish Sessions to be Added to this Year’s OTF/OSU Turfgrass Research Field Day – August 15All turfgrass and landscape managers interested in learning about current research at The Ohio State University should plan to spend August 15 with hundreds of fellow turfgrass professionals at the OTF Research & Education Facility in Columbus.

A few new wrinkles are being added to this year’s field day. OTF and OSU are partnering with the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA) to offer a landscape research track for those interested in learning about the latest in landscape and ornamentals research. Participants will be given the option to select a landscape research track of presentations at the Waterman Building, located adjacent to

the turfgrass research facility.continued

GREENI N D U S T R Y

NEWS

4

Also new this year will be topics offered in Spanish. The new land-

scape, nursery and Hispanic sessions are listed below. Turfgrass

managers are encouraged to bring landscapers and horticulturists

who will benefit from these new offerings.

The field day provides a great forum to meet with other turf and land-

scape professionals and the OSU Turfgrass Science Team. It is an ex-

cellent opportunity to learn from many of the country’s best in turf-

grass and landscape research and education, tour the OTF Research &

Education Facility, and network with industry peers.

Following is a tentative listing of topics that will be offered:

GOLF• Ant Control Studies• Management of Shaded Bentgrass• Nitrogen Fertility, PGR’s & Dollar Spot Incidence• Poa Annual Control with Velocity• Green Speed Studies• Fungicide Efficacy Update for Dollar Spot and Brown Patch• Dollar Spot Control

LAWN & SPORTS• Primo and Megalex for Improved Turfgrass Shade Tolerance• Postemergence Crabgrass Control with New Chemistry and Synergists• Bermudagrass Adaption and Management in the Cool-Season Region• Establishing Athletic Field Grasses• Using the Plant Growth Regulator, Trinexapac-ethyl, on High Cut Turf• Broadleaf Weed Control• Updates on New Insect Control Products

NURSERY/LANDSCAPE RESEARCH TOPICS• Herbicide-Treated Mulches• Tree Liner Field Production• Tree Bark Cracking• IR-4 Trial Evaluations• Irrigation Systems, Container Whip Production, Magnolia Breeding• Landscape Plant Establishment

SESSIONS IN SPANISH• Turf Basics• Woody Plant ID• Basic Insect ID

AFTERNOON PROGRAM (1:00 – 2:00 PM)Weed Control in Landscape Beds (Category 6C, 1 hr.)Dr. Hannah Mathers, OSU Dept. of Horticulture & Crop Science and Randy Zondag, OSU Extension

Turf Weed Control (Category 8, 1 hr.)Dr. John Street and Dr. David Gardner, OSU Dept. of Horticulture & Crop Science

Turf & Ornamental Disease (Cat. 8, .5 hr. & Cat. 5, .5 hr.)Dr. Mike Boehm, OSU Dept. of Plant Pathology

Brochures and registration information will be mailed to all OTF

members in July. For more information, contact the OTF office at

888-683-3445 or visit the OTF website at www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

NCR Country Club to Host OTF Golf TournamentThe Ohio Turfgrass Foundation is excited to announce it will hold its annual Scholarship and Research fundraising scramble Monday, October 1 at NCR Country Club, Dayton, OH.

The NCR Country Club opened in 1954. The Club was designed by the late Dick Wilson, a famous golf course architect from Delray Beach, Florida. NCR Country Club has two distinctively different 18-hole golf courses. The courses and their facilities are situated on 350+ acres. The Club is owned by the NCR Employees Benefit Association, a non-profit group. OTF member Jim Campion is the Superintendent at NCR.

The 2006 tournament, held at Westbrook Country Club generated nearly $10,000 for the OTF Scholarship and Research fund.

Next to the OTF Conference and Show, the Golf Tournament gener-ates the most non-dues revenue for OTF. Lawn care companies, sod producers, athletic field managers, grounds managers and golf course superintendents and their staff are encouraged to partici-pate and support OTF’s mission of funding turfgrass research and education.

“We urge everyone to register as either an individual or team,”

exclaimed OTF Executive Director Kevin Thompson. “It is a great way to build staff loyalty and to reward

employees for their hard work – while supporting OTF.”

Also contributing to the success of the tournament are the sponsors. “We would be remiss in not mentioning the fact that sponsors play a huge role in the success of the tournament” adds Mark Jordan, OTF Golf Tournament Committee Chair. If you are interested in sponsorship, please contact OTF offices or simply fill out a sponsorship form on the tournament registration form. Information and registration materials will be mailed to all OTF members.

To reserve your spot in this year’s tournament, please register early as space is limited to the first 144 golfers. The registration form and general information will soon be available on the OTF website at www.OhioTurfgrass.org. Call 888-683-3445 for more information.

5

2007 OTF Scholarship Applications AcceptedOTF is committed to improving turfgrass through research and education. One of the best ways to foster this commitment is by providing scholarships to students pursuing green industry stud-ies. Last year, along with the Ohio Turfgrass Research Trust and the Ronald D Baker, Sr. Memorial Scholarship, OTF provided over $25,000 in scholarships to turf students.

To solicit qualified candidates, OTF sent letters and scholarship ap-plications in May to the faculty of turfgrass programs at several Ohio colleges. In addition, OTF members are asked to recommend any of their student summer employees who they feel would be qualified. Application will be included in membership packets sent to all members in July. OTF scholarship information and applica-tions are also available on the OTF website at www.OhioTurfgrass.org. The deadline to apply is October 22.

OTF’s scholarship committee is certain to see a large number of applications, making the task of choosing scholarship recipients difficult, but ensuring that OTF’s awards go to the best and bright-est students in the green industry. For more information on OTF’s scholarship program, contact OTF at 888-683-3445.

OTF Auction NeedsYour Donation!All OTF members are encouraged to donate to this year’s auction. Now is the time to think of what you can donate that will raise money for turfgrass research.

Everyone – not just exhibitors – can help. Think of something fun or unique. Last year, more than $17,000 was raised thanks to many great donations.

Rounds of golf donated by some of Ohio’s premier golf courses were very popular, as were sporting event tickets. OSU vs. Florida National Championship Football Game tickets raised $2700, 4 tick-ets to the Notre Dame vs. Air Force football game went for $750, and 4 tickets for the Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Detroit Red Wings game went for $425. A night with the Grounds Crew at a Cincin-nati Reds game earned $450, and a Cleveland Browns autographed football, jersey, and helmet package was purchased for $350. All profits support turfgrass research and scholarship in Ohio! The Live Auction will take place Wednesday, December 5, 5:00 – 7:00 pm.

You’ll also have the chance to earn up to $1000 by entering the reverse-raffle. Plan now to purchase your raffle tickets, donate and bid on items. To make your donation, call OTF at 888-683-3445. Participating in the auctions is great fun and the profits go to the turf program.

Call for NominationsOTF members will receive forms in their membership packets for nominating this year’s recipients of “Professional of the Year” and “Professional Excellence” awards.

Nominees for “Professional of the Year” awards are judged on the following attributes:

• Fellowship – willingness to share knowledge with and help train fellow turf personnel.

• Inventive Ingenuity – leadership in developing new ideas and trends in turfgrass management.

• Membership and activity in turf related and other civic organ- izations.

• Length of dedicated service to the turf industry.

Professional Excellence awards are based upon similar criteria, and are awarded to those deserving special recognition for significant contributions to the turfgrass industry.

continued

GREENI N D U S T R Y

NEWS

6

The 2006 Professional of the Year was awarded to Joe Duncan, Evergreen Lawn Care, Troy, OH. Professional Excellence Awards were presented to Dr. David Gardner, OSU and Gary Rasor, OSU Scarlet & Gray Golf Courses.

Awards and scholarships will be presented before the Keynote Speech, December 4, at the Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show.

Do you know anyone who deserves recognition for contributions to turf management?

Watch your mail for details. To request a nomination form before October 22, contact OTF at 888-683-3445.

13th Annual Ohio Lawn CareOutdoor Summer SeminarScheduled for August 16The 2007 Ohio Lawn Care Outdoor Summer Seminar is just a couple months away. This outdoor field day will offer presentations from industry experts on:

• Emerald Ash Borer and Other Woody Pests• New Weed Controls• Annual Grassy Weeds Research Update• CORE Credit – ODA Update• Calibration• Answering Your Customers Most Common Questions• Equipment Displays, Maintenance and Operating Safety

This year’s event will be held on Thursday, August 16 at The Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Research and Education Facility in Columbus. Registration information will be mailed in July. More than 200 lawn care professionals participated in this important annual event in 2006.

For the seventh year in a row, the Ohio Lawn Care Outdoor Summer Seminar is being offered in collaboration with the OSU/OTF Turf-grass Research Field Day, which will be held Wednesday, August 15. Join green industry professionals from Ohio and surrounding states with turfgrass research tours for Grounds, Lawn Care, Land-scaping and Golf Course management.

For more information about the Ohio Lawn Care Outdoor Summer Seminar, contact the OLCA office at 800-510-5296 or visit www.OhioLawnCare.org. For information about the OSU/OTF Turfgrass & Landscape Research Field Day, contact OTF at 888-683-3445 or visit www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

Ohio Lawn Care Associationto Host Golf OutingThe Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) annual golf outing is scheduled for Thursday, July 26 at Deer Ridge Golf Club, Bellville, OH.

GolfStyles Magazine, May 2007, rated Deer Ridge Golf Course as one of its “Must-Play” golf courses in Ohio. Located between Columbus and Cleveland in Bellville, Ohio, this gem is a perfect course for everyone to make a short drive.

When you step on to the first tee it is a breathtaking view. The dogleg to the left is all down hill and there are tall trees on the left, so taking the dogleg out is almost impossible. Many of the holes are tree lined and have elevation changes. A lovely clubhouse, large undulating greens and scenic vistas make for an unforget-table round of golf.

For more information, contact OLCA at 800-510-5296 or visit www.OhioLawnCare.org.

Attention Sod Suppliers& VendorsThe OSPA Annual Summer Field Day is scheduled for Tuesday, August 7 at Henderson Turf Farm, Tipp City, Ohio. The Field Day is free to exhibit for OSPA member companies. Non-OSPA member exhibitor registration is just $150 per company. A dinner will be provided along with a seminar on Brown Patch and other summer turf diseases. For information on exhibiting or attending, call OSPA at (888) 683-3445 or visit www.OhioTurfgrass.org under calendar of events for more information.

Interested in becoming a member of The Ohio Sod Producers Association? It’s easy! Just contact OSPA at (888) 683-3445. OSPA – a division of OTF.

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Ohio Turfgrass Research Trust UpdateThe Ohio Turfgrass Research Trust (OTRT) is pleased to announce that George Furrer, Advan, LLC was nominated

to serve on its Board of Directors. Furrer replaces long-time board member Bob O’Brien, Century Equipment,

whose term expired February 1, 2007. OTF and OTRT thank Bob O’Brien for his many years of service on both

the OTF and OTRT Board of Directors.

Furrer is an OTF Past President, having served as President in 2004. “We’re looking forward to adding George,

along with his enthusiasm and knowledge of Ohio’s turfgrass industry, to the OTRT Board of Directors,”

exclaimed President Joe Motz. “We’ll certainly miss Bob O’Brien, but we’re very pleased with the nomination of

George Furrer.” Furrer will serve a 3-year term as Trustee.

GREENI N D U S T R Y

NEWS

Spotlight on GivingThe Founders Club – Doug GallantGroundskeeper, Cincinnati Reds

“The OTRT Founders Club has

given me the chance to give

back to the industry and make

it stronger. Since high school

I have chosen to work in this

industry and it has been very

rewarding for me. By support-

ing this Foundation I feel Ohio

will continue to lead the turf industry both locally and

nationally.”

For more information about OTRT or the Founders Club,

contact OTF at 888-683-3445 or visit the OTF website at

www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

New Members ReceiveFREE Golf Shirts

Would you like to receive a new OTRT Golf Shirt –

while supporting a good cause? It’s simple. Stop by

the Founders Club tent at the OSU/OTF Turfgrass &

Landscape Research Field Day, August 15 and make

your pledge to join the Founders Club. Everyone who

pledges during the Field Day, from Emerald to Platinum

level memberships will receive a golf shirt!

If you are interested in learning more about the Founders

Club, simply stop by the tent. We hope to see you there!

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The Program Development and Trade Show planning committees

of OTF recently announced the design and theme for the 2007

Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show, scheduled for December 4 – 6

in Columbus. Postcards announcing this year’s theme and dates

will soon be mailed to thousands of turf professionals around the

country.

“The goal of this year’s theme is to portray the many areas that

present challenges to turfgrass professionals. Golf courses, athletic

fields, lawn and landscape companies, commercial grounds, sod

farms, cemeteries ... all turf professionals have to take gambles at

times, and sometimes they may be gambling with their futures,”

explained OTF Executive Director Kevin Thompson.

The committee wanted to graphically portray that the OTF Con-

ference and Show will help turfgrass managers better their

odds for success by making informed decisions. “Even though this

event has succeeded for 41 years, there are many who are new

to the industry, or they just don’t realize the many options avail-

able to them. This is the best conference in the country for learning

about the latest in turf management, visiting leading suppliers and

meeting thousands of fellow turf managers. By not attending, it

really is gambling with your future.”

Since January the committees have been hard at work planning this

year’s conference and show at the Greater Columbus Convention

Center. A fantastic educational program has been developed that

caters to the needs of all turfgrass professionals. Several highly-

regarded, nationally-known turfgrass experts are on the program.

The complete agenda will be reported in the next issue of TurfNews.

Complete Conference & Show details, along with registration

information, will mail to all members and be available online at

www.OhioTurfgrass.org in September.

Watch for the new look and “Why Gamble with Your Future”

campaign in your mail and trade magazines.

For more information, contact the OTF office at 888-683-3445 or

visit www.OhioTurfgrass.org.

2007 OTF CONFERENCE & SHOW UPDATE

9

IntroductionThis last winter I gave a talk on the Insect Mythology that I often hear perpetuated by homeowners, garden centers, television ads and even our fellow lawn care professionals. In this article, I’d like to dispel some of these common myths.

White GrubsMyth: A mild winter will create a greater grub risk the next sea-son! Reality: White grub populations can only increase when the adults lay eggs in mid-June through July. The limiting factor for egg and first instar grub survival is soil moisture in late June through July. If soil conditions are dry enough for the turf to enter summer dormancy, egg development and first instar grub sur-vival is greatly reduced. Actually, a mild winter can be rough on the third instar white grubs since they may expend more energy moving about than in a cold winter. They have to eat more in the spring to make up for this loss and they may be exposed to more predators or diseases.

Myth: A really cold winter is hard on white grubs! Reality: White grub species have been here since the last ice age and are well prepared to handle cold temperatures. The only time cold can kill white grubs is if a late hard freeze occurs in April or early May after the white grubs have moved to the soil surface for spring feeding. At this time they may have lost the antifreeze elements in their blood so freezing would be lethal.

Myth: All lawns in a neighborhood can be at risk of getting dam-aging white grub populations! Reality: White grubs need high amounts of organic matter (including roots) to be able to grow efficiently. Therefore, newly established lawns are rarely at risk of getting white grubs. It usually takes four to five years of high turf maintenance to develop the organic matter necessary to main-

tain large white grub populations. This is why a high maintenance lawn seems to be a grub magnet, while the unmaintained lawn across the street never seems to suffer from grubs! On the other hand, research has shown that if a turfgrass area had a damag-ing grub population last year, it is at an 80% risk of repeating the problem the next year!

Myth: If you have moles, you must have white grubs! Reality: The primary food of our common mole is earthworms! While moles will definitely feed on white grubs and other insects, persistent mole activity is usually an indication of healthy soils with a good earthworm population! Controlling white grubs will not eliminate mole activity.

Sod WebwormsMyth: Sod webworms commonly damage Ohio lawns, especially during drought conditions! Reality: Sod webworm larvae eat grass leaves, so if the turf is not actively growing (as in a drought), it doesn’t take many sod webworm larvae to eliminate any re-maining green leaves. However, if the same turf was being wa-tered and needs weekly mowing, you would not be able to detect sod webworm populations that commonly exceed 50 larvae per square yard! So, it’s not the sod webworms that are damaging the turf, but the lack of growth due to drought and heat. In any case, sod webworm larvae don’t kill turf like white grubs, billbugs or chinch bugs and their control in lawns is generally unwarranted.

Myth: Sod webworms can be difficult to kill because each Sep-tember large numbers of adults fly even after the turf has been treated! Reality: The vagabond sod webworm is an unusual spe-cies that emerges in Ohio during the first three weeks of Sep-tember whether it has been wet, dry, cool or hot! This species is large and very conspicuous as it flies up while mowing a lawn.

RESIDENTIALLAWN CARE

TIPSEntomological Myths Associated with LawnsDave Shetlar, The Ohio State University

10

It is unusual in that it is a cool-season species. The larvae hatch in the fall, achieve half their growth before overwintering in the soil, then finishes their development by mid-May of the follow-ing spring. The larvae then dig back into the soil to remain as a prepupa and pupa for the rest of the summer! Since the prepupae and pupae don’t feed and are protected within the soil, any insec-ticides applied from mid-May through summer will have no affect on this species.

Bluegrass BillbugsMyth: Billbugs rarely damage Ohio lawns! Reality: Billbugs are the most commonly mis-diagnosed cause of turf death in Ohio! Unfortunately, billbugs only cause extensive turf death when we experience a drought that starts in early June. In essence, most well maintained lawns can grow through billbug damage if there is sufficient moisture in June to allow new tillers to establish their root systems. If a drought occurs, these new tillers and the parent plant die. Unfortunately, since billbugs cause this problem during drought conditions, the turf simply looks like it is entering drought dormancy. It’s not until fall rains return that the owner or turf manager will find out that the turf is dead not just dormant!

Myth: The only time to control bluegrass billbugs is to apply a pesticide to kill the adults in early May! Reality: This was largely true before development of Merit, Arena and Meridian. An appli-cation of Dursban or a Pyrethroid in early May killed the adults be-fore they laid eggs. However, the neonicotinoids have significant systemic action which allows them to affect the billbug larvae feeding within the stems. Applications of Merit, Arena or Meridian, even into the first week of June, have been very effective.

Chinch BugsMyth: Chinch bugs prefer fine fescues and thatchy turf! Reality: Our recent research has found that most of our chinch bug out-breaks occur in sodded Kentucky bluegrass lawns. This sod is often thrown down on clay-rubble and thatch can be nearly non-existent! These infestations often persist for three to four years or until the turf is killed and reseeded with endophytic perennial ryegrass, improved cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass or the soil or-ganic matter improves.

Myth: Chinch bugs tend to die out in irrigated lawns or during years of overly wet weather! Reality: The idea here is that the chinch bugs succumb to the fungal disease, Beauveria , during these moist conditions. Our recent research has found that newer lawns that lack thatch layers often harbor higher numbers of chinch bugs when regularly irrigated! In fact, summer drought and turf entering drought dormancy can be more devastating to chinch bug populations than wet conditions.

White grubs are well prepared to withstand Ohio winters, whether warm or cold!

The vagabond sod webworm adults always emerge in September and they “survive” insecticide treatments be-cause the larvae don’t feed during the summer months!

Hairy chinch bugs don’t seem to be susceptible to fungal infection in Ohio lawns as long as the turf is growing well.

The eastern mole’s favorite food is earthworms though it will also feed on white grubs when it finds them.

11

In the previous issue of Golftips, we discussed in general the

characteristics of moss. Here we look at adaptation and control.

Adaptation

Moss is difficult to control because it will grow in extreme situ-

ations where vascular plants including turfgrasses cannot. The

most common areas most of us associate with moss, is heavily

shaded moist environments. However, certain mosses can survive

where moisture is lacking. Mosses are limited in the amount of

moisture they can draw from rhizoids for metabolic requirements,

and the need for free moisture for sexual reproduction, these con-

straints have resulted in mosses a) becoming aquatic b) being

confined to continually moist habitats or c) evolving the ability

to loose water almost as rapidly as its surrounding environment

does and then resume metabolic processes as moisture returns.

The mosses we faced in our studies typically survive extreme

desiccation – and then upon remoistening, resume growth. One

moss species we found in our studies, Bryum argenteum, is

known to retain viability after 2 years of desiccation. The pres-

ence of moss may also be an indicator of a nutrient or chemical

imbalance in the soil. Previous research has shown that mosses

may be an indicator of Mg and Ca levels and pH. Generally moss

has been reported to be associated with low pH’s, but Hummel

found that mosses were present on soils with a wide range of pH.

Given the intensity of current golf green management that reduc-

es the competitive ability of turfgrasses (lower mowing heights,

reduced fertility, and modified soil mixes that may have chemical

properties out of balance), moss will increasingly colonize these

conditions.

Hummel (1988) cited factors that may encourage moss, which

include: 1) potassium deficiencies 2) high calcium to magnesium

ratio and 3) heavy soils. Past studies have identified that applica-

tions of ferrous sulfate, mercury based fungicides, lime, nitrogen

fertilizers and raising the mowing height as methods of moss

control. Additionally, if moss invasion is small or limited to small

areas, plugging is an effective control. With the elimination of the

mercury based fungicides, current management practices that

tend to stress creeping bentgrass on putting greens and the in-

creased occurrence of moss on sand based greens in our region,

further studies are warranted.

Cultural Control

Beginning with the statement, “Moss grows where other plants

can’t.” Attempt to identify why moss is there in the first place.

Check soil test reports for nutrient deficiency, and any soil lay-

ering especially on sand based greens that disrupts water flow.

Minimize extreme management practices, fertilization, mowing,

watering, cultural practices, etc. Listed below are a few more

specific options for reducing moss.

Nutrient/Liming Practices

Nitrogen Fertilization: In our studies we have found spring and

fall applications of ammonium sulfate alone or in combination

with ferrous sulfate to reduce moss infestation. The most effective

GOLFC O U R S E

TIPSMoss: Part 2Karl Danneberger, The Ohio State University

12

treatment was 0.75 lbs N/1000 sq.ft./month for two successive

months. Compared to other nitrogen sources, ammonium sulfate

was the most effective.

Ferrous Sulfate is a standard recommendation for moss control.

At rates between 4 and 7 ounces/1000 sq.ft./month during the

spring and fall we have found that ferrous sulfate turns the moss

black with some reduction in population. In our studies moss

tended to return after treatments stopped.

Hydrated Lime in a few locations in the northeast United States

has been reported to reduce moss populations. In our studies we

have observed some modest reductions, but experienced phyto-

toxic affects with the product.

Soaps and Salts

Dawn Ultra applications have reduced moss in our test studies.

The applications have been made by mixing 10 ounces of Dawn

Ultra in 2.5 gallons of water. The mixture is sprayed by hand onto

the moss spots until saturation. Do not apply when the creeping

bentgrass is under stress. It should be noted that this product is

not labeled for moss control.

Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) significantly reduced the

amount of moss in our studies. Applied in our studies as 6 oz/

gallon of water spot spray (other rates reported include 2 to 3

tablespoons per quart of water) effectively reduced moss popula-

tions. It is best to apply on warm sunny days. We did get some

burning affect around the moss areas with spraying. Regarding a

dry application (with a shaker) burn was much greater. It should

be noted that this product is not labeled for moss control.

TerraCyte (sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate) is a granular product

that is applied in the spring or fall. We have observed reduction

in moss with TerraCyte. This product should not be applied when

temperatures are high, and TerraCyte should be watered in im-

mediately after application because some phytotoxicity can be

observed.

Fungicides and Herbicides

Daconil Ultrex® (chlorothalonil) is one of the most effective prod-

ucts for controlling algae. Regarding moss we have observed sig-

nificant reduction of moss with repeated (biweekly) applications

through the growing season. Most effective results are achieved

when initiated early in the spring.

Junction® (copper hydroxide) a turf fungicide contains copper hy-

droxide and mancozeb. The suggested program is 4 ounces/1000

sq.ft. applied weekly to biweekly starting in the fall. If application

number exceeds 4 in one year monitor closely, because copper

related toxicity issues may occur. This product has been effec-

tive in the northeast and through the mid-Atlantic region, but may

cause injury to creeping bentgrass in the southeastern United

States.

Quicksilver® (carfentrazone) a herbicide is effective for moss

control, specifically the silvery thread moss. Usually 2 to 3 se-

quential applications will give good moss control. Applications

should be made when creeping bentgrass is not under stress.

Caution: In all cases when using products labeled for moss fol-

low labeled instructions. In other cases, be sure to test out moss

control strategies in small test areas.

13

The beginning of wisdom ...

... is knowing things by their right name. This saying from the

Chinese philosopher Krishtalka is a good lead-in to this issue’s

article about a very special tercentenary. Yes, it is now 300 years

since the birth of Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 2007), he who gave

us the first organized system of Latin binomials for naming living

organisms. Before you take his name in vain, think of how it was

before Linnaeus.

The system of Linnaeus, laid out in Systema Plantarum (The

Species of Plants) in 1753 helped reduce confusion. As Michael

Dirr points out in his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, there

are over 245 names for the white water lily (Nymphaea alba ) in

the English, Dutch, German and French languages alone. All for

one single plant – Nymphaea alba, named by Linnaeus. Latin was

used for the universal language of science at the time.

So Latin helped alleviate the confusion between, for example,

French and English botanists (and subsequent horticulturists).

The two-part name helped reduce confusion and the written form

of logorrhea that existed up until 1753 in which, for example,

the briar rose (according to Linnaeus named Rosa canina) was

described by some as Rosa sylvestris inodora seu canina or by

others as Rosa sylvestris alba cum rubore, folio glabro.

I think you can agree that the system of Linnaeus was easier

to use. Linnaeus also arranged species and genera (groups of

related species) into a hierarchial system, with bigger groups of

plants in classes and orders and kingdoms – such as the Plant

Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.

Biologically related species, such as red maple (Acer rubrum )

and sugar maple (A. saccharum ) are in the genus Acer. Related

genera were later put into a new classification category known

as a “family” not described by Linnaeus in 1753. For example,

the rose family (Rosaceae ) includes such related genera as Rosa

(rose) apple (Malus ), mountainash (Sorbus ), hawthorn (Cratae-

gus ) and many others. Plants in the olive family (Oleaceae) in-

clude such genera as Forsythia, Syringa (lilac), several others and

Fraxinus (the true ashes).

This information of relatedness comes in handy, for example,

when you consider early host studies conducted once the emer-

ald ash borer became a problem in North America.

The first place to check to see if the emerald ash borer (Agrilus

planipennis ) had a broader host range was to do feeding studies

on the related genera of Fraxinus in the Oleaceae family. So, for-

sythia and lilac and others were checked. None seem to be hosts

in nature for the emerald ash borer, which is restricted to the

genus Fraxinus (true ashes). Note that mountainash (Sorbus ) was

not looked at as a potential alternate host in the studies, since

even though it has “ash” as part of its name due to its leaf struc-

ture, it is not in any way closely related to true ashes, and indeed

Sorbus is not even in the same plant family as Fraxinus.

HORTS H O R T SCOLUMN

14

Wisdom is in the Name ...Jim Chatfield , OSU Extension

Linnaeus truly did love to organize, being the original naming au-

thority for over 4000 animals and 8000 plants, and even devel-

oped a soon-abandoned system for giving Latin binomial names

for rocks! Linnaeus somewhat grandly declared of his efforts:

Deus creavit; Linnaeus disposuit {God creates; Linnaeus orga-

nizes}. He did however have his humble streak, knowing his (and

everyone’s) place in the world. As related in a wonderful essay

by Kennedy Warne in the May issue of Smithsonian magazine:

in 1762, when Linnaeus was made a member of the Swedish

nobility and given the name von Linne ,” he chose for his heraldic

emblem an unprepossessing Lapland flower, Linnaea borealis , a

plant named after him and described by him as ‘lowly, insignifi-

cant, disregarded, flowering for a brief space ... from Linnaeus

who resembles it.”

It is true that Linnaeus did have a contrary streak. The follow-

ing story comes from a neat webpage (www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/

history/linnaeus.html).

Linnaeus enjoyed waxing poetic about the male and female parts

of flowers, writing once that: “The flowers’ leaves ... serve as

bridal beds which the Creator has so gloriously arranged, adorn-

ed with such noble bed curtains, and perfumed with so many soft

scents that the bridegroom with his bride might there celebrate

their nuptials with so much the greater solemnity.” This led to

critics such as Johann Siegesbeck who talked of the “loathsome

harlotry” of the Linnaean parallels between plant and human love

images.

To which Linnaeus responded with the following comeuppance

to Siegesbeck. “He named a small, useless European weed Sieg-

esbeckia .” Similarly, as I once read in a Linnaeus biography, he

named what he considered the common, mundane dayflower

Commelina communis after his colleague Commelinius – who he

thought was – common and mundane. Having said this, there is

a saying of Linnaeus that I think is a great motto we should all

follow when it comes to our horticultural interactions with each

other:

“If you have remarked errors in me, your superior wisdom must

pardon them. Who errors not when perambulating the domain of

nature? Who can observe everything with accuracy? Correct me

as a friend, and I as a friend will requite with kindness.”

What a thought – to perambulate nature with Linnaeus himself.

Lets close this tricentennial celebration of the birth of Linnaeus

with one last story from Kennedy Warne. He speaks of Linnaeus

and the nature walks he led in the mid 1700’s:

“What forays they must have been! Botanizing with Linnaeus

would have been the equivalent of studying geometry with Euclid,

or taking a writing class from Shakespeare. In keeping with

Linnaeus’ orderly disposition, the expeditions were organized

with the precision of a military campaign, with designated note

takers, specimen collectors, and bird shooters. A bugle would

sound when rare species were found. At the end of the ramble

– up to 12 hours during the Baltic summer months – the party

would troop back to town, waving banners, blowing horns, and

beating kettledrums. At the botanic garden a shout would go up,

Vivat Linnaeus!”

15

John Miller learned at an early age the

dedication and time that is involved in

being a Golf Course Superintendent.

At the young age of three, Miller spent

hours on the jeep, mowing fairways

with his grandmother. Following in

his grandfather and father’s footsteps,

Miller became a Golf Course Super-

intendent in 1983 at London Coun-

try Club, shortly after graduating from The Ohio State University

with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. He explains, “I grew up

around the game of golf, I enjoy playing the game and what a

great way to make a living, being outside and doing something

you have a passion for.”

In 1988, Miller left London Country Club and began working at

Hickory Hills Golf Club as an Assistant Golf Course Superinten-

dent. A year later, he went to Indian Springs Golf Club as a Golf

Course Superintendent and stayed there until he landed his cur-

rent job as Golf Course Superintendent in 1993 at The Golf Club

at Yankee Trace.

As Golf Course Superintendent at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace,

Miller manages approximately 325 acres, three full-time employ-

ees and 30 seasonal employees. He spends his days supervising

his staff and inspecting the golf course. He spends time in man-

agement meetings and enjoys getting on a piece of equipment

from time to time “to get away from things and stay in tune with

the golf course.” Miller finds the most challenging aspect of his

career to be “getting enough staff to work the weekends!”

When Miller entered the profession in 1983, he knew the im-

portance of joining an establishment like OTF. “OTF is a great

organization of turf professionals. It provides educational op-

portunities for its members as well as great networking op-

portunities.” He views OTF as an educational forum that equips

its members with the knowledge so that “they may better serve

the members and players of golf clubs, the sports profession-

als and the home owners through lawn care. They also provide

research so that their members can stay up to date on the latest

products and procedures.”

With 14 years in his current position and 24 years in the pro-

fession, Miller’s greatest achievement was “hosting a successful

PGA Tour event for five years, building and growing in two golf

courses and winning two club championships.” He credits many

people for influencing him from coaches and teachers to college

professors, but most importantly his grandfather, John Miller, and

Jon Scott, former Vice President of Agronomy with the PGA Tour.

His experience has taught him that he can still make mistakes

like when he was new to the profession, but just different ones.

He has learned to “be patient and remember the basics of agron-

omy. New products will come and go but the basics of agronomy

will remain strong and keep you out of trouble.” His most recent

accomplishment is writing a book on preparing your golf course

for tournaments.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – JOHN MILLER

16

My name is John Koenig and I grew up in the small town of Miller City located in Northwest Ohio. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a ma-jor in Turfgrass Science and a minor in Agricultural Business in 2006 and recently was accepted in the Plant Pathology masters program under Dr. Mike Boehm at The Ohio State Uni-versity. I grew up on a small livestock and grain farm, where I was active in

livestock and crop development, as well as the operation, pre-ventive maintenance, and repair of the farm equipment. Growing up on a farm taught me a lot about the team work, leadership, and the value of an honest day’s labor. This early life experience played a pivotal role in forming my character, strong work ethic, and my appreciation for maintaining varieties of crops.

While growing up, my parents made it very clear to my three brothers and me that they expected us to work hard, be involved, never take anything for granted, and make the best of every situ-ation. This advice is the influencing factor that defines who I am. At Miller City High School I became involved in my studies and extracurricular activities, including being a percussionist in the band, participating in the County, District, Regional, and State Science Fairs, quiz bowl, the first varsity soccer team, Senior Vice President and active member of the Miller City FFA chapter, achieving the Greenhand, Chapter, State and American degrees.

I continued to be involved during my college career. I was an active member of the OSU Turf Club, participating in the STMA and GCSAA turf bowls and was elected as the Liaison/ Head of Marketing in 2004 and Vice President in 2005, receiving several outstanding student achievement awards. In addition to the OSU Turf Club, I am a student member of the OTF, OSTMA and GCSAA. I felt privileged in 2004 when I was asked to participate in the Putnam County Science Fair as a judge, and continued judging in 2005 and 2006. The attraction to soccer and interest in giving something back was the driving force behind becoming a certified Ohio High School Athletic Association soccer referee.

My education and work experience at The Ohio State University Athletic Field Maintenance Department, Sylvania Country Club, and Kirtland Country Club, and my volunteer work at Columbus

Crew Stadium have led to my pursuing a career that I know will bring challenges and great satisfaction. To put a cap on my for-mal academic career, I wanted to achieve a master degree in Turfgrass Pathology. After talking with Dr. Mike Boehm, I became extremely interested in the experience that he had to offer. Im-mediately, I was hooked and reeled into Dr. Boehm’s research project on spring and fall fungicide applications and their impact on the suppression on Dollar Spot severity the consecutive sum-mer. Once fully understood, this project has potential to reduce fungicide applications leading to a reduction in fungicide residue in the environment, as well as providing an economical benefit to the superintendent.

This research project is a continuation to Dr. Young Ki-Jo’s and Mrs. Amy Niver’s research. Their research proved that there is an actual “window” for an application to be made in the fall and spring that will suppress Dollar Spot the following year. Their re-search needs to be refined and one way I will proceed with this project is by monitoring the environmental conditions, both atmo-spheric and soil, in relation to the fungal symptoms on fairway turf mowed at one half inch.

By utilizing today’s technology, I installed a set of six soil weather-sensing units, courtesy of RZ Wireless, to measure soil moisture, temperature, and salinity levels at two locations: The Ohio Turf-grass Foundation Research and Education Facility, Columbus and The Golf Club of New Albany. Air temperature and precipitation will also be monitored by the Watch Dog weather station at each location. My experiment is a random complete block design with four replications of twenty-nine plots with dimensions of three feet by five feet in size. I will be making single weekly application of Propiconazole and Chlorothalonil on specific plots as well as applying multiple applications and plots with a twenty-one day application schedule as recommended by the chemical label. I will be rating the plots by taking a picture of each plot from within an entirely self illuminated box. A digital analysis software program called Assess will determine the percent severity of the fungal infestation from the acquired pictures.

I am very excited to be working in collaboration with Dr. Boehm’s lab. I feel that this is a great opportunity for me to further my studies and in turn lead the turf industry into the new era of turf-grass management.

GRADUATE STUDENT CORNER – JOHN KOENIG

17

As fuel and natural gas prices continue to rise, turfgrass fertil-

izer costs are also pushed to higher and higher levels. These

increasing costs force turf managers to make sure they are getting

the most out of their fertilizer dollar. To get the maximum benefit

from their fertilizers, the turf manager must be sure that the ap-

propriate product is being applied at the right time and in the

correct amounts to properly feed the plant. Also, turf managers

must know the turfgrass being grown, the nutrients needed, and

the make-up of the products being applied. Essentially, the aim

of the turf manager is to: Apply the appropriate fertilizer at the

right time, in the most efficient quantity, with the best quality

product that meets the needs of the turf manager.

By doing this, turf managers can maximize application efficiency

and avoid contributing to unnecessary (luxury) consumption by

the plant and losing nutrients to leaching and runoff.

To maximize fertilizer purchases consider the following:

1. Take soil tests of the areas you are managing: Soil tests can

help the turf manager determine the following: the soil’s current

supply of nutrients (nutrient status); how acidic or basic the soil is

(pH); and the ability of the soil to hold nutrients (cation exchange

capacity or CEC). For example, if your soil test reported a CEC of

2, the soil would most likely be a sand-based media and require

lower rates of fertilizer to be applied at more frequent intervals.

2. Know the effects of the nutrients to be applied to turfgrass:

The most common nutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and

Potassium (K). Each of these nutrients has specific roles in the

growth and overall health of the turfgrass plant. An easy way to

remember for yourself or for when training others what they are

is to remember N, P, K, and their roles: N – P – K = Up - Down

- and All Around.

• Nitrogen is “UP” and is primarily responsible for vertical growth

and green color;

• Phosphorus is “Down” and is responsible for root growth and

seedling development;

• Potassium is “All Around” and is responsible for the overall

health of the plant by aiding in cold, heat, drought and traffic

stress resistance.

This simple tip can help you select the most applicable nutrient

for a given situation. For example, if you have areas historically

stressed by drought, extra Potassium (K) may be the most impor-

tant nutrient for that area.

3. Know your turfgrass growth cycles: Knowing whether your

turfgrass is warm-season or cool-season is going to make a big

difference as to the timing of your fertilizer applications. To utilize

as much of the nutrients as possible, fertilizer applications are to

be scheduled as closely as possible to when each grass is most

actively growing.

Maximizing Your Fertilizer DollarBrad Jakubowski , University of Nebraska

SPORTST U R FTIPS

Jakubowski will

be speaking at this

year’s Ohio Turfgrass

Conference & Show!

18

a. Cool-season grasses are most active in the spring and in the

fall with a distinct slowed growth in the summer. It is im-

portant to note that late-fall applications (late October – early

November when grass is still green but not growing vert-

ically) can be one of the most beneficial fertilizer applications

for cool-season grasses. At that time of year, grasses are

storing carbohydrates for roots and emergence from winter

dormancy, not for vertical growth.

b. In, general, warm-season grasses reach maximum growth

in mid-summer and go into dormancy during the winter

months. When this happens they lose their chlorophyll and

turn a straw color. So, the focus of their nutritional needs will

be during the warmest months.

4. Determine your scheduling philosophy: This topic helps

examine whether a turf manager utilizes slow-release fertilizers

or quick-release fertilizers. When using slow-release sources a

turf manager usually applies larger amounts of fertilizer less of-

ten, where using quick-release fertilizers requires lower amounts

to be applied more frequently (spoon-feeding). Either approach is

effective, it just depends on how much time and labor is available

for your situation. For example, if you have a one-person opera-

tion, the use of slow-release fertilizers may be more effective than

spoon-feeding because fewer fertilizer applications are required,

giving you the opportunity to accomplish other important tasks.

5. Understand the differences in fertilizer release charac-

teristics: Simply stated this refers to how quickly the fertilizer

breaks down and releases the nutrient it is made up of or con-

tains. Most commonly, the nutrient in question is nitrogen. There

continued on page 20

TABLE 1. GENERAL FERTILIzATION RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONSIDERATION OF THE COOL-SEASON TURFGRASS GROWTH CYCLE(The table below contains recommendations to assist the turf manager for determining the best timing and relative rates of nitrogen to apply to cool-season grasses throughout the growing season.)

Time of Year Relative N Rate/App Comments

Early Spring None to Low • Avoid excessive N – reduces rooting, carbohydrate reserves, stress and pest tolerance. • If follows late fall application, none may be needed.

Mid- to Late Spring Low to Medium • Optimum shoot growth. • Avoid excess Nitrogen. • Long springs may require Nitrogen.

Summer None to Medium • N may be required for N deficiency. • Excessive N will increase drought and high temp stress.

Early Fall Medium to High • Needed for summer stress recovery, overall health.

Mid-fall None to Low • Early fall usually sufficient. • Excess N may enhance molds.

Late Fall High (Best) • Apply while grass is still green without shoot growth. • Good for roots, color, shoot density, and carbohydrates.

Winter None to Low • Quick N may favor winter annual weeds, slow N may runoff frozen turf.

19

are two general types of release rates for fertilizers: quick-release

and slow or controlled-release. Quick-release fertilizers are pri-

marily considered water soluble nitrogen (WSN) and when applied

to the soil and irrigated, will begin to release nutrients to the plant

immediately and last for only a short time (see table 2). The most

common forms are ammonium sulfate and urea.

Slow-release fertilizers have a somewhat more complex make-up

and a wider variety of formulations.

• The most common forms are slowly available water soluble

nitrogen (SAWSN) which have a longer release period. Of the

SAWSN, some of the most commonly used are sulfur coated

urea (SCU), poly coated urea (PCU), and methylene urea

(MU).

• Water insoluble nitrogen products (WIN) primarily require

microbes to release its nitrogen, so warm temperatures and

moisture are needed. These are the slowest to release and

may not completely do so for over a year without the right

environmental conditions.

6. Learn to Utilize Different Particle Sizes: The practice of

considering fertilizer particle size has grown in importance in

the fertilizer industry and is used to evaluate quality. The term

used is Size Guide Number or (SGN) and is based on an ‘average’

particle size in millimeters multiplied by 100. In today’s markets,

the trend in SGN numbers for fertilizer products can generally be

regarded as the following:

Recommended Use SGN

General Ag blends for direct soil application 240 – 280

Turf & ornamental blends for general landscapes 210 – 230

Sports turf, specialty turf areas, fairways & tees 125 – 150

Greens-Grades for close cut turfgrass of golf greens 90 – 110

The SGN of a fertilizer also directly impacts the effectiveness of

fertilizers applied to turf. The smaller the particle, the greater the

number of particles per square inch (PPI) applied to a given area

(see figure 1). This results in more uniform coverage of the nutri-

ent or active ingredient intended for a given area.

Figure 1. Particles per square inch of a product applied at 4 lbs of product/1000 ft2 with SGN sizes of 125 and 240.

TABLE 2. SELECTED FERTILIzERS AND THEIR NUTRIENTRELEASE CHARACTERISTICS

Fertilizer Type Earliest Release Residual and Sample Fertilizer Brands

WSN Ammonium sulfate minutes 7+ days Urea minutes 20 days

SAWSN SCU (sulfur coated urea) 1 day 12 months+ Polymer Coated Urea 3 days 2 months+ Andersons (Scotts) Poly-S Lesco Poly Plus Pursell Poly-On

MU (Methylene Urea) 4 days 4 months MU Tech, Contec, Nutralene

WIN UF (Ureaformaldahyde) 7 days 12 months+ Bluechip, Nitroform

IBDU 3 days 4 monthsNatural Organics 1 day 12 months+ Milorganite, Nature Safe, Sustane

20

For example, an application of preemergence herbicide at 4 lb

of product/1000ft 2 with an SGN of 240 will distribute approx-

imately 1 – 2 particles per square inch, while the same fertilizer

with an SGN of 125 will distribute approximately 10 particles per

square inch.

In this situation, the smaller particle size will provide more uni-

form coverage, resulting in better protection from the target

weeds. This concept can then also be applied to insecticides and

fungicides, etc.

7. Look for Particle Uniformity in Your Fertilizer: SGN cannot

be effectively utilized without considering the uniformity of a fert-

ilizer. Uniformity is measured by its Uniformity Index (UI) (see

figure 2) which compares the relative size range of particles

within a fertilizer product. Higher UI values indicate a greater

degree of particle size uniformity. UI is as important as SGN in

evaluating how well a particular fertilizer material will perform.

The greater the differences in particle sizes, the poorer the dis-

tribution of the fertilizer as it flows out of the spreader’s hopper,

resulting in streaks, skips, and speckling. Below are UI ranges

and their degree of quality:

UI Degree of Quality

Greater than 50 Excellent size range with exceptional distribution

40 – 50 Good size range for standard use

Less than 40 Wide size range of particles producing sub-standard distribution

After considering these seven factors, a turf manager can maxi-

mize fertilizer purchases by knowing: (1) what nutrients your soil

needs; (2) how they will benefit your turfgrass; (3) when to apply

the nutrient for the best results; (4) what strategy to implement;

(5) whether to use quick or slow-release forms of the fertilizer (or

a combination of the two); (6) what size of particles to apply; and

(7) if the fertilizer you decide to purchase is uniform enough to be

applied effectively.

Figure 2. An example of what the UI of 50 represents.

21

In a previous article we reviewed phosphonate fungicides and

how they control diseases, as well as their role as fertilizers. In

this article, we will present the results of recent phosphonate

fungicide research conducted at Penn State on Pythium blight

and anthracnose diseases, as well as putting green quality.

Phosphonate (phosphite and fosetyl Al) products differ in formu-

lation, trade name, label terminology, uses and price. Research

on how these products perform with respect to disease control

and improving turf quality should help superintendents in Ohio

make sound choices on the most appropriate product(s) for their

specific needs. The objectives of our research were to determine

if products made with potassium phosphite or fosetyl Al provide

similar control of Pythium blight and anthracnose basal rot when

applied at equivalent rates of phosphorous acid, the active com-

pound for controlling these diseases. We also wanted to evaluate

the effects of active ingredient and formulation on putting green

quality when phosphonate products were applied at equivalent

rates of phosphorous acid.

As mentioned in our previous article, phosphonate fungicides are

made up of the salts or the esters of phosphorous acid. Salts of

phosphorous acid are referred to as phosphites, and phosphite

products typically contain a mixture of phosphorous acid and

potassium hydroxide (KOH). Phosphite fungicides (Alude, Magel-

lan, Vital, Resyst and others) usually list potassium phosphite or

mono-and di-potassium salts of phosphorous acid as the active

ingredient on the product label. Esters of phosphorous acid are

referred to as fosetyl-Al or aluminum tris O-ethyl phosphonate;

the active ingredient in Aliette and Chipco Signature fungicides.

All phosphonate fungicides, whether they are phosphites or

fosetyl Al, are broken down into phosphorous acid (often referred

to as phosphite ions) following uptake by plants. Because phos-

phorous acid is the compound which controls disease, we com-

pared products based on equivalent rates of phosphorous acid.

We did this by determining the molecular weight of phosphorous

acid in each product, and adjusting the product rates accordingly.

The rates of all of our treatments fell within the range given for

Pythium blight control on the fungicide labels; and for anthrac-

nose control on the Chipco Signature label (see table 1).

Treatments for our Pythium blight, anthracnose, and turf quality

trials included Alude (a commercial phosphite product), Aliette and

Chipco Signature (two fosetyl Al products), a potassium phosphite

standard (made by mixing pure phosphorous acid with water and

adjusting the solution to a pH of 6.2 with KOH) and reagent-grade

potassium phosphate (made by mixing reagent-grade phosphoric

acid with KOH to raise the solution to a pH of 6.2). The potassium

phosphite standard was included as a treatment because we

knew nothing was added to the mixture which would enhance its

disease suppressing properties. Thus, we could evaluate the ef-

ficacy of potassium phosphite without interference from formula-

tion effects. Potassium phosphate (fertilizer phosphorus) was ap-

plied at the same rate of phosphorus as the potassium phosphite

treatment. This treatment was added to make sure that disease

suppression was not due to a phosphorus nutrition effect.

Pythium Blight Trials

In 2004 and 2005, we conducted field trials to determine if the

active ingredients and formulations of different phosphonate

Phosphonate Products for Disease Controland Putting Green QualityPete Landschoot, Joshua Cook and Max Schlossberg, Penn State University

22

fungicides influence the degree of Pythium blight control on

creeping bentgrass. We began the trials by seeding ‘Penncross’

creeping bentgrass in a greenhouse frame one year prior to treat-

ment application. The turf was maintained similar to a golf course

fairway. Just prior to treatment application, the greenhouse frame

was covered with clear plastic. An automatic misting system was

used to ensure warm, humid conditions necessary for Pythium

blight development (see figure 1).

Treatments were applied to turf growing within the greenhouse

frame, and included the phosphonate fungicides and other

treatments listed in table 1; plus a Subdue MAXX (mefanoxam)

treatment. Subdue MAXX was applied at 1.0 fl oz/1000 ft 2 for

comparison with phosphonate products because it has provided

excellent control of Pythium blight in our Pythium trials during

previous tests.

Treatments were applied once on 30 August, 2004 and again on

18 July, 2005. Following treatment application, the open ends

of the Pythium chamber were closed, and inoculum of P. aphan-

idermatum was applied to the test area. Temperature was con-

trolled with vents which could be opened and closed and humidity

was manipulated using the automatic misting system. At the

end of each trial, all plots were rated for Pythium blight.

Results: Results showed that Pythium blight was more severe

in 2005 than in 2004; probably a result of higher temperatures

in 2005 (see figures 2 and 3). In 2004, phosphonate fungicides

(including the potassium phosphite standard) provided good ( >

95%) control, whereas in 2005, the same treatments showed only

70 to 84% control. Despite seasonal differences in Pythium blight

control; no major differences occurred among the phosphonate

fungicides in either year of the study. This suggests that products

with phosphites or fosetyl Al as active ingredients provide similar

Pythium blight control (see figure 4). Results also indicate that

the formulation of individual products do not appear to have any

advantage with respect to Pythium blight control.

The potassium phosphate treatment and the untreated control

had no effect on disease; indicating that phosphorus nutrition

was not responsible for Pythium blight control. Subdue Maxx

provided significantly better control than all treatments on creep-

ing bentgrass in 2005, but did not differ from the phosphonate

fungicides in 2004.

We need to emphasize that conditions in the Pythium chamber

present an extremely severe test of fungicide performance.

Trials conducted under these conditions are better for measuring

relative differences among fungicides than the actual degree of

control.

Anthracnose and Putting Green Quality Trials

In 2004 and 2005, we conducted field trials on a putting green

to determine if active ingredient and formulation of different phos-

phonate fungicides influence control of anthracnose basal rot and

putting green quality. The trials were conducted on an 8-yr-old

stand of ‘Providence’ creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass

maintained as a putting green. Only a small amount of nitrogen

was applied to the trial area to encourage anthracnose. Treat-

ments (see table 2) were similar to those in the Pythium blight

trial, except that there was no Subdue MAXX treatment. All

treatments were applied every two weeks beginning on 21 May

and ending 13 August in 2004; and beginning 4 May and ending

on 29 July, 2005, for a total of seven applications in each year.

Anthracnose disease ratings were assessed visually using a 0

to 10 scale, with 10 indicating severe disease and 0 equal to

no disease. Because very little disease was evident on the test

area in 2004, only results from 2005 are presented in this article.

Putting green quality was rated every two weeks on a scale of 0

to 10, with 10 indicating excellent turf quality and 0 equal to very

poor quality.

Results: Anthracnose symptoms developed rapidly on the test

site during early July, 2005, and the test was rated on 5 July;

continued on page 24

23

after five treatment applications had been made. None of the

phosphonate fungicides completely controlled anthracnose; but

the Chipco Signature and potassium phosphite standard treat-

ments had significantly less disease than the untreated control.

The fact that Chipco Signature performed better than Aliette (both

were applied at the same rate of fosetyl Al), indicates that the

formulation of Chipco Signature was enhancing disease control.

The fact that the potassium phosphite standard showed signifi-

cantly less disease than the untreated control indicates that this

compound may have some benefit in suppressing anthracnose

under certain conditions. None of the other treatments differed

significantly with respect to anthracnose from the untreated con-

trol. Although these results are interesting, we should note that

data from anthracnose trials often vary from region to region and

from year to year. Nevertheless, we now have justification for

conducting more extensive anthracnose trials with phosphonate

fungicides.

The results for putting green quality were similar to the anthrac-

nose results, with the Chipco Signature treatment providing slightly

better quality than other treatments on most rating dates during

2004 and 2005 (see figure 5). The other phosphonate treatments

typically provided better putting green quality than the potassium

phosphate treatment and the untreated control during both years,

but the response was not as strong as Chipco Signature.

Conclusions

The objectives of our study were to determine if products made

with potassium phosphite or fosetyl Al provide similar control of

Pythium blight and anthracnose basal rot, as well as enhanced

putting green quality when applied at equivalent rates of phospho-

rous acid. Although overall Pythium blight control varied between

2004 and 2005, no differences were found among phosphonate

treatments in either year, regardless of active ingredient or for-

mulation. Chipco Signature and the potassium phosphite standard

provided some control of anthracnose, but complete control was

not achieved. Chipco Signature performed better than Aliette, a

fosetyl Al-containing product that was applied at the same rate of

active ingredient as Chipco Signature. Based on this observation,

we concluded that the formulation of Chipco Signature played an

important role in suppressing this disease. It is not surprising that

most phosphonate products did not have a pronounced effect

on anthracnose, given that our laboratory studies (not discussed

in this article) show that the phosphorous acid does not have a

strong inhibitory effect on the causal pathogen.

Chipco Signature provided slightly better putting green quality than

all other phosphonate treatments in 2004 and 2005. Although the

improvement in putting green quality may have been partly due

to anthracnose control, Chipco Signature plots were greener and

appeared healthier (fewer brown and thin areas) than other treat-

ments on most ratings dates. The enhanced green-up may have

been partially a result of residual pigment from the Chipco Signa-

ture formulation; however, we attempted to minimize this effect

by taking ratings two weeks after treatments were applied.

Other phosphonate fungicides provided improved putting green

quality at certain times during the test when compared to the

control; but not as much as Chipco Signature. Currently, we are

unsure of why phosphonate fungicides improve putting green

quality. Quality improvement does not appear to be a phosphorus

nutrition effect, but may be partially due to a reduction of algae

and minor pathogens present in putting green turf. More detailed

research may shed light on how some phosphonate fungicides

improve turf quality, and provide insights into the environmental

and management conditions under which this may occur.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank The

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council, Cleary Chemical Corp. and Bayer

Environmental Science for providing funding for this study. We

would also like to acknowledge Dr. Wakar Uddin and Mr. Michael

Soika for advice, isolates and equipment used in conducting the

Pythium blight trials.

24

Figure 1. Pythium chamber (greenhouse frame covered with plastic) was used to produce conditions necessary for Pythium blight development. Inset shows automatic misting system used to increase humidity levels.

FIGURE 1

TABLE 1. Treatments and rates used in the Pythium blight,

anthracnose, and putting green quality phosphonate fun-

gicide studies. All products except potassium phosphate

were applied at equivalent rates of phosphorous acid.

Treatment Rate/1000 ft2

Potassium phosphate 45.9 fl oz

Potassium phosphite standard 43.6 fl oz

Alude 7.4 fl oz

Aliette 5.7 oz

Chipco Signature 5.7 oz

TABLE 2. Treatment, rate and anthracnose basal rot disease severity ratings for the 2005 anthracnose phos- phonate fungicide trial. Five treatment applications were on two-week intervals prior to the 5 July rating date. All products except potassium phosphate were applied at equivalent rates of phosphorous acid.

DISEASE SEVERITY Rate 2005Treatment (oz/1000 ft2) 5 July (0 – 10)†

Control ---- 5.5 ab‡

Potassium Phosphate 45.9 fl oz 6.3 aAlude 7.4 fl oz 4.5 bcAliette 5.7 oz 4.5 bcPotassium Phosphite Standard 43.6 fl oz 3.5 cdChipco Signature 5.7 oz 2.0 d

† Anthracnose basal rot disease severity ratings based on a 0 – 10 scale, 0 = no disease and 10 = severe disease symptoms.

‡ Data means within the same column and followed by the same letter are not significantly different as determined by Fisher’s Protected Least Significant Difference test at P = 0.05.

continued on page 26

25

Figure 2. Effect of phosphonate fungicides on Pythium blight development of ‘Penncross’ creeping bentgrass in 2004, expressed as % blighted turf. Bars above columns indicate LSD 5% level of significance (LSD = 18.0).

Figure 3. Effect of phosphonate fungicides on Pythium blight development of ‘Penncross’ creeping bentgrass in 2005, expressed as % blighted turf. Bars above columns indicate LSD 5% level of significance (LSD = 18.6).

Figure 4. Plots showing the effects of potassium phosphite standard or H3PO3 (left), Chipco Signature (center), and potassium phosphate or H3PO4 (right) on symptom development of Pythium blight of creeping bentgrass.

Figure 5. Turf quality ratings of a creeping bentgrass/annual bluegrass putting green with an untreated control and plots treated with Aliette, Alude and Chipco Signature. Turf quality was rated on a scale of 0-10, where 10 was the highest-quality turf.

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

26

Introduction

Over the last decade, the turfgrass industry has received three

new insecticides, all in a new class called neonicotinoids. The first

insecticide registered for turfgrass use, imidacloprid (Merit), has

become the dominant compound used in turfgrass management.

Imidacloprid appeared as isofenphos (Oftanol), an organophosphate,

was being discontinued due to general restrictions from residen-

tial use of all organophosphate insecticides by EPA. Isofenphos

had broad spectrum activity but was most commonly used for early

curative to mid-season curative control of white grubs due to its

loss of residual activity due to accelerated microbial degradation.

Isofenphos was also good for control of bluegrass billbugs but May

applications did not consistently remain active into July when

the next generation of white grubs arrived. Therefore, chlorpyrifos

(Dursban) or one of the pyrethroids was generally used to target bill-

bugs, or chinch bugs or the turf-infesting caterpillars (e.g., sod web-

worms and black cutworm). This required two to three applications

of insecticides during a season to control this spectrum of pests.

Field tests of imidacloprid proved that May or early June applications

could eliminate billbugs, the hairy chinch bugs and the new gen-

eration of white grubs that arrived in July and early August. However,

caterpillar control was poor and the speed of control of chinch bugs

and turfgrass ants was less than seen with pyrethroids. Therefore,

imidacloprid was combined with the pyrethroid bifenthrin (Talstar)

which helped pick up the caterpillars and speed the control of chinch

bugs and ants.

In 2004 clothianidin (Arena) and in 2007 thiamethoxam (Meridian)

are the two additional neonicotinoids to get turfgrass registrations.

While both are as good as imidacloprid for control of white grubs

(see table 1), it is their other attributes that make them worth

considering. Both appear to be faster acting against billbugs and

chinch bugs and both seem to have better curative action against

these two insects. While clothianidin and thiamethoxam are much

better at controlling sod webworms, neither should be considered

a strong caterpillar control products. None of the neonicotinoids

seem to be overly effective where black cutworms are a problem.

When dealing with the turfgrass ant, Lasius neoniger (the species

that commonly constructs volcano-shaped mounds on golf course

greens and tees), clothianidin and thiamethoxam are very good at

Research on New Neonicotinoid InsecticidesDavid Shetlar, The Ohio State University

NEWGROWTH &TECHNOLOGY

continued on page 28

27

quickly reducing this ant’s activity both early in the season (as a

preventive applied when mounds first appear in April or May) or mid-

season. Imidacloprid can control this ant, but applications only work

when applied as a preventive and control is often not achieved

until six to eight weeks after the application.

Stretching the Application Window

Our field research has consistently attempted to test these new in-

secticides earlier and later than the traditional grub control period

(late June through July). We have been making very early preventive

applications as early as the first and second week of April as well as

a rescue treatments in mid-September. The September treatments

were geared to determine if and how fast these insecticides could

kill large, third instar white grubs. Our work has also encouraged

other entomologists to look at earlier and later applications (see table

2). From the cumulative data on hand, all three neonicotinoids

perform quite well when used at their full label rates in May. On the

other end of the control window, all three work very well as moder-

ately late curative insecticides (e.g., mid-August to early September,

when the white grubs are second instars). This is especially interest-

ing since the Merit label indicates that applications should be

made by August 15! In 2006, many turf managers discovered that

they had damaging levels of white grubs in the third week of August

and they were concerned as to whether Merit would work that late.

The obvious answer is YES!

In 2005, we applied Merit 75WDG at 0.3 and 0.4 lb.AI/acre and

Arena 50WDG at 0.3 lb.AI/acre on April 11 which resulted in 81%,

93% and 99% control of a mix of Japanese beetle and masked

chafer grubs, respectively. In 2006, we applied Merit (0.3) and

Arena (0.25) on April 6 and achieved 92% and 99% control of mask-

ed chafer grubs, respectively. This year, we have added Meridian

to this early test.

In September of 2005 and 2006, we performed our white grub

rapidity-of-kill field tests. In these studies, we treat the test plots

and immediately water in the materials with about a half inch of

irrigation. We then come back in two to 14 days to determine what

percentage of grubs are showing signs of dying (voided guts and

poorly coordinated movement) or death (discoloration and no move-

ment). In the 2005 study, trichlorfon (Dylox) provided the most

rapid action achieving about 40% control within three days after the

application. However, Arena achieved about 53% control within six

days after the application and eventually reached 65% control at 12

days. Merit only achieved 25% control at six days and 49% control

at 12 days. In 2006, we applied Meridian 25WG (0.26 lb.AI/acre),

Merit 2F (0.3 lb.AI/acre) and Arena 50WDG (0.25 lb.AI/acre) on

September 15 (to early third instar masked chafers plus Japanese

beetles) but waited 26 days before we sampled the grubs. In this

study, Meridian achieved 88% control, Merit achieved 63% control

and Arena achieved 76% control. This study shows that all these

neonicotinoids have the ability to control late instar white grubs,

but it takes considerable time to achieve the maximum control.

Other Targets of Neonicotinoids

In 2000, we set up a turfgrass ant control study in Clyde, OH on

May 17. In this study, we applied Talstar 0.2G (0.2 lb.AI/acre),

Merit 75WP (0.4 lb.AI/acre) and Meridian 25 WG (0.26 lb.AI/

acre). In one week, we achieved 87% mound reduction with the

Talstar (the industry pyrethroid standard), only 11% reduction with

Merit and 60% reduction with Meridian. At four weeks after the

application, Talstar plots had 26%, Merit had 60% and Meridian had

95% mound reductions. And at 12 weeks after the application,

Talstar had 0%, Merit had 98%, Meridian had 98% mound reduc-

tions. This demonstrates the rapidity at which Meridian was able to

reduce the ant activity and keep them down over a long period of

time. In 2006, we set up another ant control study in Clyde on July

18 using Allectus GC (0.35lb.AI/acre, contains imidacloprid plus

28

bifenthrin), Arena 50WDG (0.3 lb.AI/acre) and Talstar 0.67SC (0.20

lb.AI/acre). At one week after the applications, Allectus caused

86%, Arena caused 73% and Talstar caused 95% mound reductions

in the plots. At eight weeks after the applications, Allectus had

81%, Arena had 92% and Talstar had 39% mound reductions.

Again this illustrates how Arena can rapidly knock down ant

activity and keep it down over an extended time period.

In 2006, we applied Merit 75 WP (0.3 lb.AI/acre), Arena 50 WDG

(0.2 lb.AI/acre) and Meridian 25WDG (0.25 lb.AI/acre) to Kentucky

bluegrass that was infested with bluegrass billbugs on May 15.

Most of the eggs had been laid and larvae were actively burrow-

ing down the stems, so this can be considered an early curative

study. By July, when we sampled, Merit had achieved 95%, Arena

had 100% and Meridian had 91% control of the billbug larvae.

Compared to the lambda-cyhalothrin (Scimitar) used at 0.5 lb.AI/

Acre which only achieved 59% control, these neonicotinoids appear

to have significant systemic, knock-down control of billbug larvae.

In summary, our field research indicates the new neonicotinoids

have wider windows of opportunity for their use than you might

expect and each neonicotinoid seems to have unique properties of

rapidity-of-kill and target pests that are controlled.

Traditionally, insecticides were applied to kill the adult billbug, but neonicotinoids can

also eliminate the larval stages.

Third instar white grubs in turf are difficult to control, but some of the neonicotinoids

appear to be fairly fast acting at killing these pests.

The turfgrass ant, Lasius neoniger, is a common mound building ant pest of Ohio golf

courses.

continued on page 30

29

TABLE 1. RANKED EFFICACY OF WHITE GRUB INSECTICIDES (1976 – 2005)1

(using Japanese Beetle and Masked Chafer Data)

Rate Ave Range % of TestsInsecticide lb.ai./a. % Control # Tests % Control Below 70%

Carbaryl 8.0 72.8 43 13 – 100 40(Sevin)

Clothianidin 0.3 100.0 1 100 0(Arena) 0.4 97.0 1 97 0

Halofenozide 1.5 91.2 65 10 – 100 12(MACH2) 2.0 89.6 53 56 – 100 9

Imidacloprid 0.25 98.8 5 96 – 100 0(Merit) 0.3 94.1 88 58 – 100 6 0.4 94.1 7 82 – 100 0

Thiamethoxam 0.2 94.9 51 0 – 100 6(Meridian) 0.26 97.0 17 75 – 100 0

Trichlorfon 8.0 77.6 91 0 – 98 19(Dylox, Proxol)

1 Data from Insecticide and Acaricide Tests & Arthropod Management Tests , Entomological Society of America (using masked chafers and Japanese beetle evaluations 1977-2005 and label recommended application timing). Note, these data include tests up to 2004, not 2005 evaluations.

TABLE 2. COMPARISON OF GRUB INSECTICIDE EFFICACY BY TIME OF APPLICATION(using Japanese Beetle and Masked Chafer Data)

Rate lb.ai./a. Ave % Control (# Tests)Insecticide May June July to Aug 16 to Sept 10

Carbaryl 4.0 --- --- 34.3 (2) --- 81.4 (1)(Sevin) 8.0 --- --- 57.0 (1) --- 77.8 (2)

Clothianidin 0.25 100 (1) 90.0 (1) 97.0 (2) --- ---(Arena) 0.3 93.0 (1) 100 (2) 99.0 (2) --- 97.0 (1) 0.4 --- --- 97.0 (1) --- ---

Halofenozide 1.5 88.5 (8) 94.4 (23) 88.8 (21) 89.6 (19) 77.7 (27)(MACH2) 2.0 80.5 (4) 63.7 (9) 93.8 (12) 75.0 (5) ---

Imidachloprid 0.25 95.5 (2) 86.0 (3) 96.5 (10) --- ---(Merit) 0.3 74.4 (15) 91.3 (27) 94.7 (39) 93.6 (29) 94.1 (35) 0.4 81.0 (2) 94.0 (2) 96.8 (5) 82.0 (1) ---

Thiamethoxam 0.2 59.9 (8) 96.7 (13) 95.2 (23) 92.9 (15) 85.2 (12)(Meridian) 0.26 83.5 (6) 99.3 (3) 99.7 (4) 94.6 (9) 89.7 (6)

Trichlorfon 8.0 --- --- --- 62.2 (5) 77.7 (19)(Dylox/Proxol)

From studies published in Arthropod Management Tests (1976-2005), using Japanese beetle and masked chafer efficacy data where checks had 4+ grubs per square foot and significant results (Studies from Shetlar, 1999-2005, were used that were not published in AMT).

30

The Ohio State UniversityTurfgrass Science Program

IMPACT 2006 – TEACHING & ADVISINGThe mission of The Ohio State University Turfgrass Science Program is to investigate, synthesize and disseminate

knowledge on turfgrass science to students, consumers and professional clientele throughout Ohio andthe nation. Through these efforts, the functional uses, environmental benefits and aesthetic values of turfgrass

will contribute to further enhancement of the quality of life for society. The OSU Turfgrass Science Team strives to maintain national and international excellence by providing leadership in teaching, research and extension-outreach education.

FACULTY AND ExTENSION PROGRAM SPECIALISTSOF THE OSU TURFGRASS SCIENCE PROGRAM

Dr. Mike Boehm (Department of Plant Pathology)

Dr. T. Karl Danneberger (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)

Dr. David S. Gardner (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)

Dr. Parwinder S. Grewal (Department of Entomology)

Dr. Ed McCoy (School of Environment and Natural Resources)

Joseph W. Rimelspach (Department of Plant Pathology)

Pamela J Sherratt (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)

Dr. David J. Shetlar (Department of Entomology)

Dr. John R. Street (Department of Horticulture and Crop Science)

Dr. Daniel C. Voltz (Agricultural Technical Institute)

David A. Willoughby (Agricultural Technical Institute)

DURING 2006 ...

• OSU Turfgrass Science professors taught 27 courses to over 500

students.

• OSU Turfgrass Science professors advised nearly 200 undergraduate

students majoring in Turfgrass Science in both our 2- and 4-year

programs.

• 23 graduate students were actively working on their M.S. and Ph.D.

degrees with OSU turfgrass science faculty in 2006 – the following

students successfully completed their Ph.D. and M.S. degrees –

CONGRATULATIONS!

• Amr T. E. Saeb (Grewal), Sophie Rochefort (Shetlar) and Jia Yan

(Danneberger) their Ph.D.’s. Yadwinder S. Deol (Grewal) and Amy

Niver (Boehm) completed their M.S.’s.

• Ruisheng An, a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Grewal, received a

$5,000 grant in the OSU-OARDC Director’s Graduate Research

Grants Competition.

STUDENT NEWS ...

• Dr. Chris Williamson, former M.S. student – Shetlar received

tenure and was promoted to the rack of Associate Professor in

the Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin.

• Brian Holtzapfel was hired as the Assistant groundskeeper for

the LA Galaxy.

• Wes Appellfeller was named as the Joe Motz Sports Turf Student

of the Year and hired as the Assistant Groundskeeper with the

Columbus Crew.

continued on page 32

31

NEW INITIATIVES ...

• Dr. Mike Boehm Developed and taught a new course: PP694

– entitled “Integrated Turfgrass Health and Pest Management

– New York Style” in September 2006. He received a grant to

take he, his colleagues and turfgrass science students on

a special 5-day study tour to Long Island and NY City to

study integrated turfgrass health management practices in

this environmentally sensitive region of the U.S. In addition

to Sebonack Golf Club, the class visited the famous National

Golf Links of America, Yankee Stadium and The Great Lawn

located in Manhattan’s Central Park. Information gathered and

observations made on this trip were subsequently used by

those enrolled in Dr. Boehm’s Integrated Turfgrass Health

Management class (Plant Pathology 613) to develop an ITHM

Plan for Sebonack GC. Nine students, four OSU Turfgrass

Faculty, one golf course superintendent (John Miller, Yankee

Trace GC) and an OSU-staff photographer made the trip – it

was an awesome opportunity!

OSU Turfgrass Study Tour participants standing in front of the famous lighthouse at National Golf Links of America.

32

FITTING JOBS TO PEOPLEUsing Ergonomics to Prevent MSDs

Ergonomics is the science of fitting jobs to the people who perform them. The goal of any ergonomics program is to

reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs are developed by workers when a major part of their jobs

involves reaching, bending over, lifting heavy objects, using continuous force, working with vibrating equipment and doing

repetitive motions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency in charge of workplace safety and health,

has given a lot of attention to reducing the number and severity of MSDs developed on the job. OSHA has published

voluntary guidelines for several industries, including nursing homes and poultry processing, and is in the process of

creating more industry-specific guidelines for other industry groups as well.

Experts recommend that companies analyze jobs in the workplace to look for MSD hazards. Once a hazard is found, then

steps need to be taken to reduce them.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE THE RISK OF MSDS IN YOUR WORKPLACE:

Require all MSD hazards are reported to a supervisor right away.

Teach employees to recognize and report any signs or symptoms of MSDs.

Solicit suggestions from your employees about how to fix ergonomic concerns.

Develop work rules and procedures on how to recognize and prevent ergonomic-related issues.

If you need help in analyzing jobs for MSD hazards or to develop your company’s program, call RiskControl360 at 877-360-3608.

33

During the summer months, companies should protect employees

who work outside in the heat and high humidity. Employees not

taking the proper precautions when working outside can experi-

ence heat illnesses. The most severe heat-induced illnesses are

heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If heat exhaustion is not treated,

it can lead to heat stroke and possibly death.

To protect employees working in the heat, the following steps

should be taken:

• Educate employees about the signs and symptoms of heat

exhaustion and heat stroke.

• Perform the most physically-taxing part of the work during the

coolest part of the day.

• Slowly build up tolerance to the heat and the workload. This

usually takes 10 to 20 days.

• Work in pairs.

• Drink plenty of water, at least one small cup every 15 to 20

minutes.

• Wear light, loose-fitting, breathable clothing, such as cotton.

• Take frequent breaks in cool, shaded areas that allow the body

to cool down.

• Avoid eating large meals and drinking alcohol and caffeine

before working in the heat.

Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion are: headaches, diz-

ziness, weakness, mood changes, feeling sick to your stomach,

vomiting, fainting and pale, clammy skin. If a person is exhibiting

these symptoms, these steps should be taken:

• Move the person to a cool, shaded area to rest and do not leave

the person alone.

• Loosen and remove any heavy clothing.

• Have the person drink water.

• Try to cool the person by fanning them. Cool the skin with a

spray mist of water or a wet cloth.

• If the person does not feel better in a few minutes call for

emergency help.

Factors such as certain medications, having a previous heat-in-

duced illness or wearing personal protective equipment such as a

respirator or protective suit can increase an employee’s chance of

experiencing a heat-related illness. Employees should check with

their doctor or pharmacist to identify if any of the medications

they are taking affect a person’s ability to work in the heat.

For more information about heat exhaustion, please visit the

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) website,

www.osha.gov.

PROTECTING EMPLOYEESDURING THE SUMMER HEAT

34

TOLEDO OFFICE:5959 ANGOLA ROAD • 800-346-0066

CINCINNATI OFFICE:8650 BERK BLVD. • 800-666-2460

CLEVELAND OFFICE:26565 MILES RD., SUITE 100 • 800-522-8676

COLUMBUS OFFICE:4199 LEAP ROAD, HILLIARD • 800-321-4466

Visit us on the web at: www.centuryequip.com

Century Equipment celebrated its 56th Anniversary in the year2006. We have grown from a total of three employees to over122. The primary focus of Century is Customer Quality Care– to be the best service and equipment supplier of turf,irrigation and golf cars for all our customers. We operate ourbusiness with a high degree of integrity and honesty, neverlosing focus on you, the customer, as we work every day toearn your respect and business.

Century Equipment is well recognized by all its vendor partnersas being in the top five of both market sales and service.Century’s true strength is its employees, who have providedits growth and success for over 55 years.

Century Equipmenthas been a strong supporter of OTF

since its inception in 1961.

Past OTF Presidents include these past and presentCentury Equipment employees:

Harry Murray - 1963, 1967 • Bob O’Brien - 1971John Fitzgerald - 1978 • Ed Odorizzi - 1986

Jim Sharpe - 1989 • Ed Eaton 1996 • John Mowat - 2003

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERJoe Enciso

1100-H Brandywine BlvdZanesville OH 43701-7303888-OTF-3445Fax: (740) 452-2552www.OhioTurfgrass.org

Return Service Requested

OTF Board of Trustees

Trustees Term Expires 2008

Doug GallantCincinnati Reds

Trustees Term Expires 2009

Mark GrunkemeyerBuckeye Ecocare

Kim KelloggGrasshopper Property Maint.

Don LawrenceRed Hawk Run G.C.

Trustees Term Expires 2010

Mike DietrichLesco, Inc.

Joe EncisoCentury Equipment

Randy ShaverStrategic Golf Alliance, Inc.

2007 OTF Officers

President

Mark Jordan, CGCSWestfield Companies Country Club

Vice President

Todd VossDouble Eagle Club

Treasurer

Dan WalterCity of Blue Ash Golf Course

Immediate Past President

Glen Pottenger, CGCSClark State Community College

Director of Education

Dr. John R. StreetThe Ohio State University

Executive Director

Kevin ThompsonOTF/Offinger Management Co.

2007 OSU TurfgrassScience Team

Horticulture & Crop Science

Dr. John StreetDr. Karl DannebergerDr. David GardnerMs. Pamela SherrattMs. Deborah Holdren

Entomology

Dr. Dave ShetlarDr. Parwinder GrewalMr. Kevin PowerMr. Dan Digman

Plant Pathology

Dr. Michael BoehmMr. Joseph RimelspachMr. Todd Hicks

School of Natural Resources

Dr. Ed McCoyMr. Stephen Schneider

Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI)

Mr. David WilloughbyDr. Daniel Voltz

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