TECHNICALLY SPEAKING Technically Speaking: By Jill Odom
Common Lawn Diseases to Watch For
LAWN DISEASES ARE UNSIGHTLY AND UNWANTED IN ANY CUSTOMER’S YARD. They can also be a challenge to identify properly as drought and pest-damaged lawns can look like diseased turf. Fungal pathogens are the culprit behind lawn diseases and for a lawn disease to truly take hold the right conditions, a vulnerable grass plant, and a pathogen must be present for it to spread. Below are some of the most common lawn diseases you can expect to see, how to identify them and how to culturally control them.
RUST (PUCCINIA SSP.)
Identify: Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and zoysiagrass are the most susceptible to rust. However, any stressed grass can be overtaken by rust. Yards with rust will have: Small yellow spots that appear on leaf blades and sheaths. Spots develop into pustules that release yellow, orange or brown spores. Area takes on a rust-color appearance.
Conditions to Thrive: Appears in hot, dry weather and prefers moist, low-light areas. Severe infections occur in slow-growing turf with low nitrogen levels or plant water stress.
Control Methods: Apply adequate levels of nitrogen. Minimize the amount of time moisture is on the leaf surface. Mow higher and more frequently as the grass outgrows the rust.
PYTHIUM BLIGHT (PYTHIUM SPP.)
Identify: Also known as grease spot, Pythium blight affects bentgrass, ryegrass, tall fescue and annual bluegrass the most. Lawns with Pythium blight have: Areas that look water soaked or slimy. Areas turn light to reddish brown and die. White, cottony fungus can be seen on the blades in the early morning.
Conditions to Thrive: Pythium blight is most prevalent in hot, humid weather. It is easily spread by lawn equipment or water drainage patterns. Lawns with a high soil pH are particularly susceptible.
Photo: John Kaminski
Control Methods: Correct drainage problems that allow for standing water. Aerate to reduce soil compaction. Minimize shade and improve air flow. Do not mow or irrigate when Pythium blight is present to prevent the spread of the pathogen.
30 The Landscape Professional //May/June 2021
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