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Bermudagrass Decline

15 posts
  1. Jerrett Watson
    Jerrett Watson avatar
    0 posts
    7/25/2012 4:07 PM
    I'm looking for advice or suggestions on managing bermudagrass decline on TifEagle greens. It showed up in two areas this spring. We have been on a diligent fungicide program and tried to eliminate stress in these areas. After a couple of wet weeks the disease appears to have taken off again and is spreading in spite of our efforts. Any advice is appreciated.

    Jerrett Watson
    Links on the Bayou



  2. Andy Jorgensen
    Andy Jorgensen avatar
    1 posts
    7/25/2012 4:07 PM
    Jerrett,

    We start applying a rotation of strobilurin fungicides, like Heritage, Insignia or Compass, along with Cleary's 3336 about 30 days apart at full label rate starting in June. We always water these products into the upper thatch layer near the crown of the plant. It's also advisable to apply a few applications of Ammonium Sulfate, as the pathogen dislikes the lower pH. Avoid liming or anything that increases pH. I'd also avoid any stresses, like verticutting and topdressing during periods of high stress, especially during times of cloudy and wet weather patterns. Just leave them be.

    It's also been advised to do two applications of the same product back to back, 14-21 days apart. Kind of like a kicker for the first app.

    This pathogen is also typically associated with Pythium. We like to apply an app of Banol somewhere in there as well for this.

    Long term, of course the usual - improve drainage and reduce thatch. Also consider spraying a DMI in early spring before the weather heats up. They kind of act like a soil "sterilant" and gets you off to a fresh start.

    Hope this helps and provided something you may not have thought of.



  3. Jerrett Watson
    Jerrett Watson avatar
    0 posts
    7/25/2012 8:07 PM
    Andy,

    Thanks for your response. Your suggestion is very similar to what we have tried to do.

    Jerrett Watson
    Links on the Bayou



  4. Neidhardt John J
    Neidhardt John J avatar
    7/26/2012 5:07 AM
    We are doing the same thing fungicide wise, and raised our height of cut. We have Tifeagle, 328, and Tifdwarf on our courses. We have been through 2 tropical storms this year with extended overcast that set it off, peaking about a month ago. We have experienced it the last 2 years. We even sprayed preventively in Spring and early Summer because of last years problems. According to our pathology testing the Disease severity has been at a severity of 3 out of 5 and 4 out 5 respectively. It is very selective to certain greens, and area of greens. The problem with this disease, is by the time you know you are certain you have it,... it can sometimes be too late. It is ALWAYS present in the soil, just not above thresholds.

    What happened to the good old days when fungicides on Bermudagrass greens didn't exhaust your budget, and were primarily used for overseeding protection?
    .



  5. McCallum David K
    McCallum David K avatar
    7/26/2012 9:07 AM
    HOC being raised during these cloudy rainy periods that we all have been experiencing the month of July will help as well along with the fungicide programs Andy mentioned. I know here we are over 9" for the month so far and lots of cloudy afternoons.



  6. Jerrett Watson
    Jerrett Watson avatar
    0 posts
    7/27/2012 6:07 AM
    David,
    That's pretty much what we have done. We have had about the same amount of rainfall as you guys this past month. Wettest July I can remember in my ten years in Alexandria.

    Jerrett Watson
    Links on the Bayou



  7. Anthony Nysse
    Anthony Nysse avatar
    1 posts
    7/28/2012 9:07 AM
    For us, our August and Sept fungicide app will be 3336 for decline. We tend to have more cloud cover and rain in August and Sept.



  8. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    113 posts
    8/4/2012 7:08 AM
    I had BD back when we had 328 greens and found out that Rubigan stopped it in it's tracks when we sprayed it to overseed. The flip side of this is that it also stops the bermuda from growing too (not kill it just slows it way down).

    I had done everything above at the time, raised HOC, solid tine aerifye, fertilized them weekely at .5lb ammonia sulfate weekly, spiked every other day and topdressed them weekly.

    I will tell you that my 11 year old TifEagle Greens roll much better this time of the year when I raise my HOC to 150" due to scalping issues. This is the second year I have raised my HOC in peak summer stress and last year about three weeks after raising the HOC my members were praising the fast green speeds we had (they did not now my HOC).
    I do use Primo regularly though.



  9. Wahlin Scott B
    Wahlin Scott B avatar
    8/4/2012 8:08 AM
    We started using Torque Fungicide two years ago starting preventively with one application in February and one in March for fairy ring and we've had no fairy ring. It is also labeled for many other diseases including bermudagrass decline, so we have also started using it in the summer. It is not expensive and I would include it in the mix.



  10. Andy Jorgensen
    Andy Jorgensen avatar
    1 posts
    8/4/2012 5:08 PM
    Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: We started using Torque Fungicide two years ago starting preventively with one application in February and one in March for fairy ring and we've had no fairy ring. It is also labeled for many other diseases including bermudagrass decline, so we have also started using it in the summer. It is not expensive and I would include it in the mix.



    Have you seen any negative effects from the Torque this time of the year? A friend had used it and it shut his greens down for a month.



  11. Wahlin Scott B
    Wahlin Scott B avatar
    8/5/2012 7:08 AM
    Andy Jorgensen said: Have you seen any negative effects from the Torque this time of the year? A friend had used it and it shut his greens down for a month.


    This is the first time I have applied in the heat of the summer. I have a friend who recommends it on ultradwarfs in the summer heat. I am growing Tifdwarf so I am not worried. Absolutely no fairy ring though with the early spring applications. It works for that for sure.



  12. Jerrett Watson
    Jerrett Watson avatar
    0 posts
    8/6/2012 12:08 PM
    Thanks for everyone's comments on the decline. The greens are looking better we are just trying to get some new roots down so they don't dry out so quick.

    Jerrett Watson
    Links on the Bayou



  13. Wahlin Scott B
    Wahlin Scott B avatar
    8/6/2012 7:08 PM
    We applied Torque two weeks ago. We have had hot, wet, wet weather and some sun. My USGA Spec Greens are jumping out of the ground. My push up executive course not so much.



  14. Andy Scott
    Andy Scott avatar
    0 posts
    8/7/2012 6:08 PM
    I applied Torque July 13, a week after aerification, for Fairy Ring. I am still trying to recover from aerification.( Champion bermuda in Atlanta) I haven't heard of negative effects, but I am now wondering if that has shut them down. Going on a month now, so hopefully I'll start pushing them thru. They look somewhat healthy, just not producing much grass, and in spots it looks like the grass has turned upside down. Anyone else experiencing this?



  15. Wahlin Scott B
    Wahlin Scott B avatar
    8/7/2012 7:08 PM
    Andy Scott said: I applied Torque July 13, a week after aerification, for Fairy Ring. I am still trying to recover from aerification.( Champion bermuda in Atlanta) I haven't heard of negative effects, but I am now wondering if that has shut them down. Going on a month now, so hopefully I'll start pushing them thru. They look somewhat healthy, just not producing much grass, and in spots it looks like the grass has turned upside down. Anyone else experiencing this?


    The way I understand it you have to get Torque out in the spring for fairy ring, the same as Bayleton. The rain has not stopped in South Florida and my Tifdwarf greens are still jumping. We had two inches of rain in the past 24 hours. We were able to mow our USGA greens this morning, but had to mow the push-ups this afternoon with three full baskets on each one. I have a couple push ups that are struggling. The rest are very much okay. I have no fairy ring on any greens for the second year in a row.



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