Best Management Practices Effects on Anthracnose Disease of Annual Bluegrass. Issue 2 (16th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hempfling, James W.; Schmid, Charles J.; Wang, Ruying; Clarke, Bruce B.; Murphy, James A.
• Is Part Of: Crop science. Volume 57:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 602
• Page End: 610
• Publication Date: 2017-02-16
• Subjects: Crop science -- Periodicals; Cultures -- Périodiques; Cultures de plein champ -- Périodiques; Crop science; Nutzpflanzen; Zeitschrift; Pflanzenbau; Periodicals; 633
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2016.06.0492
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-183X

Abstract

Abstract : Increased N fertilization, mowing height, and sand topdressing are management practices that can suppress anthracnose disease of annual bluegrass [ Poa annua L. f. reptans (Hausskn) T. Koyama; ABG] caused by Colletotrichum cereale Manns. A 3‐yr field study evaluated the relative importance and interactions of these factors on anthracnose severity, turfgrass quality, and ball roll distance (BRD) on ABG turf in North Brunswick, NJ. A factorial combination of mowing height (2.3 and 3.2 mm), N fertilization (100 and 200 kg ha −1 yr −1 ), and sand topdressing (46 and 98 Mg ha −1 yr −1 in 2012; 37 and 81 Mg ha −1 yr −1 during 2013 and 2014) was arranged in a split‐split‐plot design with four replications. The practice of applying greater N fertilization (200 kg ha −1 ) provided the greatest reduction in disease severity and improvement in quality than the practices of higher mowing (3.2 mm) or greater sand topdressing (98 or 81 Mg ha −1 ). Combining greater N with higher mowing and greater sand topdressing provided acceptable disease suppression without the use of fungicides during moderate but not severe anthracnose epidemics. Higher mowing often produced unacceptable BRD (<2.9 m) especially when combined with greater N fertilization; whereas, under lower mowing, BRD was acceptable on most observation dates (91–96%) and less influenced by greater N fertilization. Thus, when adjustments in best practices for anthracnose management are needed to enhance BRD; lowering the mowing height will provide that enhancement while not greatly increasing the risk for anthracnose especially when greater N and increased topdressing practices are also employed.