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 From the News Desk...Phosphite products can help prevent Pythium blightThough not considered cure-all solutions by any means, phosphite-based fungicides and fertilizers can be effective preventive weapons used to control Pythium blight in perennial ryegrass. That is the take-home message from a recent project conducted by researchers at Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee. The research team comprised Erik Ervin, Ph.D., associate professor of turfgrass science at Virginia Tech; Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., turfgrass pathologist at the University of Tennessee; and Virginia Tech research specialist David McCall. The group noted a lack of data on the ability of phosphite-based products to control Pythium blight in ryegrass and sought, via the study, to compare the efficacy of a variety of commercially available products. The study was conducted in 2005 and 2006 on a perennial ryegrass fairway at Waterfront Country Club in Moneta, Va. Plots were treated with five products over four dates each year – July 13, July 20, Aug. 1 and Aug. 12. The results recently were published in the online version of "Applied Turfgrass Science." Products included in the study were Chipco Signature, with the active ingredient aluminum tris; Aliette, also an aluminum tris product; Phoenix Environmental Care’s Vital (potassium phosphite); Helena Chemical’s Ele-Max foliar phosphite fertilizer; and as a non-phosphite fungicide control Syngenta’s Subdue Maxx. The study also included a non-treated control plot All products were applied at their respective label rates. In each year of the study, Pythium blight was first detected on July 13. The Subdue-treated plot exhibited the most damage at that time, with 3.3 percent disease coverage, while the untreated control showed only 1.5 percent. Disease coverage on the plots treated with phosphite products ranged from 0 percent to 3.9 percent over the duration of the study, with none of the findings statistically significant, the researchers said. Disease coverage on the plot treated with Subdue ranged from 1.8 percent to 2.5 percent throughout the remainder of the first year of the study. Coverage on the non-treated control plot steadily escalated to 8.8 percent, 20 percent and 46.3 percent on the three subsequent data-collection dates. Results were similar in year two, however, control was not nearly as great. Pythium blight coverage on the phosphite-treated plots in 2006 ranged from 0 percent to 0.5 percent on July 13, and from 3 percent to 16 percent throughout the remainder of the study. Signature showed the greatest control with disease coverage of 3 percent, 0. 5 percent and 5.8 percent, over the final three collection dates, respectively. The rate of Pythium blight coverage on the plot treated with Vital ranged from 3.8 percent on July 20 and Aug. 1, but ballooned to 11.8 percent by Aug. 12. Disease coverage on the Aliette-treated plot was 4 percent on July 20, 5 percent on Aug. 1 and 16 percent on the final day of the study. By comparison, there was no Pythium blight on the Subdue plot on July 13. The amount of disease coverage steadily increased to 1.8 percent on July 20, 5.3 percent on Aug. 1 and 20.5 percent on Aug. 12. The untreated control plot exhibited similar results, with 0.5 percent disease coverage on July 13, 12.3 percent on July 20, 14.3 percent on Aug. 1 and finally 27.5 percent at the conclusion of the study. Although the phosphite-based products exhibited significant preventive control of Pythium blight, the researchers warned that complete control should not be expected. |
 In other news... Greens of envy Olympic Club members and 2012 U.S. Open reap benefits of converting from Poa annua to bentgrass. Posted: 11/19/2009 Read more » News and people briefs Register now for New England turf show, Toro introduces walk-behind trencher, Sipcam adds to sales staff Posted: 11/19/2009 Read more » A better divot digger Motorized device developed at the University of Arkansas produces uniform damage quickly and could help advance turf recovery research. Posted: 11/19/2009 Read more » Currier moving on from Bethpage Site of this year's U.S. Open to get new superintendent and 15th green. Posted: 11/18/2009 Read more » Economic struggles mean finding more fat to trim Superintendents look for ways to cut due to shrinking budgets. Posted: 11/16/2009 Read more » Complete news index »
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