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Table of Contents
Overview of the Turfgrass Science Program
The Turfgrass Science Program at Purdue University made tremendous progress
in 2000 and under went many changes. We'd like to take this opportunity to
update you on the progress of the program during 2001.
William. H. Daniel Turfgrass Research and Diagnostic Center
- Improvements at the Daniel Center included installing automatic irrigation
and seeding another acre of research plots, improving the parking area north of
the educational facility, and regrassing another acre of plots.
- The teaching laboratory was used for 30 class meetings, 13 extension events,
and 7 other education programs with over 4579 attendees. The Center is often
used for meetings with faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Purdue. There were
17 of these meetings held at the Center in 2001.
Personnel Changes
- Clark Throssell left the Turf Program in January to become Director of
Research for the Golf Course Superintendent's Association of America.
- Aaron Patton joined the Turf Program in May working on his Masters degree.
Aaron joined us from Iowa State University is conducting research on seeded
zoysia and bermudagrass under the direction of Zac Reicher.
- Lauren Brownback started her graduate research in the area of plant pathology
in May 2001, under the direction of Rick Latin. Her research project involves an
analysis of the sensitivity of isolates of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (dollar spot
pathogen) to three fungicides.
- Margaret Olek began her graduate studies towards a M.S. degree in plant
pathology under the direction of Rick Latin in August 2001. She will investigate
differences in dollar spot susceptibility among cultivars of creeping bentgrass.
Turfgrass Undergraduate Education
- Over 75 students were majoring in Turfgrass Science at Purdue University.
This represents about 40% of the undergraduate enrollment in the Department
of Agronomy.
- 26 students graduated in May or Dec 2001, 19 with a B.S. degree in
Turfgrass Science, 7 with an Associate degree in Turfgrass Management. Most
of the Associate degrees were awarded to students who already held or were
receiving a Bachelor's degree in another field. Placement of all graduating
students was 100%.
- Eight students majoring in Turfgrass Science earned scholarships
administered by the Turf Program in 2001. Funds for these scholarships came
from the turf industry.
Turfgrass Research Program
- In ongoing studies in cooperation with the National Turfgrass Evaluation
Program (NTEP), we evaluated the turf performance of Kentucky bluegrass,
tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass and
zoysiagrass cultivars for use in Indiana. Based on the outcome of these
trials, we will be able to make cultivar recommendations to professional
turf managers and homeowners.
- Also in cooperation with the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP),
we evaluated the performance of bermudagrass for golf course fairways in
Evansville, IN. This study was established in June 1997 and will continue
until 2001.
- Dan Weisenberger and Zac Reicher conducted several weed control
experiments in 2001. These experiments included pre- and postemergence
control of annual grasses, postemergence control of broadleaf weeds and
selective control of Poa trivialis in creeping bentgrass fairways. Results
of these experiments are used to make weed control recommendations for the
turf industry.
- Glenn Hardebeck and Zac Reicher continued a number of turfgrass management
studies including fertilizer evaluations, cultural control of red thread,
and a number of establishment studies including developing fairway
renovation strategies, understanding seeded zoysia and bermudagrass, and
evaluating herbicide safety on seedlings.
- Zac Reicher, Ron Turco, and Jon Harbor continued an extensive water
quality monitoring experiment on Purdue's new Kampen Course. This 5-year
experiment examines how effective created wetlands are in filtering runoff
from urban, commercial, and golf course areas. This study is supported by
the United States Golf Association, Pete Dye, Inc, and Heritage
Environmental.
- Eric Kohler conducted several experiments aimed at understanding how to
better control ground ivy. His research is investigating whether differences
exist among ground ivy populations that make it difficult to control and
trying to determine better herbicide control strategies.
Turfgrass Outreach/ Extension
- Over 2500 turfgrass professionals attended on-going training programs
presented by the Turfgrass Science Program in 2000. These programs included:
Midwest Turf Expo - Jan - Indianapolis
IN-IL Turfgrass Short Course - Feb - Willowbrook, IL
Midwest Regional Turf Field Day - July - West Lafayette
Turf and Ornamental Seminar - Nov - Lafayette
- Dan Weisenberger continued to develop and refine the World Wide Web home
page for the Turfgrass Science Program at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf.
The home page continued to be extremely popular, with over 20,000
"hits" in 2001. The "Turf Tips" was especially popular
in that it provides timely turf maintenance advice every 2 weeks during the
growing season.
- A tremendous number of homeowners benefited from the turfgrass program in
2001, primarily by indirect contact with county extension educators and
press releases in local newspapers, but also by direct contact through phone
calls, email, Master Gardener training, and the World Wide Web page.
Turfgrass Pathology
- Research continues on the over-winter survival of the gray leaf spot
pathogen. Results show that the pathogen is capable of surviving locally in
infested clippings. Spore trap data indicate that the pathogen was active at
very low levels during the early weeks of summer in 2000 and 2001. In 2000,
pathogen activity increased throughout the summer and peaked with disease
outbreaks in early September. In 2001, pathogen activity was limited during
the heat of the summer and no gray leaf spot symptoms were observed in our
research plots. Studies continue to determine factors that contribute to
summer time disease outbreaks.
- Results of our 2001 dollar spot survey show that isolates of S.
homoeocarpa (dollar spot pathogen) from seventeen golf courses in Indiana
differed in their sensitivity to propiconalzole (Banner Maxx), thiophanate-methyl
(e.g. Cleary 3336), and iprodione (e.g. Chipco 26GT). We found that isolates
on 6 golf courses were insensitive to propiconazole and 4 insensitive to
thiophanate-methyl. These fungicides will not be useful against the
'resistant' isolates, and superintendents must use other products to
adequately control the disease. The survey will continue in 2001.
- The Turfgrass Disease Profiles were completed in 2001. These are web-based
publications that address the identification and control of 16 common
turfgrass diseases in the Midwest. Color images are included to help with
symptom identification and specific control recommendations are listed for
each disease. The profiles can be accessed at either of the following two
URLs : http://www.btny.purdue.edu/Pubs/
or http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/
Turfgrass Entomology
- During 2000, we initiated the adoption of a voluntary integrated pest
management in schools (IPMIS) programs throughout the state. We are thrilled
that as of this date, over 90% of our public schools have adopted our
policy. This means safer schools and better management and prevention of
pests. We hope to continue efforts in this area during 2002 to provide a
catalyst for professional lawn and landscape care to actively partner in
this educational/extension program. We will continue to provide technical
training through a series of workshops to be held throughout the state and
also to assist where possible via our newly established IPM technical
resource center. We believe that to be proactive in this politically charged
issue will continue to be critical for the turfgrass industry in the next
few years.
- Work regarding the behavior of adult Japanese beetles continued during
2001. This work is providing clues as to the behavior of Japanese beetle
flight and dispersal.
- Use of remote sensing to detect and map Japanese beetle grub populations
prior to irreversible turfgrass damage was initiated during 2001. Such
technology may pave the way for application equipment with global
positioning systems (GPS) capability to apply pesticides precisely where
needed, reducing costs, human exposure to pesticides and potential negative
effects on the environment.
- Chemical efficacy tests, financed by the chemical industry to evaluate and
compare the effectiveness of new and existing insecticides for turfgrass
insect pest control, were continued in 2001.
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Send corrections, suggestions, and comments to biehlj@purdue.edu