Open AccessEffect of Fraze Mowing on Spring Dead Spot Caused by Ophiosphaerella herpotricha of Bermudagrass
Author(s) -
Miller Gerald L.,
Earlywine Daniel T.,
Fresenburg Brad S.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international turfgrass society research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2573-1513
DOI - 10.2134/itsrj2016.10.0839
Subject(s) - fungicide , fertilizer , ammonium sulfate , spring (device) , agronomy , manganese , ammonium nitrate , nitrate , nitrogen , horticulture , biology , chemistry , ecology , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry , chromatography , engineering
Spring dead spot (SDS), caused by Ophiosphaerella spp., is the most serious disease that limits bermudagrass cultivation in the transition zone. Current management practices require an integrated approach that may take multiple years to achieve satisfactory control. Recently, an intensive cultivation practice termed “fraze mowing” has gained popularity for sports turf use in the United States. A split‐plot field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of fraze mowing alone and in combination with other control practices on SDS. On 30 June 2015, plots were fraze mowed (main plot) at the 4‐ or 8‐mm depth or were not cultivated. Nitrogen was applied weekly at 24.4 kg N ha −1 as either calcium nitrate or ammonium sulfate for 6 wk after fraze mowing. Manganese was applied as 98 kg manganese sulfate ha −1 every other week with fertilizer, or plots were left untreated. Plots were also either treated with penthiopyrad (0.107 g a.i. m −2 ) twice on 30 June and 14 Oct. 2015 or left untreated. Neither nitrogen source nor manganese application had a significant effect on SDS severity. Plots fraze mowed at 8 mm had lower SDS severity than non–fraze‐mowed plots. Fungicide‐treated plots had less SDS than non–fungicide‐treated plots, but no difference was detected between non–fraze‐mowed plots treated with fungicide and non–fungicide‐treated plots fraze mowed at 8 mm.