Greens' problems and solutions

Dear Members,

The edges of some greens have not been performing well all season. With diligent hand watering, we helped these areas limp along until recent early summer heat caused conditions to deteriorate.

Parasitic nematodes are small microscopic sized, wormlike animals and are the most populous animal on earth. They reside in soil and given the opportunity, will feast and thrive on living root tissue. Soil samples were pulled this week and sent to the University of Rhode Island Nematode labs. Results revealed late today that nematodes are causing the problems on our green edges. For example, #1 green had 14,000 of one type nematode in a pint of soil sampled, 15 green had a count of 8,500. Acceptable levels are both below 1,000 nematodes per pint of soil.

With high populations on green edges early in the summer, we need to assume that the nematode populations are also high throughout all greens' soils, even though greens are in wonderful condition today. A long and stressful summer is staring us down on July 2nd, and we need to prepare for root systems that have been compromised.

A few years ago, we would have simply applied a nematicide (Nemacur) to control the nematodes and control the population. Numbers would be reduced, roots would again grow and the greens would improve. Long time Potowomut members may remember closing down the golf course to apply this material in the past, due to its high hazard potential.

The Environmental Protection Agency cancelled the registration of Nemacur in 2005, leaving us with no pesticide available to control nematodes. To a Golf Course Superintendent, this is similar to a physician suddenly losing the only drug available that successfully treated a serious illness or condition.

Nematode infestations are challenging to turf managers in 2010 desiring to provide quality and fast greens for their members. However, let me outline our strategy and reasons to get green edges back and performing as expected.

1. Greens height of cut will be raised .015. (fifteen thousandths of an inch) Turf that has added leaf area can produce more food (plant sugars) using photosynthesis. Sugars are stored within the plant by growing longer root systems.
2. Thursday night, a fungicide and an insecticide were applied that have shown to reduce nematodes.
3. There are experimental plant extract treatments (black walnut) that have shown in some testing to decrease populations in some cases. One will be applied early next week.
4. To grow roots faster than the nematodes can feed, increased fertilizers will be used.
5. Growth regulator use will be suspended, temporarily.
6. While greens themselves will be mowed daily, green edges will be mowed every other day.
7. Will be thinking of different ways to combat nematodes during the next few sleepless nights....

To provide maximum green speed in normal maintenance mode, we do everything in our power to slow greens' growth. The less grass grows, the faster and smoother they are. Healthy greens have deep root systems that help greens become reliable despite
any environmental or physical stress.

We now find ourselves in an opposite situation. Today we need to promote grass growth so turfgrass can again grow healthy root systems, and thus, reliability, into our greens. This is why the steps above almost all promote turfgrass growth, some even to overdose levels.

Our goals are to keep greens at their current condition. Speeds may slow while we attack a pest without an available pesticide solution. However, full turf coverage is better for all members than fast greens that may be far less than perfect, in my opinion. We will update any changes as warranted. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Gertner, CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent