Page 40 - Transitioning Turfgrass

TRANSITIONING TURFGRASS

ute to reduce attacks, as mentioned in many pub-
lications, and some Superintendents according to
organic farming techniques increased the organic
fertilisation in order to help stimulate microbial
population in the soil. A lot of Superintendents
also applied biostimulants and amendments, and
they noted some good results mainly on recover-
ing after the pathogen attacks, but their effects
and application timing should be investigated in
order to increase the turf resistance to diseases.
Many golf courses converted turf from cold sea-
son to warm season grasses in order to reduce
inputs and contrast the weed invasion. The warm
season grasses (in particular bermuda grass) give
good results in Italy and now they are also used in
th
Photo 3 Ophioshaerella spp. on Tifway bermudagrass. the North, over the 45 parallel, that was consid-
ered the limit of the warm season grasses adapt-
ability. Bermudagrass is really tolerant in Italian
weather conditions to the main diseases, but in
the last years some attacks of spring dead spot
(Ophiosphaerella spp.) have been observed, fa-
vored by a lack of cultural practices and soil con-
ditions, conductive for the disease. Spring dead
spot should become a real problem, due to the
unavailability of fungicides effective against the
disease.
Annual weeds (particularly Digitaria spp. and
Eleusine indica) as well as broadleaf weeds can-
not be controlled using chemicals, but only par-
tially reduced by cultural practices as verticutting
or spring harrowing on cool season grasses. Re-
Photo 4 Digitaria spp. infestation at the end of the season. peated harrowing has shown a good control on
clover, with some damage on turf. Non-chemical
methods were also adopted to control weeds on
bunkers or paths, like heat or warm water, in-
creasing costs and requiring repeated applica-
tions compared with pesticides.
The adoption of the National Action Plan, it
seems to be too strict and we expect some chang-
es in the next review (about the possibility to use
some low toxicity chemicals or organic farming
authorised products), however it should be con-
sidered an opportunity for a more sustainable
maintenance. In any case, the expectations in
particular for golfers should be reduced accepting
a imperfect turf in some period of the year.
Photo 5 Digitaria spp. infestation.

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