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• Chilling reminder of winter turf disease damage

The coldest snap and earliest significant snowfall for nearly two decades has sent a chilling reminder of the damage caused to turf beneath the prolonged snow blanket last winter. When the snow melts, the full extent of the damage caused will be painfully revealed.

Syngenta Technical Manager, Dr Simon Watson, reports the experience of turf managers and extensive STRI trials has highlighted the need to get disease protection on the leaf surface before snowfall. "Beneath the layer of snow turf is insulated from the cold, and held in a continuous moist state that is highly favourable for the development of Fusarium Patch," he warns. "Any loss in turf cover and quality now is compounded by the fact there is little or no growth over the winter to aide recovery."

Most greenkeepers believe a cold snap will help clean up disease infection, but in reality whilst turf
continues to transpire beneath the blanket of snow, albeit more slowly, infection can continue to develop.

Dr Watson stresses the importance of effective contact activity to prevent spores germinating on the leaf. "But to have a better chance of controlling disease over a protracted period, turf managers should be aiming to reduce infective disease spores in the thatch and at the soil surface. The contact/systemic fungicide Instrata is now the only available source of the renowned contact protection of chlorothalonil. Instarta also contains  the new bio-inspired contact⁺ active, fludioxonil.

"With fludioxonil turf managers can target turf disease on the leaf and in the thatch and soil surface. Reducing the numbers of disease spores lowers the risk of infection and helps provide control over an extended period, especially Fusarium Patch." In user trials turf managers have reported instances of over seven weeks control from a December application of Instrata.

 
STRI trials have shown the devastating effect of Fusarium Patch attack on untreated turf (above right, centre plot),
revealed after more than a fortnight snow cover. The surrounding plots had been treated prior to the snowfall.

New trials at the STRI have identified Instrata applications during periods of high disease risk when the pathogen is active, but before physical signs of infection are seen, can enhance the protection of turf quality. "Once Fusarium infection has penetrated into the leaf systemic movement, such as the fast-acting 'cold weather' propiconazole, also in Instrata, helps to seek out disease and tackle the problem."

He adds the combination of systemic and contact actives in Instrata significantly increases the flexibility in application timing, and is a product ideally suited to keep on the shelf for use at any time of the year.   




Click here for further information on Instrata and how best to use it.