coloured to identify the risk (Fig 1) or as a table with boxes coloured to identify the risk in any region for multiple days in a given time period (Fig 2). Therefore, on 6th December 2005, Keighley (weather station closest to STRI and marked with the pointer) had a high risk of developing microdochium patch, as did much of the UK and Ireland. Only Northwest Scotland had no risk of developing microdochium patch. The table showed some risk of developing microdochium patch from 19th October through to 16th November 2005 (Fig 2), indicating that an outbreak of microdochium patch would be very likely during this 28-day period. At STRI, a bent/fescue golf green was set up to validate the predictions from Greencast and complete the field trials in 2005/06 and 2006/07. Microdochium patch was first observed on 17th October 2005, following a four-day period with medium-medium/high risk on 11th-15th October (Fig 2). Throughout October, November and December the disease continued to develop, as the weather conditions remained particularly conducive to the spread of microdochium patch. During January frosty weather halted the spread of the disease, although from 14th to 23rd disease pressure was again very high. The progress of microdochium patch throughout these four months was predicted very well, allowing us to make decisions on fungicide application according to Greencast. Within this first year’s field trial Heritage or Daconil turf was applied every 28 days, either when Greencast predicted a medium disease risk, or when Greencast predicted a high disease risk and at the first sign of disease. Once treatments were applied, 28 days were allowed to pass before waiting for the next medium or high risk from Greencast or the first sign of disease. First monthly treatments were applied on 3rd October before any microdochium patch was observed. The trial ran until 13th February 2006. Results are presented for 4th January 2006 (Fig 3), although they remained similar throughout the trial period. Less than 5% microdochium patch is considered acceptable. On average, 25% of untreated plots were infected with microdochium patch (Plate 1). Four fungicidal applications were applied to the monthly treatments, which controlled microdochium patch (Plate 2). However, three fungicidal applications applied when medium risk was predicted and two applications when high risk was predicted gave similar excellent disease control, with much less fungicide applied
Plate 4: Heritage @ 0.5 kg/ah applied at first sign of disease (2 applications)
(Plate 3). Heritage applied at the first sign of disease did not provide acceptable control of microdochium patch but Daconil turf applied at first sign of disease provided excellent control (Plates 4 and 5). This showed that Heritage performed much better when applied before M. nivale colonised the plant and symptoms were obvious. Daconil turf, however, provided good knockdown of M. nivale at the first sign of disease. During 2006/07, the field trial on microdochium patch was repeated. Microdochium patch was first observed on 6 November 2006. Treatments were the same as in 2005/06. However, the disease pressure was higher in 2006/07. All treatments significantly reduced the severity of microdochium patch as in the previous year. In total,
Fig 1: Map of UK to show risk of microdochium patch on 6th December 2005.
Fig 2: Table of disease risk during October/November 2005 to show microdochium patch risk for STRI.
between November 2006 and March 2007, 5 monthly treatments were applied compared to 4 treatments using medium risk, high risk or the first sign of disease criteria. As well as predicting microdochium patch occurrence, Greencast also accurately predicted a severe dollar spot outbreak, which occurred on 5th September on a golf course in Surrey. The patches appeared overnight, with no warning and covered fairways (Plate 6). Looking back at the Greencast system, a medium-high risk was predicted for dollar spot on 29th August and a high risk predicted on 2nd September - the week before the symptoms were first observed. Dollar spot was also accurately predicted on the trials ground at STRI and at other golf courses in 2005 and 2006.
The results from participating golf courses also showed that the Greencast
Plate 5: Daconil turf @ 30l/ha applied at first sign of disease (2 applications)
Plate 6: Dollar spot on a golf fairway in September 2005
Figure 3: Microdochium patch (%) observed on 4th January 2006 following treatment with Heritage or Daconil turf. By this date, three fungicidal treatments had been applied at medium risk, two at high risk, two at first sign of disease and four at monthly intervals.
system accurately predicted M. nivale infection periods in both years, with disease symptoms appearing shortly after medium and high risk periods as had happened at STRI. Therefore, from this work we could be
pretty confident that medium-high risk periods of microdochium patch identified by Greencast were a precursor to observation of symptoms. Using fungicides at this stage reduced fungicidal input by 40% in the first year and 20% in the second but maintained a very clean sward with little or no disease. Further information on Greencast is available from
www.greencast.co.uk.
rium weather’ and everyone knows what I mean”
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