Throughout the turf based leisure industry, a new war is breaking out - and the enemy is the invasive and destructive parasitic root-nematode, which threatens our love of grass based sports.


Dr Colin Fleming. Principal Scientific Officer, Applied Plant Science Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) Belfast, tries to get to the root of the problem!


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TurfWar!


ulti-million pound businesses at golf courses, football and rugby stadiums and racecourses have a lot to be concerned about. There is increasing recognition that, within a few months, root systems of hallowed turf can be destroyed as the turf becomes thinned, unstable and, more importantly, unplayable. It’s potentially a costly commercial nightmare as pitches and greens have to be relaid. Fortunately, there is a new and potent weapon in this recent ‘Turf War’. Lead scientists at the Belfast based Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) are examining the problem and are currently studying new methods to manage nematode outbreaks, advising key sports facilities on how to control potential damage to expensive and vital playing surfaces.


Colin Fleming, lead scientist from the Applied Plant Science Division with AFBI outlined the problem. “It’s a fast growing problem for our sports grounds. We estimate that 90% of all new football and 32


golf courses with sand based constructions are experiencing significant nematode damage. Plant parasitic nematodes are microscopic roundworms (adults are 0.5-3mm long), with most of the 4100 described species living in the soil, where they feed on plants, especially their roots. The heads of plant feeding nematodes contain a hollow spear or stylet with which they pierce root cell walls and ingest the cell contents, causing the plant roots to die.” “Although nematodes have been about for some time, several key changes in modern turf grass construction and maintenance have encouraged their spread and exacerbated the problem, creating a distinctive pattern of destruction of grass root systems.” “For golf courses and sports stadiums, the more recent move to sand-based construction, to help with drainage and playability, creates a perfect environment for nemotodes and, so, has also increased their levels in the soil base.” “More and more of our well-known


sports facilities are beginning to show evidence of root damage. An affected turf typically displays reduced vigour, wilts easily in dry conditions, responds slowly to nutrient application, becomes stunted and chlorotic and may eventually die. Ground management staff are becoming more aware of the issue where, previously, the condition was perhaps mistaken for a fungal infection, or ‘yellow’ or ‘takeall’ patches.” “The problem is certainly being made worse by climate change, as milder winters have allowed nematode levels to increase and hatching numbers of the juvenile worms are both higher and occurring earlier in the season.” “The commercial implications of this damage have been seen this autumn at a Chepstow racecourse, who have had to cancel the end of their Flat Racing season due to turf instability as a result of nematode damage. This created a potential hazard to the expensive racehorses that could catch a foot on the damaged turf. Since this story came to


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