were constructed in 2006 and have been working with AFBI ever since then. We take soils samples every three weeks, sending these to the AFBI laboratories in Belfast so that they can monitor nematode levels all the time and identify the stage of the nematodes life cycle for treatment. When turf is treated during the hatching period of the cycle, it is most effective in reducing numbers by 90%.” “AFBI help to advise on how we can


best treat the problem here, and we are also one of the pilot amenities to test some of the new compounds that AFBI are developing to treat the problem. The natural compounds fit well with our strict environmental policies and natural wetland areas and are safe to use so close to the lakeside. We have had some successes so far with some of these and, despite the ongoing problems, our


course has stayed in great shape for our players and we know that’s because we have tackled this head-on. We feel we are winning the battle against this almost invisible enemy.” Football stadiums are also feeling the


pressure to maintain turf, as Championship Club, Middlesbrough FC, can testify. Head Groundsman, Tony Bell, has been involved with sand based pitches since 2002, but had never encountered the problem of nemotodes until he started to have turf problems during the 2005-2006 football season. “Pitches always thin during the winter season as light levels drop but, by Christmas 2005, the pitch was deteriorating quickly, and was becoming soft under foot. Stability became a real problem even though, initially, there had been no visible signs of problems. There


were no yellow patches either in those early stages, but we lost over 80% grass cover by 2006 during a very busy European season.” “Soil samples were taken and sent to AFBI, and nematode damage was identified as the problem by Colin Fleming’s team. As a result we took eight inches off the pitch surface and replaced this with a completely new soil, sand and fibre construction but, by 2007, the nematode infestations were back as before.” “We have been soil sampling continuously, working with AFBI for analysis of root damage and nematode hatching, and following their advice for the management of the pitch. This has been crucial in minimising damage and, therefore, costly repairs to the pitch. We have also been involved in trials of a number of natural compounds currently


Dr Colin Fleming


Needle Nematode


Spiral Nematode


Spirals on roots Getting to the ‘Grass Roots’ of the problem By Dr Colin Fleming, Principal Scientific Officer, Applied Plant Science Division, Agri-F


OVER the past decade, the effects of plant parasitic nematodes on turfgrass have become increasingly clear. Weak rooting, chlorotic surfaces and turfgrass that responds poorly to nutrient application have become an increasingly common problem on pitches ranging from the local club or council field to the elite sports stadium.


A common factor shared by many


sportsfields experiencing nematode damage is their sand based construction. Typically, in the UK and Ireland, new sand based pitches show little evidence of plant parasitic nematode damage in their first years of growth. However, with time, the initially low levels of nematodes start to form localised “hotspots”, where


Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Belfast


significant root damage and visual turf symptoms can be seen. The high level of sand used in these sportsfields provides perfect conditions for some of the most damaging turfgrass nematode species affecting pitches, including root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne), sheath nematodes (Hemicycliophora) and stubby root nematodes (Trichodorus and Paratrichodorus). After a few years, nematode populations can build up to levels where damage is sufficient to cause actual turf thinning and performance issues during play. Problems can be accentuated in situations where undersoil heating is used, the higher soil temperatures encouraging the development of higher nematode levels.


Work carried out at AFBI and the Queens University of Belfast on soil samples from golf courses and sports pitches has revealed significant differences in the nematode populations affecting a range of turfgrass species and rootzone construction types, with over seventeen different types of nematode found regularly in UK sportsturf. Nematode diversity (the range of types present) also tends to increase with the age of the pitches, and new sports pitches can, surprisingly quickly, suffer from the effects of a diverse population of plant parasites, each affecting turf growth in different ways.


One of the current dilemmas facing a groundsman with nematode problems is


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