Pitchcare Classifieds SPORTS SURFACE CONTRACTORS
SPORTS TURF D CRANE
Construction Golf Courses, Natural/
Artificial Pitches, MUGAs
Renovation Koro Field Top Maker, Fibre Sand Installation, Laser Grading, Seeding
Drainage
Piped Drainage, Sandmaster, Whiz Wheel, Gravel Banding
Tel:01254 878047
Email:
info@dcranesportsturf.com Website:
www.dcranesportsturf.com
CONSTRUCTION Sports Fields and Golf Courses
DRAINAGE Sand Slitting, Gravel Banding RENOVATION
Verti Draining, Hollow Coring, Scarifying, Koro Field Topmaker, Topdressing, Overseeding, Sand Spreading
Turf diseases Fairy rings
Mobile: 07768 122577 Tel: 01772 780545
danvicturfcare@btconnect.com D W Clark DRAINAGE LTD
SPECIALIST SPORTSTURF CONSTRUCTION & DRAINAGE CONTRACTORS • Gravel Banding • Sand Slitting
• Top Dressing • Renovation • Irrigation Unit 7, Brailes Industrial Estate, Winderton Lane, Lower Brailes Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5JW
Tel: 01608 685800 Fax: 01608 685801 email:
jim@dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk Web:
www.dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk
Fairy rings are today one of the most common diseases encountered by groundsmen and greenkeepers alike, and most will have experienced them under their supervision
It is an unsightly and annoying blight on any sports turf playing surface, but the damage that these rings can cause depends on their type, location, biological environment and abundance.
Fairy rings are generally caused by fungi that are a part of the basidiomycetes genus. There are more than 50 fungi known to cause similar reactions though. When the disease first appears, it is important to correctly identify the symptoms, as there are three types of fairy rings to be found in amenity sports turf in this country: • TYPE I Marasmius oreades • TYPE II Scleroderma & Lycoperdon spp
• TYPE III Hygrophorus & Psilocybe spp
Advertising in the classified section of Pitchcare magazine costs as little as £200 a year
Contact Peter Britton on 01952 898516 148 l PC APRIL/MAY 2014
Type 1 fairy rings are defined as those that cause loss of turf cover through the creation of hydrophobic (water repellent) conditions. A by- product of the fungal infection causes this condition by coating the soil particles within the area with a waxy layer. The disease usually occurs during early summer and autumn when soil conditions and mild temperatures are most favourable. The most noticeable feature of this particular disease is a clear ring of dead/dying grass. This dead zone is surrounded on the inside and outside by stimulated lush green grass, a direct result of the mycelium in the soil, and may also contain some small mushrooms. As this mycelium is extremely hydrophobic, any water applied will not infiltrate the surface or reach the root system in the affected area. The fungus, Marasmius oreades, is at its most dense under the bare areas and can be up to 1m deep. As a consequence, the plant becomes stressed and dies leaving a
characteristic bare patch for the invasion of other turf related problems such as weeds, algae and moss. The lush green growth around the dead zone is a result of the release of nitrogen from the organic matter in the thatch, and soil below, which is caused by saprobiotic and nitrifying bacteria within the fairy ring.
Type 2 rings are those that produce a stimulated ring of grass growth. This is obviously most noticeable in weak or stressed turf. They do not cause any direct damage to the turf but produce white puff balls that can impede ball roll on putting surfaces. Type 2 fairy rings are usually confined to the thatch layer, whilst lush green growth is produced in the same way as with type 1 fairy rings. A type 2 ring has a marked effect on the visual quality of the infected area, but does not harm the individual grass plant or the playing quality of the turf.
Type 3 rings produce mushrooms or toadstools that form with little effect to the individual grass plant. There are no signs of bare patches or lush growth. They tend to occur in areas that are poorly drained or that have received a large amount of rainfall or irrigation in a short period of time.
In sports turf, pathogenic fungi are generally present in the thatch and soil, but disease tends to occur when environmental conditions are favourable. Therefore, good cultural practices and management skills can prevent disease from developing. Unpredictable weather patterns and poor judgement can result in outbreaks occurring in a matter of days.
The most recommended form of removing this visually unappealing disease is through an effective integrated management process.
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