Presentation to golf course superintendents outlining work on identification of fairy ring pathogens and a preventive fungicide control program for fairy ring control on golf putting greens.

1. Get Ahead of the Curve:
Managing Fairy Rings on Greens
Lee Miller
Dr. Lane Tredway

2. - D. Sorochan

3. Type II and Type III fairy ring
in late spring/early summer…

4. Type I

5. J.D. Smith - 1978

7. Complexity = Problems
Brown Patch Dollar Spot
One symptom One symptom
Rhizoctonia solani Sclerotinia homoeocarpa
Excellent Good
Control Control
Fungicide Fungicide

8. Complexity = Problems
Fairy Ring
Three symptoms +
Agaricus Marasmius Coprinus Lycoperdon Vascellum Bovista
Varying
Control
Fungicide

9. Why Identify??
• Different fungicide sensitivities = improper fungicide
selection.
• Different temperature optima for fungal growth = improper
application timing
• Different nutritional or pH optima = fertilizer or liming
impacts
• Different depths of fungi in soil = amount of water to drench
fungicide in, tank-mixing with wetting agent

10. Agaricus arvensis Hydnellum suaveolens Marasmius oreades
Agaricus campestris Hydnum compactum Marasmius siccus
Agrocybe pediades Hygrocybe coccinea Agaricus sp.
Marasmius rotula
Bovista dermoxantha Hygrocybe psittacina
Coprinus sp.
Marasmius urens
Bovista plumbea Hygrocybe reae
Calocybe carnea Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca
Marasmius oreades
Melanoleuca melaleuca
Melanolueca grarmopodia
Lactarius insulsus
Calvatia cyathiformis
Nolanea staurospora
Camarophyllus pratensis
Lactarius piperatus
Bovista dermoxantha
Panaeolina foenisecii
Lactarius torminosus
Campanella subdendrophora
Lepista nuda
Bovista plumbea
Panaeolus campanulatus
Chlorophyllum molybdites
Paxillus involutus
Lepista personata
Clarulinopsis corniculata
Lepista sordida Lycoperdon perlatum
Scleroderma verrucosum
Lycoperdon pusillum
Clitocybe infundibuliformis
Leucoagaricus naucinus Suillus grevillei
Clitocybe rivulosa
Leucopaxillus giganteus Trechispora alnicola
Collybia butryacea Lycoperdon marginatum Tricholoma columbetta
Coprinus comatus Lycoperdon perlatum Vascellum curtisii
Tricholoma panoeolum
Coprinus kubickae Lycoperdon pusillum Vascellum pratense
Tricholoma terreum
Cyathus stercoreus Lycoperdon spp.
Vascellum curtisii
Dentinum repandum Macrolepiota procera
Vascellum pratense
Hebeloma crustuliniforme Marasmius graminum

11. Puffball Identification

12. ID Enemies

13. Molecular Identification
- Bruns

14. 61 Calvatia turneri DQ112594
67 Calvatia turneri DQ112595
63
Calvatia turneri DQ112596
59
Lycoperdon umbrinum DQ112592
74
Lycoperdon altimontanum DQ112589
96 Lycoperdon lambinonii DQ112576
Lycoperdon cf. decipiens DQ112586
93 Lycoperdon frigidum DQ112559
71
71 Lycoperdon niveum DQ112563
Lycoperdon pusillum AB067724 NC, SC, FL, CA,
BHSBpuff1(FL)
100
99
LCpuff1 (WI)
IL,& WI have
48
84 OCNG706c (NC) been analyzed &
54
OCNG706d (NC) group here
61 69 MHSBpuffmyc1 (NC)
51 OCNG706b (IL)
Lycoperdon caudatum DQ112633
Lycoperdon norvegicum DQ112631
93 Lycoperdon perlatum DQ112630
100 Vascellum pratense DQ112554
Vascellum cf. intermedium DQ112556
Vascellum pratense AB067725
92
LWA1puff2 (NC)
99
LWTifpuff2 (NC)
51 Shillpuf1d (NC)
37
Shillpuf1a (NC)
Shillpuf1f (NC) US, HI, & Japan
24 KapSoilMycel1 (HI)
Shillpuf1b (NC)
have same
Shillpuf2b (NC) species!!!!!!
33 EC16gSB (NC)
LW19g5014 (NC)
LWTifpuff1 (NC)
EC3gSB (NC)
Shillpuf1e (NC)
Marasmius oreades EF187911.1
0.02

15. Identification: Conclusions
• Based on morphology and ITS sequence data, the puffball
species we commonly encounter in the Carolinas is not
Lycoperdon perlatum.
• Thus far, most samples (88%) have had ITS sequences
similar to isolates of Vascellum curtisii or Bovista dermoxantha
characterized from golf greens in Japan. This concurs with
puffball morphology differences (+/- capillitium).
• In areas sampled (FL, SC, NC, OK, TX, WI, IL, CA, HI) only
4 species have been associated with fairy ring on golf greens.

16. Current Work
• Inoculation
• In vitro fungicide testing
• Determining optimal
temperature for growth
• DNA soil fishing - ITS
and specific primers

17. Conditions Favoring Fairy Ring
• Sandy soils, newly constructed greens
• Excessive thatch accumulation
• Extremes in soil moisture
• Nutrient deficiency, especially nitrogen

18. Fairy ring symptoms are most
evident in under-fertilized turf

19. Excessive thatch accumulations
enhance fairy ring.

20. Cultural Practices to Suppress
Fairy Ring Symptoms
Type I
• Cultivate and/or use wetting agents to re-wet
soil profile
Type II
• Mask ring symptoms with nitrogen or iron
Type III
• Remove mushrooms

21. Difficult Control
– Fungus is below soil and can be at various
depths
– No fungal infection = no host resistance
– Hydrophobicity (water repellency)
Some recommend the only option is to dig up the
rings and start over
Others recommend stripping sod and mixing of
soil to promote microbial antagonism

22. Chemical Control
• Fungicide plus wetting agent is the standard for control
• Fungicides most often used curatively
– Flutolanil (Prostar) plus a wetting agent is most often
prescribed
– QoIs (i.e. Heritage, Insignia) are also effective
 Key w/all applications is to water them in with an ⅛ - ¼
inch of water.

23. % Fairy Ring Symptoms Curative Control
a
a a
b
c
c
c
- Data provided by Dr. Bruce Martin, Clemson University

24. Prevention
• Common control practice for soil borne turf pathogens
– Summer patch: Apply fungicide in spring when average
soil temps reach 65ºF
– Take–all patch: Apply fungicide in spring & fall when
average soil temps reach 40 - 60ºF
– Spring dead spot: Apply fungicide in the fall when soil
temps are between 60-80ºF
• Superintendents in Gulf Coast states have been using
triadimefon for preventive fairy ring control.
• Bayleton granted a 2(ee) label for fairy ring control in all
states in 2008.

25. Prevention of fairy ring caused by Vascellum pratense in
‘Penncross’ creeping bentgrass (July 11, 2006)
a
Fairy Ring Severity (0 to 9)
ab
abc
abc
bcd bc
c
d
- 2 applications made in late March and late April

26. Objectives
• Investigate fairy ring control from one
preventive application of Bayleton in spring.
• Compare control efficacy between low and high
rates.
• Determine impact of application timing on
preventive control.

27. Treatments
Fungicide Application Timing
Bayleton: 1 oz/1,000 ft2 A: 50ºF (10ºC)
Bayleton: 2 oz/1,000 ft2 B: 55ºF (13ºC)
C: 60ºF (16ºC)
D: 65ºF (18ºC)
E: 70ºF (21ºC)
F: 75ºF (24ºC)

28. Average 5 day soil temperature taken at 2 inches (º F)
Application Timing - 2007
May 2nd May 29th:
March 30 th
Fairy ring
-Application D: -Application E:
start
65ºF (18ºC) 70ºF (21ºC)
March 28th -
Application C:
60ºF (16ºC)
May 30th
March 14 -
th
-Application F:
Application A: 75ºF (24ºC)
50ºF (10ºC)
March 25th -
Application B:
55ºF (13ºC)
Mar Apr May June

29. Average 5 day soil temperature taken at 2 inches (º F)
Application Timing - 2008
May 8th
-Application E:
70ºF (21ºC)
April 25th-
Application D:
April 10th- 65ºF (18ºC)
Application C:
60ºF (16ºC)
March 14th - June 4th-
Application A: Application F:
50ºF (10ºC) 75ºF (24ºC)
June 17th:
Fairy ring
start
March 26th -
Application B:
55ºF (13ºC)
Mar Apr May June

30. Bayleton – High rate: 65°F

31. 6/22/07
Bayleton – Low rate: 65°F Control

32. 7/24/07
Bayleton – Low rate: 65°F

33. Prevention of fairy ring caused by Vascellum pratense in
‘A-1’ creeping bentgrass, 2007
Fairy Ring Severity (0-9)
a
b
b
a
a
b b
b b
Bars with same letter are not significantly different according to LSD (∞=0.05).

34. Prevention of fairy ring caused by Vascellum pratense in
‘A-1’ creeping bentgrass, 2007
a
Fairy Ring Severity (0-9)
b b
b
b
b
a a
b b
b b b
b b b
b b
Bars with same letter are not significantly different according to LSD (∞=0.05).

35. Prevention of fairy ring caused by Vascellum pratense in
‘A-1’ creeping bentgrass, 2008
Fairy Ring Severity (0-9)

36. Prevention of fairy ring caused by Vascellum pratense in
‘A-1’ creeping bentgrass, 2008
Fairy Ring Severity (0-9)

38. Control Recommendation
• Make two monthly applications of triadimefon at the
low label rate.
• Initiate applications when 5 day average soil
temperatures reach 55 - 65°F corresponding to late
March in Raleigh, NC.
• Water in the application immediately with ¼ inch of
irrigation.
• Make wetting agent application on regular
scheduling, but not tank-mixed when making
PREVENTIVE applications.

39. Refinement – Part 1
• How do the newer DMIs perform in the
preventive application scheme?
Heritage? Endorse?
• How well does it work on bermuda?

41. P r e v e n t io n o f f a ir y r in g o n a
b e r m u d a g r a s s g r e e n in W ilm in g t o n , N C
( J u n e 2 0 , 2 0 0 8 ).
Fairy Ring Severity (0 to 9)
a
ab
b
b
b b b b
- 2 applications made in late March and late April
- No wetting agent tank-mixed with applications.

42. P r e v e n t io n o f f a ir y r in g o n a b e n t g r a s s
g r e e n in
C h a r lo t t e , N C ( A u g u s t 8 , 2 0 0 8 ).
Fairy Ring Severity (0 to 9)
a
ab
bc
bcd
cd cd
d
d
- 2 applications made in late March and late April
- No wetting agent tank-mixed with applications.

43. Refinement – Part 2
• Does tank-mixing a wetting agent really hurt the
performance of a preventively applied fairy ring
fungicide? Will it reduce phytotoxicity?
• Can I wait to water the application in until night?

44. Treatments
1) Fungicide 2) Irrigation
Bayleton: 1 oz/1,000 ft2
Watered in immediately
Triton: 0.25 oz/1,000 ft2
Watered in 10 hours later
Untreated
3) Wetting Agent
Tank-mixed with Revolution (6
oz/M)
No Wetting Agent

46. 7/11/08

47. 7/11/08

48. P r e v e n t io n o f f a ir y r in g c a u s e d b y
Vas ce llum prate ns e in ‘ A -1 ’ c r e e p in g
b e n t g r a s s (A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 0 8 )
a
Fairy Ring Severity (% Area)
ab
b b
b
b
Treatments applied on March 28 & April 25.
Bars with same letter are not significantly different according to LSD (∞=0.05)

49. Phytotoxicity - Tank-mixing Revolution (6 oz/1000 sq ft), 2008
a a
ab ab
b
c
Phytotoxicity (0-9)
Turf Quality (1-9)
a
b
bc
bc
c c
Treatments applied on March 28 & April 25
Data collected on May 27
Bars with same letter are not significantly different according to LSD (∞=0.05).

50. Phytotoxicity - Irrigation Timing, 2008
Phytotoxicity (0-9)
Turf Quality (1-9)
Treatments applied on March 28 & April 25
Data collected on May 27

51. Conclusions
• DMI fungicides appear to have similar efficacy as
preventive treatments
• In an early test, irrigation timing did not appear
to have an impact on fungicide efficacy.
• Tank mixing preventive fungicides with a wetting
agent decreases fungicide efficacy.
• Phytotoxicity of DMI applications needs further
evaluation. In particular, impact on ultradwarf
bermudagrass varieties needs to be assessed.

52. Acknowledgements
Dr. Lane Tredway Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Larry Grand Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Marc Cubeta Advisory Committee Member
Dr. Mike Benson Advisory Committee Member
Dr. Mike Fidanza Advisory Committee Member
Mike Soika Research Associate
Lee Butler Extension Assistant
Jim Kerns Fellow graduate student
Joe Roberts Undergraduate Assistant
Emily Rosebrough Undergraduate Assistant
Ivey Redding Undergraduate Assistant
Matt Martin NC Cooperative Extension Agent
Jim Monroe NC Cooperative Extension Agent
Funding Sources: