3A Turfgrass Pest Management Study Guide latest updated

Varieties of grass containing endophyte fungi are an example of: - Answer- Plant resistance. Raking, thatch removal and aeration are examples of: - Answer- Cultural controls. Hand removal, traps, barriers and repellents are examples of: - Answer- Mechanical and physical controls. Example of a turfgrass disease that can be managed with hand removal techniques: - Answer- Slime mold. Turf cannot at the same time benefit from biological control methods and be pest free because: - Answer- There must be a low level of pest or prey insects for the predators to feed on. Why is it important to use both short term suppression and long term maintenance tactics in pest management? - Answer- Usually offers a quick fix, but the pest population will rebuild. Maintenance must be used to reduce pest populations permanently. How can you help maintain existing populations of beneficial organisms in a turf stand? - Answer- By making pesticide applications only when needed. What is the most commonly used microbial insecticide? On what insect larvae is it effective? - Answer- Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, used to control caterpillars. Are microbial insecticides best used for short or long term suppression of pest populations? - Answer- Long term. Microbial insecticides are slower acting and do not kill all of the pests at once, which allows there to be food for other beneficial organisms. Ways to classify pesticides: - Answer- Types of pests Pesticide chemistry Mode of action Pesticide formulation. Benefits of systemic herbicides: - Answer- Superior in treating persistent perennial weeds, kills both above ground and below ground parts of plant. Benefits of broad spectrum pesticides: - Answer- Can be used to control several pests, but more likely to be hazardous to non target organisms. Benefits of residual pesticides: - Answer- Good for use when the goal is to reduce the number of applications required to control persistent pests. Benefits of contact herbicides: - Answer- Does not kill the underground parts of plant. Basic principles of managing pests in turfgrass: - Answer- Produce healthy plants that can reduce or better tolerate pest attack Identify what is damaging the turf Expect some pests and tolerate some damage Using pesticides as a last resort. Steps of IPM for turfgrass: - Answer- Detect pest Identify pest Determine the amount of damage and whether it is below or above the tolerance thresholds Select and use a management tactic Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy and keep records. Methods for monitoring and detecting turfgrass pests: - Answer- Visually Coffee can flush White paper test Root sampling Disclosing solution Explain why keeping track of degree day accumulations is more useful for monitoring pest activity than going by calendar dates: - Answer- Insects, diseases and weeds develop based on heat units. The accumulation of heat units varies from year to year. Explain how knowing the species or variety of turfgrass in a stand can help in pest diagnosis: - Answer- Certain diseases and insect pests will affect certain species of turfgrass and will not affect others. Economic injury threshold: - Answer- The density of pests at which the cost to manage the pest is equal to the losses caused by that pest. Action threshold: - Answer- The pest density at which action must be taken to prevent the pest from reaching the economic injury level. Factors influencing the economic injury level: - Answer- The client's tolerance for damage. The health of the turf stand. Level of maintenance required for the turf stand to fulfill its purpose. Factors of pest management tactics will be limited by: - Answer- Budget. Availability of equipment. Availability of personnel. Time available for pest management activities. Availability of products that control the problem. Public or client acceptance of the management methods. Questions that should be answered by the evaluation of your IPM program: - Answer- Did it work? Did it hurt anything else? Was it practical and cost-effective? Reasons turf needs water: - Answer- To move nutrients to and inside the plants. As part of the process of converting light and carbon dioxide to sugar. To cool the plants in the heat of the day. What are the categories of grass species in the US and Canada? Which category in most commonly used in MI? - Answer- Cool season, transition and warm season. Cool season grasses are most common in MI. Examples of grass species used in MI: - Answer- Kentucky bluegrass Perennial ryegrass Creeping bentgrass Fine fescues Tall fescues. Does the rate of photosynthesis increase or decrease as the temperature increases? How does temperature stress grass? - Answer- Food production decreases but the amount of oxygen increases as temperatures rise. This causes the plant to use stored energy at higher temperatures. Turfgrasses grow best in: - Answer- Sunny locations. Explain why the ideal soil for plant growth consists of a mixture of soil particle sizes. - Answer- Fine clay particles have the greatest ability to bond water and nutrients Sand particles that allow air and water movement between particles. How does soil pH affect the availability of nutrients to turfgrasses and other plants? - Answer- If the pH is too high or too low, certain nutrients in the soil will not be soluble and can't be used. Nitrogen: - Answer- Turgrass uses large quantites of this nutrient, which may be lost through leaching. Micronutrients: - Answer- Used by plants in relatively small amounts. Potassium: - Answer- An important nutrient for rooting and improves turfgrass tolerance to climatic stress, routine applications of it are beneficial to turfgrass. Phosphorous: - Answer- This nutrient is important for root development, maturation and seed production. Is rarely deficient in most MI soils. Explain how to correct for iron deficiency in turf: - Answer- Short term, by applying an iron containing fertilizer. Long term, by lowering the pH of the soil. How do soil organisms contribute to the well being of turfgrass? - Answer- They break down organic matter, making nutrients available for absorption by turf roots. How are turf stands of blends or mixes superior to stand of a single variety? - Answer- Different grasses do better under different conditions. The ones in a blend most suited to a site will out-compete the others. This allows for a more versatile seed. Why should turf managers use grass seed containing endophytes? When should endophyte seed not be used? - Answer- To reduce the potential of damage by some insects. Should not be used to feed livestock. Improper planting procedure: - Answer- Planting vegetative material during dry weather. Improper method of pest-planting care: - Answer- Fertilize new stands with nitrogen but not potassium. Mowing: - Answer- Regularly performing this operation will generate a dense, uniform, vigorous turf; one of the most costly maintenance procedures. Aerating: - Answer- A process used especially for improving compacted and heavy soils. Watering: - Answer- The amount of this practice needed is measured by evapotranspiration. Dethatching: - Answer- Removal of tightly intermingled living and dead stems, leaves, and roots. Fertilizing: - Answer- Requires having soil samples analyzed to determine desired amount. Mowing height affects turf by: - Answer- High turf creates deeper root growth, which allows grass to tolerate more drought and damage from root feeding insects. Mowing higher also tends to reduce the amount of weeds. Under what circumstance(s) should grass clippings be removed from a turf stand? - Answer- If it will affect the use of the turf, such as on golf course greens. If the grass is infected with any pathogens. Complete fertilizer: - Answer- Contains the three main nutrients plants need: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Ways to avoid fertilizer burn: - Answer- Don't load fertilizer spreaders over turf. Don't over apply fertilizer. Apply fertilizer evenly. Don't apply fertilizer to stressed turf. Soils that are compacted lack these for good growth: - Answer- Good drainage. Air around the roots. Good supply of beneficial microorganisms. How does a light layer of thatch benefit turf? - Answer- By providing insulation for the roots. By helping the turf avoid drying out as fast as it would if there were none. How can nitrogen fertilization injure turf that is growing in shade? - Answer- Turf growing in shade grows slower and needs fewer nutrients than turf growing in full or partial sun, so over-fertilization can cause fertilizer burn. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA): - Answer- Restricted use pesticides can only be used by, or under direct supervision of a certified applicator. Endangered Species Act states who is responsible for making sure pesticide applications do not affect endangered species? - Answer- The applicator. Can be done by checking the label and following instructions. Regulation 637 of pesticide use: - Answer- In MI, there is a registry of persons who must be notified before turfgrass or ornamental pesticide application can occur on adjacent properties.