The Sports Turf Research Institute - Services

Caused by Colletotrichum graminicola. Symptoms include yellowing leaves. Youngest leaf may turn red, black rot found at the base of affected plants. Encouraged by compaction, extremes of fertility, nematode feeding and wet conditions.

Caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. Affects red fescue swards. Bleached lesions with a darker border can be seen on individual leaves. Spots of bleached sward may occur. Encouraged by low fertility.

Type 1

Consists of a ring of dead grass surrounded on both the inside and outside with a ring of stimulated grass.

Type 2

Appears as a ring of stimulated grass

Type 3

Appears as a ring of fruiting bodies (mushrooms).

Caused by many basidiomycetes.

Caused by Microdochium nivale. Symptoms include orange / brown spots with a pale slimey centre and a dark margin.

White-grey fungal mycelia may be visible in the patches. In humid weather the spots may enlarge and coalesce. Encouraged by overfertilisation and alkaline conditions.

Caused by Drechslera spp., Bipolaris spp. and Curvularia spp. Symptoms depend on pathogen including mottled yellow descending down the leaf from the tip or lesions with a grey centre and dark margin. More prevalent under warm / humid conditions and more severe on stressed turf.

Caused by Laetisaria fuciformis. Symptoms include patches of bleached leaves with red needles projecting from leaves. The whole patch may take on a pink appearance. Encouraged by low fertility. May be the appearance of nitrogen tolerant red thread that may require fungicide application for control.

Caused by numerous pathogens such as Puccinia spp. and Uromyces spp. Usually very specialised pathogen in which each species can only infect one host variety. Chlorotic spots appear on the leaves that develop into powdery raised pustules of spores. More common on stressed plants.

Caused by basidiomycetes. The sward can discolour in a ring pattern. Fungal mycelium may be present in the thatch layer.

Caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis. Affects bent grasses. Symptoms include saucer shaped, depressed bronze areas of bent grass. Resistant species of grass or broad leaved weeds grow in the patch.