1. 4/26/2012
PESTICIDE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
1) Licenses- A pesticide license is required by law
for all applicators to apply restricted pesticides.
-For turf an ornamental:
a) Custom grounds-Can buy and apply off property
b) Arborist- only license to spray above 5 meters
c) Golf Course
-Supervisory- buy and use or supervise only
on golf course property
-Operators- holder can apply under direction of
supervisor- cannot buy.
2) Records- Must be kept for 5 years(samples)
- Include applicator (name and license #)
- pesticide applied
- location applied
- amount applied
- date
-Target pest
-Comments
3) EPA # -all pesticides sold in state must
have an EPA registration #
4) Labels- all pesticides must be labeled
5) MSDS- all pesticides must have a MSDS
sheet must be available to all employees
6) Pesticide use forms must be submitted to
DEP at conclusion of each year.
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2. 4/26/2012
7) Posting
• Posting laws-golf course and
homeowner -model for other states
• Registry
8) Pesticide Storage Facility
9) Phone # of Poison Control Center
PESTICIDE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
1) Gloves
2) Disposable suit
3) Boots
4) Safety glasses
5) Respirator
6) An eye wash station near mixing area
7) A shower close to mixing area
8) Spill kits close at hand
9) MSDS and Label station
PEST RELATED TURF PROBLEMS
Disease
weed
vertebrate
Insects
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3. 4/26/2012
Key to Controlling: Disease/Weeds/Insects
•ID
•Life cycles
•Conditions favoring
•Preferred host
•Cultural methods of control
•Chemical methods of control
•Chemicals used
•Methods how to maximize control
•Timing of application
•Safety measures taken
Managing for turf pests:
• Use IPM - know the "hot spots“
• Watch the weather
• Choose method of control once pest is
identified
TURFGRASS DISEASE
Disease Control
•Host
•Favoring conditions
•MOISTURE
•Field Symptoms
•Threshold levels
•Control Warranted?
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4. 4/26/2012
Host
TIME
Pathogen Environment
Host
No Disease
Pathogen Environ-
ment
Disease
Diseases and Disease Control
Major cause of disease:
Pathogenic fungi that invade:
• leaves
• roots
• stems.
Very few bacteria and virus diseases in turf.
“It is inevitable that intensely managed turf
will, at some point, become infected with
disease”
The key to effective disease management
begins with good cultural practices:
a) improved plant varieties**
b) proper mowing
c) proper fertilization programs
d) irrigation practices
e) cultural practices (aerating, verti-cutting,
clipping removal, dew removal.
f) IPM- know hot spots
g) knowledge the conditions that favor the
different diseases.
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5. 4/26/2012
Pathogen-disease causing agent
•Pathogens often produce visible structures that
aid in ID- mushrooms, sclerotia, lesions, red or
black pustules etc.
symptoms- any of various response from plant
disease. ie. leaf spots, yellowing, bronzing, death to
leaves
Signs - fungal structures
Mycelia growth
Red or black pustules on leaves
Fruiting structures
Sclerotia
Mushrooms
Spores, fruiting structures id (microscope
often needed)
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7. 4/26/2012
In order to diagnose in the field the turf manager
must know:
• field signs and symptoms i.e.. Mycelium, patch
• time of year
• turfgrass species
• temperature
• humidity
• soil moisture levels
• fertilization levels
• environmental conditions i.e.. shade or sun
Annual Grasses
Crabgrass Goosegrass
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8. 4/26/2012
Pre-emergence control of Crabgrass and Goosegrass
•Prior to weed germination
•Apply herbicide before soil temperatures reach 55˚
•Applications two weeks after Forsythia in full bloom
•Water in herbicide
•Creates a “chemical barrier”
•Barrier lasts from 6 – 12 weeks depending on chemical
used
•Disturbance of soil by man, (cultivation) or animal,
(earthworm, skunk) can provide a breakdown of the
barrier and weeds can encroach.
Post emergent options as well
Broadleaf Weed Control
General Comments
• Read the label
• For large areas, spraying herbicides provide
for better control than granular.
• Spraying is cheaper than granular. However,
you need specialized equipment
• Use caution on new plantings (at least 5
mowings)
• Store properly i.e. away from seed
• Label different sprayers for different uses
• Clean equipment after use
• Use Pesticides as last resort!
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9. 4/26/2012
Post-emergent Comments
• Spray when weeds actively growing
• Don’t spray temperatures above 85 F
• Avoid spraying in wind (injury to
ornamentals,Volatility)
• Apply when soils moist
• Avoid mowing 24 hrs before and after
• Avoid Water for 24 hours
• Be aware of product characteristics i.e.
Dicamba
TURFGRASS INSECTS
Three Zones
Foliar and stem visual observation
Stem/thatch often avoid detection
Thatch/soil until damage evident
Hyp. Weevil
Bluegrass Bill Bug
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10. 4/26/2012
Insect Control
Scout and monitor
Identify
Symptoms
Know when to
expect problems
(life cycles)****
Select Control Method
Cultural
•Sanitation
•Thatch reduction
•Resistant varieties (endophytes)
•Healthy turf = higher thresholds
Biological
•Predator
•Parasites
•Pathogens
Chemical
•Preventative
•Curative
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