Turfgrass species and varieties for Integrated Pest Management of Scandinavian putting greens

Abstract

EU requirements for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), perhaps even pesticide-free management, have implications for choice of turfgrass species and varieties for golf courses. This paper reports results from variety testing for putting greens in the southern Nordic zone comprising Denmark and coastal areas in south Sweden and south Norway, and the northern zone comprising Finland, Iceland and remaining regions of Sweden and Norway. Forty-one varieties of seven species/subspecies were compared from 2007 to 2010 at Apelsvoll (Norway, 61° 42′ N, 250 m asl) and Korpa (Iceland, 64° 09′ N, 30 m asl) (northern zone), and at Landvik, (Norway, 58° 11′ N, 12 m asl) (southern zone). Once established, the trials were mowed at 3 mm for Agrostis and 5 mm for Festuca, Poa and Lolium. Mean fertilizer rates were 1.7 kg N 100 m-2 yr-1 to A. stolonifera and 1.0 kg N 100 m-2 yr-1 to other species. No pesticides were used. On average for varieties within species, F. rubra, especially ssp. commutata, had significantly less winter damage (biotic and abiotic) than L. perenne and Agrostis sp. F. rubra also had significantly less in-season diseases (mainly Microdochium patch) than A. capillaris and A. canina in the southern zone and in comparison with all Agrostis sp. in the northern zone. On average for varieties, the ranking based on overall visual merit was F. rubra ssp. commutata >F. rubra ssp. litoralis >A. canina >A. stolonifera >A. capillaris >P. trivialis >L. perenne in the northern zone, and A. canina >A. stolonifera >F. rubra ssp. commutata >F. rubra ssp. litoralis >A. capillaris >L. perenne >P. trivialis in the southern zone. For pesticide-free management of putting greens, we recommend pure seed blends or F. rubra in both zones. Seed blends of A. stolonifera or A. canina, and seed mixtures of F. rubra and A. capillaris are compatible with IPM including limited fungicide use. Ranking lists of varieties are presented. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.