Services

Cost:
Each assay of 50 isolates costs $2,210.  Thanks to funding from the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation (NERTF), chemical companies, and the UMASS Turf Pathology and Breeding Lab the assay now costs $500. This fee covers the cost of sampling, the lab assay, and a written report of your results.  We will not conduct assays on fewer than 50 isolates because any number smaller than 50 will not give accurate data on the population structure of dollar spot and limits our ability to reliably predict future response of the population to fungicide treatments.

Fungicide and Product Trials
As a service to the turfgrass industry, the UMASS Turf Pathology lab conducts field trials throughout New England to test the efficacy of fungicides and other turf products in controlling various summer and winter diseases. For cost information contact us.

Anthracnose
Products will be tested for field efficacy on a Poa annua / Agrostis stolonifera putting green.  The experimental plot will be located on a golf course practice green.  Fungicide applications will begin late May on a preventative basis. Weekly ratings of % disease cover and photographs will be taken at each rating date. Bi-weekly turf quality and phytotoxicity ratings will also take place.  Due to space limitations, plot size will most likely be 3 x 4 ft with 3 replications.


 

Brown Patch
Fungicides and other products are tested for their field efficacy on a colonial bentgrass fairway beginning in June when night time temperatures reach 65°F and ending in mid to late August.  Applications are made over a two month interval depending on disease pressure and company requests.  Weekly ratings of % disease cover and phytotoxicity take place and photographs of each plot are taken at each rating.  The trial takes place at the Joseph Troll Research Center in South Deerfield, MA and includes 3 replications of 3 x 6 ft plots per treatment.

Dollar Spot
Two dollar spot field trials are conducted: one on a confirmed Demethylation Inhibitor (DMI) and Benzimidazole (BM) resistant population, and one on a confirmed DMI and BM sensitive population.  The objective of this trial is to test fungicide treatments and other products for field efficacy at two sites with highly contrasting fungicide sensitivities.  Applications are made depending on disease pressure and company requests.  We conduct weekly ratings of infection centers, phytotoxicity, turf quality, and photograph each plot.  The trial takes place at the Joseph Troll Research Center in South Deerfield,MA and at a golf course nearby with confirmed BM and DMI resistance.  It includes 3 replications of 3 x 6 ft plots per treatment.


Pythium Blight
A test plot of Perennial Rye is planted mid-June and the trial will begin the first week in July to test field efficacy of a variety of fungicide treatments and other products on Pythium.  Applications are made depending on disease pressure and company requests.  Weekly ratings of % disease cover and phytotoxicity take place and photographs of each plot are taken at each rating.  The trial takes place at the Joseph Troll Research Center in South Deerfield, MA and includes 3 replications of 3 x 6 ft plots per treatment.

Snow Mold
Field trials are conducted at four locations throughout New England to test field efficacy of various products used to control snow mold under differing levels of disease pressure and species causing disease.  The purpose of this trial is to evaluate fungicides and other products for the control of Typhula blight (caused by Typhula ishikariensis and T. incarnata) and pink snow mold (caused by Microdochium nivale) on typical fairways maintained at 0.5-inch mowing height.  Products are applied in late November before snow fall and % disease rating of plots as well as measurements of phytotoxicity are made in Spring right after snow melt.  Photos of each plot are taken and a book of research results is published in the Spring.

Diagnostic Site Visits

We offer site visits for home owners and golf courses to provide a more hands on approach to diagnosis of diseases and other common turf related problems. Many problems cannot be properly identified without laboratory diagnosis, therefore, a site visit is best accompanied by a laboratory report from a turf sample sent to the UMASS Diagnostic Lab. To schedule a site visit, contact us.

Cost: $300/visit plus mileages for site visit and written report

Turfgrass DNA Fingerprinting

We provide fee-based services on DNA genotyping/fingerprinting of turfgrass using molecular markers. It is very difficult to differentiate cultivars within the same species or in a blend (for example, cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass or Bermudagrass) by looking at seeds or turf stands. Therefore, DNA fingerprinting will make it possible to accurately identify cultivars. DNA fingerprinting can be applied for:

DNA fingerprinting services have been used by forensic scientists in golf course theft cases. In one instance, the grass cultivar identified on the wheels of a stolen vehicle was traced back to the course from which the vehicle was stolen from! For more information on sample submission and cost, contact us.

DNA fingerprinting of bermudagrass cultivars