Progress 05/01/05 to 04/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project was designed to provide information on the feasibility and performance of golf course turf managed with an IPM approach to reduce or completely eliminate chemical pesticide use. Current golf course pest management practices for putting greens (unrestricted) are compared with IPM and reduced-risk management. Further comparisons are made between standard cultural practices and alternative practices that should reduce turfgrass stress and thereby minimize pest problems. This project explores total management systems, as practiced by turf managers, rather than focusing on individual technologies and isolated practices. The alternative culture greens received N form alternating applications of ammonium sulfate and urea. They also received iron in a seaweed-based product, for the cytokinin benefit of heat tolerance, and a monthly micronutrient package. The velvet bentgrass greens have been eliminated from the experiment, because of difficulties in maintaining their quality, that were not related to the project. The standard culture greens receive an array of fertilizer products that provide more balanced nutrition. Pest management programs differed in that we used low-risk pesticides on the IPM greens (mainly) and Reduced Risk greens (exclusively). Cornerstone treatments in our Reduced Risk program were regular applications of Polyoxin-D zinc salt (Endorse) and phosphate products (Alude) and the beneficial bacterium Pseudomonas aureofaciens. We also used the reduced risk pesticides boscalid, spinosad and azoxystrobin. In the 2007 golfer satisfaction survey, the average quality rating was good to very good for all treatments (except the velvet bentgrass greens which were rated lower). Quality ratings by our research team were lower than past seasons, largely due to the fact that we pushed practices to favor bentgrass thereby decreasing the visual quality of the remaining annual bluegrass. However, ball roll distances for all treatments were generally 8-10 ft. throughout the season. Over the seven years, IPM greens received 31-66 percent fewer chemical pesticide applications than the unrestricted greens, with the greatest reductions in both 2006 and 2007. A better measure of pesticide reduction is the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) that was used to calculate the relative impact of each treatment in 2004-2007. The EIQ of the reduced risk and IPM treatments were 49 to 96 percent lower than the unrestricted conventional treatments. In the Northeast, poa/creeping bentgrass greens are highly susceptible to disease and stress pressure in July and August. Management with few chemical pesticides continues to be a challenge during these summer months, with these turfgrass species. From what we have learned, we believe that pesticide use can be significantly reduced, without compromising quality. However, greens management with a total elimination of chemical pesticides is very difficult if not impossible without a loss of quality, viable turf and golfer rounds. Research is still needed to develop further tools and knowledge to deliver consistent and reliable results with few or no chemical pesticides. PARTICIPANTS: This project involved two people in the NYS IPM Program. The first PI, J. Grant, has been responsible for project management, organization, oversight and reporting; and is the primary lead on communications amongst participants. D. Marvin receives and organizes data from the project, prepares information for reports and prepares environmental impact information. PI F. Rossi is in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University and is a primary collaborator in planning and implementing the project. He has primary roles in site visits and assessments; recommendations; and communications with many of the onsite Park staff. Personnel at Bethpage State Park are essential collaborators in the project. They manage the golf course site and implement all treatment practices. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience includes turfgrass managers, especially golf course superintendents; environmental and health advocates; and policy makers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None
Impacts
Over seven years, this project has shown chemical pesticide application reductions of 31-66 percent on IPM putting greens when compared to conventionally managed greens, while keeping acceptable quality. Environmental impact was reduced by 50-96 percent on reduced risk and IPM greens. On-site field days were held in 2005 and 2007, hosting over 100 turfgrass management professionals, environmental and health advocates and policy makers. The PIs have given presentations to thousands of turfgrass managers around the world. Turf managers who want to use fewer chemical pesticides are benefiting from implementation of the cultural and biological practices employed in this project. Policy makers and environmental and health advocates are also becoming better informed of options and consequences of pesticide-limiting policies; and ways to better support managers making these shifts in practices. The project is being continued and expanded in 2008 via funding from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. We are continuing the comparative experiment of pest management systems on the putting greens of Bethpage's Green Course. New phases of the project include preliminary evaluation of reduced risk and IPM practices for tees and fairways; active dissemination of successful reduced risk and IPM practices to the putting greens of the Blue and Yellow Courses at Bethpage; and the creation of an operations manual for reduced risk and IPM practices for municipal golf courses.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 05/01/06 to 04/30/07
Outputs
This project was designed to provide information on the feasibility and performance of golf course turf managed with an IPM approach to reduce or completely eliminate chemical pesticide use. Current golf course pest management practices (unrestricted) are compared with IPM and reduced-risk management. Further comparisons are made between standard cultural practices and alternative practices that should reduce turfgrass stress and thereby minimize pest problems. This project explores total management systems, as practiced by turf managers, rather than focusing on individual technologies and isolated practices. The alternative culture greens received N as ammonium sulfate only, in addition to iron. The velvet bentgrass greens were treated with only ammonium thiosulfate and iron. The standard greens receive an array of fertilizer products that provide more balanced nutrition. Pest management programs differed in that we use only low-risk pesticides on the IPM and Reduced
Risk greens. The cornerstone treatments in our Reduced Risk program were regular applications of Endorse and Alude. We also used the reduced risk fungicide Emerald. In 2006, the challenge of maintaining the velvet bentgrass continued, despite a lack of identifiable pest problems. Therefore, they were removed from the experimental design of the project. In 2006, for the first time in the golfer satisfaction survey, golfers identified one treatment as lower quality than all the rest, the velvet greens. The quality ratings of all treatments were almost always above acceptable (6), except the velvet bentgrass greens. Ball roll distances for all treatments were greater than 8 ft. throughout the season. Over the six years, IPM greens received 31-66 percent fewer chemical pesticide applications than the unrestricted greens, with the greatest reductions in 2006. A better measure of pesticide reduction is the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) that was used to calculate the relative impact of
each treatment in 2004-2006. The EIQ of the reduced risk and IPM treatments were 50 to 96 percent lower than the unrestricted conventional treatments. In the Northeast, poa/creeping bentgrass greens are highly susceptible to disease and stress pressure in July and August. Management with few chemical pesticides continues to be a challenge during these summer months, with these turfgrass species. From what we have learned to date, we believe that pesticide use can be significantly reduced in some years, without compromising quality. However, research is still needed to develop tools and knowledge to deliver consistent and reliable results with few or no chemical pesticides.
Impacts
Over six years, this project has shown chemical pesticide application reductions of 31-66 percent on IPM putting greens when compared to conventionally managed greens, while keeping acceptable quality. Environmental impact was reduced by 50-96 percent on reduced risk and IPM greens. Turf managers who want to use fewer chemical pesticides will benefit from implementation of the cultural and biological practices employed in this project. Policy makers and environmental and health advocates are also becoming better informed of options and consequences of pesticide-limiting policies.
Publications
- Grant, J.A. and F.S. Rossi. 2007. Long-term Evaluation and Improvement of Golf Turf Management Systems with Reduced Chemical Pesticide Inputs. Report to the NE IPM Center. Available at: http://nepmc.org/grants/ripm/05award/index.htm
- Grant, J.A. and F.S. Rossi. 2007. Long-term Evaluation and Improvement of Golf Turf Management Systems with Reduced Chemical Pesticide Inputs. In 2006 New York State Ornamentals and Community IPM Project Reports. NYS IPM Publication #420, pp. 79-86.
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Progress 05/01/05 to 04/30/06
Outputs
This project was designed to provide information on the feasibility and performance of golf course turf managed with an IPM approach to reduce or completely eliminate chemical pesticide use. Current golf course pest management practices (unrestricted) are compared with IPM and reduced-risk management. Further comparisons are made between standard cultural practices and alternative practices that should reduce turfgrass stress and thereby minimize pest problems. This project explores total management systems, as practiced by turf managers, rather than focusing on individual technologies and isolated practices. This season contained notable alterations in cultural and pest management programs. Alternative culture greens received N as ammonium sulfate only, in addition to iron. The velvet greens were treated with only ammonium thiosulfate and iron. The standard greens receive an array of fertilizer products that provide more balanced nutrition. Pest management programs
differed in that we use only low-risk pesticides on the IPM and Reduced Risk greens. The cornerstone treatments in our Reduced Risk program were the bi-weekly application of Endorse and Alude. Other important differences were the use of EcoGuard and Emerald. The greatest challenge of the 2005 season was the severe decline of the velvet bentgrass greens. In April through August, quality ratings of putting greens were never significantly different, except the lower quality of the Velvet greens which resulted from a combination of traffic stress and direct heat stress. There were no significant effects of any treatments on ball roll, however we were often below our target values of at least 8.5 to 9 ft. There were slight effects of the cultural treatments on tissue nutrient content, but not so dramatic as is seen by the pest management treatments. Over the five years, IPM greens received 15-57 percent fewer pesticide applications than the unrestricted greens, with the greatest reductions
in 2004. A better measure of pesticide reduction is the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) that was used to calculate the relative impact of each treatment in 2004 and 2005. The EIQ of the reduced risk and IPM treatments were 50 to 85 percent lower than the unrestricted conventional treatments. In the Northeast, poa/creeping bentgrass greens are highly susceptible to disease and stress pressure in July and August. Management with few chemical pesticides continues to be a challenge during these summer months, with these turfgrass species. From what we have learned to date, we believe that pesticide use can be significantly reduced in some years, without compromising quality. However, research is still needed to develop tools and knowledge to deliver consistent and reliable results with few or no chemical pesticides.
Impacts
Over five years, this project has shown pesticide application reductions of 15-57 percent on IPM putting greens when compared to conventionally managed greens, while keeping acceptable quality. Environmental impact was reduced by 50-85 percent on reduced risk and IPM greens. Turf managers who want to use fewer chemical pesticides will benefit from implementation of the cultural and biological practices employed in this project. Policy makers and environmental and health advocates are also becoming better informed of options and consequences of pesticide-limiting policies.
Publications
- Grant, J.A. and F.S. Rossi. 2005. Evaluation of putting green management systems with reduced chemical pesticide inputs. In Annual Report 2004-05: The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Agriculture and Community IPM. NYS IPM Publication #502.
- Grant, J.A. and F.S. Rossi. 2006. Evaluation of golf putting green management systems with reduced chemical pesticide inputs. In Annual Report 2005-06: The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Agriculture and Community IPM. NYS IPM Publication #503, pp. 25-39.
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