NAME BRAND VS. GENERIC FUNGICIDES

Here is a project that two of our interns are doing this summer at Des Moines golf under the direction of Rick Tegtmeier: We will keep you posted on the results as they come in.

Name brand vs. generic pesticides
Ever wondered if whether it was worth the extra dollar for name brand pesticides? Well, here at Des Moines Golf and Country Club we are running tests to figure out the mystery. My name is Tyler Boley and along with my fellow co-worker Tayler Riggen, we should soon have a more definite answer. We will both be seniors next year at Iowa State in the turfgrass program and are interning this summer at Des Moines Golf.

Due to the current economy, the Director of Grounds, Rick Tegtmeier, has recently considered to switching to a generic form of chlorothalonil for fungus control. Using the generic form of fungicide would save the course around $6500 per year. Luke Dant, the representative for Syngenta has decided to fund a project trying to prove to Rick that it is worth his money to stay with his name brand product, Daconil.

Tayler and I have worked closely with Luke and Rick and set up two separate plots in different fairways to try and capture what was happening in our controlled and sprayed plots. We are spraying 3 forms of fungicide, Daconil (name brand), and 2 generics. They are each sprayed in 5’x10’ plots and replicated 3 times in each plot. We have 2 different plots one on the north course and the other on the south course, where we will monitor each products success and failures. When we collect results, another article will be posted to update everyone.


Nick Christians

Red Thread

Here is a great picture of Red Thread on
Tall Fescue from Dr. Fei.

Nick

Pythium and other diseases

Lukily the nights are cooling down. We generally consider 68 F night temp. as the cut off for Pythium development. Even if you have hot daytime temps, if the night temp falls below 68, Pythium usually will not develop.

Brown patch appears to be wide spread this season. Dollar spot is just beginning to form. We have a new study at the research station this summer on both fairway height and green height bents. All plots are then split in half, with one half treated for dollar spot and the other half untreated. If anyone would like to see them, stop by. Otherwise, they will be on the field day tour on Aug. 6.

We have also seen a lot of Red Thread this year. It has been more widespread than unual. At the research station, we are seeing a lot of it on tall fescue.

Nick Christians

Watch for Pythium

I got my first call on Pythium yesterday, Thursday June 25, 2009. It is perfect weather for it. Let me know if you see it developing.

Nick

Welcome to iaTURF

This blog was created to provide Golf Course Superintendents in the State of Iowa with a convenient way to communicate and collaborate with peers, industry professionals and educators. Interesting things are happening across the state, and this blog will serve as a vehicle to share articles, links, and pictures with turfgrass professionals in the state of Iowa. Anyone is welcome to submit to iaTURF. It's as simple as e-mailing your submission to iaturfblog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Marcus Jones
Graduate Research Assistant

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