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Weather Ideal for Pythium and Brown Patch

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The weather this summer has been very conducive for brown patch and Pythium blight diseases. I have received number requests this summer to address turf problems related to one or both of these diseases in lawns, sports fields, sod and now my own plots.

A brown spot on grass with a knife to provide scale.
Suspected initial outbreak of Pythium on velvet bentgrass maintained at a 0.110-inch height that occurred over the weekend (August 7) in a cultivation trial at Hort Farm No. 2 in North Brunswick NJ.

The weather forecast for the rest of this week indicates

that nighttime lows will be 70+ °F. These are ideal nighttime temperatures for Pythium blight and brown patch in our humid climate. Be sure to protect turfs from excessive wetness and, if you are using plant protectants, make certain your fungicide program includes a component for Pythium control. I have reviewed some programs that include product for brown patch control but lack something that protects against Pythium blight.

Advanced damage from brown patch disease (plot at right) on colonial bentgrass in a fungicide evaluation trial at Hort Farm No. 2 in North Brunswick NJ.
Advanced damage from brown patch disease (plot at right) on colonial bentgrass in a fungicide evaluation trial at Hort Farm No. 2 in North Brunswick NJ.