Fusarium patch disease

What is Fusarium patch disease?


Fusarium patch disease is the most common disease of turf in the UK.
The Latin name of the fungus that causes the disease symptoms is Microdochium nivale but in the past its Latin name was Fusarium nivale, hence its common name.


Fusarium patch disease looks like irregularly shaped orange-brown areas of turf a few centimetres in diameter develop, sometimes with a white or pink fluffy fungal growth around the edge of the patch.
Over a period of weeks these die back and can create areas of bare ground. These gradually recover naturally if weather and soil conditions are warm enough.
However, if the disease occurs in the autumn, the conditions may not be suitable for recovery until the following spring.
The disease can occur throughout the year, but is most damaging in autumn/winter because the turf is not growing fast enough to recover quickly.
The symptoms can become worse if snow falls on infected turf. The layer of snow insulates the disease fungus from the cold and allows it to grow beneath the snow, when it becomes known as snow mould, and more extensive damage can occur.
In most cases, the diseased area will completely recover once the grass is actively growing again.

When is Fusarium likely to appear?
Whenever the weather is very still and humid and the grass stays wet for most of the day, Fusarium patches are likely to develop.
Fusarium is rarely a problem in the summer but is very common at other times of year under these weather conditions. The fungus grows in the water film on the grass leaf and that is why heavy dews and still air favour its spread.

How can I avoid it developing in my lawn?
Avoid over-feeding. Avoid damp, shady locations with still stagnant air for laying turf. In order to keep the lawn surface dry, mow regularly to prevent the leaves of the grass becoming too long. Air movement dries the lawn surface, making conditions less suitable for growth of fungal diseases.
The condition of the soil under the turf is very important in defending against disease attack. A well-structured, free-draining soil will help produce healthy turf.

Information provided by: http://www.inturf.com/


No Response to "Fusarium patch disease"

Post a Comment

 
powered by Blogger
This template is brought to you by : allblogtools.com | Blogger Templates