Turfgrass management strategies to mitigate selected abiotic & biotic stresses

Abiotic stresses of turfgrasses involve any environmental condition which limits plant growth, plant quality, surface playability and ecosystem functionality. Examples of commonly observed abiotic stresses in turfgrass include drought, high temperature, low temperature, low irradiance, traffic, soil salinity and soil chemical phytotoxicity. Selected biotic stresses on managed turfgrasses include diseases and plant parasitic nematodes, which compromise plant health and function.

These abiotic and biotic external factors have intensified in recent decades due to global climate change and population growth resulting in diminishing water resources, increasing weather extremes and increased demands of public green spaces. Regional climate and weather patterns, turfgrass species and cultivars, soil biological, chemical and physical properties, maintenance practices and societal expectations toward turfgrass can influence the relative importance of specific abiotic and biotic stresses to managed turfgrass ecosystems.

Four scientists from diverse backgrounds will share their knowledge, insight and experience with understanding, managing and sustainably mitigating the various aspects of economically important abiotic and biotic stresses to golf course turf.

Dr Mike Fidanza

• The nature of abiotic and biotic stresses to turf
• Considerations with biostimulants to manage abiotic and biotic stresses

Dr Deborah Cox

• Plant parasitic nematodes of turf
• Strategies to monitor and manage nematode populations in turf

Dr John Dempsey

• Phosphites for disease management
• Potential benefit of soil surfactant use under wet soil conditions

Dr Stan Kostka

• Managing soil moisture to improve plant and soil health
• What do we know about the rhizosphere that can help us manage turf?

Learning outcomes:

• Explore the nature and occurrence of abiotic and selected biotic stresses of highly managed golf course turf
• Review the biology and ecology of plant parasitic nematode species most common to golf course turf, their management methods and strategies to promote healthy turf
• Review the use of phosphites for turfgrass disease management
• Learn how rootzone moisture management is not just helpful for localised dry patch, but can be a benefit to plant and soil health during wet soil conditions
• Discover how the turfgrass rhizosphere functions and understand the role rhizosphere plays in mitigating abiotic and biotics stresses to produce optimum surface performance and playability conditions

Presented by:

Dr Mike Fidanza

Professor of plant and soil science Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Michael ("Mike") Fidanza is a Professor of Plant and Soil Science at Penn State Berks Campus. His research and teaching focus is plant and soil ecology, the translational evaluation and exploration of plant health products (fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators), soil surfactants, seed technology, mushroom compost, biostimulants, turfgrass physiology, cultural practices in turfgrass ecosystems, and the biology and ecology of fairy ring disease in turf. He is a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy, and Editor of a new turfgrass science textbook - Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management.  He teaches undergraduate courses in biology, horticulture, soils, turfgrass science, and a graduate course in plant physiology. He was past president of the Northeastern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy (2013-2017), and past Chair of Division C-5 (Turfgrass Science) of the Crop Science Society of America (2018). He was Editor-in-chief of the International Turfgrass Society Research Journal (2010-2013). He was a member of the USGA Green Section Research Committee (2010-2017).

Dr Deborah Cox

Managing director The Turf Clinic, Lagan Valley Scientific

Deborah founded Lagan Valley Scientific to support the amenity industry through independent research, consultancy, and education. With almost 20 years experience in interdisciplinary research, she combines plant health with molecular biology techniques in her consultancy. She supports turf managers identify pests & diseases routinely through The Turf Clinic which specialises in the identification and management of plant parasitic nematodes.

Dr Stan Kostka

Visiting Scholar Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Stan Kostka, a Visiting Scholar at Penn State – Berks, is a leader in the development of compounds and products to modify the rhizosphere and enhance soil-plant-water relations.

Stan has spent over 25 years leading industry discovery and technology development programs with the goal of understanding how surfactants and other compounds may be used to manage soil water repellency, improve water use, and enhance performance of input chemistries in turfgrass.

He has over 40 publications in the field and holds 15 patents relating to the use of surfactants and polymer technologies to modify soil and rhizosphere properties.
As a globally recognized expert, Stan has been an invited speaker at numerous technical meetings globally in the fields of turfgrass and soil science.

Stan received his PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Massachusetts, a MS in Plant Science from the University of Connecticut, and a BA in Biology from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Dr John Dempsey

Independent Turfgrass Research

John has 40 years' greenkeeping experience and was superintendent of Ireland's oldest golf course, The Royal Curragh. John has conducted independent reserach for the past 15 years and since 2019 has headed Independent Turfgrass Research.

His current work focuses upon biotic and abiotic stresses in turfgrass, integrated disease control and the enhancement of turfgrass disease responses. John has presented at numerous conferences and seminars across Europe and the United States.