If you would like additional information about the CTRF research program, please contact:

Transcription

1 Current Research Projects May 2007 It is the intent of the Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation () to raise funds to support research that addresses questions and issues facing the Canadian turfgrass industry. By striving to continually improve cultural practices and turfgrass species we hope to reduce maintenance requirements and enhance the environment. The is currently funding the following four (4) research projects across Canada on the development of pesticide alternatives and turfgrass plants better adapted to Canadian winters: The first project conducted by Dr. Hsiang at the University of Guelph, Ontario, is investigating an organic control strategy for turfgrass snow molds, using tissues of cruciferous species. These plant tissues are known to contain natural antifungal compounds, namely glucosinolates and their by-products, which are liberated as the tissues decompose. This work has the potential to find a truly innovative biological control for snow mold and consequently reduce pesticide use on golf courses. Winterkill being a major concern in Canada, Drs. Castonguay and Bertrand from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Québec City are working to identify why some annual bluegrass plants are better at withstanding snow mold disease and freezing temperatures. This information will be used to assist plant breeders to develop seed sources that are more broadly adapted to winter stresses and will also contribute to the development of best management practices to optimize winter survival while reducing pesticide use. Dr. Watson at McGill University, Québec, is evaluating a naturally occurring plant pathogen as a possible biocontrol of dandelion and other broadleaf weeds on fairways, greens and roughs. Research is conducted on golf courses and the researcher works with superintendents to integrate this biocontrol strategy into their management practices. Finally, a project designed to use research-based information to improve standards and methods for the development and implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on golf courses is being conducted by Guy Bélair and Louis Simard at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. This will provide a decision-making tool and will help to reduce pesticide inputs by accurately identifying turfgrass pests; predicting disease and insect outbreaks; improving the timing of the needed applications; and reducing the number of pesticide applications. If you would like additional information about the research program, please contact: Julie Dionne, Ph.D., agr. Director, Green Section, Royal Canadian Golf Association jdionne@rcga.org Website:

2 ORGANIC CONTROL OF SNOW MOLDS Location: University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Researcher: Dr. Tom Hsiang The has been funding research under the direction of Dr. Tom Hsiang at the University of Guelph since 1994 for the biological control of snow molds. This latest project is a new direction examining the use of plant byproducts for the control of turfgrass diseases, rather than the use of a fungal biological control agent such as Typhula phacorrhiza. The current project has been underway since May 2005, and some exciting discoveries have been made. Seeds and tissues of various cruciferous species (such as mustards and canola) were found to inhibit growth of the fungi which cause snow molds in both lab and field tests. During the last six months, Dr. Hsiang and his colleagues have been attempting to determine the types of tissues and the rates of their use for effective control of snow molds using the most inhibitory plant to date, oil- seed radish. They found that crushed seeds of oilseed radish could inhibit growth of snow molds on grass for at least several weeks. As well, it was found that oilseed radish is inhibitory to various other types of fungi that cause turfgrass diseases. The research team is also field testing a commercial product containing tissue of Brassica juncea, oriental mustard, known to contain high levels of glucosinolates, for the inhibition of snow molds and other turfgrass diseases. The recent announcement by the USEPA that pentachloronitrobenzene (quintozene) may not be re-registered for snow mold control, will likely result in a similar move by the PMRA in Canada, meaning one of our major tools for snow mold control may be lost in the near future. There is a need for this type of research for alternative controls of snow molds that will be acceptable to Canadian society.

3 CROSS-ADAPTATION TO BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES IN OVERWINTERING ECOTYPES OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS (Poa annua L.) Location: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Québec City, Québec Researchers: Dr. Yves Castonguay and Dr. Annick Bertrand In order to evaluate the genetic variability in snow mold tolerance of annual bluegrass, 30 genotypes collected across Quebec and Ontario were screened for their tolerance to Microdochium nivale, a psychrotroph pathogen causing pink snow mold. Results confirmed an extended genetic variability in snow mold tolerance that could be used in a breeding program. Analyses of relationships between winter climatic factors and the level of damage caused by pink snow mold revealed a positive relationship between the level of tolerance of annual bluegrass and the depth of snow cover. Conversely, a negative relationship was established between the level of tolerance and warm winter temperatures, showing that annual bluegrass genotypes exposed to selection pressure under a long-lasting snow cover possess unique adaptive traits allowing superior tolerance. Preliminary biochemical analysis of genotypes contrasting in their levels of tolerance to pink snow mold showed differences in soluble sugars accumulation, particularly in high molecular weight fructans. These compounds, potentially linked to the level of tolerance of the genotypes, could eventually be used as molecular markers to identify tolerant genotypes. A DNA polymorphism analysis is currently underway to identify the genetic profiles linked to snow mold tolerance that could be used to predict the intrinsic tolerance of the genotypes. There is evidence that cold acclimation increases tolerance to freezing and that it also promotes non-specific resistance to low-temperature pathogens. The next step will be to identify genotypes that are resistant to both freezing stress and snow mold in order to optimize winter survival of annual bluegrass.

4 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS ON GOLF COURSES Location: McGill University, Québec Researcher: Dr. Alan Watson Start Date: 2006 A naturally occurring disease, Sclerotinia minor, is being developed as a biological control of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and other broadleaf weeds in turfgrass. Golf course environments include several components that can interact with the bioherbicide. Mowing height and frequency and fungicide applications could impact the bioherbicide weed control effect. The main broadleaf weeds adapted to these closely mowed fairways and greens are knotweed (Polygonum aviculare) and white clover (Trifolium repens). This research aims to validate the opportunity of controlling these and other broadleaf weeds in the golf course environment with the bioherbicide. In August 2006, two experiments were established at two golf courses in Montréal. The first experiment objectives were to determine the optimum application rate of the bioherbicide and the effect of using a fibre covering on knotweed control. The fibre was used to increase moisture. Considering that fungicides are likely to affect weed control accomplished by the bioherbicide, one important question addressed by the researcher is how many days after the application of fungicide do we need to wait before applying the bioherbicide? These studies have demonstrated that the bioherbicide can provide effective control of knotweed in fairway environments. Further studies are required to confirm these results and evaluate means to integrate the bioherbicide into golf course management regimes. ~ Page 4 ~

5 THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A NETWORKED IPM STRATEGY ON GOLF COURSES IN QUÉBEC AND ONTARIO Location: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec Researchers: Guy Bélair and Dr. Louis Simard Several turfgrass insect pests and diseases were scouted weekly from April to December on 23 golf courses located in different areas of Québec. The research team conducted a total of 564 visits in All data collected on golf courses were transferred nightly to the Real-Time Alarm System (RTAS) on the Coalition for Responsible Golf s website org. This information collected in 2006 was added to 2001, 2002, and 2003 data from Louis Simard s Ph.D. thesis to develop predictive models for the annual bluegrass weevil (Listronotus maculicollis), the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), and the black turfgrass ataenius (Ataenius spretulus). In 2005, 55 golf courses were sampled for soil fungi and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) with the objective of identifying organisms occurring under golf course management regimes that may have some potential in controlling insect pests. Isolates of soil fungi and EPNs were tested in the laboratory using two bait insects. Several EPNs (14 isolates) and fungi (more than 200 isolates) were recovered from golf courses in Québec. Marie-Eve Gosselin, a graduate student at the Université de Montréal, recipient of the CGSA Scholarship and an NSERC industrial postgraduate scholarship, is conducting her M.Sc. research project on the biological control of the black cutworm. She is currently doing bioassays in the laboratory on the black cutworm using two commercially-available biological control products that are currently being considered for registration for turf in Canada. Preliminary results showed a good potential of these two biological agents against the black cutworm. ~ Page 5 ~