Turf Pathology
People:
Dr. Richard Latin
Professor of Plant Pathology
Purdue University
Botany and Plant Pathology, Lilly Hall
915 West State Street
West
Lafayette, IN 47907-2054
Office: LILY 1-317
Phone: (765) 494-4639
FAX: (765) 494-0363
E-mail:
rlatin@purdue.edu
Program Description
Dr. Latin wrote the book on turfgrass fungicides- literally. A Practical Guide to Turfgrass Fungicides is the first book of its kind and has been very popular among superintendents, industry associates, and students. The turf pathology program integrates problem-solving
research with innovative educational programs to provide turf professionals with
effective solutions to pertinent disease concerns. Knowledge generated through
research provides accurate content for contemporary educational programs that
emphasize turf disease identification and control. Interactions with turf
professionals and exploratory activities help to reveal emerging threats and
offer direction for future research. The components of the turf pathology
extension effort are described below.
Turf Disease Research
Understanding Turf Diseases
Disease
outbreaks are the result of a combination of factors occurring at the same time.
These factors include the presence of the pathogen, the status and vulnerability
of the turf, and certain prevailing environmental conditions. The discovery
component of our turf disease project is focused on describing and defining the
factors that contribute to disease, thereby providing a foundation for building
modern effective disease control strategies. Click here to view a list of
recent research publications (pdf file).
Turf Disease Management
Fungicides are essential tools for suppressing
infectious diseases and maintaining high quality turf. Research continues to
identify appropriate chemical solutions for a variety of diseases and to
investigate how they can be used most efficiently to reduce costs and limit
chemical use.
Educational Programs in Turf Disease Identification
and Control
Turf
Disease Management Workshops, Seminars and Lectures
These programs are
designed to address topics relevant to the work of golf course superintendents,
sports turf managers, lawn care professionals, turf industry representatives,
consultants, and county extension staff. They address contemporary issues in
turf disease identification and control and often are offered as part of a more
comprehensive program on turf management.
Turfgrass Disease
Profiles
The
turf disease profiles represent a series of informational bulletins that deal
with important turf diseases in Indiana and the lower Midwest. These
descriptions describe the nature of disease-related damage, highlight diagnostic
signs and symptoms (color images are included), and discuss conditions that
promote disease outbreaks. They also address various kinds of control options
for professional and residential and offer specific recommendations for disease.
Turfgrass Management Blog
http://purdueturftips.blogspot.com/
View all Turfgrass Disease Profiles
Turfcast
Turfcast
is a computerized system that defines the connection between weather and turf
disease outbreaks. The system indexes each day in terms of the risk of
establishment and spread of three important diseases (dollar spot, brown patch,
and Pythium blight). The program is operational from April 1 through October 31
and is accessible to all interested users on the website
http://btny.agriculture.purdue.edu/turfcast.
Exploratory Activities
During the growing season, periodic field
excursions are conducted to assess the current status of turf disease
epidemics throughout Indiana and other parts of the Midwest. We also collect
isolates of certain pathogens so that we can profile their sensitivity to
common turf chemicals.