PPDL Picture of the Week

August 24, 2020

ORANGE SHOES, ANYONE?

Gail Ruhl and Tom Creswell, Plant Disease Diagnosticians, PPDL

Walking through your rust-infected lawn may be just the ticket if you like orange shoes.  However, if orange is not your favorite color, you probably will not appreciate this fungal turf disease!

Rust diseases in turf are caused by several different fungi in the genus Puccinia and Uromyces. In the Midwest, turf rust typically becomes noticeable in late August and September. The rust-colored, tiny spores of the fungus rub off easily on shoes, fingers, clothes and even animals romping through the grass.  Rust infections are most common on Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass lawns.

Rust will cause the turf to take on a generally yellow appearance and symptoms appear to be more evident when the weather is dry.

Control recommendations include using blends of resistant turf cultivars and providing adequate water and fertility levels to keep the grass growing vigorously during dry periods.  Fungicide treatments are recommended only if the lawn has experienced continuous heavy infections.

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Refer to the Diseases of Turfgrass page and click on Turfgrass Disease Profiles: Leaf Rust (BP-110-W) for more information on Rust on Turf.