TURF (3B): TURF PEST MANAGEMENT -
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Name6some6of6the6factors6turfgrass6managers6must6consider6when6setting6pest6manage
ment6priorities.6-6ans--
Turfgrass6management6professionals6must6consider6human6safety,6environmental6safet
y,6turf6use(s),6efficacy,6and6economics.
Why6do6pest6management6thresholds6in6turf6vary?6-6ans--
Pest6thresholds6vary6from6site6to6site6because6they6depend6on6site6characteristics6and6u
ses.6For6example,6there6may6be6zero6tolerance6for6pests6of6any6sort6on6a6gold6green.6On
6the6other6hand,6there6may6be6no6great6need6to6control6pests6in6the6grassy6areas6of6an6in
dustrial6site.6However,6setting6thresholds6in6some6sites6-
6like6a6school6athletic6field6or6playground6-6may6not6be6simple6and6clear-
cut.6A6thick,6uniform6surface6is6ideal6for6play6areas,6for6optimum6utility6and6safety.6This,6i
n6turn,6means6the6tolerance6for6pests6is6low.6However6reliance6on6pesticide6use6may6not6
be6acceptable6for6some6recreational6sites,6especially6if6the6primary6users6of6that6site6are6
children.
What6is6the6first,6most6basic6step6to6take6to6manage6pest6problems?
6Explain6your6answer.6-6ans--
Use6Best6Management6Practices6(BMPs)6for6initial6design,6installation,6and6maintenance
6programs.6Begin6by6selecting6high6quality,6disease-6and6insect-
free6turfgrass.6When6possible,6plant6or6install6resistant6varieties.6Choosing6the6right6varie
ty6for6the6site6and6use(s)6is6essential.6Next,6good6cultural6practices6provide6the6best6cond
itions6for6plant6health.
Why6should6you6focus6your6attention6on6key6pests,6key6varieties,6or6key6locations?6-
6ans--
They6are6most6likely6to6cause6problems.6Key6pests,6varieties,6and6locations6require6spec
ial6monitoring6and6care.
What6is6a6"key6pest"?6-6ans--
A6key6pest6is6one6that6often6reaches6population6densities6that6justify6management,6and/
or6is6capable6of6causing6unacceptable6damage6at6relatively6low6densities,6and/
or6attacks6and6damages6turfgrass(es)6in6conspicuous6or6valuable6areas.
What6is6a6"key6variety"?6-6ans--
A6"key6variety"6has6a6special6"high6profile"6use.6A6variety6that6sustains6damage6from6pes
, ts6on6a6regular6basis,6or6has6a6particular6pest6that6can6kill6or6disfigure6it6in6low6densities,6
would6also6be6considered6a6"key6variety."
Describe6a6site6that6would6be6considered6a6key6location.6-6ans--
Key6locations6are6heavily6used6or6are6significant6in6some6way.6Areas6where6turfgrasses6
have6chronic6problems6with6pests,6and/
or6areas6that6are6near6something6or6someone6requiring6special6protection6are6"key6locati
ons."
Name6several6things6you6need6to6make6an6accurate6diagnosis6of6a6pest6problem.6-6ans--
Description6of6the6type6and6extent6of6plant6damage,6identification6of6the6pest,6familiarity6
with6the6life6cycle6of6the6pest,6a6good6estimation6of6the6size6and6distribution6of6the6pest6p
opulation,6and6an6assessment6of6whether6it6is6increasing6or6decreasing.
Define6the6term6"Integrated6Pest6Management."6List6IPM6tactics6used6in6turfgrass6pest6c
ontrol.6-6ans--
Integrated6Pest6Management6refers6to6the6use6of6a6combination6of6pest6control6tactics.6I
PM6programs6use6many6types6of6techniques6in6a6single6plan6or6strategy6to6reduce6pests6
and6keep6their6damage6to6an6acceptable6level.6IPM6tactics6include6monitoring6and6early6
detection,6sanitation,6and6cultural,6mechanical6(physical),6biological,6and6chemical6contr
ol6methods.
What6is6biological6control?6Give6one6example.6-6ans--
Biological6control6involves6using6some6aspect6of6the6pest's6biology6to6control6it.6One6exa
mple6is6the6uyse6of6natural6enemies,6biological6agents6that6control6a6pest.6Turfgrass6man
agers6can6preserve6or6encourage6natural6enemies6already6present6in6the6system.6Altern
atively,6they6can6introduce6commercially6produced6biological6organisms.6Biological6contr
ol6also6includes6the6use6of6pheromones6or6juvenile6hormones6to6control6insects.
What6are6some6factors6that6influence6the6success6of6biological6controls?6-6ans--
Biological6control6agents6usually6target6specific6pests.6Biological6control6agents6must6be6
able6to6move6to6-6or6be6placed6in6contact6with6-
6the6target6pest.6For6that6reason,6application6techniques6influence6success.6Adoption6of6
biological6control6measures6usually6takes6careful6planning6and6timing.6Finally,6biological6
control6organisms6must6be6able6to6tolerate6conditions6at6the6site.6To6be6sustainable,6they
6must6persist6from6season6to6season.
What6is6cultural6control?6List6several6cultural6control6tactics6used6in6turf.6-6ans--
Cultural6control6measures6disrupt6the6normal6relationship6between6pest6and6host6in6orde
r6to6prevent6or6suppress6an6infestation.6Cultural6controls6make6the6pest6less6likely6to6surv
ive,6grow,6or6reproduce.6They6can6involve6changing6the6turf6grass6environment6or6its6phy
sical6condition.6Cultural6control6measures6may6also6change6the6behavior6of6a6pest.6In6tur
f,6variety6selection6and6proper6establishment6are6basic6cultural6control6measures.6Other6
practices6employed6in6turf6include6thatch6management6and6proper6mowing,6watering,6an
d6fertilization6regimes.6Aerating6soil6and6cultivation6practices6that6improve6water6infiltratio
n6(spiking,6vertical6mowing,6or6coring)6can6help.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Name6some6of6the6factors6turfgrass6managers6must6consider6when6setting6pest6manage
ment6priorities.6-6ans--
Turfgrass6management6professionals6must6consider6human6safety,6environmental6safet
y,6turf6use(s),6efficacy,6and6economics.
Why6do6pest6management6thresholds6in6turf6vary?6-6ans--
Pest6thresholds6vary6from6site6to6site6because6they6depend6on6site6characteristics6and6u
ses.6For6example,6there6may6be6zero6tolerance6for6pests6of6any6sort6on6a6gold6green.6On
6the6other6hand,6there6may6be6no6great6need6to6control6pests6in6the6grassy6areas6of6an6in
dustrial6site.6However,6setting6thresholds6in6some6sites6-
6like6a6school6athletic6field6or6playground6-6may6not6be6simple6and6clear-
cut.6A6thick,6uniform6surface6is6ideal6for6play6areas,6for6optimum6utility6and6safety.6This,6i
n6turn,6means6the6tolerance6for6pests6is6low.6However6reliance6on6pesticide6use6may6not6
be6acceptable6for6some6recreational6sites,6especially6if6the6primary6users6of6that6site6are6
children.
What6is6the6first,6most6basic6step6to6take6to6manage6pest6problems?
6Explain6your6answer.6-6ans--
Use6Best6Management6Practices6(BMPs)6for6initial6design,6installation,6and6maintenance
6programs.6Begin6by6selecting6high6quality,6disease-6and6insect-
free6turfgrass.6When6possible,6plant6or6install6resistant6varieties.6Choosing6the6right6varie
ty6for6the6site6and6use(s)6is6essential.6Next,6good6cultural6practices6provide6the6best6cond
itions6for6plant6health.
Why6should6you6focus6your6attention6on6key6pests,6key6varieties,6or6key6locations?6-
6ans--
They6are6most6likely6to6cause6problems.6Key6pests,6varieties,6and6locations6require6spec
ial6monitoring6and6care.
What6is6a6"key6pest"?6-6ans--
A6key6pest6is6one6that6often6reaches6population6densities6that6justify6management,6and/
or6is6capable6of6causing6unacceptable6damage6at6relatively6low6densities,6and/
or6attacks6and6damages6turfgrass(es)6in6conspicuous6or6valuable6areas.
What6is6a6"key6variety"?6-6ans--
A6"key6variety"6has6a6special6"high6profile"6use.6A6variety6that6sustains6damage6from6pes
, ts6on6a6regular6basis,6or6has6a6particular6pest6that6can6kill6or6disfigure6it6in6low6densities,6
would6also6be6considered6a6"key6variety."
Describe6a6site6that6would6be6considered6a6key6location.6-6ans--
Key6locations6are6heavily6used6or6are6significant6in6some6way.6Areas6where6turfgrasses6
have6chronic6problems6with6pests,6and/
or6areas6that6are6near6something6or6someone6requiring6special6protection6are6"key6locati
ons."
Name6several6things6you6need6to6make6an6accurate6diagnosis6of6a6pest6problem.6-6ans--
Description6of6the6type6and6extent6of6plant6damage,6identification6of6the6pest,6familiarity6
with6the6life6cycle6of6the6pest,6a6good6estimation6of6the6size6and6distribution6of6the6pest6p
opulation,6and6an6assessment6of6whether6it6is6increasing6or6decreasing.
Define6the6term6"Integrated6Pest6Management."6List6IPM6tactics6used6in6turfgrass6pest6c
ontrol.6-6ans--
Integrated6Pest6Management6refers6to6the6use6of6a6combination6of6pest6control6tactics.6I
PM6programs6use6many6types6of6techniques6in6a6single6plan6or6strategy6to6reduce6pests6
and6keep6their6damage6to6an6acceptable6level.6IPM6tactics6include6monitoring6and6early6
detection,6sanitation,6and6cultural,6mechanical6(physical),6biological,6and6chemical6contr
ol6methods.
What6is6biological6control?6Give6one6example.6-6ans--
Biological6control6involves6using6some6aspect6of6the6pest's6biology6to6control6it.6One6exa
mple6is6the6uyse6of6natural6enemies,6biological6agents6that6control6a6pest.6Turfgrass6man
agers6can6preserve6or6encourage6natural6enemies6already6present6in6the6system.6Altern
atively,6they6can6introduce6commercially6produced6biological6organisms.6Biological6contr
ol6also6includes6the6use6of6pheromones6or6juvenile6hormones6to6control6insects.
What6are6some6factors6that6influence6the6success6of6biological6controls?6-6ans--
Biological6control6agents6usually6target6specific6pests.6Biological6control6agents6must6be6
able6to6move6to6-6or6be6placed6in6contact6with6-
6the6target6pest.6For6that6reason,6application6techniques6influence6success.6Adoption6of6
biological6control6measures6usually6takes6careful6planning6and6timing.6Finally,6biological6
control6organisms6must6be6able6to6tolerate6conditions6at6the6site.6To6be6sustainable,6they
6must6persist6from6season6to6season.
What6is6cultural6control?6List6several6cultural6control6tactics6used6in6turf.6-6ans--
Cultural6control6measures6disrupt6the6normal6relationship6between6pest6and6host6in6orde
r6to6prevent6or6suppress6an6infestation.6Cultural6controls6make6the6pest6less6likely6to6surv
ive,6grow,6or6reproduce.6They6can6involve6changing6the6turf6grass6environment6or6its6phy
sical6condition.6Cultural6control6measures6may6also6change6the6behavior6of6a6pest.6In6tur
f,6variety6selection6and6proper6establishment6are6basic6cultural6control6measures.6Other6
practices6employed6in6turf6include6thatch6management6and6proper6mowing,6watering,6an
d6fertilization6regimes.6Aerating6soil6and6cultivation6practices6that6improve6water6infiltratio
n6(spiking,6vertical6mowing,6or6coring)6can6help.
