Annual/Termination Reports:

[05/30/2020] [10/18/2021] [03/07/2022] [03/16/2023] [02/14/2024]

Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

This meeting was cancelled due to covid-19 restrictions. The committee hopes to reschedule in 2021. 

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Stacy Bonos, Rutgers University
Leah Brilman, DLF Seed
Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University
Nancy Dykema, Michigan State University
Charles Fontanier, Oklahoma State University
Brandon Horvath, University of Tennessee
John Inguagiato, University of Connecticut
Geunhwa Jung, University of Massachusetts
John Kaminski, Penn State University
Mike Kenna, formerly of United States Golf Association
Megan Kennelly, Kansas State University
Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Dave McCall, Virginia Tech University
Lee Miller, University of Missouri
James Murphy, Rutgers University
Ed Nangle, Ohio State University
Joe Roberts, Clemson University
Cole Thompson, United States Golf Association
Joe Vargas, Michigan State University
Nathan Walker, Oklahoma State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p>Our initial meeting scheduled for March of 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A small subset of the group (Koch from Wisconsin, Bonos from Rutgers, and Miller from Missouri) initiated a small dollar spot sampling and sequencing project in the summer and fall of 2020. A new 'planning' meeting was held on March 9th, 2021 to plan for collaborative, multi-state research and related activities during the summer of 2021.</p><br /> <ul><br /> <li>Short-term outcomes: Two field projects were initiatied in 2021 at multiple sites including Clemson, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. No immediate short-term outcomes were available as of writing this report since one study just completed its first year of data collection and the second study was installed in anticipation of collecting data in the summer of 2021.</li><br /> <li>Outputs: One study was initiated in 2021 that generated data that will be used to generate reports. This study is referred to as the 'Combined Cultural Practices Study' and was performed at Clemson, Connecicut, Kansas State, Massachusetts, Ohio State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin. All sites ended data collection on October 1st and will be sending their data for analysis to Koch at Wisconsin in the coming weeks. A second study was planted in the late summer and early fall of 2021 and is referred to as the 'Resistant Cultivar Study' and is being performed at Kansas State, Michigan State, Massachusetts, Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin and at a United States Golf Association research plot in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Data will be collected for this study in 2022 and 2023.</li><br /> <li>Activities: In addition to the two studies discussed in the 'Outputs' section, approximately 36 isolates of C. jacksonii (causal agent of dollar spot) were collected from different cultivars in the summer and fall months in 2020 by researchers at Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Missouri. These isolates were all shipped to Rutgers where they will be sequenced to assess for any genetic differences in isolates collected from between the two seasons. In addition, a survey of golf course superintendents is being developed that will inquire about the factors they use to select creeping bentgrass cultivars for renovation projects on their golf course, with the goal of identifying roadblocks to increased adaptation of host resistance as a meaningful dollar spot management practice on golf courses.</li><br /> <li>Milestones: The COVID-19 pandemic slowed down our progress in 2020, but we made significant progress in 2021 and have studies that will address each of the project's 5 objectives in place or in planning over the next year.</li><br /> </ul><br /> <p>The NC1208 group will continue to collaborate on a number of projects in the next year. First, we will summarize the data collected from Year 1 of the 'Combined Cultural Practices' study and discuss any changes to make for Year 2 of that study. We will also initate the first year of data collection on the 'Resistant Cultivar Study' and summarize/analyze the data in fall of 2022. We will also distribute our 'Seed Selection Factors' survey to an international audience in the early spring of 2022 and collaborate with data scientists from the United States Golf Association to analyze the results. We also anticipate sequencing the dollar spot isolates collected during the summer and fall of 2020.</p><br /> <p>We intend to meet as a group, virtually or in-person, in early 2022 to discuss the results from 2021 and plan ahead for 2022.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Publications

<p>None to date.</p>

Impact Statements

1. Data has not yet been analyzed from the first year of collaborative research on this project so no impact statements are available.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Stacy Bonos, Rutgers University
Leah Brilman, DLF
Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University
Nancy Dykema, Michigan State University
Brandon Horvath, University of Tennessee
John Ingaugiato, University of Connecticut
John Kaminski, Penn State University
Mike Kenna formerly of United State Golf Association
Megan Kennelly, Kansas State University
Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Dave McCall, Virginia Tech University
Lee Miller, Purdue University
James Murphy, Rutgers University
Cole Thompson, United States Golf Association
Joe Vargas, Michigan State University
Nathan Walker, Oklahoma State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p>Short-term outcomes: The &lsquo;Combined Cultural Practices&rsquo; project was conducted in 2021 across 8 locations (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Penn State, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Clemson, and Wisconsin). The results from just the Wisconsin location can be viewed here (<a href="https://tdl.wisc.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/42/files/Interactive%20Pages/2021_Summer/Reports/UWDSCultural_2021.pdf">https://tdl.wisc.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/42/files/Interactive%20Pages/2021_Summer/Reports/UWDSCultural_2021.pdf</a>). Overall there were few treatment impacts using AUDPC. However, a quick look over individual rating dates found that many sites had individual dates with treatment differences. In general none of the treatments provided commercially acceptable dollar spot control. The sites with the most treatment differences were the two run by Virginia Tech. Both these sites found significant reductions of dollar spot with the dew removal treatments, of importance Va Tech was the only group that removed their dew early in the morning (ie earlier than 7 AM). Most other sites removed dew at 7 AM or later (we did it at approximately 7:30 in WI), and the suppressive effects were much less apparent at the later dew removal times. Timing of dew removal appears to be a key factor in its efficacy as a cultural practice.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Outputs: In addition to the &lsquo;Combined Cultural Practices&rsquo; project detailed above, the NC1208 team also planted a project called &lsquo;Resistant Cultivar&rsquo; project at 7 locations (Kansas State, Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and a USGA facility in North Carolina). The planting consisted of 3 cultivars of varying resistance to dollar spot. Penncross was planted as the most susceptible cultivar, Shark as the moderately resistant cultivar, and Coho as the most resistant cultivar. In 2022 each location will implement dew removal and the use of biocontrols to determine the efficacy of each cultural practice on bentgrasses with varying susceptibility to dollar spot.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Activities:</p><br /> <ul><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dollar spot fall sequencing</span>: Thiry-six isolates collected from Wisconsin and New Jersey during the summer and fall of 2020 have now been completely sequenced and are ready to analyze. A call will be set up to discuss the sequence results and what future steps may be taken (if any) to follow up on these initial sequences.</li><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bentgrass survey</span>: A survey was created in spring 2022 to identify factors superintendents use when selecting bentgrass cultivars so that we can encourage increased adoption of disease-resistant cultivars. The survey was distributed out via email and social media on March 7^th, 2022 and will remain open until approximately April 1^st. The results will be analyzed by the USGA.</li><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Remote sensing of dollar spot</span>: Dave McCall&rsquo;s Virginia Tech team provided an update on their remote sensing/imaging project. Their drone imaging appears to do an excellent job of mapping dollar spot outbreaks, and they are looking for other partners to work with and test the concept. Paul Koch mentioned that there might be some compatibility with research at UW looking to use the dollar spot prediction model to implement a precision disease management spraying system based on dollar spot probability data.</li><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Potential future project #1</span>: Lee Miller (Purdue) proposed a project to study the transition to a more resistant cultivar through repeated interseeding and without killing the turf present. This would seemingly increase the number of courses that could afford to transition because it wouldn&rsquo;t require the closure of the course. Assessing the success of the transition could be done both by reduction in dollar spot severity over time and by using molecular markers to quantify the presence of particular cultivars. It&rsquo;s unclear if this project will be able to implemented in 2022. Joe Vargas brought up the concern of annual bluegrass dominating the stand and not allowing for a transition.</li><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Potential future project #2</span>: Paul Koch proposed a project to the groups participating in the &lsquo;Resistant Cultivar&rsquo; project. The project would entail testing different dollar spot model spray thresholds on each of the three cultivars. The team could then compare the thresholds identified for each cultivar and use the model to estimate how much fungicide savings any golf course in the world could achieve by transitioning to a more resistant cultivar simply by entering their past environmental data into the model. The project would involve 5-6 treatments on each of the cultivars and daily monitoring of the dollar spot model. At this point the study is more likely to be implemented in 2023 instead of 2022.</li><br /> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dissemination of product findings: </span>The group briefly discussed ways to disseminate findings. Dissemination will include articles in regional and national trade journals, one or more field days towards the end of the project, and perhaps a national seminar at the GCSAA Conference or other venue.</li><br /> </ul><br /> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">&nbsp;</span></p><br /> <p>NC1208 has a number of collaborative projects in place for 2022 and potentially more planned for 2023. Additional data analysis will occur in the fall and winter of 2022-2023 and publications will begin to be prepared in 2023.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>We intend to meet as a group, virtually or in-person, in early 2023 to discuss the results from 2022 and plan ahead for 2023.</p>

Publications

<p>None to date</p>

Impact Statements

1. Data has not yet been analyzed from the first year of collaborative research on this project so no impact statements are available.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Cale Bigelow, Purdue University; Jada Powlen, Purdue University; Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Dave McCall, Virginia Tech University; Caleb Henderson, Virginia Tech University; Aaron Tucker, Virginia Tech University; Lee Miller, Purdue University; Ming-Yi Chou, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Rick Latin, Purdue University Emeritus; Nancy Dykema, Michigan State University; Joe Vargas, Michigan State University; Ray Hammerschmidt, Michigan State University; Pingyuan Zhang, Rutgers University; Emmanuel Byamukama, USDA; Geunhwa Jung, UMass-Amherst; Mike Kenna, United States Golf Association (Retured); Nathan Walker, Oklahoma State University; Scott Warnke, USDA-ARS; Jin Young Barnaby, USDA-ARS; Megan Kenelly, Kansas State University; Jim Murphy, Rutgers University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<ul><br /> <li>Short-term outcomes:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>Fall dollar spot sequencing: Final report on the sequencing results revealed no significant differences between the dollar spot isolates collected in the fall vs the summer. Though a small sample set, this suggests that environmental and/or management practices can be altered to better suppress fall dollar spot.</li><br /> <li>Cultural practices project: Across locations the impact of dew removal on dollar spot development varied, mostly due to the time of dew removal. We can inform turfgrass managers that for increased efficacy, remove dew as early in the morning as posssible.</li><br /> <li>Host resistance project: Coho was the most resistant cultivar chosen and showed excellent dollar spot resistance in the face of very heavy pressures. Can inform turfgrass managers that it's important to choose a cultivar with strong dollar spot resistance when seeding a new project.</li><br /> <li>Bentgrass cultivar survey: Survey results showed that turfgrass managers like to choose cultivars with increased dollar spot resistance but don't change disease management practices signifiantly after implementation. Altered management practices on resistant cultivars is an important point that researchers and extension specialists can focus on.</li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> <li>Outputs:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>Summary report of dollar spot sequencing demonstrated no significant differences between isolates collected during the summer or fall.</li><br /> <li>Dollar spot cultural practices project produced data on the efficacy of multiple cultural practices from 6 universities in 2022. This was the second year of data collected and is sufficient to begin working on a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed publication.</li><br /> <li>Dollar spot host resistance project produced data on the combined efficacy of host resistance and cultural practices from 7 different locations. This was the first year of data collection and the study will be repeated in 2023.</li><br /> <li>The bentgrass survey results provided results from 208 respondants detailing the most important factors considered when choosing a new bentgrass cultivar.</li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> <li>Activities:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>Dollar spot cultural practices project was a collaboration among Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, UMass, Clemson, Ohio St, and Penn St. All will collaborate on the development of the peer-reviewed manuscript.</li><br /> <li>Dollar spot host resistance was a collaboration among Wisconsin, Kansas St, MSU, PSU, Rutgers, UMass, and USGA at Pinehurst. This was the first year of data collection and all have agreed to participate in Year 2.</li><br /> <li>Bentgrass cultivar survey was conducted and the report disseminated among the group. An extension publication summarizing the results will be developed in 2023.</li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> <li>Milestones:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>Many milestones from this project have already been met. Milestones listed in the project proposal from 2021 and 2022 that have been completed include:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>Continue cultural practice and fungicide efficacy field trials developed in 2020. Present trials at university field days.</li><br /> <li>WI will continue to conduct preliminary &lsquo;precision dollar spot management&rsquo; field study.</li><br /> <li>Use molecular assays developed in 2020 (e.g., assays to quantify pathogen populations in the thatch and plant) to initiate new field studies exploring dollar spot biology and epidemiology.</li><br /> <li>Identify creeping bentgrass cultivars with highest dollar spot resistance and discuss strategies for increased adoption by golf course superintendents.</li><br /> <li>Continue field and in vitro trials established in 2020 and present data where appropriate at university field days and conferences/seminars/trade shows.</li><br /> <li>Continue epidemiological and resistance management studies using molecular assays developed in 2020.</li><br /> <li>Release strategies to increase adoption of dollar spot resistant bentgrass cultivars in golf course construction and renovation. Strategies may be incorporated into a stand-alone fact sheet, included with another fact sheet, or published solely on the website.</li><br /> <li>WI will conclude preliminary &lsquo;precision dollar spot management&rsquo; field study and present results and develop a recommendation for the feasibility of this technology moving forward.</li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> <li>Plans for coming year:<br /> <ul><br /> <li>We are initiating two new projects in 2023. One researching the most effective way to interseed new, resistant cultivars into an existing stand. Another to determine appropriate spray thresholds with the Smith-Kerns Dollar Spot model on cultivars with increased dollar spot resistance. We also plan to write and submit one peer-reviewed manuscript and one extension publication.</li><br /> </ul><br /> </li><br /> </ul>

Publications

<p>None to date.</p>

Impact Statements

1. Dew removal can be used to suppress dollar spot and potentially reduce reliance on fungicides. However, degree of dollar spot suppression is dependent on timing of dew removal and the focus should be to remove dew as early as possible in the morning. Future research is needed to determine the degree of fungicide savings possible through dew removal.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Back to top