Dollar Spot
| Problem |
Dollar Spot |
| Host Grass Types |
Fescue (Festuca), Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera), Annual Meadowgrass (Poa annua), Smooth Stalked Meadowgrass (Poa pratensis), Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne) |
| Symptons |
On close-mown turf, the disease presents as round brown/straw-coloured spots approximately the size of a silver Dollar. On higher cutting heights the spots are larger and more diffuse. Leaf lesions have a bleached white centre and reddish/brown borders. Some mycelial growth may be visible in early morning |
Conditions that can favour the development of the disease
- Prolonged periods of leaf wetness
- Moderately dry soil
- Humidity with temperatures of 21 - 26°C
- Morning dews
- Low to deficient Nitrogen (N) fertility
- Excessive thatch
- Frequent mowing
Management strategy to reduce the likelihood of attack
- Reduce periods of leaf wetness by regulating irrigation inputs (deep and infrequent)
- Switch or ‘dew whip’ to remove dew
- Maintain turf health with balanced nutritional inputs to reduce the risk of attack and aid recovery
- Aerate to ensure that the rootzone is not compacted
- Use penetrant wetting agent to move water through the upper soil profile and keep the surface dry
- Manage thatch levels in a programmed approach
- Box-off cuttings from affected areas if possible
- Establish resistant grass types/cultivars
- Use fungicides as part of your iTurf programme and be aware of causing resistance to one chemical group by its regular use
Treating Dollar Spot with fungicide
Ensure you achieve good coverage by using the correct sprayer nozzles. The Syngenta XC Turf Nozzles have been engineered to achieve an improved coverage with reduced drift compared to flat fan type nozzles. The Foliar XC 04 is recommended for foliar fungicide applications.
Appropriate supporting ranges for the maintenance of healthy turf:
- Sierraform GT
- Greenmaster Pro-Lite
- Greenmaster Liquid
- H2Pro
Approved fungicides for the control of Dollar Spot are:
- Headway
- BannerMaxx
- Instrata
Preventative Strategy (Guidance Only)
Curative Programme (Guidance Only)
