1Pest Management ConceptsFor TurfDavid J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The BugDocLandscape EntomologistThe Ohio State UniversityTraditional Definition(based on field crops)IPM is a decision making process which selects, integrates, and implements pest control tactics (biological, chemical or cultural) based on predicted economic, ecological, and sociological consequences.Integrated Pest ManagementIPM2Integrated Pest Management(IPM)ChemicalBiological CulturalTheoretically, chemical, biological and cultural control tactics are “equal” in importance!Current ideology is that biological and cultural tactics are preferred!Traditional Approaches(based on crops)• sample pest populations on a regular basis.• develop pest economic injury levels.• determine economic threshold levels (action thresholds) for each crop and pest.IPM Principles and Concepts3Problems Applying Field Crop Concepts to Turfgrass Areas• turfgrass is an aesthetic “crop.”• turfgrass is a perennial, not easily replaced if damaged.• turfgrass is often maintained on the edge of stress or under high stress!• it’s easier to spray than monitor! IPM Principles and ConceptsUrban Approaches(for landscapes, Raupp et al.)• Key Plants - plants prone to damaging pest problems. (Turf? – are all turf species equally susceptible to pests?)• Key Pests - pests that can cause serious damage or plant loss. (Turf? – area all turf pests equal in their potential to damage turf?)Applying Urban Landscape IPM Principles and Concepts to Turfgrass4Current Approach to Ornamental Plant Maintenance• MAP landscape, identifying key plants and key pests.• Evaluate individual plants and consult with owner about desires for plants –maintenance, push growth, etc.• Use targeted pesticide applications.• Recommend “crop” rotation!?Using Ornamental Plant Maintenance Approach with Turf• MAP turfgrass (individual lawns, neighborhoods, golf course, sport fields) noting susceptible turf and pest type and locations.• What is desired for each turf area? (front year vs back yard; greens vs fairways; practice fields versus varsity field).• Use targeted (area) pesticide applications.• Recommend “crop” rotation!? (turf renovations?)5Grub Sampling on Golf FairwayGrid PatternZig-zag PatternNotes: A golf course can be mapped for grub populations with a crew of four people (using the grid pattern) or even just one person (using the zig-zag pattern). Each sampler uses a golf course cup changer to pull turf cores which are inspected for the number of grubs present. In the grid pattern, three samplers pull plugs and yell out the results to the recorder. An 18-hole course can be sampled in one to two days. Where core samples average one grub per core (each sample is 1/10thsquare foot), grub damage or animal digging will result and controls are needed.The problem with this method is that white grubs are most easily sampled for when they are in the second instar stage. By this time, you will have to select an insecticide that has good curative action. Many of the newer grub insecticides work best when used as a preventive. In this case, a better strategy would be to use historic records. If an area has experienced grub damage in the past, it is likely at risk in thefuture, as long as thatch and organic matter levels remain high.6Grub Sampling on Home Lawn7Notes: Grub sampling in lawns and sport fields is rarely done, but is just easy to perform as on golf course fairways. Just use a golf course cup changer and sample on a grid that is 15 to 20 ft centers. In home lawns, shady and thin turf rarely hasgrubs, so these areas don’t have to be sampled.In most cases, using historic records is a good predictor of grub damage potential. Research has shown that lawns, grounds or sport fields damaged by white grubs in one season are likely at 80% or higher risk of repeating the damage the next season!Sampling Turfgrass Insects• Hands-and-Knees! (billbugs, chinch bugs, sod webworms, etc.)• Tug Test – billbugs• Soap Flush – caterpillars & mole crickets• Soil Samples (cup changer, shovel, knife, etc.) – white grubs, billbug larvae, ground pearls, etc.8Plant Health CareCurrent ThinkingIn Plant Health Care (PHC), the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is only ONE component of the system - the one dealing with "intervention" after a plant (turf) stress has been identified as being caused by a pest.Plant Health CareStress (or Pest)ManagementPlant EvaluationPlant ClientIntervention?9Integrated Pest ManagementMONITORPESTSInsectsDiseasesWeedsChemical ControlsCultural ControlsBiological ControlsPlantClientStress (or Pest)ManagementPlant EvaluationIntervention?In Plant Health Care,the PLANT and its OWNER(client, manager, etc.) arethe central focus of thesystemMONITORPESTSInsectsDiseasesWeedsChemical Controls Cultural ControlsBiological Controls In Integrated Pest Management,the PESTS are the centralfocus of the system10Turf Health Care PyramidLawnsSoil, Precipitation, Temperatures, SunSpecies, Fertility, Mowing, Irrigation, ThatchWeedsInsectsDiseaseNotes: The base foundation for the turf in lawns is the environment in which it will be grown (soil conditions, annual rainfall, annual temperature ranges, and amount of available sun). This environment dictates the grass species and cultivars that should be considered and selected. General maintenance then has a major impact on the turf “health” – fertilization levels and types, mowing height and frequency, irrigation availability and frequency, core aerification and thatch management, etc. Finally, the pest complexes (weeds, insects and diseases) have to be considered for each type of turf. For most lawns, weeds are the most common pests dealt with, followed by insects. Diseasesare rarely controlled with fungicides in turf because of their cost.11Turf Health Care PyramidGolf CoursesSoil, Precipitation, Temperatures, SunSpecies, Fertility, Mowing, Irrigation, ThatchInsectsDiseaseWeedsNotes: Notice that in golf course turf, the base foundations of the environment and maintenance remain the most important components for turf health, but the pests and importance of those pests (calculated by cost of management and risk of losing turf) has changed. Disease management ends up costing more and the risk of turf loss is high. While weed control may be less on some courses, I’ve factored in the costs of plant growth regulators and management of annual bluegrass. Of