Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 4:15 PM
264-9

Fairy ring disease and soil water repellency in turfgrass ecosystems.

Michael Fidanza, PO Box 7009, Penn State University-Berks Campus, Penn State University-Berks Campus, 2080 Tulpehocken Rd., Reading, PA 19610

Fairy ring is one of the most common diseases of turfgrasses worldwide.  Many basidiomycete fungi are known to cause fairy ring in turfgrass areas (i.e., golf course greens, fairways, and tees, athletic fields, lawns, and general turf areas).  Necrotic or severely injured turfgrass and soil water repellency are frequently observed in those sites afflicted with type-I fairy ring symptoms.  Those necrotic zones are associated with a combination of direct and indirect effects of the basidiomycete fungi on soil hydrophobicity and the accumulation of potentially phytotoxic compounds in the turfgrass root zone.  Further research is needed to explore the complex interaction of basidiomycete fungi and the possible role of hydrophobin proteins, and soil chemical and physical properties attributed to type-I fairy ring symptoms in turfgrass.