Influence of Various Fungicide Programs on the Prevention of Summer Stress June-september

Putting green summer stress management is of particular interested in the mid-Atlantic region and other areas in which turfgrass managers must maintain cool-season turfgrass in the area known as the transition-zone. In this region, golf course superintendents must be able to provide acceptable green speeds and turfgrass quality in the heat of the summer when growing conditions are suboptimal for creeping bentgrass. Previous research has shown that certain fungicides (Chipco Signature) may assist in the putting green stress management during these periods of intense heat. Although the mechanism remains unclear or poorly understood, the inclusion of StressGuard® in Signature appears to assist in this stress reduction when applied preventively. The objective of this study is to evaluate other turfgrass colorants, fungicides, and/or experimental compounds for their ability to improve turfgrass quality during the summer months.