Optimization of Application Timing and Frequency of Microbial Inoculants for Turfgrass Disease Control
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Considerable information is now available concerning the use of microbial inoculants for the control of turfgrass diseases. However, despite positive experimental results, few microbial inoculants have been highly effective in field studies or in commercial use on golf courses. A number of studies have shown that microbial agents perform most effectively when populations can be maintained at high levels, usually at populations exceeding 107 cells/g soil. However, applications made during the daytime hours may limit population development due to UV exposure or to desiccation. The limited number of success stories of biological control on golf courses have been from sites where applications of biological control organisms were applied during the overnight hours. Technology is now available for golf course superintendents to culture microbial inoculants on site at the golf course and apply inoculants directly through the irrigation system at any time of the day or night. It is now feasible for superintendents to make applications on a daily basis. This study was designed to evaluate the impacts of application scheduling on the disease control efficacy of introduced microbial inoculants.