This Midwestern summer has been particularly hot and humid, and turfgrass diseases have become top concerns in sports field management. A recent call from a sports field manager dealing with brown patch disease (Rhizoctonia spp.) led to a broader conversation about host resistance and the remarkable progress made in turfgrass genetics. I connected the manager with our turfgrass pathologist to discuss fungicide options, and we also explored how modern cultivars now offer much greater resistance to destructive turf diseases.
Brown patch in tall fescue offers a clear example. For years , the standard advice was to avoid fertilizing tall fescue during the summer, based on the belief that it would worsen brown patch outbreaks. Recent research has challenged that assumption. When applied appropriately, summer fertilization doesn’t necessarily increase disease risk; and in some cases, it may actually help the turf recover more effectively from damage. Another long-held belief was that high-density, fine-textured cultivars were more susceptible to brown patch because they retained moisture. However, studies have shown this is not consistently the case.
What we do know is that cultivars bred specifically for disease resistance can withstand significant disease pressure. In fact, even if only about 75 percent of a tall fescue sward consists of resistant cultivars, brown patch severity can be reduced by up to 70 percent. Full resistance across the entire stand isn’t necessary to see meaningful results. For turf managers currently battling brown patch, an aggressive overseeding program with improved cultivars can be an effective long-term strategy.
Cultivar selection should always be based on the performance traits most relevant to your region and field use. If your field sees heavy spring activity, Kentucky bluegrass cultivars with early green-up and strong seedling vigor may be a good fit. For perennial ryegrass fields, which are highly disease-prone, disease resistance should be the top priority. With tall fescue, brown patch resistance often takes precedence.
It’s also important to consider other characteristics, such as drought and heat toleranc , wear resistance, insect resistance, and overall turf quality. While data from cultivar trials is essential, not all high-performing cultivars make it to market. Some fail to produce enough seed for commercial viability. Your seed supplier can help you identify cultivars that not only possess the traits you need, but are also commercially available and suited to your site.
Fortunately, several excellent resources are available to help turf managers evaluate and select cultivars. The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (ntep.org), compiles performance data from university trials across the country. Cultivars are statistically ranked for traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and wear recovery. The Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance focuses on identifying turfgrass cultivars that demonstrate improved water-use efficiency, which is an increasingly important trait in areas facing water restrictions or recurring drought. For more than a decade, the Alliance for Low Input Sustainable Turf (A-LIST) has identified cultivars that require fewer inputs — such as water, fertilizer, pesticides and mowing — while maintaining strong performance under stress.
The takeaway is that cultivar selection is about far more than aesthetics. With advances in breeding and the growing availability of reliable performance data, sports field managers can now build fields that are more resilient, more sustainable, and easier to manage through the most challenging parts of the season. Selecting the right cultivar(s) is one of the most effective nonchemical strategies available.
Thanks to modern plant breeding and trusted evaluation tools, sports field managers are better equipped than ever to make informed, environmentally responsible decisions.
Pamela Sherratt
Sports Turf Extension Specialist
The Ohio State University
Questions?
Send them to Pamela Sherratt at 202D Kottman Hall, 2001 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 or sherratt.1@osu.edu
Or send your question to Dr. Grady Miller, North Carolina State University, Box 7620, Raleigh, NC 27695-7620, or grady_miller@ncsu.edu