February 01, 2010
Take control of dollar spot with the Emerald® First, Emerald Last application strategy
Timing is everything when staying ahead of the industry’s most pervasive turfgrass disease, dollar spot. Research from university turfgrass pathologists and experiences of golf course superintendents confirm that controlling dollar spot requires a year-round, preventative approach, which is the foundation of BASF’s Emerald® First, Emerald Last fungicide application strategy.
Dollar spot overwinters as dormant mycelium or sclerotial flakes. As a result, the amount of disease present moving into winter directly influences the arrival and severity of the disease in spring and summer. Preventative Emerald First applications in the spring provide excellent residual control to alleviate dollar spot pressure throughout summer and fall. Superintendents can defend against dollar spot threat by preventatively spraying Emerald fungicide several weeks before dollar spot is expected to appear.
Even though temperatures drop in autumn, disease threats remain. To reduce overwintering inoculum, schedule a late-season Emerald Last application before winter’s first frost.
Photo: Prevent chronic dollar spot with Emerald first in the spring and Emerald last in the fall.
