TN Turf Tuesdays

Diseases are a problem for everyone in turfgrass. Whether it’s brown patch on tall fescue lawns, anthracnose affecting Poa annua, or spring dead spot of bermudagrass, there are many pathogens to control. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jesse Benelli from Envu Environmental Sciences to discuss the latest fungicide technologies available for disease control in the transition zone.

We are joined by Dr. Becky Bowling, the newest addition to the UT Turfgrass Team. Dr. Becky Bowling will be taking over for the legendary Dr. Tom Samples who retired in 2022. In this episode, we will learn about Dr. Bowling’s background in the turfgrass industry and how she plans to engage with turfgrass managers on pest management issues in the future.

Dollar spot is a common pathogen of both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses worldwide. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Paul Koch for a discussion of all things dollar spot. Learn about the latest research regarding the relationship between nitrogen and dollar spot incidence, predictive modeling, new fungicides, and more.

The 22nd FIFA World Cup came to a captivating conclusion in the summer of 2022. In this episode, we are joined by agronomists to discuss pest management and agronomic challenges associated with playing surface setup in Qatar, as well as what is in store for the 23rd edition of this tournament heading to the Americas in 2026.

Pesticide products used for turfgrass management are regularly re-evaluated by the Environmental Protection Agency using the latest information available. In this episode, we are joined by Chava McKeel, Director of Government Affairs for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. She’ll provide an update on the latest regulatory changes affecting active ingredients such as oxadiazon, PCNB, and more.

The growing season may be slowing down but there is still work to be done. Shoulder season weed and disease pests commonly invade warm-season turfgrasses during autumn and turfgrass managers need to prepare accordingly. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Dave McCall (Virginia Tech) and Jordan Booth (United States Golf Association) to discuss the latest strategies for controlling spring dead spot, as well as large patch, Poa annua, and more.

The growing season may be slowing down but there is still work to be done. Shoulder season weed and disease pests commonly invade warm-season turfgrasses during autumn and turfgrass managers need to prepare accordingly. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Dave McCall (Virginia Tech) and Jordan Booth (United States Golf Association) to discuss the latest strategies for controlling spring dead spot, as well as large patch, Poa annua, and more.

Early order programs (EOP) are often used by turfgrass managers to acquire herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and other crop protectants. If you’re not familiar with these programs, this episode is for you! We are joined by two industry veterans — Jason Frank (Harrell’s) and Steve Ellis (Simplot Partners) — to discuss the basics of EOP programs, how they’ve evolved over time, and where they are headed in the future.
For more information on the Harrell's EOP program mentioned in the show, visit: https://www.harrells.com/Products/EOP
For more information on the Simplot EOP program mentioned in the show, visit: https://partners.simplot.com/early-order-programs 

It’s soon to be football time in Tennessee and the team at Neyland Stadium has been hard at work getting the playing surface ready for the upcoming season. In this episode, we are joined by Bryan Ogle, CSFM, to learn about strategies used to optimize turfgrass quality and minimize pest invasion while preparing turfgrass for use at the highest level of NCAA football.

Several new cultivars have made their way into the turfgrass industry in recent years including those with reduced irrigation requirements, improved turfgrass quality and performance, as well as reduced susceptibility to pest invasion. In this episode, we’re joined by Drs. Becky Grubbs-Bowling (Texas A&M University) and Adam Thoms (Iowa State University) to talk about advancements in cultivar development and how facilities can make best use of this new plant material when renovating in the near future.