Turfgrass Research Field Day is Aug. 11 in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Golf course superintendents, athletic field managers and lawn care professionals are encouraged to attend Turfgrass Research Field Day on Aug. 11 at the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation’s Research and Education Facility, 2710 North Star Road, Columbus.

Turf professionals can learn about new research and technologies in turfgrass management, brush up on diagnostic skills, and get updates on environmental issues, said Pam Sherratt, a turfgrass specialist with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University and one of the event’s organizers.

Registration is $40 for Ohio Turfgrass Association members and $60 for nonmembers.

Morning sessions — starting at 8 a.m. — include:

·       Gray Leaf Spot Forecasting, by Francesca Peduto Hand, associate professor in Ornamental and Turf Pathology with the college’s Department of Plant Pathology.

• Fungicide Updates for Golf, by Joe Rimelspach, program specialist, and Todd Hicks, program coordinator, both with plant pathology.
• Granular Fungicide Evaluation, by Rimelspach and Hicks.
• Herbicide Efficacy During Spring and Summer Seeding, by Amanda Folck, student assistant in Sustainable Plant Systems, David Gardner, associate professor, and Sherratt, all with the college’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
• Poa Cure Updates, by Eva Fang, graduate student in plant pathology.
• Trials and Tribulations of Bermudagrass in Northern Climates, by Matt Williams, turfgrass program coordinator and Siobhan Cusack, intern in turfgrass science, both with horticulture and crop science
• Plant Responses to Acidovorax, by Arly Drake, graduate research assistant in Putting Green Playability with horticulture and crop science.
• Putting Green Management, Karl Danneberger, professor in Turfgrass Physiology and Ecology, and Gail Gu, student assistant, both with horticulture and crop science.
• How to Kill Weeds!, by Gardner.
• Turf Insect Management for Golf Courses, by Jennifer Andon, research assistant with the college’s Department of Entomology.
• Turf Insect Management for Lawns and Sports Fields, by David Shetlar, professor of entomology.
• Updates in Ground Penetrating Radar for Putting Greens, by Barry Allred, adjunct assistant professor with the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and Ed McCoy, associate professor in soil science with the college’s School of Environment and Natural Resources.

The field day will conclude with two afternoon sessions:

• Herbicides and Environmental Fate, by Gardner.
• Pesticides and Environmental Fate, by Shetlar.

“There will also be an opportunity to earn Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) pesticide recertification credits at this event, which includes presentations and demonstrations on turfgrass research and development from industry specialists,” Pam Sherratt said.

The field day is the result of a partnership between Ohio State and the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation.

More information, including an online registration form, is available at www.ohioturfgrass.org/ or by contacting Brian Laurent at brian@ohioturf.org or 614-285-4683.

Ohio State is also partnering with the Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) for the Turfgrass Diagnostic Field Day on Aug. 13. More information for the OLCA event is available at www.ohiolawncare.org or by calling 800-510-5296.