Testing of alternative plant production products for the control of Microdochium nivale and other diseases on golf greens

Summary

In the Nordic countries, there is a need for alternative products that can replace fungicides for the control of Microdochium nivale. This project was initiated by the companies (1) Nordisk Alkali representing the seaweed product Vacciplant from the French manufacturer Göemar, and (2) Interagro BIOS representing the microbial products Turf WPG (Gliocladium sp.) and Turf S+ (Streptomyces sp.) from the Finnish manufacturer Verdera. Nordisk Alkali and Interagro BIOS received grants from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and signed contracts with STERF to set up a four year evaluation project.

Five field trials were carried out in Denmark, Sweden and Norway from October 2011 to September 2014. Turf WPG and Turf S+ were tested also in vitro. None of the test-products gave any consistent disease control in the field trials. A significant reduction in Microdochium nivale from 3 % of plot area on untreated plots to 2 % on treated plots was seen in one trial, but this was considered to be of little practical relevance. In all other trials with more severe attacks of Microdochium nivale, only the fungicide control treatment showed a significant reduction in disease compared with the untreated control. On average for all field trials over three years, the higher rate of Vacciplant, the combination of Turf WPG and Turf S+, and the fungicide control treatment gave, in turn, 22, 24 and 87 % less microdochium patch in the fall, but among  these, only the effect of fungicide was significant. The effects of the biological products on pink or gray (Typhula incarnata) snow mold after snow melt were even smaller.

In the in vitro trials, Turf S+ provided good control of Microdochium nivale at 6 and 16 ̊C, but Turf G+/WPG was effective only at the higher temperature. However, since these results could not be repeated under field conditions, we have to conclude that none of the test products represent any real alternative to fungicides for control of M. nivale or other diseases on Scandinavian golf courses.

Fundings (kSEK)

Project participants

Trygve S. Aamlid

Head of Research

Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy (NIBIO), Department for Urban Greening and Environmental Technology, Turfgrass Research Group, Landvik, Reddalsveien 215, 4886 Grimstad, Norway.

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