Evaluation of a Soil Enhancement Product for Necrotic Ring Spot Control.

Necrotic ring spot (Ophiosphaerella korrae) is the most commonly diagnosed fungal turfgrass disease by the Utah State University Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory. The disease effects cool-season grasses in the state and region, particularly Kentucky bluegrass. The necrotic ring spot (NRS) disease pathogen infects and kills turfgrass roots and crowns, resulting in the blighted appearance of turf amidst an otherwise healthy area.

In 2015, Utah State University began a research study of the Ring to GREEN soil enhancement product by GreenMaster Distributing, LLC for the control of NRS in turfgrass. The Ring to GREEN product claims to promote turfgrass growth and green color, as well as to improve general turf plant health. The product is also suggested as either an annual preventive program, or as an active control program for those areas in which infection has already occurred.

Five study locations with active NRS infection were identified and treatments began in late 2015 and 2016. At each of the study sites, three or four diseased areas for evaluation and treatment were located. Subsequent visits to each location included digital imagery collection and Ring to GREEN treatment of the same damaged areas to determine percent green cover. A final evaluative visit occurred in late summer of 2016.

Average percent green cover changed markedly over the course of the study for all test sites and ranged from a low of 29% green cover to a high of 99% green cover. At every study location and area tested, the trend was for percent green cover to improve over the course of the study. On average, final measures of percent green cover were above the aesthetically acceptable level of 50% at every test site.