The Ohio State University

Home TurfNotes With the retreat of the snow and the lingering wet cool weather conditions pink snow mold caused by Microdochium nivale is apparent on many golf courses. Patches of the disease appear as more or less circular patches, the turf canopy is matted and collapsed, leaf tissue is bleached, and if the fungus is active the outer edge may have a pinkish color, photo 1.

Pink snow mold produces abundant spores and can be easily moved and tracked by mowers, photo 1 & 2. In some cases the spore are also moved by water in drainage patterns. In either case new infection centers can develop and produce more spores and continue to spread the disease.

Even thought the crowns of plants may be alive, in most cases, recovery is slow and dependent on consistent warm temperatures for turf growth. Pink snow mold can cause substantial damage to greens, tees and fairways and may interfere with play. Cool wet spring weather patterns often result in lingering disease activity.

Fungicide applications can be made to manage the disease. Preventative applications are recommended especially on greens. Many materials are labeled for the disease including: thiram, iprodione, vinclozolin, thiophanate-methyl, the DMIs (propiconazole, triademefon, myclobutanil, triticonazole and metconazole), strobilurins (azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, pyraclostrobin and fluoxastrobin) and fludioxonil.

As a compliment to this posting, a Microdochium patch turf podcast is available.
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For other podcasts visit Buckeye Turf Podcasts

Posted by Joe Rimelspach & Michael Boehm