ReviewFree Access icon

Spring Dead Spot of Bermudagrass: A Challenge for Researchers and Turfgrass Managers

    Affiliations
    Authors and Affiliations
    • Lane P. Tredway , Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
    • Maria Tomaso-Peterson , Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762
    • Hunter Perry , Department of Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
    • Nathan R. Walker , Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078

      Spring dead spot is a destructive disease of bermudagrass turf in climates where the host is exposed to freezing temperatures during winter dormancy. The disease is the result of a complex interaction between a dormant host plant, fungal pathogens in the genus Ophiosphaerella, and environmental conditions. Although progress has been made in our understanding of the individual factors that determine spring dead spot development, we must begin to understand how factors interact to influence the disease. This knowledge will facilitate the development of effective and integrated management plans for spring dead spot in bermudagrass turf.

      Accepted for publication 8 May 2009. Published 10 July 2009.