Warm-season grasses like bermudagrass and zoysiagrass are usually preferred in southern states, as they are more tolerant of heat, drought, insects and diseases compared to cool-season turfgrasses. However, that does not mean they are bulletproof! All of the major warm-season grasses can have fungal disease problems, and the most severe diseases are spring dead spot and large patch. Spring dead spot (SDS) is primarily a concern on bermudagrass, while large patch can infect all warm-season grasses. The University of Arkansas turfgrass program has evaluated various cultural and chemical strategies to control these diseases for many years and continues to evaluate new products and practices that can be used to manage the diseases. Click here to listen to the podcast and read the article.
