With the current spell of extremely hot, humid weather across the UK and Europe, turf managers should be on high alert for Dollar Spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once considered a relatively minor disease affecting mainly fescue turf, Dollar Spot has become one of the most common summer diseases on golf courses and sports turf. Today it regularly affects fescue, annual meadow-grass and bentgrass surfaces, and outbreaks are becoming increasingly common as summers become warmer and more humid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why is the Current Weather High Risk?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dollar Spot develops when warm temperatures combine with prolonged leaf wetness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The disease risk increases when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When leaves remain wet overnight, conditions become ideal for the fungus to infect and spread rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Should You Look For?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first signs are usually small, straw-coloured patches approximately 25-50 mm<\/strong> across – about the size of an old silver dollar coin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike many turf diseases, these individual spots usually remain relatively small but can merge together during severe outbreaks, creating large areas of damaged turf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During periods of warm, humid weather you may also notice white, cobweb-like fungal growth (mycelium) on the leaf surface early in the morning before the dew has dried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If weather conditions improve and action is taken quickly, the disease may remain limited to small leaf lesions that can be grown or mown out. However, prolonged warm nights, heavy dew and continued humidity can allow the disease to spread rapidly, causing significant reductions in turf quality and playability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Immediate Actions to Reduce Risk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While weather cannot be controlled, the environment around the leaf can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During high-risk periods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always rotate fungicide chemistry to reduce the risk of resistance development. In several regions of the world, Dollar Spot populations have already shown reduced sensitivity to some fungicide groups, making resistance management essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long-Term Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reducing disease pressure starts long before symptoms appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long-term strategies include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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