Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

IPM also encompasses the prevention of pest problems before they occur by selecting cultivars for improved pest resistance, using cultural practices to lessen the potential for pest pressure, and improving the effectiveness of pest control programs while reducing some of the negative effects. Chemical controls can be used when needed but should be selected to have minimal effect on beneficial organisms and the environment and to minimize the development of pesticide resistance. For more information related to selecting appropriate turfgrass cultivars for Maryland and implementing an IPM for turf in Maryland, see the "Cultural Practices" chapter and the following additional resources: • Recommended Turfgrass Cultivars for Certified Sod Production and Seed Mixtures in Maryland . 2016. University of Maryland. • IPM Series: Turf . 2012. University of Maryland Extension. • Maryland Pesticide Applicator Core Manual . National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation. • Develop a written IPM plan for your golf course. (Available resources for writing an IPM plan include the GCSAA’s IPM information and Greengolfusa.com .) • Select turfgrass cultivars recommended for use in Maryland and best suited for the intended use and the environmental conditions of the specific site. • Correct soil physical and chemical properties that may impact turfgrass health and its ability to resist pests. • Evaluate the potential impact of the timing of cultural practices and fertilizer applications on the incidence of pest problems. • When chemical control is necessary, follow University of Maryland recommendations to select the most effective pesticide with the lowest toxicity and least potential for off- target movement for a given weed, pathogen, or insect. • Document all IPM-related activities, including pesticide usage. A number of key pests can impact turfgrass in Maryland. Being able to identify these key pests and understanding the biology is important to effectively preventing or controlling outbreaks. Once detected, documentation should include mapping on an area map and recording the date of the outbreak. Though pest pressure will often exist when conditions are favorable, the severity is often greatly reduced by using cultural, biological, and genetic techniques. As a rule, healthy, well-managed turf better withstands pest outbreaks and recovers more rapidly than unhealthy turf. See Diagnosing Common Lawn and Athletic Field Diseases (2003, University of Maryland) as a reference to turf diseases in Maryland. Best Management Practices Identifying Pests

Best Management Practices

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Identify key pests on key plants.

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