Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

• Determine the pest’s life cycle and know which life stage to target (e.g. for insect pests, whether it is an egg, larva/nymph, pupa, or adult). • For diseases, correctly identify the disease pathogen. This often involves sending samples to diagnostic clinics. • Identify weeds accurately. • Consider site-specific pest control measures rather than blanket applications of pesticides.

Monitoring

Monitoring through scouting or trapping, as well as identifying alternative hosts and overwintering sites for key pests, is a critical element of a successful IPM program. Monitoring will document the presence and development of pests, as well as the conditions that are conducive for pest outbreak throughout the year. It is essential to record the results of monitoring in order to develop historical information, document patterns of pest activity, and track successes and failures.

Best Management Practices

• Monitor prevailing environmental conditions for their potential impact on pest problems. • Train personnel how to regularly monitor pests by scouting or trapping. • Identify alternative hosts and overwintering sites for key pests. • Correctly identify the specific disease, weed, and/or insect problem to ensure appropriate control measures. • Assess pest damage when it occurs, noting particular problem areas, such as the edges of fairways, shady areas, or poorly drained areas. • Document when the damage occurred. Note the time of day, date, and flowering stages of nearby plants. • Map pest outbreak locations to identify patterns and susceptible areas for future target applications.

Figure 32. Scouting, such as for white grubs in the soil, is an important IPM method. Photo credit: Chris Harriman.

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