Figure 13. Left: Dollar spot disease on inoculated and uninoculated plots. Figure 14. Right: Association between canopy reflectance and dollar spot disease levels in trial plots.
equipped will even record GPS information.
More computer tools. Recording, analyzing, and interpreting
canopy reflectance data is dependent on computer software and training. At the moment the tools are research tools; widespread use of the
techniques in industry will require computer tools that assist in the
analysis and interpretation.
The tools and techniques are powerful, the equipment is easy to
use and becoming more and more affordable all the time (currently
www.stma.org
low four figures for the equipment we use in research), and worth
keeping an eye on if you're a turfgrass manager. Someday in the not
too distant future you may be sending your crew out to take routine
canopy reflectance readings of your turf, and using the data to make
your job easier. n
Dr. Ken Carey is a technician with the Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
January 2014 | SportsTurf
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