W
ith HD cameras and the best views of athletic
field playing surfaces, sports turf managers' fields
are inspected closely by many. These high visual
quality expectations have increased our reliance
on effective pesticides to manage playing surfaces.
It is easy to continually use the same product or class of prod-
ucts when they have provided exceptional control of the pest in
the past; however, this can lead to some very serious problems.
Pesticide resistance is becoming much more common and
prevalent in a number of our common turf pests including
weeds, diseases, and insects.
HOW DO PEST POPULATIONS
BECOME RESISTANT?
All pesticides have a mode-of-action (MoA) that describes the
biochemical process or physical cells the product will target in
controlling the susceptible pest. Most pesticides are grouped
based on the specific MoA with similar products in the same
pesticide class. There are generally some individuals within a
pest population that are naturally resistant to a pesticide class.
It is nearly impossible to recognize these individuals when ini-
tial applications of an effective pesticide are applied according
to label recommendations. However, if the same pesticide or a
20 SportsTurf | January 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com
UPDATE ON PESTICIDE RESISTANCE
IN SPORTS TURF
FIELD SCIENCE
Potential herbicide resistant annual bluegrass observed at a golf course in Texas. Susceptible plant is showing severe herbicide injury with a healthy resistant plant right next to
it. Image courtesy Dr. Casey Reynolds, Texas A&M University.
■ BY JOEY YOUNG
