Got gray leaf spot? Then you can help
Gray leaf spot is a devastating summer disease of reygrass, fescue St. Augustine and kikuyugrass in many parts of the U.S. It's hard to think of anyone who might want to actually see it in action, but there are indeed a few dedicated scientists at the USDA and Kansas State University who would be glad to receive samples of this dread disease.
It's all because gray leaf spot, which is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe grisea (also known as Pyricularia grisea) is closely related to a serious disease of rice and wheat known as rice blast or wheat blast, and caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Your samples of gray leaf spot-infested turf will help plant breeders to develop new strains of wheat that are resistant to the disease.
If you'd like to help out in this project, please consider sending turf samples (a cup cutter sample placed inside a securely closed zip-lock plastic bag, and then placed in a sturdy box) that are infested with gray leaf spot to: Dr. Gary Peterson, USDA ARS, 1301 Ditto Ave., Frederick, MD 21702. You can contact Dr. Peterson here.
It's very important to enclose this permit with your shipment. Please print it out and include it with your sample in the shipment.
We encourage you to participate in this important project. It would be nice to know that there's some good associated with this awful pathogen...
