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PACE Turf - Turfgrass Information Center

Turf Diagnostic Labs

If you are in any doubt about the identity or cause of a turf problem, we highly recommend the use of a qualified turf diagnostician. Fortunately, there are several good labs around the U.S. who provide this service.  Check with your local land grant university and/or county extension agent for information on regional diagnostic laboratories. If none are available, the following labs provide nationwide services for reasonable fees. Labs should be contacted prior to sample shipment for specific preparation and shipping instructions.

Dr. John Kaminski
Turfgrass Pest Diagnostic Lab
Penn State 11 Tyson Building
1971 Shortlidge Road University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-0918
Email: TurfPestLab@psu.edu
Website: Turf Pest Diagnostic Laboratory

Dr. William Crow
Dept of Entomology and Nematology
Univ. of Florida
General: P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville FL 32611
Shipping: 1881 Natural Area Dr., Gainesville FL 32611
Phone: 352-392-1994
Service offered: ID of plant parasitic nematodes
Email: Nemalab@ifas.ufl.edu
Website: University of Florida Nematode Assay Lab

Dr. Ruying Wang
Oregon State University
Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab
33329 Peoria Rd
Corvallis, OR 97333
Email: beaverturf.lab@oregonstate.edu
Website: OSU Diagnostic lab

Dr. Philip Harmon
Rapid Turfgrass Diagnostic Service
University of Florida Extension Plant disease Clinic
Building 78, Mowry Road
Gainesville, FL 32611-0830
(352) 392 1795
Website: Rapid Turfgrass Diagnostic Service

Dr. Jim Kerns and Lee Butler
NC State Turf Diagnostic Lab
1575 Varsity Drive
Suite 1575
Module 6
Raleigh, NC 27695
PHONE: 919-513-3878
Service offered: ID of insect and disease pests
Website: North Carolina State University

Dr. Lee Miller
Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology
Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab
915 Mitch Daniels Blvd - LSPS 116
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Email: turf-samples@purdue.edu
Website: Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory

Clarissa Balbalion, Director
Plant Disease and Nematode Diagnostic Laboratory
190 Bost-North Room, 9
Mississippi State, MS 39762-912
PHONE: 622-325-2146   Nematology: 662-325-8336
Website: Misissippi State University Plant Diseases and Nematode Diagnostic Services

Dr. Kate Entwhistle
The Turf Disease Centre
Waverley Cottage, Sherfield Road
Bramley, Hampshire RG26 5AG ENGLAND
PHONE: 01256 880246
Service offered: disease and nematode ID on turf samples from all countries, with the exception of the U.S. and Canada.
Website: Turf Disease Centre

Philip Lujan
New Mexico State University Plant Diagnostic Clinic
945 College Ave.
Skeen Hall N140
Las Cruces, NM 88003
PHONE: 575-646-1822
Service offered: disease diagnosis
Website:NMSU Plant Clinic website

Richard Buckley
Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory
Ralph Geiger Turfgrass Education Center
20 Indyk-Engel Way
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
PHONE: 732-932-9140
Service offered: ID of turf diseases
Website: Rutgers Diagnostic Lab

Dr. Paul Koch (@uwpaul) and Kurt Hockemeyer (@kurtaculous)
University of Wisconsin
2502 County Highway M
Verona, WI 53593
PHONE: 608-845-2535
Website: University of Wisconsin Website

GPAvatar

Have you ever been interested in the turfgrass growth potential (GP) for a location where research has been conducted or where a colleague is located? If you have, then you will appreciate the GPAvatar application.

The GPAvatar app provides a rapid way to generate simple GP graphs for most US zip codes, and with the "Enter your climate data" option in the app, GP graphs can be generated for any location. If you are a Twitter user, you can download the GPAvatar graph to use as your Twitter icon to let the world know your turfgrass growth potential at a glance. To stimulate lunch-time conversation, print the GP graph and post it on the lunch room referigerator to see if anyone can figure out what it represents. This might help staff appreciate turf growth conditions throughout the year and when the grass is stressed.

University research location climate appraisals

University research results are valuable tools for developing turfgrass management plans. One way to bring more confidence in application of university research data to your site is to understand the type of climate (cool season, warm season or transition) each research location is located in. This PACE Update provides climate appraisal information for most of the major universities to allow you to compare your climate to each of the university research locations. Compare the GP Avatars (Growth Potential Avatars) for each university's location below to your own, provided on the PACE Turf Weather page. For more in-depth comparisons, you can also compare the Climate Appraisals, nutrient plans and normal weather patterns for each university vs. those provided for your location on your PACE Turf Weather page. In addition to reviewing climate impacts when reviewing research on variety trials or disease control practices, you can compare experimental nutritional inputs to the expected turfgrass use in the nutrient plans at each location to help better evaluate the value of these models and how they might apply to your location.

 

GP Avatar Location Climate US or Metric Nutrient plan C3 US or Metric Nutrient plan C4 US or Metric Delta GP (C3-C4)
University of Arizona US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Arkansas US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
UC Riverside US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Colorado State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Georgia US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Purdue University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Iowa State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Maryland College Park US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Massachusetts Amherst US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Michigan US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Universiy of Nebraska US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Rutgers University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
New Mexico State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
North Carolina State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Ohio State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Oregon State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Pennsylvania State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Clemson University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Texas A&M University College Station US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Utah State University US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
Virginia Tech US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta
University of Wisconsin US Metric US Metric US Metric Delta

MLSN Guidelines

Increased economic and environmental pressures have caused many turfgrass managers to re–assess the way you manage turf. With fertilizers as one of the bigger inputs, we felt that it was time to review and revise our current soil guidelines to reflect these changes. The result is the "Minimum Level for Sustainable Nutrition" (MLSN) soil guidelines, a new, more sustainable approach to managing soil nutrient levels that can help you to decrease inputs and costs, while still maintaining desired turf quality and playability levels. Used in conjunction with Climate Appraisals and Growth Potential, annual fertilizer needs can be estimated. 

Working together with Dr. Micah Woods of the Asian Turfgrass Center, the guidelines were produced through review of key soil nutrient data from thousands of turf soil samples. Based on our evaluations, we determined that in many cases, guidelines could be safely lowered without a dramatic impact on turf quality or playability.

Since their introduction in 2012, the MLSN guidelines have been adopted by turf managers around the world, who have been surprised to find just how "low they can go" as they more precisely target the nutrient levels that the turf needs.

Scientific basis for the MLSN Guidelines:

Turf management articles about the MLSN Guidelines:

Websites with more information about the MLSN Guidelines:

PACE Turf Video Library

We are proud of our extensive library of PACE Turf videos. The index below will be updated as we add more videos so that you don't miss a single thrilling episode! Be sure to subscribe to the PACE Turf YouTube channel and click the bell to ensure you get a notification for each new video release.

CHEMISTRY

CULTURAL PRACTICES

DISEASES

GOLFER EDUCATION

 

THE INDUSTRY

INSECTS

NEMATODES

SOILS

TOOLS

WATER MANAGEMENT

WEATHER

WEEDS

Sand and Growth Potential

The sand topdressing spreadsheets provided in this PACE Update have been modified to increase initial maximum sand application per month  from 150 lbs dry sand/1000 sq ft to a higher maximum monthly application rate of 300 lbs dry sand/1000 sq ft (150 kg/100 m^2).  This adjustment was made following discussion with Dr Micah Woods at the Asian Turfgrass Center and Micah's review the literature for more locations and turf types. This increase in maximum sand applied per month brings application rates more in line with current recommendations for a variety of locations for cool and warm season grasses. In a summary of Light and Frequent Topdressing Programs written by Whitlark and Thompson, between 25 and 35 cu ft of sand per 1000 sq is a good annual target (7.8 - 10.9 mm), but there was no site-specific recommendation on how the applications might be delivered over time depending upon environment or turf type. The 4.2 l/m^2 per year (4.2 mm sand per year) applied to suppress anthracnose recommended by Hempfling et. al.  may not be sufficient for organic matter management in bentgrass in New Jersey or for bermudagrass grown in other locations. The initial recommended sand application rate of about 7.8 - 10.9 mm per year by Whitlark and Thompson is much lower than sand topdressing rates recommended target of 24 mm sand per year that was recommended by William Davis at the University of California in 1978. With all of these different recommendations, what's a turf manager to do?

The use of Growth Potential provides a way to anticipate and budget application volumes to match turfgrass growth. Adjustments should be made to match the needs of each site depending upon the turf type, financial considerations and tolerance for sand applications by golfers. The initial values for maximum sand application are a compromise and a starting point to help you dial in the expected sand requirements for your location.

Light and frequent sand topdressing is a great tool to improve greens surface firmness, for poa greens to suppress anthracnose, and to help manage organic matter at the surface of the green. But how much sand should be applied?

Ideally, topdressing sand would be applied at a rate that matches the deposition of organic matter as leaves, stems and roots senesce and decay. To get a rough idea of how much sand to apply over the course of the year, we have developed a simple US units spreadsheet and metric units spreadsheet that use growth potential (GP) as a guide, and a maximum sand application of 300 lbs dry sand/1000 sq ft per month (150 kg/m^2 per month) at maximum turf growth. The spreadsheets use monthly average temperature to calculate growth potential and then growth potential to determine the sand application rate. For weekly applications, divide the monthly application rate by four.

PACE Weather

PACE Turf has upgraded it's weather services to include the Weather Underground Personal Weather Station (PWS) dataset. This addition will allow you to select one of the 250,000 weather stations worldwide that might be closer to you than one of the regional airport weather stations. You can also add a weather station at your site that can be accessed through the Weather Underground PWS system (Personal Weather Station Buying Guide).

To find a nearby station, browse to Wundermap and enter your city or navigate around the map to find a location station near you. Once you have found a station, click on the numbered tag to reveal the personal weather station ID number. Follow the instructions below to change the alternate weather station in your PACE Turf profile.

Steps for changing your weather data source location to a PWS:

  1. Browse to Wundermap and find the PWS that you are interested in.
  2. Click on the small numbered tab to open the PWS details. Note the station ID. It will be something like KCASANFR957. Copy the station ID to use in your PACE Turf profile. Please copy it, and don't try to enter the station number manually in step 5 below, because it's sometimes impossible to tell whether the symbols in the station code refer to a number (such as the number one) or a letter (such as the lower case letter "l").
  3. Log into your PACE Turf account and click on My Account located in the blue box at the top of the page.
  4. When you are in the My Account page, click on the Edit Profile link below the Member Links heading on the right side of the page.
  5. In the Alternate Weather Station entry box, type pws: and then PASTE (don't manually enter) the station ID you copied from WunderMap (it should look something like this: pws:KCASANFR957).
  6. To be sure the system is working properly click on "Weather" located in the green navigation bar near the top of the PACE Turf webpage. If you receive a list of error messages, there is a problem with the weather station information entered into the Alternate Weather Station box. If this is the first time you have entered a new station location, there may be a delay of several seconds as the PACE server caches the weather data. Once you successfully enter an Alternate Weather Station all data for future PACE Turf email Weather Alerts will be sourced from the new location.
  7. Contact Us if you have any questions.

Use Bayer Rewards points for PACE Turf membership

For those of you that are participating in the Bayer Rewards (Accolades) program, we are pleased to announce that you can now use your points to purchase PACE Turf memberships.

Just login to the Bayer Rewards website, and click on the "Catalogue" button. Then, click on the "Tools of the Trade" category in the left menu bar. You will see the PACE Turf membership option listed there.

iPad2 Giveaway

iPAD2 Giveaway Winner Announced!

Congratulations to Ken Newcomb, Coto De Caza Golf and Racquet Club

The 2011 PACE Turf iPad2 Giveaway introduced more turf management professionals to PACE Turf and social networking sites such as Facebook. More than 350 people liked the PACE Turf on Facebook. Thanks for your participation!

The PACE Turf Facebook page provides samples of information from the PACE Turf website and YouTube channel that are of interest throughout the year. If you like what you see, please take the tour and consider joining PACE Turf - the most comprehensive and well organized technical resource for turfgrass managers.

 

Top Ten Turf Monitoring Tools

OK, so we couldn’t stop at 10. Once we got started listing tools that we have found to be effective, that are easy to use and to acquire, and that are relatively inexpensive, we found at least 15 turf monitoring tools that we think should be in every superintendent’s arsenal.

This information was presented in the "Answers on the Hour" Session at the February, 2011 Golf Industry Show in Orlando. For those of you that didn’t attend the session, please feel free to download and print this handout (131 KB pdf) for further information.

Intrigued by the weird designs on the back of the handout? These QR codes are a type of bar code that can be rapidly scanned with your smart phone’s camera to gain immediate access to a website. The codes on the back of the handout correspond to the websites of each of the manufacturers listed on the front of the handout as sources for the tools that we recommend.

Although some phones have built in QR readers, iPhone users will need to download a QR application (usually free or under 2 dollars). To find out what you need for your phone, just do an online search for the model of your phone, followed by the words QR reader.

Not a PACE Turf member yet?

For more information on how PACE Turf’s member website, emails and videos can help you get the answers you need, please take the tour of PACE Turf member services, visit our home page  or read what other turf managers have to say about the benefits of membership.

Hope to see you at the show!

We are looking forward to the GCSAA conference and show next week, and hope to see many of you there. We are teaching three different courses this year, and hope you'll have some time to stop by before or after one of the classes to say hello! (schedules and locations are listed below).

For those of you who won't be in Orlando this year, we're planning on reporting back on any new and worthwhile information that we can glean.

Monday, February 7, 9:20 – 9:40 am: "The latest dirt on dirt on sensor technology". Room W304 (F,G and H)

Tuesday, February 8, 1 – 5 pm: "Tools for Managing Economic Challenges: The IPM Planning Guide and Precision Turf Management". Room W311D

Wednesday, February 9, 2 – 2:30 pm: " Ten turf monitoring tools that you can't do without: a demonstration". Trade Show Floor, Booth 1585.

Background information on economics and environmental profile of the golf industry

With 16,000 golf courses spread throughout the U.S., the golf course industry impacts us in many ways. The articles below have been produced by researchers to measure the effect of golf courses on the economy, on the environment, and on the production of greenhouse gasses. Overall, the impact of the industry in all of these sectors is a positive one. See this video for more information.

The economics of the golf industry:

The role of golf courses in counteracting global warming:

Efforts taken by the golf course industry to improve environmental stewardship:

A message from PACE Turf owners, Dr. Wendy Gelernter and Dr. Larry Stowell:

We hope that we have kindled your interest in PACE Turf's information service with the information above. If you join today, you will have immediate access to weekly emailed updates, educational videos, site-specific weather and pest forecasts, state-of-the-art web site and many other services that will help you to prevent turf problems before they occur, save you time and money, and keep you current with the newest management products and practices. At $275 per year, or just $ 0.75 per day, it's a bargain that you can't afford not to take advantage of!

For more information, please take the tour of PACE Turf member services, visit our home page or read what other turf managers have to say about the benefits of membership. Please also feel free to contact us at any time. We look forward to having you join us!

Soil Analytical Laboratories

Soil analytical laboratories

The following analytical laboratories conduct soil and water nutritional analyses. Many also conduct plant tissue analyses. PACE's guidelines for soil nutrition, irrigation water quality, and turfgrass tissues are available on this site. Please note that this is only a partial listing of analytical labs.

Brookside Laboratories Phone: 419-753-2448

Logan Labs Phone: 937-842-6100

Servi-Tech Laboratories Phone: 800-557-7509

Waypoint Analytical Phone: 800-264-4522

How we review products and practices

Selecting which product or practice will perform the best for you is one of the most important — and also one of the most difficult— decisions that turf managers face. The fact that some materials are marketed with little or no data, or with misleading data, complicates your decision ten-fold.

One of our main goals is to supply PACE Turf members with science–based guidance on the efficacy of turf products, practices and management strategies. Whether we are reviewing the performance of gray leaf spot control agents, sod webworm products or strategies for moss control, we always provide a listing of the options that will perform best, in our analysis.

But how do we determine which strategies to recommend, and which to omit from our publications and presentations? The internal guidelines shown below were developed here at PACE Turf over the past 30 years, and, because they are based in the scientific method, they give us confidence that the recommendations that we pass along to you are as useful and dependable as possible. The guidelines below may also be useful to each of you in product selection decisions, as well as in communicating to vendors the standards that you will use to evaluate the products that they are promoting.

PACE Turf internal guidelines for development of turf management recommendations:

  1. Each research trial must have a detailed protocol that describes the objectives of the study, as well as detailed materials and methods that include statistical analytical methods and experimental design parameters.
  2. Treatments must be replicated and include appropriate non–treated controls. In addition, current method(s) of choice should be included for purposes of comparison.
  3. Trials should be conducted, supervised or coordinated by a qualified independent researcher or consultant (university or extension researchers, Certified Crop Advisors, Certified Professional agronomists, Certified Soil Scientists, independent researchers with a minimum of a B.S. in agricultural or related sciences). Publication record in peer reviewed science journals is a plus. Unknown researchers are required to supply a resume and references with their research reports.
  4. Raw data must be provided by researchers to PACE Turf upon request. PACE Turf may re–analyze raw data to confirm conclusions.
  5. The product or practice should be tested in multiple locations (a minimum of 3) and, if feasible, in multiple environmental regions.
  6. Products that are selected for use in PACE Turf management recommendations must show a substantial positive effect. A statistically significant response alone is not sufficient, as it does not necessarily show that the product will provide a useful and practical solution for PACE turf clients.
  7. Data cannot be "cherry–picked" so that only favorable data is provided for review, and negative data is withheld.

Yes, we’re on Facebook!

We have joined the ranks of millions of Facebook users with PACE Turf's new Facebook page. Because it's so new, we are still adding to it, but we'd love to hear your feedback. If you are a Facebook member, you can do this by:

Not on Facebook yet? Neither were we, until recently. So far, we've had many different impressions — it's fun, it's perplexing, it's riveting, and it's definitely a potential black hole for your valuable time. But it's also a great resource for connecting with professional colleagues, as well as relatives and friends (both current and long–lost). It's free, it's easy to register, and worth a look. Hope to see you on the PACE Turf Facebook page soon!

IPM Planning Tools

IPM Planning can be a tedious task. However, once your first IPM Plan has been created, the major work has been done. The information provided below was developed for the first version of the GCSAA IPM Template. That planning template has not been supported by the GCSAA, but the information below is stil useful. We will be reviewing some of these resources and updating the documents throughout the year. We hope this information will assist you with development of a site-specific IPM plan for your location.

The spreadsheets, references and procedures below were developed, with support from a GCSAA grant, to assist superintendents in creating an IPM Plan for their golf courses. The project was completed and attempts to update the project have failed. However, the template draft and instructions below are still useful when developing an IPM plan for your facility.

Instructions for completing the IPM Template (291 KB pdf)

Pest, Soil and Water Management References (1.7 MB pdf)

The following forms are available for use in constructing your  IPM Template

Electronic entry forms:

Printable forms:

Examples of completed forms for IPM Planner, Pest Worksheet, Climate Appraisal and Budgeting Worksheet

Turf growth potentials: a tool with many uses

We developed the growth potential model to explain myriad of ways in which weather impacts turf growth. The model considers turf growth to be good when the growth potential (GP) is between 50% and 100% (the best possible growth occurs at a GP of 100%). However, when weather conditions are either too hot or too cold for optimal turf growth, the GP falls below 50%, and turf becomes progressively more stressed. When the GP falls to 10% or lower, growth is extremely limited. We have listed a few of the many uses of growth potentials below.

  • Timing application for chemical transition accelerators (Kerb, Revolver, Monument, Manor, Blade, TranXit): Warm-season turf GP should be 50% or higher at the time of application in order to ensure that sufficient warm-season turf cover is present.
  • Scheduling aggressive management practices (aerification) or stressful events (tournaments): Turf growth potential should be as high as possible (greater than 50%) and on the rise when stressful events are scheduled. This allows for the greatest recovery potential of the turf.
  • Explaining why cool- or warm-season turf is performing poorly (or well).
  • After a heat spell, predicting how long will it take for cool-season turf to begin active growth again.

Table of growth potential at different average air temperatures (pdf).
Table of growth potentials in selected US Cities (pdf).

Use GreenPartners points for your PACE Turf membership

We're happy to announce that PACE Turf memberships can now be paid for with points from Syngenta's GreenPartners rewards program. You can redeem your GreenPartners points for PACE Turf membership by phone or online:

  • ONLINE:
    1. Go to the GreenPartners website where you can either login to redeem your points (if you are a GreenPartners member) or enroll.
    2. Enter "PACE Turf" into the search box of the Rewards Catalog. You can also find us under the category "Special Services" (item number 23332).
  • BY PHONE: Call GreenPartners toll-free at 877-375-0824 and select option 4 from the menu. Place your order for the PACE Turf Membership, item # 23332.

A PACE Turf eMembership, normally priced at $275 per year, is worth 36,000 GreenPartners points

If you are not familiar with GreenPartners, it is Syngenta's customer appreciation program. Members of the program can redeem GreenPartners points for many different reward options, including, of course, the crème de la crème of their catalog — the PACE Turf eMembership.

Fungicide combination products: decision-making tools

Are they a gimmick by manufacturers, or a great new tool for turf managers? A prescription for fungicide overuse, or a more effective approach that takes advantage of fungicide synergies? These are just some of the questions raised as superintendents try to decide whether a fungicide combination product is the best choice for them.

To help you decide if any given combination product is a good choice for your situation, we have developed two useful tools:


A message from PACE Turf owners, Dr. Wendy Gelernter and Dr. Larry Stowell:

We hope that we have kindled your interest in PACE Turf's information service with the information above. If you join today, you will have immediate access to weekly emailed updates, educational videos, site-specific weather and pest forecasts, state-of-the-art web site and many other services that will help you to prevent turf problems before they occur, save you time and money, and keep you current with the newest management products and practices. At $275 per year, or just $ 0.75 per day, it's a bargain that you can't afford not to take advantage of!

For more information, please take the tour of PACE Turf member services, visit our home page or read what other turf managers have to say about the benefits of membership. Please also feel free to contact us at any time. We look forward to working with you soon.

Announcing the PACE Turf eMembership

Based on input from members who want the convenience, money savings and environmental sustainability of an all-electronic membership, PACE Turf is happy to announce its new, paperless eMembership option.

Sign up today

eMembers will receive all of the benefits of regular membership in PACE Turf, but with all services, including publications (Highlights, Clubhouse Editions, Insights and References) available exclusively online or via email.

PACE Turf will also continue to offer regular memberships, at $325 per year. This membership includes all eMember benefits plus print versions of PACE publications (Clubhouse Editions, Highlights, Insights, References and an Archive notebook) mailed to your address.

Benefits of eMembership:

  • Simplify your life: reduce paper, mail and office clutter by printing out publications only when you need them.
  • Save money: at $275 per year, eMembers will enjoy a 15% cost savings over regular membership. Discounts for 10 or more memberships are available; please contact us at pace@paceturf.org or 858-272-9897 for more information
  • Help the environment: it’s amazing how many resources a paper mailing can generate, including fuel for air and ground freight, paper, envelopes, ink and electricity for printing.
  • Continue to have the answers at your fingertips with PACE Turf’s state-of-the-art web and email member services, including:
    • Email services: weekly Updates keep you current with breaking news on practices, research, pests and products and Weather Alerts (emailed 3 times per week) provide up-to-date pest, turf and weather forecasts customized for your location
    • Online Weather Services: The Weather Update page provides forecasts of weather, turf growth and pest occurrence, and is updated several times a day for your location. The Weather History page gives you detailed information on past weather conditions at your location.
    • The online Photo Gallery's hundreds of photos can be used for rapid pest ID and illustration of new techniques
    • The online Member Forum allows PACE Turf members from around the world to easily communicate about new ideas, practices and products.
    • Online publications can be printed out when and where you need them. Clubhouse Editions are one-page publications designed to educate golfers on the science behind your management practices. Highlights summarize key events of the past month in a 4-page color publication. References are essential tools for turf management, with publications on soil, weather and pest management guidelines. Insights are publications that translate science into practice with in-depth analyses of turf agronomic topics.
    • The online Archive gets you the answers fast with a searchable library of hundreds of PACE Turf publications, research reports and references.

Interested in eMembership? For new members, just check the eMembership box on the online membership form. For renewing members, you will be given the option to switch to eMembership at the time of your next renewal.

Reclaimed water article published

An article summarizing over 10 years of PACE Turf's research on reclaimed water appears in the September, 2008 issue of Golf Course Industry. For more information on using and managing reclaimed water on golf course turf, see these PACE Turf publications:

Super Journal presentation on virtual irrigation and disease management

PACE Turf developed the virtual irrigation audit as a tool for diagnosing coverage problems with irrigation systems, and for predicting the performance of new irrigation systems even before they are installed. Recent data indicates that the system can also be used to accurately predict the location and the size of disease outbreaks.

To learn more, visit the Super Journal website, and read the report, "The Virtual Irrigation Audit: A Diagnostic Tool For Turfgrass Disease".

Soil guidelines

The PACE Soil Nutritional Guidelines are based on our soils database of over 15,000 samples.

For information on a variety of other turf management guidelines, click here.

2008 PACE Turf Research Seminar: thanks to all involved

The 11th PACE Turf Research Seminar, which took place on June 20, was a great success, thanks to the 160 attendees, the informative speakers, and the sponsorship of the companies below:

Company Representative
Aquatrols Ken Mauser
BASF Fred Eckert
Bayer Stephen Kimball
Cleary Chemical Robert Hunter
John Deere Landscapes Bill Blackman
Milliken Cordie Morgan
Syngenta Kimberly Gard
Target Specialty Products Tim Roth
West Coast Turf John Marman
Western Farm Service Geff Ward

APS Turf Tour

On July 27, 2007, PACE hosted a turf tour for 35 plant pathologists who were in town for the American Phytopathological Society meetings. The participants, who came from all over the U.S., were able to view a cornucopia of turf types and turf uses — from the paspalum fairways of Fairbanks Ranch CC, to the GN-1 bermudagrass at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, to the kikuyugrass fairways at Torrey Pines GC, the poa/bent greens at Mission Bay GC and the overseeded Bullseye bermudagrass at Petco Park.

The all-day tour was a great success, thanks to the superintendents listed below who so graciously hosted us. We want to take this opportunity to thank them here for their time, their insights, and their generosity in sharing their experiences with all of us.

  • Candice Combs, CGCS, Superintendent: Torrey Pines Golf Course
  • Brian Darrock. Superintendent: Fairbanks Ranch Country Club
  • Gerald Dearie, Superintendent: Mission Bay Golf Course
  • Leif Dickinson, Superintendent: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
  • Mark Woodward, CGCS, Director of Golf Course Operations: Torrey Pines Golf Course
  • Luke Yoder, Superintendent: Petco Park

Index of photography articles

PACE Mission

The PACE Turf information service delivers science-based solutions to turf management problems with breaking research news, information and expert advice that is customized for your location.

Leading experts at PACE Turf translate science into practical information that comes to you via emailed newsletters and weather alerts, a state-of-the-art website, and downloadable publications that you will refer to again and again in the development of your turf management programs.

WIN A CANON A700 CAMERA IN THE PACE IPM PHOTO CONTEST

Contest goals:

  • To encourage turfgrass professionals and students to use their digital cameras more effectively
  • To share turf IPM information and digital images with the turf management community
  • To acquaint you with the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute Photo Gallery, a digital photo library that is available free of charge.
  • To provide some prizes and to have some fun in the process!

Entry deadline: The contest runs from July 5, 2006 to September 15, 2006.

Prizes: Winners will be notified by email and results will be posted on the PACE website on October 1, 2006. Three winners will be selected. 1st prize: Canon Powershot A700 camera or a $300 gift certificate from 47th Street Photo ; 2nd prize: gift certificate for $200 at 47th Street Photo; 3rd prize: gift certificate for $100 at 47th Street Photo

What to enter:

  • Each participant may submit only one digital or scanned photo in .jpeg (.jpg) format. We will not accept entries that are submitted via conventional mail/postal services.
  • See our IPM Photography Tips for suggestions on taking a prize winning photo.
  • Photos must illustrate a turf IPM topic, concept or practice (click here for examples)
  • Photos may not exceed 1,000 X 1,000 pixels at 150 dots per inch (dpi). File size should be less than 200 KB.
  • You must be the photographer and the sole owner of the submitted photo

Judging: The judges' decision is final. Photos will be judged by PACE Research Directors Dr. Larry Stowell and Dr. Wendy Gelernter and winners selected based on the highest scoring entries in the following areas:

  • IPM subject matter (click here for a description of suggested topics)
  • Value as an educational or informational tool
  • Composition, pleasing appearance, interesting subject matter
  • Lighting, focus, clarity of image
  • Clearly written title (less than 5 words) and description of image (less than 50 words). Click here for tips on writing titles and descriptions

Use of submissions: All photos submitted for the contest will be made available on the PACE website’s Photo Gallery, and may be used by any interested person for non-profit educational purposes. Your photos will not be used in sales, advertising or marketing activities. Your photo submission is your agreement that the photo can be used on the PACE Photo Gallery website without notification or renumeration.

How to enter:

  • Take a great digital photo (Click here for tips on taking digital photos) of a qualifying topic (click here for a listing of turf IPM topics, concepts and practices)
  • Sign up on the PACE website in the category of your choice (photo contest entry is free of charge to any registered participant, but you also have the option to join PACE for more extensive benefits). Keep a record of your username and password
  • Submit your photo on-line by logging in to the PACE Photo Gallery.
  • Upload the photo onto the PACE Photo Gallery by clicking on “Upload Photos” on the upper right of the page. Choose the category “PACE IPM Photo Contest”
  • Click on the “Browse” button to locate the file that you want to upload. Click the “Upload/Submit” button
  • Write a brief title and a clear description of your photo (Click here for tips on writing titles and descriptions)

Handy Resources:

Turf IPM topics, concepts and practices

What exactly is IPM (Integrated Pest Management) anyway? With hundreds of "official" definitions available, it is hard to pin down one single answer to this question. There is even disagreement over who first originated the term.

The confusion that results is a bit frustrating, but shouldn’t be surprising. IPM is a concept that is constantly evolving, along with advances in pest control technology and our understanding of pest biology. For example, genetically engineered crops, precision management and newly imported pests such as the emerald ash borer are changing the way we think about IPM, even as we write this piece.

Rather than add to the confusion by proposing yet another definition (though if you are interested, you can view IPM definitions from the past and the present by clicking here), we have listed below some of the key pest management topics, concepts and practices that are common to almost all definitions of IPM.

For guidance on the types of images that are being sought in the PACE IPM Photo Contest, look over the information below. Your photo should be related to one or more of these themes. Click on the thumbnail photos to the right for examples. If you have questions about whether your photo is suitable for demonstrating IPM topics, concepts and practices, please feel free to contact us.

Adopt cultural practices that prevent turf stress so that plants are less susceptible to pest damage:

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  • Grow pest-resistant varieties
  • Choose varieties best suited to your environment
  • Monitor/characterize weather conditions to forecast turf performance and/or pest presence
  • Adjust fertility, irrigation, aerification etc. to bolster healthy turf growth and to avoid stress
  • Manage water wisely
  • Manage soil salinity
  • Avoid mechanical stress: increase height of cut on greens, manage traffic
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    Identify pests (diseases, insects, weeds, vertebrates) and the damage they cause, understand their biology:

    • Monitor for pests
    • Be able to identify pests (all stages)
    • Know the conditions that promote pest activity
    • Be able to identify damage caused by specific pests
    • Know how to monitor for key pests

    Use all available tools to document/implement IPM:

    • Weather monitoring
    • Pest monitoring
    • Turf quality monitoring
    • Soil, plant tissue or water quality monitoring
    • Irrigation monitoring
    • Record keeping
    • Maintenance equipment (aerifiers, topdressers, etc)

    Integrate all available management methods, with an emphasis on least toxic methods:

    • Cultural controls
    • Mechanical controls (hand weeding, sand topdressing to reduce earthworms etc)
    • Biological control (use of parasites, predators and other living organisms to control pests)
    • Pesticide resistance management

    Conserve environmental quality, promote safety

    • Buffer zones
    • Water conservation
    • Nutrient management/runoff management
    • Erosion control
    • Spray drift control
    • Groundwater protection
    • Protect non-target organisms
    • Preserve natural enemies of pests (insect parasites and predators, microbes that attack turf diseases)
    • If a choice is available, select the least toxic pest control method available
    • Calibrate sprayers regularly; ensure that optimum nozzles, spray volumes are used
    • Handle pesticides safely

IPM Photography Tips

Canon A700

Althought most photography utilizes smart phones with built-in cameras, standard cameras provide more flexibility than phone cameras. This "tips" article has focused on standard camera features, but the information also applies to in-phone cameras.

Reasonably priced digital cameras and inexpensive photo software have brought digital imaging into the grasp of every turf manager -- whether they are golf course superintendents, sports field managers, or students. The only thing that stops us from unleashing the power that digital photography has to improve our communications, our record keeping and our jobs is that we need to turn our cameras on and start taking pictures. This short tutorial will describe how to take photographs successfully and what steps are needed to prepare images for use on the web.

Selecting a camera

We recommend that you select a camera from one of the following manufacturers: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji and Olympus. The camera should have the following features:

  • Macro capability
  • Manual control for focus, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
  • At least a 4 mega pixel sensor

Camera controls (see photo to right) should include:

  • M = Manual: allows you to select shutter and aperture
  • A = Aperture priority: you adjust the aperture
  • S = Shutter priority: you adjust the shutter speed
  • Flower symbol: macro close-up photography

Almost all digital cameras also include A (automatic) and/or P (program) controls as well. These settings are best for quick "point and shoot" photos.

Storing and Naming Photos

The most popular format for storing and exchanging photographs is the Joint Photographic Experts Group jpg or jpeg extension (.jpg). The jpg format reduces the size of the original image file without losing essential information. An important downside to the use of the jpg format is that every time you open and save an image, some detail is lost. Therefore, (and this is important!!) once you take a photo that you are happy with, you should leave it intact. If you need to modify the photo in any way -- cropping it, adjusting the color and contrast, resizing it etc. -- follow this procedure:

  • Open the original file of the photo that you want to modify. Before you make any modifications, make a second version of the file by clicking on the "save as" option (this is usually in the "File" menu).
  • A "save as" box will pop up on your screen. In the "file name" area, enter a different file name than that of your original photo.
  • You can now edit or modify this new file in any way that you wish without fear of damaging the original photo file.

For example, let's assume that you have a photo of a family birthday party that is perfect in all respects except that Uncle Bobby is quite prominently picking his nose. You would love to be able to crop Bobby out of the picture, but you don't want to degrade the quality of the original photo. If the original photo was named 06051101_bday.jpg (to indicate 5/11/2006 birthday), you could make a second version using "save as" and call it 06051101_bday_nobob.jpg) before you edit the image. Once you "save-as" the file, you can cut Bob out of the image and then "save" the image without damaging the original that you may someday want to use at Bob's 80th birthday roast.

Image Quality

The quality of the .jpg image that you save on your computer is related to the compression level that you select when saving the image. Most photographic software packages provide a range of compression or quality levels that you can select from. In the example below, high, medium and low quality images were saved (using the "save as" command) from an original to illustrate the effect of saving images at different .jpg compression settings. Note the different sizes of the files associated with each image. Click on the thumbnail image to view the full size image. To see the effect of image size and compression level on the quality of the image, compare the leaf edges and the Bipolaris lesions on the bermudagrass leaves in the 3 version below.

26 KB image saved using "low" quality jpg setting original photo was 2,666 KB
37 KB image saved using "medium" quality jpg setting original photo was 2,666 KB
94 KB image saved using "high" quality jpg setting original photo was 2,666 KB

The guidelines below will help you generate images that are sufficiently high quality for use on the web (if you want to print your photos, higher resolution is needed - use the highest resolution on the camera and use no compression during the save-as process. Normally at least 300 dpi resolution is needed for high quality print)

  • Never edit your original photo - always "save-as" before editing
  • For email and web communication, keep images at less than 200 KB. For people who have dial-up access, keep image size less than 64 KB.
  • Size images to between 500 and 1000 pixels (px) for the largest dimension of the image
  • Compress to desired level during the "save-as" process and check to be sure that the desired detail is still present in the final image

Factors to consider when taking photos

Digital cameras operate well in automatic or program mode. However, when photographing turfgrasses, there are some tricks for obtaining good images that require use of manual controls.

White balance: One of the first steps you should take in preparing to take a photograph is to check to be sure that the white balance matches the current lighting conditions (full sun, shade, overcast, flash, incandescent, fluorescent). In many cases, setting the camera to automatic white balance will result in capture of an acceptable image, but improved images will be obtained if you properly set the camera white balance. Click on the thumbnail image above to view an enlarged image of the impact of white balance on color. For example, in overcast conditions, the light that reaches the grass is more blue compared to full sun. The light that reaches the grass during early and later hours of the day is warmer - it contains more red.

Sun angle can play tricks on your eyes and on the image that the camera captures. The composite image to the right illustrates the appearance of "grain" in hybrid bermudagrass. The dark object is the handle of a knife stuck into the turf. The images on the left versus those on the right were taken from opposite directions aiming toward the knife. In the bottom pair of images, the same area is outlined in yellow to illustrate how differently turf can look, depending on where you stand and how the light hits it. In other words, in order to understand what you are seeing and photographing, always view the turf from several angles before taking your photo

Exposure is controlled by four factors:

  • Amount of light coming into the lens
  • Sensitivity of the camera's sensor (ISO)
  • Aperture (f-stop) setting
  • Shutter speed

We generally do not have much control over how much light is coming into the lens, unless we are using supplemental lighting such as a flash. Therefore, the important factors are ISO, f-stop, and shutter speed. Each of these will be discussed below.

ISO is a measure of the sensitivity of the sensor in the camera and it is frequently adjustable. For low light conditions, ISO 200 or lower should be used. For situations where you are trying to stop motion (for example, when it is windy and objects are swaying in the breeze), the sensor is set to high ISO values (400 or higher). More expensive cameras provide a wider range of ISO values to allow photography without the need for supplemental lighting (in low light conditions) or to stop fast moving objects.

F-stop is simply a measure of the lens iris opening, or the aperture. The number represents the ratio of the focal length of the lens divided by the size of the iris opening. F-stops are frequently noted as a ratio such as f/16. The larger the f number (16 in this example) the smaller the opening, the less light will pass through to impact the sensor. The benefit of a small iris opening is that the depth of field is greater compared to a larger opening. Alternatively, small f-stop numbers indicate a wider aperture opening, more light coming through the lens, and a lessened depth of field. Click on the photo to the right to see how the aperture changes as the f-stop is changed. The table below illustrates the the differences caused by different f-stop settings and the resulting changes in depth of field as the iris opening changes. Note that as the iris opening decreases from f/4.5 to f/29, the shutter speeds (see below) were increased from 1/5000 sec to 1/160 sec to compensate for the reduced light that enters the lens.

  The iris opening is f/4.5. Note that the red flowers are in focus but the background white flowers are out of focus. The shutter speed was 1/5000 sec.
  The iris opening is f/8. Note that the red flowers are in focus and the background white flowers are slightly out of focus. The shutter speed was 1/2000 sec.
  The iris opening is f/29. Note that both the red flowers in the foreground and the white flowers in the background are both in focus. The shutter speed was 1/160 sec.

Shutter speed regulates the amount of light that is collected by the sensor after the light passes through the lens. Conventional film cameras had a physical barrier between the lens and the film that acts as the shutter, but many digital cameras operate by turning the sensor on and off for the designated period of time without the need for a shutter. The longer the shutter is open (or sensor is turned on), the more likely that movement of the subject will be detected and the more likely it is that the image will be blurry. Click on the thumbnail above to view a composite image that illustrates the impact of shutter speed on image quality when the subject is moving. Slow shutter speed can be used artistically to improve a photograph to emphasize movement. In most cases, however, fast shutter speeds, such as 1/125 sec or faster (1/250 sec, 1/500 sec etc) will provide an improved photo. If the lighting is low and fast shutter speed can't be used (because fast fast shutter doesn't allow in enough light), check the camera ISO setting to see if it can be increased to be more sensitive to light and to allow a faster shutter speed. Also check to be sure that the aperture is open to allow the maximum amount of light as discussed above. For shutter speeds below 1/125 sec, consider using a tripod to steady the camera.

Composition

For the artist, composition plays a major role in the visual impact of a the photograph. Though composition isn't as critical when communicating technical concepts, the best technical photos manage to combine both artistry and accuracy in the same picture. In other words, it is worthwhile to pay a little attention to composition - just don't let it override the considerations of focus, exposure and color described above.

There are many web sites that can help you with composition but we will mention one simple guide, the rule of thirds. When taking a photograph, the main subject of the image should be placed at one of the intersecting points where the image is broken into thirds vertically and horizontally.

  The red dots illustrate where the main subject of the photograph should be placed to improve the composition of an image.
  With the main subject centered in the image, the photograph does not appear very interesting (though in real life, we hear that she is actually quite fascinating!).
  Even with the use to the rule of thirds, the image is still not THAT interesting but the photograph has been improved by cropping the image to result in placement of the main subject over one of the rule of thirds locations.

Welcome to the PACE Newsroom

Untitled Document

This newsroom is provided as a resource for professional communicators who work with the turfgrass industry. The press releases, background information, graphics and photographs posted here are available for use in articles, broadcasts and other media formats, but we ask that you credit PACE Turf as the source of the information.

Micah Woods, Ph.D. To take Helm at PACE Turf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN DIEGO, CA—June 28, 2022: Founders of PACE Turf, Drs. Larry Stowell and Wendy Gelernter, announce its acquisition by Dr. Micah Woods, President and Chief Scientist of the Asian Turfgrass Center (ATC). Dr. Woods will become director of the award-winning, science-based online turfgrass management information service, and Drs. Stowell and Gelernter will become visiting research directors. Dr. Woods will continue to oversee ATC research and education programs as he expands PACE Turf to meet the needs of today’s turfgrass management community, which includes golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, commercial and residential landscape managers worldwide.

The PACE Turf subscription information service delivers online, premier, science-based solutions to turf management problems using site-specific climate, weather and pest forecasting systems, breaking research news, information and expert advice that is customized for each PACE Turf member location. The website also hosts an extensive collection of turf management tools and guides, including the widely used Climate Appraisal form, that is available free of charge as a public service. The service debuted in 1992 with fax-based delivery, and as the technology became available, expanded to the online membership service available today, supporting turf managers around the world.

Dr. Woods said, "ATC has been a long-time collaborator with PACE Turf. Together we've introduced tools, such as the Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) guidelines that have been adopted worldwide and helped turf managers reduce inputs while maintaining high quality turf. I'm immensely proud of these achievements and look forward to continuing PACE Turf's long tradition of delivering expert and practical turf management guidance."

Drs. Stowell and Gelernter have overseen PACE Turf since its inception. Dr. Gelernter said, “We can't imagine anyone better suited than Micah to take on PACE Turf's mission."

Dr. Woods established ATC in 2006 after working as a golf course superintendent in China and Japan and upon completion of graduate studies at Cornell University. Since then, his research and educational activities have led to the international recognition of ATC. His work as a consultant, researcher and speaker has taken him to more than 30 countries on five continents. Through the ATC, he provides turfgrass advisory and soil testing services to clients around the world. Since 2009, he has also been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee.

"We know that Micah will maintain the vast store of information already available on the PACE Turf website,” Dr. Stowell said. “Plus he will continue to raise the level of practical turf management guidance as new research and findings develop in turf science. His work with ATC is truly synergistic with PACE Turf, and we know that PACE Turf members will reap the benefits of that."

Memberships for the PACE Turf information service are available for $275 annually. Members receive their site-specific climate, weather and pest forecasting services via email or direct access to the website. At any time, members can visit the PACE Turf website to view the pest and disease photo gallery, find management solutions via the website’s extensive reference collection and review timely updates from the PACE Turf research staff. Subscribe to PACE Turf’s online information service at https://paceturf.org/members/signup.

For more information on Dr. Woods’ work at PACE Turf and ATC, visit www.paceturf.org and www.asianturfgrass.com. Find us on Twitter as @asianturfgrass and @paceturf. Email Dr. Woods at micah@asianturfgrass.com or woods@paceturf.org.

The Asian Turfgrass Center works with turf managers globally to provide expert and unbiased advice on how to best obtain desired turfgrass conditions. Its website at www.asianturfgrass.com/ contains information that is used by turfgrass managers around the world.

PACE Turf is a membership organization that provides breaking research news, information and expert advice on its website at www.paceturf.org The mission of PACE Turf is to generate and share independent and objective agronomic information for turf professionals, so they may develop management programs that are effective, practical and scientifically sound.

Media Contact:

Micah Woods, Ph.D.
micah@asianturfgrass.com
woods@paceturf.org

 

GENERAL


PACE Turf color logo (20Kb)


PACE Turf black and white logo (20Kb)

EC (electrical conductivity) monitoring for soil salinity

If you are concerned that high soil salinity may be damaging your turfgrass, we suggest that you consider a regular monitoring program with an electrical conductivity meter. The method for using the meter to keep track of salinity and to trigger leaching events is described in the Monitoring Soil Salinity PACE Reference (29 KB pdf).

Sign Up

You can become involved with the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute in the following ways:

  • By joining ($325/year), you will receive full membership benefits as well as access to PACE Surveys, Forums, Super Journal and the Photo Gallery.
  • By registering (Free), you will receive free access to PACE’s Pest Surveys, Forums, Super Journal and the Photo Gallery.
  • By signing up for a free trial membership you will receive PACE’s weekly email updates (sent out every Monday) for three consecutive weeks. These publications are one of the core components of PACE membership and feature current news and research on pest and turf trends from around the country, as well as information on new and effective management strategies.

What is CVV2

Card Verification Value, or CVV2, is a security measure that we require for all credit card transactions.  Since the CVV2 number is listed on your credit card, but not stored in other locations, the only way to know the correct CVV2 is to have the card in your possession.  All Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards now have this security feature.

How to find your CVV2 number

For Visa or MasterCard, turn your card over and look in the signature strip.  You will find either the entire credit card number or just the last 4 digits of the credit card number followed by a space and a 3-digit number.  That 3-digit number is your CVV2 number.  If you can not read the CVV2 number, you will have to contact your card issuer or mail in your payment. 

For American Express, the number is imprinted on the front of the card and to the right side above the last few digits of the account number.

Visa and MasterCard

Visa/MC CVV2 location

American Express

American Express CVV2 location

 

Directors, founders, and scientists

Micah Woods, Ph.D. is the director of PACE Turf as well as the founder and chief scientist of the Asian Turfgrass Center (ATC). Since graduating from Oregon State University in 1998, Micah has been traveling extensively, collecting data, and advising turfgrass managers across Asia, Australia, North America, and Europe. From 2001 to 2005, he was in New York to study with Frank Rossi at Cornell University. The broad scope of his research on grasses around the world led to his collaboration with PACE Turf to create the MLSN guidelines which are applicable to turf in all climate zones, or as he says, “any grass, anywhere.”

You can read more about Micah’s unique take on tending turfgrass in his book, A Short Grammar of Greenkeeping, as well as on his ATC website. If you have the pleasure of hearing Micah speak at a conference, you may notice that he frequently dons a bow tie and sports some unusual hairstyles. A devoted Dickens fan, Micah has read all of his novels, from Barnaby Rudge to A Tale of Two Cities. Micah is inspired as much by clever turns of phrase and stunning mountaintop views as he is by solving problems, creating graphs, and discovering unexpected statistics.

Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D. and Larry J. Stowell, Ph.D. are PACE Turf’s founders and currently serve as visiting research directors.  Their complimentary backgrounds in entomology, plant pathology, agronomy and crop science, combined with their interest in translating turfgrass research into practical management solutions were the basis of their work at PACE Turf.  In addition to being business partners, Wendy and Larry have been married since 1986, and live in San Diego, California.

Wendy Gelernter is an entomologist who received her B.S. from Cornell University 1976 and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside in 1984.  Before joining PACE in 1995, Wendy was the Director of Commercial Development for the agricultural biotechnology company Mycogen Corporation, where she worked for 11 years.  Wendy is the author of numerous scientific publications and has served in leadership positions for several professional organizations including the Society for Invertebrate Pathology, the Entomological Society of America, and the Association of Applied IPM Ecologists.  She is a past President of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology and serves on the editorial board of the scientific publication, Biocontrol Science and Technology.

Larry J. Stowell founded PACE Consulting in 1986 and the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute in 1993. The research and consulting businesses were blended together and renmaed PACE Turf in 2008.  He is a plant pathologist, certified professional agronomist, licensed pest control advisor and qualified applicator who received his training at the University of Arizona, where he obtained his B.S. and Ph.D., and at the University of California, Davis, where he conducted post-doctoral research until 1982.  Before founding PACE, Larry was the Director of Mycoherbicide Development at the agricultural biotechnology company, Mycogen Corporation.  He is the author of numerous scientific publications and two patents, and has served in leadership positions for several professional organizations including the American Phytopathological Society, American Society of Agronomy, National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and the Association of Applied IPM Ecologists. He served on the Editorial Board of Applied Turfgrass Science.

Refund Policy

For immediate access to PACE Turf's dozens of member benefits, you are urged to Join PACE Turf

We take great pride in the quality of the services and information that are offered to PACE Turf members and have never yet had to issue a refund. However, if you are not satisfied with the membership services, we will accept cancellation of your membership at any time by refunding a portion of your annual membership fee (as determined by the time elapsed since your subscription was initiated), as indicated below.

Number of days after membership initiationPercent refunded
0-3080%
31-6060%
61-9040%
greater than 900%

Please contact PACE Turf to request a refund. You can contact us by phone at: 858.272.9897 or by email using the Contact us link. Refunds will be issued by check if the original payment was made by check. If the original payment was made by credit card, refunds will be issued by credit card.

PACE Turf's refund policy, as currently published herein, represents PACE Turf's sole obligation with respect to PACE Turf membership refunds.

User agreement

This user agreement covers the terms and conditions for users of the PACE Turf PUBLIC website ("PUBLIC website") and the PACE Turf member website ("Member website").

PUBLIC WEBSITE

If you choose to register on the PACE Turf PUBLIC website (“PUBLIC website”), you will be agreeing to abide by all of the terms and conditions of the agreement below.

The PUBLIC website is provided by PACE Turf as a free PUBLIC service to the turf management community in order to promote education, communication and improved agronomic practices for turfgrass. Unless otherwise specified, you are encouraged to share, copy or distribute the contents of the PUBLIC website for any non-profit, educational purpose, without obtaining additional permission. All images must retain the photographer’s credits (if they are present) for all usages. For permission to use any of the contents of PUBLIC website for commercial or for-profit uses, Contact us.

The content of the PUBLIC website includes:

  • Super Journal: electronic journal for PUBLICation of applied turfgrass research conducted by superintendents, turf managers, researchers and consultants.
  • Home page
  • Tour of membership benefits

Changes to this agreement:

PACE Turf may change, add or remove portions of this Agreement at any time, but if it does so, it will post such changes on the appropriate website.

Endorsements:

You acknowledge that the opinions and recommendations contained in this Website are not necessarily those of PACE Turf or endorsed by PACE Turf. PACE Turf may provide links on the Website to other websites which are not under the control of PACE Turf. These links are provided for convenience of reference only and are not intended as an endorsement by PACE Turf or the organization or individual operating the website or a warranty of any type regarding the website or the information on the website.

Representations and warranties:

You represent, warrant and covenant that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material. You hereby indemnify, defend and hold harmless PACE Turf from and against any and all liability and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you or any user of your account of this Agreement or the foregoing representations, warranties and covenants. You shall cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim.

Neither PACE Turf nor the PUBLIC Website represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through this service by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk. THE PUBLIC WEBSITE AND ALL DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE ARE DISTRIBUTED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT USE OF THE PUBLIC WEBSITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

Correspondence should be sent to:

PACE Turf
1267 Diamond St.
San Diego, CA 92109 USA

MEMBER WEBSITE

If you choose to use the PACE Turf Member Website (“Member Website”), you will be agreeing to abide by all of the terms and conditions of the agreement below.

The contents of the Member website are intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All materials published on the Member website (including, but not limited to PACE Turf Insights, PACE Turf References, PACE Turf Clubhouse Editions, PACE Turf Updates, Weather , Weather History, Photo Gallery and Member Forums, collectively also known as “Content”) are protected by copyright, and are owned or controlled by PACE Turf, or the party credited as the provider of the Content. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce (except as provided in the paragraph below), create new works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit, any of the Content or the Member website (including software) in whole or in part.

You may download or copy the Content and other downloadable items displayed on the Member website for personal use only, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein. Copying or storing of any Content for other than personal use is expressly prohibited without prior written permission from PACE Turf or the copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in the Content.

Members of PACE Turf have access to all of the Content of both the PACE Turf PUBLIC website, as well as to the Content of the Member Website which includes, but is not limited to:

  • PACE Turf Updates: frequently posted updates on current pest and turf trends (members only)
  • Weather and Weather History : site-specific weather, pest and agronomic information (members only)
  • PACE Turf Insights: monthly in-depth technical reviews (members only)
  • PACE Turf References: guidelines, monitoring procedures and references on turfgrass soil, water and pest management (members only)
  • PACE Turf Highlights: monthly newsletter (members only)
  • PACE Turf Clubhouse Editions: educational literature on turf management practices intended for golfers (members only)
  • Member Forums: interactive discussions among members on turf management issues (members only)
  • PACE Turf Archives: comprehensive compilation of turf management literature (members only)
  • Photo Gallery: turf management images and photographs (members only)
  • Super Journal: electronic journal for publication of applied turfgrass research conducted by superintendents, turf managers, researchers and consultants.

Changes to this agreement:

PACE Turf may change, add or remove portions of this Agreement at any time, but if it does so, it will post such changes on the appropriate website.

PACE Turf may change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of its membership services at any time, including the availability of any feature, database, or content. PACE Turf may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the PUBLIC Website and/or the Member Website without notice or liability.

Forum rules and etiquette:

Courteous and respectful language must be used at all times. You shall not upload to, or distribute or otherwise publish on the Forums any libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material. You agree that you will not threaten, personally attack or verbally abuse other participants, use defamatory language, or deliberately disrupt discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or "spam." You agree not to use language that abuses or discriminates on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc.

Forums shall be used only in a noncommercial manner. You shall not, without the express approval of PACE Turf, distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising or solicitation for goods or services.

You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. However, while PACE Turf does not and cannot review every message posted by you on the Forums and is not responsible for the content of these messages, PACE Turf reserves the right to delete, move, or edit messages that it, in its sole discretion, deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.

You acknowledge that any submissions you make to the PUBLIC Website or the Member Website may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted, and displayed by PACE Turf and you waive any moral rights you may have in having the material altered or changed in a manner not agreeable to you.

You represent, warrant and covenant that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will (i) violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or (ii) contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material.

Endorsements:

You acknowledge that the opinions and recommendations contained in this Website are not necessarily those of PACE Turf or endorsed by PACE Turf. PACE Turf may provide links on the Website to other websites which are not under the control of PACE Turf. These links are provided for convenience of reference only and are not intended as an endorsement by PACE Turf of the organization or individual operating the website or a warranty of any type regarding the website or the information on the website.

Representations and warranties:

You represent, warrant and covenant that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material. You hereby indemnify, defend and hold harmless PACE Turf from and against any and all liability and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you or any user of your account of this Agreement or the foregoing representations, warranties and covenants. You shall cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim.

Neither PACE Turf nor the PUBLIC Website or the Member Website represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through these services by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk. THE PUBLIC WEBSITE AND ALL DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE ARE DISTRIBUTED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT USE OF THE PUBLIC WEBSITE AND Member WEBSITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

Membership:

Paid membership in PACE Turf is required to obtain access to the Member Website. Free trial memberships of limited duration will periodically be made available for promotional purposes. however. For more information about membership in PACE Turf, see our documents on Member Benefits and on Joining PACE Turf.

As part of initiating your membership, you will select a password and a user name. You may not use a Member ID that PACE Turf, in its sole discretion, deems offensive.

PACE Turf is committed to protecting your privacy. We do not rent, sell or share the personal information that you provide to us with any other people or organizations for any purpose. For more information, see our Privacy Policy

Termination:

You may terminate your membership at any time by contacting PACE Turf at the address below. The Refund Policy provides information on refund of membership fees.

PACE Turf may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your access to the Member Website for any reason, including, without limitation, breach or assignment of this Agreement. If access to the Member Website is terminated by PACE Turf, funds will be refunded in accordance with the Refund Policy.

Correspondence:

Correspondence should be sent to:

PACE Turf
1267 Diamond St.
San Diego, CA 92109 USA

Turf Management Guidelines

Turf growth potential in selected U.S. locations

Turf growth potential at different average air temperatures

Quick test for soil nitrate

EC (electrical conductivity) monitoring for soil salinity

Soil Guidelines and demystifying soil analyses

Soil Chloride and Sulfur Guidelines

Tissue Guidelines

Water Guidelines

Recycled Water

Management Planning Excel spreadsheet

Pest Worksheet Excel spreadsheet

Links of Interest

Pesticide labels and MSDS

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Handbook 29, “Water Quality for Agriculture”

CDMS pesticide labels and MSDS sheets searchable by product name and manufacturer

C&P Press pesticide labels and MSDS searchable by company, product, site, and pest - subscription service with limited and weak customer support

The best scientific literature site for starting a search for turfgrass related information:
Turfgrass Information File at Michigan State University. - subscription needed.  This site should be your first stop when searching for research information in the turfgrass arena

University sites of interest:
North Carolina State University Turffiles - this site has a good archive library for presentations made by several professors including Dr. Fred Yelverton, Dr. Leon Lucas, and Dr. Lane Tredway and links to their disgnostic laboratory

Maryland Turf Council’s listing of Turf Publications

Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America
GCSAA

Chicago District Golf Association Turfgrass Program
CDGA Turf Program

Popular Golf Course Superintendent’s Community Site:
Turfnet

National Turfgrass Evaluation Program:
NTEP

Program for April 7, 2006 PACE Turfgrass Research Seminar

7:15 REGISTRATION and CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

8:00 An introduction to precision management: IPM, GPS and GIS. Dr. Larry Stowell, PTRI

8:45 New information on rapid blight biology and management. Dr. Mary Olsen, University of Arizona

9:15 Precision tools for 21st century turf IPM programs. Dr. Wendy Gelernter, PTRI

10:00 BREAK

10:15 Managing for firm greens: can it be achieved within an IPM framework? Dr. Larry Stowell, PTRI.

11:00.Going deeper with white grubs: hidden problems and new solutions. Dr. Wendy Gelernter, PTRI

11:45 LUNCH AND TRADE SHOW

12:45 Photography for IPM. Dr. Larry Stowell, PTRI.

1:30 Effects of water quality and quantity on IPM programs for bermudagrass. Dr. Shoumo Mitra, Cal Poly Pomona.

2:15 University of California Disease Update for 2006. Dr. Frank Wong, UC Riverside

3:00 BREAK

3:15 Another look at poa management on greens and fairways. Dr. Wendy Gelernter, PTRI

ADJOURN 4:00 pm

There are three ways to register:

  1. Register online
  2. Register by mail: Print out a registration form, complete and mail, with payment, to PACE, 1267 Diamond St., San Diego, CA 92109
  3. Register by phone by calling 858-272-9897

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PACE Turf LLC
1267 Diamond St.
San Diego, CA 92109 USA

Phone: 858-272-9897

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Acceptable Use

The contents of the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute (PTRI) website are intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All materials published on the PTRI website (including, but not limited to PACE Insights, PACE References, PACE Clubhouse Editions, presentations, research reports and photos, also known as “Content”) are protected by copyright, and are owned or controlled by the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute, or the party credited as the provider of the Content. You shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, or restrictions contained in any Content accessed through the PTRI website.

The PACE Turfgrass Research Institute website and its Contents are protected by copyright pursuant to U.S. and international copyright laws. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce (except as provided in the paragraph below), create new works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit, any of the Content or the PTRI website (including software) in whole or in part.

You may download or copy the Content and other downloadable items displayed on the PTRI website for personal use only, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein. Copying or storing of any Content for other than personal use is expressly prohibited without prior written permission from the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute or the copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in the Content.

Privacy Policy

PACE Turf is committed to protecting your privacy. We do not rent, sell or share your personal information with any other people or organizations for any purpose. The following discloses our information collection and use practices.

Information collection: To view free public services on the homepage, the tour or Super Journal, it is not necessary to join PACE Turf. However, PACE Turf membership is required for access to restricted areas including Updates, Weather, Insights, Clubhouse Editions, Gallery, References and Highlights. When you join, we will request that you provide personal information such as your name, e-mail address, street address or phone number for membership initiation. This personal information is used to communicate with customers and to verify identity during support and customer service requests. PACE Turf uses a member ID number, an assigned site member name (user name), and a password chosen by our members and registered participants to permit them access to our restricted services. We use your IP address as recorded in our site logs only as needed to help diagnose problems with our server, and to administer our Web site. We do not use IP address logs to track your session or your behavior on our site, and they are not shared with other sites.

Credit card transactions: All credit card transactions conducted during a transaction with the PACE Turf Website are executed using Stripe and a Token-based information exchange so that no credit card information is stored on PACE Turf servers. Stripe, a GDPR compliant business conducts the actual transaction.

Cookie technology: PACE Turf uses browser cookies to improve web navigation on the member pages, and to save access permissions for our members so that they do not have to log in multiple times as they attempt to access restricted pages during a single online session. These cookies do not contain any Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and are not shared with any other web site. Users who do not accept cookies from the domain www.paceturf.org may not be able to access most areas of the PACE Turf website.

Corrections and updates: Members may change their membership information (password, contact information) at any time by logging in, clicking on the the My Account section and making the appropriate changes in the "Change password/edit profile" area.

If you have questions about the privacy policy, please Contact us .

Membership Benefits

We invite you to join the world’s best informed turf managers by becoming a member of the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute today. For an annual fee of $325.00, members will receive a wealth of printed, emailed and on-line information.  Take the PACE Tour for more information on membership benefits.

Who We Are

PACE Turf was founded in 1988 by Larry Stowell, Ph.D. and Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D. to provide expert, objective, science-based advice and information to the turf management community. Using research results, on-the-ground experience, and their over 70 years of combined knowledge in agronomy, plant pathology, entomology, weed science and turf science, PACE Turf has long been a leader in translating science into practical turf management information, and in helping turf managers prevent problems before they occur.

In 2022, Micah Woods, Ph.D acquired the PACE Turf information service after collaborating with Drs. Stowell and Gelernter for many years.

PACE Turf offers a membership information service that delivers science-based solutions to turf management problems with breaking research news, information and expert advice on products, practices, pests and weather threats. With information customized specifically for each member's location, PACE Turf delivers its clear, bottom-line conclusions via email alerts and an information-filled website that is uncluttered by advertising. To learn more about the benefits of PACE Turf membership, click here or sign up here.

Free public services offered on the commercial-free PACE Turf website include access to turf management guidelines on pests, soils, water and plant analysis. In addition, PACE Turf’s Super Journal is an online turf research publication containing turf research reports written by golf course superintendents and turf researchers, on topics ranging from turf IPM or integrated pest management, to soil, water and irrigation management, to new advances in turf monitoring practices and procedures.

Quick test for soil nitrate

We have developed a quick, easy, on-site test that can detect excessive levels of soil nitrates. Although this test does not replace analytical testing, it provides values that are rough estimates of nitrate levels, and should be a useful and rapid diagnostic tool.

Materials needed:

  • Hach water test strips for nitrate/nitrite (Cat. # 27454-25, Hach Company, PO Box 389, Loveland, CO 80539. Phone: 800-227-4224. A bottle of 25 strips is $16.29 as of July, 2010.
  • Small beaker or container
  • Tablespoon
  • Soil from problem area and from nearby area of healthy turf
  • Notebook for recording data

Procedure:

  1. Mix equal volumes of soil and tap water (for example, 1 tablespoon of each) in a small container and stir thoroughly. Allow the soil to settle for 1 minute
  2. Dip the test strip into the soil suspension.
  3. Allow the strip to develop for 1 minute
  4. Lightly rinse the strip with water to remove soil
  5. Compare the color on the tip of the strip to the nitrate nitrogen color chart on the test strip container. Write down the ppm value that you think is closest to the color you see on the strip. This value must be converted to obtain the nitrate concentration (in parts per million) of your soil, using the formula below:

    (Dipstick value X 1.5) + 2.9 = Soil nitrate concentration (ppm)

    For example, assume that the color on your dipstick indicates roughly 15 ppm nitrate, as it does in this photo. Remember -- the dipstick value needs to be converted to one that is accurate for soil nitrate! The soil nitrate concentration is therefore = (15 X 1.5) + 2.9 = 24.9.

  6. If the final value is over 20 ppm as it is in the example above, nitrogen applications of all types should be halted until levels are well below 20 ppm. If possible, leach the area to help bring nitrogen levels down more rapidly.

Keep in mind that the dipstick test has several limitations, including:

  • It does not test for ammonium levels -- only for nitrate levels. Therefore, even if you have high ammonium levels in your soils, you will get a low reading from the dipstick.
  • The test is designed to detect an excess of nitrogen, but it will not detect nitrogen deficits. To determine whether your soils are lacking in nitrogen, the soils should be sent to an analytical laboratory.
  • The values you get with this test are rough estimates, at best. For more accurate readings, soils should be sent to an analytical lab for testing.

Turf Resources

PACE Turf makes this information available as a public service to the turf management community. You can support our research and education programs by becoming a PACE Turf member today. Members also receive access to PACE Turf's award winning information service, an indispensable resource for all of those in the turf industry.

Pest management publications

Soil management guidelines

Other agronomic guidelines and tools

Useful websites

Turf Research

Impact of Weather and Climate on Turf Quality

A message from PACE Turf owners, Dr. Wendy Gelernter and Dr. Larry Stowell:

If you join PACE Turf today, you will have immediate access to weekly emailed updates, educational videos, site-specific weather and pest forecasts, and a state of the art website that will help you to prevent turf problems before they occur, save you time and money, and keep you current with the newest management products and practices. At $275 per year, or just $ 0.75 per day, it's a bargain that you can't afford to miss out on!

For more information on PACE Turf member benefits, please take the tour of PACE Turf member services, or read what other turf managers have to say about the benefits of membership.

Root Zone Bulk Density and Rapid Blight

The bulk density of a soil is a combination measure of the particle density and how tightly packed the particles are in the sample.  Under ideal conditions, the bulk density of a soil is a measure of soil pore space and can therefore provide important information on the degree of compaction on golf course greens.  In this article, the theoretical basis behind the bulk density measurement will be reviewed and its possible applications will be discussed through presentation of data recently generated at California golf courses.

Full print version:  PACE Insights 1995 Vol. 1 No. 12

Announcements

Newly updated: Turf diagnostic lab listing

Micah Woods, Ph.D. takes the helm at PACE Turf

Sign up for the free MLSN Newsletter to keep up with the latest news on implementing these nutrient management guidelines

Learn more about the MLSN guidelines and how they can help you manage fertilizer inputs

For print publications on soil, water and pest management guidelines, check out our Turf Resources page.

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