Leptosphaerulina leaf blight
Leptosphaerulina australis
A typically minor leaf blight that affects stressed or senescing turf, often following other stresses.
Identification
Leaf tip dieback and blighting beginning at the tips; usually associated with already-stressed or weakened turf rather than vigorous stands.
Symptoms
Affected turf develops small, uniformly blighted spots or patches. Leaves die back from the tip, with yellow, brown, or reddish-brown lesions, and blighting may extend down to the leaf sheath. Water-soaked leaf sheaths may appear bleached white or tan.
Signs
The book profile emphasizes foliar blighting and leaf sheath symptoms rather than a distinctive field sign; confirmation is based on symptoms, host condition, and laboratory identification of the pathogen.
Biology
Leptosphaerulina leaf blight is caused by Leptosphaerulina australis and affects most turfgrass species, usually acting as a stress-related foliar disease.
Epidemiology
The disease occurs from spring through autumn during warm, humid weather and under stressful soil conditions, especially when turf is growing in wet or compacted soil.
Favorable Conditions
Heat, drought, and other stresses on cool-season turf.
Cultural Management
Management should focus on balanced fertility, avoiding moisture stress, correcting wet or compacted soil conditions, and avoiding unnecessarily low mowing heights.
Further Reading
University extension resources — open in a new tab.
Related Reports
No published reports yet for this pest.
Reports will appear here as they are peer-reviewed and published.