Pythium root dysfunction
Pythium volutum
A root-infecting Pythium disease of bentgrass greens that limits rooting and shows as summer decline.
Identification
Irregular yellow-to-orange patches that wilt under heat and traffic. Roots are short, thin and tan. Distinct from foliar Pythium blight (no foliar mycelium).
Symptoms
The disease results in general thinning and the appearance of red or bronze patches in the turf.
Signs
Oospores can be found in the roots, but mycelium is not typically present.
Biology
Pythium volutum is a species of water mold that infects the roots of turfgrass, causing root dysfunction and discoloration. The organism produces oospores, which are double-walled reproductive spores that can persist in the soil and infect new plants.
Epidemiology
Pythium root dysfunction caused by P. volutum is most commonly found in new sand-based greens. The disease is favored by high temperature and compromised roots. Symptoms typically appear in the summer, when temperatures are high and the turf is already under stress.
Favorable Conditions
Sandy rootzones, cool-season root infection, then high summer temperatures that expose poor rooting.
Cultural Management
To prevent and control Pythium root dysfunction caused by P. volutum, it is important to improve drainage and air movement in the affected area, and to reduce stress on the turf by minimizing traffic and other stresses.
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.