Abundance of bacteria, fungi, and Sclerotina homoeocarpa in the thatch and soil of golf courses

Authors: ALLAN-PERKINS, ELISHA - University Of Massachusetts; Manter, Daniel; JUNG, GEUNHWA - University Of Massachusetts

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2017
Publication Date: 5/20/2017
Citation: Allan-Perkins, E., Manter, D.K., Jung, G. 2017. Abundance of bacteria, fungi, and Sclerotina homoeocarpa in the thatch and soil of golf courses. Plant Disease. 2(2):71-81. https://doi.10.1094/PBIOMES-09-17-0036-R.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-09-17-0036-R

Interpretive Summary: Thatch management in turfgrass has been recommended as part of integrated pest management, however, there is limited understanding of the microbial community in thatch. Previous studies on turfgrass microbes have mostly focused on the soil, however culture-based studies have suggested that the thatch layer of golf courses contain higher bacterial and fungal abundances than the soil. In our study, quantitative PCR was used to investigate total abundance of bacteria, fungi, and the turfgrass pathogen, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett (causal agent of dollar spot) in the thatch and soil of three golf courses on two sampling dates. Additionally, we compared the abundance of these organisms among roughs, fairways, and putting greens, which are under different management intensities. Our results demonstrate that fungi and specifically S. homoeocarpa are more abundant in the thatch than in the soil, showing the necessity for future studies to analyze both areas to obtain a complete picture of microbial communities on golf courses. Despite the differences in fungicide usage, there were no differences in S. homoeocarpa abundance among the three management areas in the thatch or soil, which may have important practical implications for development of integrated disease management strategies and understanding the epidemiology of S. homoeocarpa on golf courses.

Technical Abstract: Thatch management in turfgrass has been recommended as part of integrated pest management, however, there is limited understanding of the microbial community in thatch. Previous studies on turfgrass microbes have mostly focused on the soil, however culture-based studies have suggested that the thatch layer of golf courses contain higher bacterial and fungal abundances than the soil. In our study, quantitative PCR was used to investigate total abundance of bacteria, fungi, and the turfgrass pathogen, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett (causal agent of dollar spot) in the thatch and soil of three golf courses on two sampling dates. Additionally, we compared the abundance of these organisms among roughs, fairways, and putting greens, which are under different management intensities. Our results demonstrate that fungi and specifically S. homoeocarpa are more abundant in the thatch than in the soil, showing the necessity for future studies to analyze both areas to obtain a complete picture of microbial communities on golf courses. Despite the differences in fungicide usage, there were no differences in S. homoeocarpa abundance among the three management areas in the thatch or soil, which may have important practical implications for development of integrated disease management strategies and understanding the epidemiology of S. homoeocarpa on golf courses.