Infection of Selected Turfgrasses by Labyrinthula terrestris

Abstract

A number of turfgrasses were screened in the greenhouse and laboratory for susceptibility to Labyrinthula terrestris, a new turfgrass pathogen that causes rapid blight of cool season turfgrasses. Salt tolerant varieties and warm season grasses such as Bermuda grass, tufted hairgrass, inland saltgrass, centipede grass, seashore paspalum and kikuyugrass were not susceptible; cool season grasses such as velvet bentgrass, annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and rough bluegrass were very susceptible.