Overview
Regular Inspection Will Help Prevent Anthracnose
Understanding where and when you might find anthracnose on your turf will help you stay aware of the signs and symptoms, so you can control this turf disease quickly and effectively.
Step
1
Inspect Lawn During Times of Lawn Stress
This disease takes hold when your lawn is experiencing external stressors, like drought, excess heat, low nitrogen content, improper mowing height, and more.
It is important to watch for any sign of yellowing, reduced vigor, and anything out of the ordinary when it comes to the appearance of your lawn.
Step
2
Recognize Key Indicators of Anthracnose Disease
The most important part of inspecting for anthracnose is understanding the key identification markers that set it apart from other grass-yellowing diseases.
In the foliar blight stage, make sure to look for dark spots on the leaf blades. The blades will first yellow and continue darken, and produce black or dark colored spores, and upon closer inspection (with a 10x hand lense) will have a hairy-like appearance.
The crown rot phase will produce yellowed and darkened leaves as well, but look close to the roots and lower stems for damp, rotting turf. There will also be blackened lesions on the rotting grass blades.The affected turf will appear in patches, small and large, which can converge to create larger areas of decay.