Dollar spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) has developed as a major problem on high maintenance turfgrasses like bentgrass, annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. Foliar and granular fertilization programs were compared on bentgrass performance and dollar spot incidence at various nitrogen rates and application frequencies. The granular fertilizer source consistently resulted in lower color ratings than the foliar sources. Good to excellent color responses did not always result in acceptable dollar spot suppression. Foliar fertilization consistently resulted in less dollar spot than comparable granular treatments. Foliar sources provided dollar spot suppression for at least 70-80 days without fungicide at 0.25 lb N/M weekly. This research suggests that foliar feeding with sufficient nitrogen can reduce dollar spot severity and potentially result in less fungicide use.
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