Bacterial wilt: Is it, or isn’t it?

Bacterial wilt might not be the culprit responsible for damaged greens the last few summer, researchers said at the “Agronomic Solutions 1: Disease & Weed Control from South to North” educational seminar at the 2012 Golf Industry Show.

While the pathogen responsible is still unknown, and its symptoms may resemble what some supers believe is bacterial wilt, researchers say it most likely isn’t. Instead, they suggest it’s the result of extreme summer conditions and a case of telephone that made it a hot-button issue with afflicted superintendents. 

Bacteria, in most cases, won’t cause the extent of turf damage that some superintendents are reporting, the researchers say. However, it is a real issue that warrants more research and analysis.

“At this point there a lot more questions than answers,” says panelist John Inguagiato, assistant professor, department of plant sciences, University of Connecticut. “It’s frustrating to not be able to supply any answers.”

Panelist Patrick McCullough, assistant professor, crop & soil sciences, University of Georgia, provided this prospective: “It’s not worth losing any sleep over because there’s not much that can be done at this point if it is a bacterium.”