TechNotes are provided by Syngenta GreenCast.
Snow and Snow Mold
With the winter storms hitting through the upper Midwest snow mold would remain a concern. Typhula blight (Typhula incarnata) is first evident at snowmelt. Symptoms appear as circular areas of straw to grayish brown turf.
The turf may also appear matted with the appearance of a grayish-white mycelium at time of snowmelt. The mycelium often dries and becomes encrusted over the patch.
A diagnostic key to Typhula blight is the appearance of small hard spherical fruiting structures called sclerotia. Often times these sclerotia appear reddish to reddish-brown in color.
Pink snow mold and/or fusarium patch is often associated with Typhula blight. Pink snow mold is the term used when this disease occurs with snow melts, while fusarium patch is used for the disease in the absence of snow. In both cases the organism causing the disease is Microdochium nivale. Circular patches of pinkish-orange to brown infected turf are common symptoms.
