Revisions to IPM Manual for Turf Managers in BC Nearing Completion

By Mario Lanthier
all images courtesy Mario Lanthier

The revision is near completion for the publication “IPM Manual for Turf Managers in British Columbia".

Most of the focus has been to document late summer diseases commonly called "Summer patches and rings".  These diseases were inadequately covered in the first edition, where the work centered on winter diseases and early summer diseases, which are the most important in the province.

As with the first edition, the revised edition is based on visits to sites to collect samples for laboratory examination.  Thus, pictures in the manual are backed by a confirmation using morphology or DNA, giving a highly accurate visual diagnostic.

In late summer 2025, a total of 8 visits were made to golf courses and 23 samples were collected.  We have pictures with laboratory confirmation for brown patch, Waitea patch, yellow patch, take-all patch and Pythium.  In late summer this year, we did the same work but with lawn care companies.  

A total of 12 visits were made to residential and municipal lawns and 12 samples were collected.  Excess thatch was a frequent occurrence.  To our great surprise, many diseases we thought are exclusive to golf courses are also found on residential lawns!

We have confirmation of brown patch, necrotic spot and many locations with Pythium.  This last disease is known to be more common during periods of dry then wet weather and may be a reflection of the overall dry summer this year.

Necrotic ring spot

Brown patch

Pythium