Free, Targeted Alerts Aid Control Of Turf Weeds & Diseases

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

To help LCOs and landscapers better manage control of weeds and diseases common in their area, free resources with timely alerts on soil temperature, soil moisture, and growing degree days (GDD) are available on GreenCast® Online, an information hub from Syngenta, a manufacturer of agricultural and turf products.

Soil Temp & Pest Alerts

Soil temperature is a key indicator of conditions favorable for the development of certain weeds and pests. That’s why Syngenta developed Soil Temperature Alerts, a free tool that allows subscribers to track soil temperatures anywhere in the U.S., receive personalized alerts on potential pest activity, and access 10 years of soil temperature archives.

To build these alerts, Syngenta identified key diseases and weeds and the temperatures at which they emerge. This information can help LCOs ensure timelier, more effective treatments when conditions are favorable for these pests.

In addition to the pre-determined pests, subscribers can customize their own soil temperature alerts. Users can sign up to receive email or text alerts when target soil temperatures reach the pre-determined thresholds in your area for eight different spring or fall pests.

Soil Moisture Maps

Knowing the soil moisture in your area can help improve water conservation and provide better turf conditions. Free soil moisture maps can provide daily, five-year and 10-year soil moisture averages for any location across the country, which can assist in making strategic decisions that affect turf growth and maintenance.

weedsGrowing Degree Days

In turfgrass management, growing degree days (GDDs) are utilized to predict seed germination of weeds, seed head emergence, and insect pest activity. Since weather patterns can vary from one geographic area to the next, and from year to year, GDDs allow LCOs to monitor heat accumulation in their area, which translates to the development of plants and insects. It also allows LCOs to refine product application timing based on actual weather patterns in their area, rather than a predetermined calendar-based schedule. Sign-up for GDD email alerts that are specifically targeted for your area.

For more information about these and other free resources available from Syngenta, visit GreenCastOnline.com. All photos and charts from Syngenta.