By Lane Tredway, Ph.D., technical services manager for Syngenta

Fall is upon us, and as days become shorter and temperatures become cooler, bermudagrass greens begin to suffer from energy deprivation. When combined with stresses like close mowing, traffic and wet weather, bermudagrass becomes susceptible to a range of diseases, including: 

• Take-all root rot 
• Spring dead spot
• Leaf spot 
• Pythium blight 

Without fungicide protection, bermudagrass gradually declines through the fall and enters dormancy in a weakened state, which can lead to slow spring green up — or worse, significant turf loss. Syngenta agronomic programs for bermudagrass greens have been refined through years of research and can help protect grass through the fall and provide a faster, more uniform spring green up.

Spring Dead Spot and Take-all Root Rot Guarantee

The Spring Dead Spot + Take-all Root Rot Guarantee recommends the following applications on a 28-day interval beginning in late summer when soil temperatures are consistently below 80 F. Sign up for soil temperature alerts to be notified when conditions are right in your area.


These applications should be applied in 2 gal. of water/1,000 ft.² and watered-in immediately with at least 0.15 in. of irrigation.  

If these applications fail to provide acceptable control, Syngenta will provide product for curative applications as needed.*

Foliar Disease Control 

For prevention of leaf spot, Pythium blight, and other foliar diseases, the following rotational program is recommended: 
      

• Appear^® II fungicide (6 fl. oz./1,000 ft.²) + Daconil^® Action™ fungicide (3.5 fl. oz./1,000 ft.²) 

alternated with

• Appear II (6 fl. oz./1,000 ft.²) + Secure^® Action fungicide (0.5 fl. oz./1,000 ft.²) 

These products should be applied in 2 gal. of water/1,000 ft.² and allowed to dry before rainfall or irrigation. A 28-day interval between applications is recommended when soil temperatures are consistently below 80 F (typically August-September and April-May). Increase frequency to a 14-day interval when soil temperatures are between 50 and 60 F (typically December, February and March).


Comparison of fall fungicides and tank-mixtures TifEagle bermudagrass, Prestwick Country Club, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Photos taken March 13, 2019. Treatments applied Oct. 23, Nov. 1 and Dec. 17, 2018, and Feb. 14 and March 4, 2019.    
To find an agronomic program tailored for your region, please visit GreenCastOnline.com/Programs or contact your local Syngenta territory manager. 
 
*Restrictions apply. See Guarantee Program for full terms and conditions.

Always refer to the product label for full use recommendations.

Performance assessments are based upon results or analysis of public information, field observations and/or internal Syngenta evaluations. Trials reflect treatment rates commonly recommended in the marketplace.

All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

© 2023 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Action™, Appear^®, Briskway^®, Daconil^®, Daconil Ultrex^®, GreenCast^®, Headway^®, Posterity^® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Secure^® is a registered trademark of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, LTD. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners.