Football Pitch Diseases

For the majority of football pitches, the issue of disease attack should not be a concern. Where pitches are intensively maintained and located or constructed on sand profiles and in stadia type environments, then this will present a lot more challenges.

The commonest disease for the majority of football pitches, where a disease does actually attack, will typically be red thread. This is, however, more of a cosmetic disease and will eventually grow out without the need for a fungicide application. Maintaining a healthy sward though good maintenance practices will effectively eliminate the potential for this disease, so if there is a severe attack a review of maintenance practices must be carried out to try and identify any actions which may have contributed to the attack.

A mid to late summer attack of red thread can usually be controlled with a light application of nitrogen fertiliser although it is essential to consider the wider maintenance picture to help identify any contributing factors which might be stressing the grass plant. An application of fungicide would only be applied as a last resort for the majority of pitches, although over a relatively short period of time the grass will overcome the disease anyway. For many volunteer-maintained pitches the application of a fungicide is usually difficult to justify due to costs.

Leaf spot can be another disease which might arise, although this is another one which has more of a cosmetic impact, so good physical controls such as ensuring mower blades are sharp, adequate aeration and a dry surface are important. Do not apply too much fertiliser which forces growth during the spring and especially the summer as this will only provide conditions more suited to an attack of leaf spot.

Stadia environments with increased relative humidity, hotter conditions, continual irrigation of sand profile pitches and also where supplementary lighting is routinely used can will provide environmental conditions which can increase the severity of leaf spot, leading to increased wear and divoting requirements.

Fusarium patch can be a very destructive disease but will usually only be a problem on intensively maintained pitches, particularly where the height of cut is routinely short and also where the pitch is within a stadium environment.

Anthracnose might also be a problem on some pitches, especially where compaction is a problem, renovation work has been poorly undertaken, or missed out as a cost saving exercise, and where annual meadow grass forms a high percentage of the sward.

In general, disease issues are not really a particular problem on most football pitches, although this is a different issue where the grass plant is exposed to regular stress.