Actinomycetes

A group of gram-positive filamentous, mostly aerobic bacteria. Their taxonomic order is called Actinomycetales.

  Algae

A large group of photosynthetic organisms; Green algae are taxonomically known as Eukaryote; by contrast Blue-Green algae are classed as Prokaryote, which are single celled without a nucleus.

  Algal Bloom

The rapid growth and appearance of algae within lakes and ponds and other freshwater environments, which have an excessive supply of nutrients present, especially nitrogen or phosphorus. Toxins can be produced as well as significant depletion of oxygen within the water body, especially when algal blooms decompose; this leads to the death of resident fish as well as harm and illness, as well as death, to other organisms which drink the affected water. This can be a potential problem for watercourses located within golf courses and other sporting environments where leaching of nutrients from san

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  Algal Growth

In turfgrass situations the main algal problem, which is categorised as a disorder, is known as Algal slime or Dark green slime and also as Squidge. An example of a green algae in turf is Chlamydomonas species; whilst blue-green algae is Nostoc species. Algal slime will typically occur on poorly drained, shaded surfaces, and especially where nutrient availability is high. They are slimy when wet and form a crust when dry. Control measures for algal slime include light regular sand dressings, aeration, scarification, controlled fertilisation (not excessive bursts), increasing the height of cut

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  Anaerobic Bacteria

Bacteria which have a preference for soils with little or no freely available oxygen, especially compacted or waterlogged soils., as they are able to function without oxygen. They can produce higher levels of toxins which can harm plants, reduce plant productivity, and increase the likelihood of disease attack.

  Bacterial Wilt

The only major disease of turfgrasses resulting from the action of bacteria. It is caused by Xanthomonas campestris and would be rare in the UK. Some cultivars of creeping bent are susceptible, as well as annual meadow grass. Sand only to very-high sand content top-dressings and constructions may be a contributory factor in its spread, with a consequent reduction in antagonistic bacteria and fungi to counter the bacterial wilt pathogen. Changes to grass seed cultivars used in overseeding can help to reduce the potential for this disease by increasing plant diversity.

  Black Layer

A black coloured layer within a soil which indicates poor growing conditions. It results from an anaerobic soil which has developed from a range of contributing activities. High sand content soils are particularly susceptible to black layer development. Regular, often excessive irrigation, combined with compaction, and the build-up of organic material within a rootzone encourages the growth of certain bacteria. These bacteria produce hydrogen sulphide gas in this environment: This is harmful to turf grasses. Iron, within the soil, reacts with this gas to produce the distinct black iron sul

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  Brown Patch [1]

A Brown Patch on a turf surface which can be caused by a range of different factors: Drought drying out the grass; Diseases; Pests eating or having eaten grass roots; Fertiliser spillage; Fertiliser over application; Dog or Fox urine; Oil leakage which then burns the grass; Compaction, which limits rooting; or Inappropriate grey water being applied to a grass surface.

  Cotula Greens

A plant, Cotula pulchella, which was trialled as potential use for a bowling green surface in the mid-1970s in the UK at the STRI but without success.

  Cow Parsley

A common perennial, growing up to about 1.5-metres in height. It is an early spring flowering plant, with noticeable leaf appearance starting in March to early April, and which appears to dominate verges, as well as shadier places such as also being adjacent to hedges and wood perimeters, as well as grasslands. The tiny white flowers, each with 5 petals, are abundant in umbrella shape clusters, called an umbel. The stems are lightly ridged and hairy, and are without any coloured spots, although they have faint purple stripes and a more purplish base. The flowering period is from April to June. Its scientific name is Anthriscus sylvestris.