Describe common symptoms and management of dollar spot disease in cool-season turf and mention a preventive strategy.

• A. Symptoms are small tan to straw-colored spots that coalesce; management includes fertility, airflow, avoiding excess thatch, timely fungicides; preventive: maintain proper moisture and avoid leaf wetness
• B. Symptoms are large purple rings; management is fertilizer and mowing high; prevention none
• C. Symptoms are brown patches; management is irrigation alone; prevention none
• D. Symptoms are yellow lines; management is grass removal; Prevention: heavy watering

Answer: (A)

Dollar spot on cool-season turf shows up as small tan to straw-colored spots on individual leaf blades, and these spots can run together to form larger patches. The disease thrives when leaves stay wet and the canopy is dense, so the most effective response targets the turf environment as well as the plant itself. Managing with balanced fertility helps prevent overly lush growth that’s more susceptible to infection, while improving airflow and reducing thatch disrupts the moist microclimate the fungus needs. Applying fungicides at the right times can protect the turf when conditions favor disease or when early symptoms appear.

For prevention, the key is keeping the leaf surfaces dry. That means watering in the morning so blades can dry before night, avoiding overhead watering that keeps foliage wet, and ensuring good drainage and a well-aerated, properly maintained stand of turf.