Grant: Engage Grants Program

Turfgrass pathogens cause a wide array of symptoms which can often be confused with nutrient deficiencies and insect damage. Additionally, many turfgrass pathogens exhibit similar disease symptoms, with the two most common being a circular patch of turfgrass that is no longer uniformly green and spotting on the leaves. However, in some instances these pathogens require differing disease management practices. In order to determine the exact nature of such symptoms and subsequently design an effective disease management plan, a reliable assay must be designed that can identify many of the major turfgrass pathogens simultaneously. The solution to these issues is to develop a multiplex screen using Luminex technology, which will be capable of simultaneous quantification of a number of turfgrass pathogens. This new quantitative multiplex screen will allow for management practices based on the presence of pathogens instead of the risk of pathogens, allowing for proactive measures to be put into place before disease symptoms manifest themselves.