• soil management
• turfgrass selection
• appropriate cultural practices
• biological and genetic controls
• physical or mechanical removal
• exclusion through prevention and sanitation
• pesticides.

In IPM, a lawn manager selects or combines appropriate methods to maintain lawn health as environmental conditions allow.
A major emphasis in a turfgrass IPM program is determining the point at which action to reduce pest problems is taken (economic or aesthetic threshold). Perceived turf quality is subjective and personal; depending on the site and turf use, different managers will tolerate different levels of quality. Each manager decides when a turf's quality has declined to the point that actions should be taken to restore the desired quality. Turf health needs to be monitored regularly for the presence of problems. As problems develop, their causes must be determined and corrective measures evaluated. When problem solving in IPM, all management practices are considered along with the effects that each will have on the pests and other organisms in the area.
IPM programs are applicable in almost any turfgrass growing system, but will probably be most effective in areas where turf managers are on site and have the ability to monitor turfgrass growth and environmental changes frequently. Golf courses, athletic fields, home lawns, and industrial or commercial properties are sites in which IPM principles can be readily applied. Here managers have an opportunity to monitor conditions on a regular basis, as well as establish realistic thresholds and quality expectations.
There are several benefits of using turfgrass IPM. First, accurate pest control is achieved. Since a problem is properly identified prior to activating a control, shotgun controls are avoided. Pesticide misuse can be minimized in this type of program. A second benefit of IPM is the potential for reduction of total pesticide usage. Pesticides are used only when absolutely necessary to maintaining a desired turf quality. In areas where IPM is being practiced, savings have been realized due to decreased pesticide application. A final benefit is that IPM produces the healthiest turfgrass possible for a given set of growing conditions, and healthy turf always has better quality than stressed turf.
The key to any successful IPM programs is knowledge. Turf managers need to understand life cycles of turfgrasses and pests, as well as their responses to cultural and chemical inputs. When turf knowledge is used to monitor growing conditions, set pest control thresholds, and make sound turf management decisions an Integrated Pest Management program begins to take shape (Figure 1). Implementing such a program can result in quality turf production, reduced pesticide usage, and budget savings. These are benefits that most turf managers can live with.



Figure 1. Enacting a turfgrass Integrated Pest Management program

Pest Management Methods

Integrated Pest Management programs combine various methods to produce the healthiest, most trouble-free lawns possible, as well as lawns of high visual quality. Individual pest control methods are presented in the following discussion.

Soil management Proper soil management is important; healthy lawns have healthy root systems. Many turf problems can be traced to soils that are excessively wet, dry, acidic, or alkaline, and to soils that are infertile, prone to compaction, impenetrable, or full of debris. Fertile soils with a pH of between 6 and 7 are desirable. Many home lawns suffer because grasses are grown on soils that are poorly drained. Healthy lawns usually grow on soils that have adequate water and oxygen.
The best time to make major soil modifications is at establishment. Begin by taking soil samples for a soil test. A properly prepared planting bed meets the growth demands of a turf. Incorporate amendments based on soil test recommendations to provide the best possible turfgrass growing conditions.
Even established turfs will benefit from a soil test. Major changes, however, are not often possible because of potential turfgrass damage. Modifications to soils in which established turf is growing can be accomplished by supplying amendments in small increments.

Turfgrass selection When establishing or renovating a lawn, carefully select turfgrasses based on use, growth environment (e.g., soil type, light availability, moisture availability), the desired appearance, the management level it will receive, and its pest resistance. Turfgrass cultivars (also referred to as varieties) are types of a grass species selected for specific characteristics such as disease resistance, tolerance of unusual environments, or appearance, and should be used whenever quality turf is desired. To reduce overall turfgrass disease potential and provide tolerance to varied sites, plant mixes (combinations of two or more species of turfgrass) and/or blends (combinations of two or more cultivars of the same species).

Cultural practices Proper lawn care is probably the most useful IPM method for managing pests and controlling appearance. Mowing, watering, fertilizing, and cultivating can be combined to reduce weed, insect, and disease problems and to produce turf of high quality.

Biological and genetic controls Advances in turfgrass breeding and pest control research present some exciting and potentially useful methods of pest control. Presently, however, disease-resistant turfgrass cultivars present the most useful application of this technology.
Biological Control-Biological control includes the use of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and parasitic or predaceous insects to control pest organisms. An example of this type of control is the use of milky spore (a bacteria) to control Japanese beetle grubs. Milky spore, unfortunately, is not effective against the common grubs that invade Illinois turf.
Currently, researchers are evaluating many biological controls. Nematodes used for grub control, diseases and insects for weed control, and bacteria and fungi for lawn-disease control are receiving attention and may be available for general lawn use in the future. These products cannot be endorsed until university research conclusively proves their worth.
Some cultivars of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue have been found to be associated with fungi (endophytes) that sod webworms, chinch bugs, and billbugs find an undesirable food source. Endophytes are present in turf seed of certain cultivars and are passed along from generation to generation. Several endophyte-containing perennial ryegrasses and tall fescue are presented in Table 1. Use fresh seed that has been properly stored; survival of the endophyte fungi is dependent on proper seed storage conditions.

Table 1. Endophyte-containing perennial ryegrass and tall fescue cultivars.

Genetic Control Disease-resistant turfgrass cultivars currently provide an important avenue for reducing disease problems in home lawns. Presented in Table 5 is a list of common turfgrass cultivars exhibiting resistance. This list is current, but other cultivars presently available may also offer some resistance. Consult a current list of recommended turfgrasses before selecting a turfgrass cultivar in the future.

Physical or mechanical removal

In turf, mechanical removal of pests entails removal by hand. Small populations of weeds can be controlled by pulling, digging, or hoeing. For large weed populations physical removal is laborious, time consuming, and often impractical.
Physical removal of insect or disease pests is generally not practiced in turfgrass areas.

Prevention and sanitation

When planting a lawn, it is important to use seed or vegetative propagules (sod, plugs, or sprigs) that are as pest free as possible. Inspect seed labels or vegetative propagules to determine if weeds or pests are present. Select and plant pest-free turfgrasses. Obviously, planting a pest-free lawn will minimize future problems.
Collect clippings in established turf when weeds are in flower to reduce seed spread. Collecting clippings will also reduce the spread of diseases during periods of infection.
Reducing pest spread from areas adjacent to established turf can also help prevent pest infestations. Mowing weeds in those areas prior to flowering can reduce seed movement into turf areas.

Pesticides

Contrary to some beliefs, pesticides are often part of an IPM program. They are selected and applied responsibly to avoid health risks to living organisms other than those targeted. Pesticides are used as a last-resort control based on the need to maintain a pest population below the predetermined aesthetic or economic threshold in IPM.

Pesticides are selected based on:

• application method and timing;
• toxicity; effectiveness;
• host specificity;
• cost; and
• persistence.

Generally, pesticides that have low toxicity, are effective against the pest that is present (but not damaging to other living organisms), and have the least persistence should be selected. Using the most effective application methods and timing can reduce the impact of selecting a costly pesticide product. Avoid using, when possible, highly toxic, persistent, broad-spectrum pesticides. The use of preventive pesticides on a home lawn is limited to situations where regular pest invasions are guaranteed. To reduce the amount of pesticides applied, make spot applications only to areas where pests are a problem rather than broadcast applications to an entire lawn. If pesticides are used, be sure to read, understand, and follow the label directions for the safest and most effective use.

Weeds

Herbicides are pesticides that control weeds and are applied either before weeds germinate (preemergence) or after weeds are up and growing (postemergence). A dense, healthy stand of turf is the best defense against weed invasions, but occasionally even well-managed lawns suffer from weed invasions. If it becomes necessary to control turf weeds chemically, spot treat using postemergence herbicides where possible. For large populations of weeds, however, broadcast applications of preemergence or postemergence may be most efficient and manageable. For best success, apply herbicides when weeds are most vulnerable to control as directed on the herbicide label. See Lawn Weeds and Their Control in this binder for color photos and additional weed control information.

Insects

Monitor lawns for insect invasions to avoid unnecessary preventive applications. The two most common insects in Illinois turf are the annual white grub and the sod webworm. In addition, the true white grub and Japanese beetle grub may become pests in some years. A well-managed lawn can withstand a number of feeding grubs without suffering great damage. Begin monitoring for annual white grubs, the most common insect pest in Illinois, just below the soil level in early August. Apply an insecticide if populations are above 8 to 12 grubs per square foot. Be sure to supply adequate water and fertilizer after grubs have begun feeding so that turf is better able to survive the damage to its root system. If an insecticide is applied, be sure to follow label directions for most effective and safest use. Sod webworms are common in Illinois during July and August, eating grass blades just above the soil. Two or more worms per square foot warrant control. An indication of sod webworm activity is the presence of large numbers of birds feeding in lawn areas. To monitor for sod webworms, dissolve 3 tablespoons of dish washing liquid in one gallon water and pour over one square yard of turf. Irritated webworms will emerge if present.

Diseases

Turf fungicides are expensive and require considerable experience to use properly. The use of fungicides on home lawns is not recommended. Control diseases with proper management and replant with resistant cultivars if diseases persist.