@article{uriarte_shew_bowman_2004, title={Effect of soluble silica on brown patch and dollar spot of creeping bentgrass}, volume={27}, ISSN={["1532-4087"]}, DOI={10.1081/PLN-120027657}, abstractNote={Abstract Disease pressure on cool season turfgrasses is very high in the transition zone due to the heat and humidity of prolonged summers. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is susceptible to both brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn) and dollar spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett) fungi. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of soluble silica for reducing the severity or incidence of disease on creeping bentgrass. Two mature stands of creeping bentgrass, maintained as putting greens, were used. Both greens were constructed to USGA specifications and planted with either “Penncross” or “Cato” and “Crenshaw” blend creeping bentgrass. Plots were treated biweekly with silica at rates of 0, 25, and 50 kg ha−1. Turf quality was unaffected by silica application. Differences in disease incidence between the silica treatments and the control were observed in 1995 but not in 1996. There was no effect of treatment on tissue Si, suggesting that creeping bentgrass may be a Si excluder. Based on these results, silica may provide some degree of protection from dollar spot and brown patch. However, the level of control is unlikely to satisfy expectations for putting green turf quality.}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION}, author={Uriarte, RF and Shew, HD and Bowman, DC}, year={2004}, pages={325–339} }