Nematodes and turfgrass health

Plant parasitic nematodes are some of the most devastating and difficult to control pests in agriculture. There are at least ten different nematode genera that can cause severe damage to turf as well. Keeping turf healthy is the first line of defense against nematodes; healthy turf can frequently tolerate high densities of parasitic nematodes without sustaining damage. But sometimes populations are too high, or the nematode (especially if the nematode is either sting nematode or leaf gall nematode) is too…