Winter preparations for El Nino in the West

If El Nino conditions continue to develop, the result in the western U.S. will be higher than normal rainfall and increased disease pressure from brown patch attacking greens and fairways and Microdochium patch (also known as pink snow mold or fusarium patch) attacking greens.

In most areas of the world, brown patch (caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia) usually behaves as a summertime disease. However, in locations with warm and dry climates (such as the southwestern U.S.), brown patch becomes a…