Controlling Turfgrass Pests – Third Edition

 

As we are told from an early age, never judge a book by its cover. Well nothing could me more true for the second edition of Controlling Turfgrass Pests by Thomas Fermanian, Malcolm Shurtleff, Roscoe Randell, Henry Wilkinson, Philip Nixon. Despite a less than flattering cover, this US produced book provides a wealth of information on exactly that, controlling pests in order to produce top notch turf.

This edition has been written as a basic text for turfgrass students and is also designed as a comprehensive reference too for the professional turfgrass manager and superintendent. The book contains both the technical and practical information necessary for decision-making and the day-to-day operation in all areas of turfgrass culture and management.

The authors say the stimulus for writing this book came from the rapid expansion of the turfgrass industry over the past 30 years and the increase in the numbers of professional turfgrass managers responsible for managing turf as free as possible of weeds, insects, diseases and other pests.

They say while there are a number of excellent books available on turfgrass management and culture, a text-reference book that concentrates on the diagnosis, fundamental biology and control of turfgrass weeds insects and other animal pests was required.

Emphasis is placed on how to identify turfgrass pests, where and they occur, the damage that may take place, the life cycles of pests, plus cultural, chemical and other management strategies designed to keep pest damage to a minimum.

This edition stresses integrated pest management systems for controlling turfgrass pests and emphasis is placed on minimising the severity of all types of pest damage through properly organised cultural management.

The book claims to blend descriptive terminology with the more technical language of weed science, entomology, nematology, plant pathology and turfgrass management to better serve the diverse levels of knowledge and skills of a wide variety of turfgrass managers and consultants.

There is a handy glossary of terms and extensive index at the back of the book, while for turfgrass students the end of each chapter has a series of revision questions as well as a list of selected reference books from which more information can be obtained.

As the book is from our cousins in America, there is scant mention of specific Australian pests, while some of the pests mentioned are not found Down Under. However, this 655-page hard-cover book will find its place in the bookshelf of any dedicated turf manager or superintendent.