Cutting the worm burden
Worm casts are a perennial problem over the autumn and early winter. Smearing of worm casts during mowing not only looks unattractive and results in poor playing conditions, but the soil deposits also create ideal conditions for annual meadow grass and weed seed germination, according to Syngenta Technical Manager, Simon Barnaby.
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Milder autumn conditions result in the prolonged growth of grass - and need for regular mowing, which has made the problem of worm casts worse than ever, reports Simon Barnaby. Primo Maxx regulation of grass can reduce the need for cutting and the effects of worms, he advises.
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Milder autumn conditions result in the prolonged growth of grass - and need for regular mowing, which has made the problem of worm casts worse than ever, reports Simon Barnaby. Primo Maxx regulation of grass can reduce the need for cutting and the effects of worms, he advises.
Gritty worm casts thrown up on sand based greens and courses play havoc with a mower's precision-ground cutting blades, he adds. "Many of the products historically used to suppress worm activity are no longer permitted, and those that remain are under close scrutiny. It is a fact that the stringent environmental testing of modern turf management products makes it unlikely that any new chemical control techniques will become available."
The effects of worm casts have become more pronounced over recent seasons, with autumn turf growth continuing well into November and requiring regular mowing longer than ever before.
In the short term, Simon advises the continued use of Primo Maxx to regulate grass growth in warm autumn conditions can increase the interval between mowing, whilst maintaining turf quality and speed in damper conditions. "The result is to reduce the spread of worm casts. More importantly, it reduces the time-pressure on the mowing regime which enables cutting to take place in drier periods, or later in the day when worm casts have had time to dry and can be brushed away more effectively before cutting."
Longer term, he believes boxing off and removing clippings may offer a solution to reduce the organic matter on which worms feed and thrive. Using Primo Maxx to shorten grass height and clipping volume by up to 50% will help to reduce the time taken for cutting and the amount of composted material created," he adds.
Putting up bird boxes to encourage worm predators could also help to minimise the worm burden, but having witnessed the damage caused by aggressive rook feeding and the disastrous effects of badgers rooting for worms, natural predators can bring their own problems.
Glowing worms
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Microscolex phosphorous has only appeared in turf over recent years. Despite its tiny size the worm is already causing widespread damage.
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Over the past three years turf management advisors have also identified the presence of a new worm, Microscolex phosphoreus. Although only a relatively small worm that only makes small casts, it appears to proliferate very quickly and is resistant to any effects of carbendazim, warns Simon Barnaby. It has reportedly been responsible for causing extensive damage to golf and bowling greens where it has taken hold. A native of South America, researchers are currently attempting to plot its presence and spread in the UK.
Apart from the small size, Microscolex phosphoreus appears very similar to earthworms, however if the worms are handled they will create a distinct glowing appearance, most strikingly visual at night. Suspected cases can be investigated by Kate Entwistle at the Turf Disease Centre, or Dr Trevor Piearce at Lancaster University.