Dollar spot (DS) (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa FT. Bennett) is an important disease on golf course turfgrasses in the United States. The objective of this study was to elucidate disease reduction mechanisms related to lightweight rolling. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) plots that were subjected to daily (5 d wk(-1)) rolling treatments (1x a.m., 1x p.m., 2x a.m.) showed significant DS reductions when compared with a nonrolled control. Treatments rolled in the afternoon (after dew and guttation fluid dissipated) exhibited similar area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values as treatments rolled in the morning in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Both 1x rolling treatments resulted in significant DS reductions compared with the control in 2009 and 2010. The 2x d(-1) treatment exhibited significantly less DS than the control in all years as well as significantly lower AUDPC values than both 1x rolling treatments in 2009 and 2010. Rolling 2x d(-1) improved turfgrass quality compared with all other treatments in each year of the study. All rolling treatments exhibited higher root zone volumetric water content (%VWC) compared with the control in 2010, and significant effects on %VWC were observed on individual dates among treatments. Results indicate previously unidentified effects of rolling on putting greens, including added physical and biological effects, which may be contributing to DS suppression.
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