Blight on turf is associated with which genus?

• A. Typhula
• B. Rhizoctonia
• C. Pythium
• D. Fusarium

Answer: (A)

Blight in turf under cool, wet conditions is characteristically caused by Typhula species. These fungi produce what is known as Typhula blight or gray snow mold, thriving when snow cover and persistent leaf wetness create a perfect environment. They survive in the thatch and soil as sclerotia and mycelium, and infection leads to dead patches in the turf that may be accompanied by a pale, fluffy growth on the surface as conditions stay damp and cold. This genus is different from others that cause turf diseases in warmer weather or in different forms: Rhizoctonia is linked to diseases like brown patch and web blight, Pythium to damping-off and Pythium blight in hot, humid conditions, and Fusarium to Fusarium patch, which occurs under cooler seasons but is a different organism and symptom complex. So, when turf blight is discussed in the context of winter-dormant or snow-mold conditions, Typhula is the genus most closely associated.