Type: Fungus, perennial disease

Fungal Pathogen: Ustilago striiformis

Appearance: Stripe smut grows in patches, large swaths, and can even cover an entire lawn. Initially, grass appears slightly lighter in color than the grass around it. Later, a dark mycelium grows along the grass blade’s veins, which then rupture, causing the grass to wilt and curl into thin, dark-brown strips.

Risk: Cool-season grasses like bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass are at an increased risk, particularly young lawns.

Timing: Stripe smut appears when temperatures range from 60 degrees to 78 degrees and is most recognizable in the spring and fall.

Outlook: If untreated, grass affected by stripe smut can die after a hot summer.

How to Control Stripe Smut

Prevention

Avoid treating your lawn with nitrogen in the summer, which can help reduce the appearance of stripe smut. Also, core aeration is key because it loosens the soil and punctures thatch, reducing soil dampness. You can also reseed your lawn with seeds treated with a fungicide.

Treatment

This fungus’s spores linger in the soil, attaching to grass seed as they grow, so treatment is essential. They even survive cold weather in a dormant phase! Fungicides can be used as preventative and treatment measures if your lawn is susceptible to the disease. Apply this special formula in the late fall before the disease goes dormant for the winter. Also, irrigate adequately, but avoid a prolonged period of leaf wetness.

You can also call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape. We know stripe smut and have the tools to get rid of the fungus. In addition to treating diseases, we offer lawn care packages that offer you an opportunity to achieve your healthiest yard yet. Call us today at 765-771-9998 for more information and for a free quote.

Need Help with Stripe Smut?

Call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape today at 765-771-9998 and let's talk about how we can help you with Stripe Smut and other Indiana lawn diseases.

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