| Conference Sessions and Presenters Please note information regarding CEU's will be forthcoming. Diane Jorsey “DEEP Updates” Diane Jorsey has been with DEEP (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) for 30+ years and is the Supervisor of the Pesticide Management Program. This Program is responsible for the administration of pesticide and arborist certifications and business registrations, state registrations, aquatic permitting, inspection and enforcement of pesticide laws. Diane will provide us with an update on DEEP’s Pesticide Management Program.
Michael Dugan “Legislative Updates” Mike Dugan is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and President of Capitol Consulting, LLC. Since 1989, Mike has had a distinguished career as a lobbyist in the State of Connecticut representing many clients to legislators and state agency officials. He is currently the lobbyist for the Connecticut Environmental Council where he has done a great job representing our “Green Industry” interests. Mike will provide us with information about what to expect during the upcoming “long” session in the Connecticut State Legislature. He will also tell us how to make our voices heard at the Capitol and encourage each of us to participate in the legislative process.
Dr. Amy Harder and Evan Lentz “Speak Green: Mastering Client Communication for IPM Success” Amy Harder is the Associate Dean for Extension at the University of Connecticut. She provides leadership for the UConn Extension system, which includes faculty and staff in every department in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Prior to joining UConn, she worked at the University of Florida for 16 years teaching graduate courses and Extension programs focused on creating positive change in communities. Evan Lentz is an Assistant Extension Educator in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA) at the University of Connecticut. He has responsibilities in both tree and small fruit production and integrated pest management (IPM). His research interests include integrated pest management, precision agriculture technology, alternative production systems, and novel fruit crops. He splits his time between Extension activities and teaching in the PSLA department. This presentation equips groundskeepers with essential tools for communicating IPM practices to clients effectively. Learn how to accurately convey the principles of IPM and associated benefits while addressing common client concerns. Through proven communication strategies and insights from Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, attendees will gain the skills to make IPM more appealing and accessible to clients.
Dr. Richard Cowles “Old and New: Old Foes and New Exotic Insect Pests” Dr. Richard Cowles obtained his degrees from Cornell and Michigan State Universities. Following a stint as the statewide ornamentals and turf entomology specialist for California, he took his current position at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at the Valley Laboratory in Windsor. For thirty years in that position, he has been working to find the least environmentally damaging methods to protect crops, forests, and landscapes from insects and diseases. With his wife, he operates Humming Grove Farm in Broad Brook, Connecticut, growing Christmas trees of many species, plus tree fruits and vegetables. This presentation will discuss the likely reasons for white grub treatment failure (insecticide resistance and poor incorporation into the soil of the insecticides used) and will provide advice on the best management practices for white grubs and other insect pests. Notably, our most effective white grub material, chlorantraniliprole (Acelyepryn), has such a long half-life in the soil and is so active against white grubs that the window of effective application can be broadened to include any time of year in which soil and precipitation conditions allow incorporation. Such opportunities can be very limited, because our weather patterns tend to extremes in precipitation patterns. Matt Elmore “Looking Ahead after a Hot and Dry 2024: Managing Crabgrass and Other Weeds in Lawns” Dr. Matthew Elmore is an Associate Extension Specialist in Weed Science at Rutgers University. His research focuses on weed control in turfgrass and integrated strategies for weed control in cool-season turf. Matt earned his B.S. in Turfgrass Science from Penn State University and earned his M.S. and Ph.D from the University of Tennessee in 2014 in turfgrass weed control. A hot and dry 2024 tested weed control programs more than in recent years. Why 2024 was so tough to manage weeds? How can we bolster programs in both newly-seeded and mature lawns for the future? How can we best use and improve the performance of the turfgrass and products we are familiar with?
This presentation will discuss controlling warm-season annual grass weeds on cool-season lawns. Also, how to best integrate various strategies for weed control. Specifically, how to adjust turfgrass management practices such as mowing, fertilization, and seeding to be combined with herbicidal tools for control. The performance of various preemergence herbicide programs and postemergence herbicide programs will be discussed. Strategies such as application timing relative to crabgrass growth stage, application method, and adjuvants will be discussed based on recent research. Herbicide selection for newly-seeded lawns will also be covered.
Stacey Stearns, Jason Henderson and Tessa Hospod "AI for Groundskeepers: Does Autonomous Mowing Increase Turfgrass Quality and Resilience" Stacey Stearns is a Program Specialist on Communications for UConn Extension, and formal and informal reporting. She works with Extension teams on farms Farm to Community, Bug Week, GMO’s and trails. Stacey earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut and her Masters of Science in Agricultural Education and Communication from the University.
Dr. Jason Henderson a Professor of Turfgrass and Soil Sciences in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Henderson earned his Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University in Crop and Soil Science specializing in the physical properties of turfgrass soils. Jason also has significant experience in the turfgrass industry working under Bob Hudzik, Head of Stadium Operations and Athletic Field Maintenance at Penn State University. During his tenure at Michigan State, he managed the football practice fields from 1997-2000. He also worked as a Soil/Turfgrass Consultant with Hummel & Co. Inc., one of the nation’s leading providers of soil physical testing services for golf courses, athletic fields and commercial landscapes.
Tessa Hospod is a graduate research assistant at the University of Connecticut pursuing a master's degree in Plant Sciences with a concentration in Soil Sciences. She recently earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences with a focus on sustainable systems and a minor in Spanish from UConn this past May. Her background in turfgrass sciences stems from her work as an undergraduate research assistant where she collaborated on various turfgrass and soil research projects. She also completed her own undergraduate honors thesis on a native grass species project. Her current research involves autonomous mowing, turfgrass management, and pesticide management relating to soil microbial health. Additionally, she serves as the Turf Club’s Vice President and as a Board Fellow at The Nature Conservancy’s Connecticut Chapter.
Labor is typically the largest item in the operating budget of most businesses. Mowing across all facets of the turfgrass industry remains a huge draw on available labor resources. Autonomous mowers are an emerging option to help alleviate labor shortage concerns. These battery powered machines offer several advantages such as saving significant time, generating very little noise disturbance, producing no polluting gas emissions, and can mow every day/night even during rain events resulting in minimal clipping production. Are there potential benefits to turfgrass health beyond increased mowing quality such as reduced fertilizer use, enhanced drought tolerance, increased disease resistance and/or reduced high temperature stress?
John Inguagiato " The Goldilocks Dilemma: Getting Your Disease Management Program Just Right" John Inguagiato is an Associate Professor of turfgrass pathology and Director of the Turfgrass Disease Diagnostic Center at the University of Connecticut. His research program focuses on assessment of cultural management practices that may reduce the incidence and severity of turfgrass diseases, and evaluate practices that may predispose turf to disease. His research also identifies new turfgrass pathogens and determines the best management practices for their control. The overall goal of his research program is to develop sustainable turfgrass disease management practices that meet the functional needs of turfgrass systems. Management inputs influence the severity of disease outbreaks. Dialing in fertility and irrigation practices and knowing when and how to apply fungicides can help avoid costly call backs. This presentation will review a few of the most commonly observed diseases this past year. We will discuss tips for identifying key diseases as well as conditions which are favorable for their development. We will also examine typical lawn management programs, the impact of fertility programs and fertilizer release curves on turf growth and disease development. Lastly, we will review fungicide timing and application to optimize proper use. |
