The @VTTurfgrass Field Day reports transition to precision spray weed control with the Alba, updates on in-ground sensors & winter kill management, and undergraduate research w/ presentations by @VTTurfweeds @samTURFkreinbrg @ecakitchin and @VTTurfTeaching #vaturf @TheVTF

ABW update from SW Va from @TomKuhar: As of April 4, 2026, we’ve acumulated about 207 GDD in Blacksburg, VA – the beautiful redbud trees are in bloom and most of the Bradford pear trees are post bloom. For the entire month of March, we hardly saw a single ABW adult at either of our golf courses, the Blacksburg Country Club (BCC) and Virginia Tech Golf Course (VTGC). This is unusual especially because degree day accumulations are higher this year than last year. However, our first sample in April, showed a little bit of ABW activity at the Virginia Tech course although numbers are still very low (<3 adults per ft2). The past few years, we’ve observed a peak in overwintering ABW adults occurring around the last week of March into the 1st week of April in the mountain and valleys of western Virginia. So far, we’ve not seen it yet this year in Blacksburg, VA, so I’d suggest holding back on the adulticide spray. This coming week’s sample will be critical to determine the need for an adulticide spray. So far, in Virginia, we have not detected any noticeable pyrethroid resistance in our ABW populations and thus, a pyrethroid may still be the most economical adulticide option. The new Syngenta insecticide Atexzo will control both adults and larvae of ABW and has a broad pest spectrum. Ben McGraw wrote a great blog summarizing his experience with this insecticide and how he believes that it fits in ABW spray programs, particularly as a mix with Acelepryn targeting early larvae. greencastonline.com/weeviltr… Atexzo / Acelepryn mix (see WeevilTrak Plus program)

So unbelievably grateful to receive such an honor! I consider myself extremely fortunate to have received such incredible support from my mentors and colleagues over the years🤠

Great advice from @bloom_golf in @GCImagazine that applies to all segments of green industry. In particular I noted this statement: "You can’t be the long-term leader if you’re always the short-term hero." golfcourseindustry.com/news/…

Last week myself and the @VTTurfPath Lab installed 90 @spiio_official in-ground soil moisture sensors across fairway #15 at @IndependenceGC. The sensors will be used to evaluate the optimal sensor quantity and distribution for soil moisture mapping on golf course fairways, as well as a variety of studies on winter desiccation, compaction, timing of covers, etc. Huge shoutout to @TravisLRoberson and @Syngenta for generously working to get these sensors donated for this project! And to my incredible colleagues at Virginia Tech for working through the dark and the pouring rain to get everything done. I am SO grateful to have such a remarkable team to work alongside me and support my graduate research!! Looking forward to data analysis and sharing the results from this exciting project!

Use soil data to your advantage! 🌱 With tools like GreenCast Connect #Spiio soil sensors, you can receive real-time insights to help you manage turf quality and performance. Learn more about these tools from @TravisLRoberson: bit.ly/3H5a3CB #GCConnect

Registration is open and the Monday night Hokie Turf Summit is FREE to all! givebutter.com/V6iMPD Join @VTTurfgrass for two days of turfgrass innovation, community, and research excellence! #VaTurf #KeepingItReal

I’m so thrilled to have won 1st place in the graduate student research competition at the International Turfgrass Research Conference in Japan! It was an absolute privilege to attend this conference and meet so many amazing people from the international turfgrass industry!🤩🤓🌾

Stay ahead of turf diseases this summer! 🛡️ @TravisLRoberson shares how GreenCast Connect helps optimize application timing to prevent diseases like #Anthracnose, #FairyRing and #SummerPatch. More on #GCConnect: bit.ly/45CCnGc

Demo of Ecorobotix prototype machine-vision sprayer at the Independence Golf Course Turfgrass Research Classic and Field Day hosted by Virginia Tech and the Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association. Our research shows 75 to over 90% reductions in herbicide use with this machine. Enhanced turf safety allows for more aggressive treatments and better weed resistance management. More to come!

Really enjoyed my visit to @RU_Turf_Program to assist with Spiio Soil Sensors for some upcoming chemistry and water use efficiency research. It was a pleasure to work along side Dr. Bingru Huang and her lab and look forward to the progression of this trial work. #spiiodata

Be sure to catch up on our latest episode of Tiger Turf with Doctor @TravisLRoberson of @SyngentaTurf! Awesome episode with my fellow @VTTurfgrass graduate, currently work on digital platforms more specifically the Spiio soil sensors! Game changing Technology with an incredible organization. Excited to be working alongside them here at Brentsville here in the near future! Can't thank you enough Travis! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

CONGRATULATIONS to @TravisLRoberson for successfully defending his dissertation: ‘Optimizing Bermudagrass Management Strategies Using Aerial Imagery and Wireless Capacitive Soil Sensors’ under the guidance of Dr. David McCall (@VTTurfPath). We are so proud of Dr. Roberson!

We are excited to announce the new GreenCast® Connect mobile app that is now available to turf professionals to provide real-time data and insights! #GCConnect Discover more about GreenCast Connect: bit.ly/4kq99PQ

It's been a privilege to travel up the East Coast this week and present my research and the latest turfgrass disease management strategies! Grateful for each and every opportunity to engage with the incredible people in the Mid-Atlantic turfgrass industry. ⛳️🌱🥳

Tune in Tuesday, Feb 18 at 2:00PM (EST) for a @FieldExperts post-conference webinar led by Dr. McCall and myself! We will discuss how pests and stressors on athletic fields impact playability, which embodies my master's research! Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi…

Let’s gooooo!!!! Proud of these young men & women - the future of our industry - and some of the kindest souls on plant earth! So very happy for @JulieKessler15 in her final year of competition - she’s a legend at VT and future difference-maker in the @FieldExperts industry!

Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! My family loved their new VT Turfgrass apparel. There's still time to purchase items and help support the turfgrass club before they head to the SFMA and GCSAA conferences! Link is below if interested :) docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…

The winter of 2024/2025 has been exciting, to say the least, @IndependenceGC, especially with the continuation of some winter-covering research using @spiio_official soil sensors. Can you tell where I walked to collect some temperature data? :)

Protecting bees from insecticide exposure! My student @godara_nav shows that common sense measures can dramatically reduce bee visitation to weedy turf prior to insecticide treatment. UV dye as proxy for insecticide. More glow indicates more bee visitation to weedy flowers.