Envu will host distinguished plant pathologist Professor Jim Kerns, Ph.D., for an exclusive webinar on turfgrass root disease management. The webinar, “Management of Root Diseases in Turfgrass: An Adventure in Timing and Placement,” will be moderated by Envu Green Solutions Team Specialist Jesse Benelli, Ph.D., and will cover research on fungicide movement through the soil and discuss suggested best management practices to ensure fungicides reach the intended target.
The webinar will be held May 8, 2025, from 11 a.m. to Noon EST, and the cost is complementary.
“Professor Kerns and his team have worked closely with the Envu Green Solutions Team on root disease research for many years,” said Benelli. “What we know is early diagnosis is difficult as damage accumulates over time, and by the time symptoms appear, it may be too late for successful fungicide intervention. Additionally, fungicides are not easily mobile in soil, making it challenging to deliver the products to the pathogens’ location.”
Kerns is a professor and extension specialist at NC State University focusing on turfgrass pathology. He focuses on etiology, epidemiology, and management of diseases of both warm- and cool-season grasses. His research program focuses on understanding the biology of ultradwarf bermudagrass diseases, large patch of zoysiagrass, plant parasitic nematodes in turf and diseases of creeping bentgrass. The program’s mission is to provide efficacious and cost-effective management strategies to turfgrass managers in North Carolina and beyond. His program also houses the Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab, managed by Lee Butler.