Melting out is a disease that affects which grass?

Melting out is a disease that affects which grass?

• A. Kentucky bluegrass
• B. Bermudagrass
• C. Tall fescue
• D. Zoysiagrass

Answer: (A)

Melting out on turf is a disease that causes rapid collapse of the crown and lower leaf tissue, giving patches a “melted” appearance as the turf thins and dies back. This pattern is most closely associated with Kentucky bluegrass because of its common use as a cool-season, creeping bluegrass and its tissue characteristics, which create a susceptible environment for the pathogen under typical cool‑season conditions. When the crowns are invaded, the invested meristematic tissue breaks down quickly, so the affected areas wilt and disappear from the surface, producing that distinctive melted look. Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass are warm-season grasses with different disease profiles, so they’re not the classic hosts for this symptom pattern. Tall fescue, while also a cool-season grass, does not usually show melting out in the same way as bluegrass, making Kentucky bluegrass the best match for this disease’s characteristic appearance. To manage, focus on improving drainage and reducing prolonged leaf wetness, plus appropriate cultural practices or fungicide choices if needed.

Melting out on turf is a disease that causes rapid collapse of the crown and lower leaf tissue, giving patches a “melted” appearance as the turf thins and dies back. This pattern is most closely associated with Kentucky bluegrass because of its common use as a cool-season, creeping bluegrass and its tissue characteristics, which create a susceptible environment for the pathogen under typical cool‑season conditions. When the crowns are invaded, the invested meristematic tissue breaks down quickly, so the affected areas wilt and disappear from the surface, producing that distinctive melted look.

Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass are warm-season grasses with different disease profiles, so they’re not the classic hosts for this symptom pattern. Tall fescue, while also a cool-season grass, does not usually show melting out in the same way as bluegrass, making Kentucky bluegrass the best match for this disease’s characteristic appearance. To manage, focus on improving drainage and reducing prolonged leaf wetness, plus appropriate cultural practices or fungicide choices if needed.