Scientific name
Curvularia spp.
Common Names
Curvularia Leaf Spot, Curvularia Blight
Curvularia is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of warm-season turfgrasses throughout Australia, including couch, kikuyu, buffalo and zoysia. The disease is most common during warm, humid weather and periods of prolonged leaf wetness, particularly when turf is stressed by drought, low mowing heights or nutrient deficiencies. Symptoms begin as small brown to black leaf spots that enlarge into irregular lesions with dark margins. Severe infections can lead to leaf blighting, thinning turf and reduced turf quality.
Images
- https://www.syngentaturf.com.au/disease-foliage/curvularia
- https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/diseases-in-turf/curvularia-leaf-spot-in-turf/
- https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/turf/
- https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/fungalasco/pdlessons/Pages/Curvularia.aspx
Similar Diseases
- Leaf Spot (Bipolaris, Drechslera and Exserohilum spp.)
- Grey Leaf Spot (Pyricularia grisea)
- Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia solani)
- Dollar Spot (Clarireedia spp.)
SCENARIOS AND SOLUTIONS
At the first signs of dark leaf spots or blighting: Apply ProForce Tombstone Duo Fungicide to suppress active Curvularia infections and protect healthy turf.
During warm, humid conditions favouring disease: Apply Azo-Force 250SC Fungicide preventatively before prolonged periods of leaf wetness.
On sports fields and golf courses with recurring Curvularia: Rotate ProForce Voltar 500SC Fungicide with ProForce Tombstone Duo Fungicide to support resistance management.
Where multiple foliar diseases are a concern: Include ProForce Clean Sweep Trio Fungicide in an integrated fungicide program to provide broad-spectrum turf disease protection.
References
https://www.syngentaturf.com.au/disease-foliage/curvularia
https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/diseases-in-turf/curvularia-leaf-spot-in-turf/
https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/turf/
https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/fungalasco/pdlessons/Pages/Curvularia.aspx
Curvularia photo courtesy of Plant Pathology: Extension & Outreach: Plant Disease Library
