Take-all patch

Take-all patch is a root disease that causes large, circular tan patches in cool-season lawns, primarily in spring and fall rather than summer. It's frequently confused with summer patch -- the symptoms look similar -- but the pathogen is different, the timing is different, and management.

Take-all patch is a root disease that causes large, circular tan patches in cool-season lawns, primarily in spring and fall rather than summer. It's frequently confused with summer patch — the symptoms look similar — but the pathogen is different, the timing is different, and management priorities differ. Correctly distinguishing them matters if fungicides are being considered.

Pathogen and host range

Per Penn State Center for Turfgrass Science, take-all patch is caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae. Primary hosts are:

• Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) — most susceptible; major problem on golf courses
• Annual bluegrass (Poa annua)
• Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) — home lawn situations
• Perennial ryegrass — occasionally affected