Professor of Plant Pathology

Purdue University
Botany and Plant Pathology, Lilly Hall
915 West State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054

Office:  LILY 1-317
Phone:  (765) 494-4639
FAX:      (765) 494-0363
E-mail:   

Area: Turfgrass Diseases - Epidemiology and management of turfgrass diseases with emphasis on fungicide resistance and factors that influence fungicide performance

BTNY/ENTM 443/543: Arthropod Pests and Diseases of Turfgrass

Background

Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, Plant Pathology

Dr. Latin joined the Purdue faculty in 1981 with an extension and research appointment in the area of vegetable crops pathology. In 1997, he began to explore an active research program in turfgrass pathology. He is the author of 25 research papers and more than three dozen extension bulletins. Latin received the 1993 Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana/Illinois Watermelon Growers Association, and the Meritorious Service Award from the Southwest Indiana Melon and Vegetable Growers Association (1995). In 1997 he received the Roman R. Romanowski Award for Excellence and Dedication from the MidAmerica Food Processors Association. Most recently, Dr. Latin earned the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service Sharvelle Award for outstanding service to his clientele groups. Dr. Latin also received the College of Agriculture Team Award as part of the Purdue Turf Science Program.

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Research and Extension

Current research efforts in the area of turfgrass pathology focus on the management of diseases on golf course, sports turf, and professional landscapes. Specific research projects include the following:

Etiology and epidemiology of gray leaf spot of perennial ryegrass Residual efficacy of fungicides for control of dollar spot on creeping bentgrass Influence of spray volume on efficacy of fungicides for dollar spot control Interaction between PGR and fungicides for disease control Timing of fungicide applications for control of Rhizoctonia large patch of zoysia grass Development and delivery of weather-based systems for scheduling fungicides

The turfgrass pathology extension effort focuses on educational programs for professional turf managers. Part of the educational process involves field demonstrations that address the efficacy of various disease management practices. Another component involves formal educational presentations and workshops on turfgrass disease identification and control. The extension effort also involves turf disease diagnosis and the investigation of factors that contribute to disease outbreaks. The extension activities provide an educational opportunity for those of us in turf pathology, raising our awareness to the concerns of turf managers so that we may target our research accordingly.

http://btny.agriculture.purdue.edu/turfcast Turfcast is a pilot program designed to serve as a daily weather-based risk advisory for three infectious diseases of golf course turf. The programs includes: a) computer models that define the influence of weather on disease outbreaks b) a data acquisition computer to acquire and interpret environmental data, and c) a website to provide widespread access to the disease advisories. The Turfcast website also provides the opportunity for comment on current disease risks. Also, the website offers descriptions of disease symptoms and environmental factors that promote disease outbreaks. Turfcast is available during spring and summer months.

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Assistantships and Positions

A graduate research assistantship is available at the M.S. or Ph.D. level in the area of turfgrass pathology. The research project may involve any of several issues pertaining to turf disease management including, fungicide resistance in pathogen populations, environmental effects on disease outbreaks, and fungicide persistence. Students at the M.S. level must have some background and an interest in plant pathology. Students at the Ph.D. level must have experience in conducting independent research and a strong background and interest in plant pathology.

Please contact me directly for information on assistantships and openings in my program. Follow these links for general information on graduate programs or additional employment announcements.

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Selected Publications

Latin, R. 2006.  Residual efficacy of fungicides for control of dollar spot on creeping bentgrass.   Plant Disease 90:571-575.

Harmon, P. F., and Latin, R. 2005.  Winter survival of the perennial ryegrass pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae in north central Indiana.   Plant Disease 89:412-418.

Latin, R.  2005.  Managing take all patch of creeping bentgrass on sand-based greens. Golf Course Management 73:2:101-105.

Hardebeck, G. A., Reicher, Z. J., Turco, R. F., and Latin, R. 2004.  Application of Pseudomonas aureofaciens strain Tx-1 for control of dollar spot and brown patch on fair height turfgrass.  HortSci. 39:1750-1753.

Latin, R. and Harmon, P. 2004.  Managing gray leaf spot in the Midwest. Golf Course Management 72:10:89-92.

Latin, R. 2004.  New turfgrass diseases.  Grounds Maintenance. V3: 25-31. 

Harmon, P. F. and Latin, R. 2003. Gray Leaf Spot of Perennial Ryegrass. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2003-12XX-01-D

Harmon, P. F., Dunkle, L. D., and Latin R. 2003. A rapid PCR-based method for the detection of Magnaporthe oryzae from infected perennial ryegrass. Plant Dis. 87:1072-1076.

Harmon, P.F., Rane, K.K., Ruhl, G.E., and Latin, R. 2000. First report of gray leaf spot on perennial ryegrass in Indiana. Plant Disease 84: 492.

Gross, M.K., Santini, J., Tikhonova, I., and Latin, R. 1998. The influence of temperature and leaf wetness duration on infection of perennial ryegrass by Rhizoctonia solani. Plant Dis. 82: 1012-1016.

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Web Links of Interest

• Turfgrass Disease Profiles
• Turfcast for Indiana
• Turf Web Links