Cutless* selectively suppresses the growth of Poa annua to a greater degree
than desirable perennial turfgrasses, such as creeping bentgrass, shifting the competitive
growth advantage away from Poa annua and towards creeping bentgrass. Therefore,
over time, creeping bentgrass is able to grow laterally or “creep” into the suppressed
Poa annua stand, resulting in successful conversion. This allows for a
consistent and gradual conversion from Poa annua to creeping bentgrass
with minimal disruption to the playability of the turfgrass. Cutless is not a herbicide
and therefore will not disrupt turfgrass appearance while reducing Poa annua
populations. Programmed applications of Cutless have proven to reduce Poa annua
populations by as much as 50 - 80% in the first year!
A programmed attack is the best strategy to defeat Poa annua
The best way to rid your course of Poa annua using a PGR is to STAY ON
THE CUTLESS PROGRAM throughout the growing season. Beginning in the spring,
following resumption of active growth, make programmed applications of Cutless every
2 to 4 weeks through the summer and into the fall, ending 4 weeks prior to expected
winter dormancy or inactive growth.
Continue the Cutless program throughout the summer, even if some slight discoloration
of Poa annua exists. During extremely hot weather, Poa annua may go
off color and some dimpling or heavy growth regulation may happen. If so, simply
delay your next application for one week or until the regulation has subsided. Due
to the fact that Poa annua becomes stressed during periods of high temperatures,
the plant becomes weakened, making Cutless that much more impactful. The Cutless
program should not interfere with normal maintenance practices, however, during
hot stressful weather, users should avoid applying Cutless within a week or two
from applying growth regulating DMI fungicides.
Untreated bentgrass fairway
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Cutless 50W at 8 oz./A
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Cutless 50W at 16 oz./A
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Bentgrass fairway 1 year after Cutless 50W program of 8 applications at 3 week intervals
from May through November. Note the significant reduction of Poa annua populations when
comparing untreated and Cutless 50W treated plots following the Cutless 50W program.
Stay the Course!
Discontinuing the Cutless program may result in the recurrence of Poa annua.
Continuing with Cutless applications, even when the Poa annua populations
have been reduced to a manageable level, will prevent Poa annua from making
a comeback. Poa annua is a very opportunistic weed that, if not managed,
will rapidly encroach into divots, poorly drained areas, heavy traffic areas and
eventually re-infest itself.
The Cutless Poa annua Suppression Program
† Apply in early spring following resumption of active growth of the grass. Fall applications should be discontinued 1 month before the onset of inactive grass growth or winter dormancy. Do not apply more than 3 lbs active ingredient/A or 6 lbs Cutless /A per year or 295.4 fl. oz. Cutless MEC Liquid/A per year.
Added benefits to a Cutless Poa Annua Suppression Program
The Cutless program can save you money by eliminating the following:
- Additional growth regulator treatments.
- Cutless is an excellent growth regulator and will reduce clipping volume and mowing
frequency.
- Fall pre-emergence application for germinating
Poa annua
- Research has proven that Cutless applied at labeled rates can provide up to 80%
control of fall germinating Poa annua seedlings.
- Summer fungicide applications targeting diseases that impact stressed
Poa annua
- By reducing Poa annua populations, management practices can be shifted
to maintain the growth of creeping bentgrass rather than Poa annua.
- Reduce the need for Poa annua seedhead control
in the spring.
- Although Cutless will not control Poa annua seedheads; it will reduce
Poa annua populations to more manageable levels. Therefore, Poa annua
seedhead control should not be necessary after the first year or two of Cutless
program applications.
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Suppression of Dollar Spot
- The active ingredient in Cutless is from the pyrimidine class of chemistry, which is structurally similar to pyrimidine
fungicides that provide Dollar Spot control. Programmed applications of Cutless
for turf growth suppression or Poa annua conversion have also been shown
to suppress Dollar Spot incidence in creeping bentgrass fairways, greens and tees.
Research results have shown Cutless applications at labeled rates and application
intervals can significantly reduce Dollar Spot incidence and populations when compared
to untreated control plots. Cutless should not be used to replace labeled fungicides
for the control of Dollar Spot; rather programmed use of Cutless may result in longer
or improved control of Dollar Spot in conjunction with conventional fungicides,
or delays in the appearance of Dollar Spot disease, thus leading to the potential
for an overall reduction in annual fungicide use.
Cutless does more than control Poa annua
Cutless is a multi-faceted tool that provides many benefits to golf course superintendents.
Besides being the #1 PGR for suppressing Poa annua, Cutless also:
- Reduces shoot growth. Cutless is an excellent PGR, which
can eliminate one to two mowings per week on fairways.
- Improves turfgrass quality. An application of Cutless
increases turfgrass density, improves wear resistance, and enhances turf color,
which leads to improved overall turfgrass quality.
- Has no Impact on lateral recovery of bentgrass. Cutless
applications will not impact bentgrass recovery due to mechanical damage from divots,
ball marks or aerification. Research has shown that Cutless has less impact on creeping
bentgrass lateral growth compared to Trimmit® 2SC and other formulations of paclobutrazol.
- Will not over-regulate Kentucky bluegrass surrounds. Continued
use of Trimmit 2SC or other formulations of paclobutrazol will over-regulate and
weaken stands of Kentucky bluegrass surrounds. Use Cutless in confidence when over-spraying
into Kentucky bluegrass surrounds and rough.
Trimmit 2SC is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company
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