OTPS Diseases Exam – 2025/2026 | 80+ Questions with Answers | Brown Patch, Dollar Spot, Gray Leaf Spot, Fairy Ring

This document contains 80+ well-structured exam questions and correct answers from the OTPS (Ornamental Turfgrass Pest and Disease) Exam for the 2025/2026 academic year. It delivers detailed, accurate descriptions of turfgrass diseases, their symptoms, causal agents, seasonal behavior, and control factors—essential for students in turf science, agronomy, and landscape management programs. Key diseases and topics covered include: Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia solani): develops in warm, wet weather; affects St. Augustine, zoysia, and centipede grasses; worsened by nitrogen excess and thatch Spring Dead Spot: persistent disease of Bermuda grass in cooler regions; leads to ring-shaped turf dieback with poor recovery Dollar Spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa): summer disease producing circular patches and leaf lesions with brown borders; spread by equipment, dew, or drought stress Gray Leaf Spot (Pyricularia grisea): affects primarily St. Augustine grass; symptoms include gray or purple-bordered spots; thrives in warm, wet conditions and spreads via rain and wind Fairy Ring: creates rings of dark green, fast-growing turf, often surrounded by dead zones or mushrooms; especially damaging on sandy, thatch-heavy soils This exam guide is ideal for students in: Turfgrass Management and Horticulture Agronomy and Plant Pathology Landscape Architecture Environmental Science with focus on lawns or sports turf maintenance The Q&A format provides specific symptomology, host range, seasonal occurrence, and management tips, making it a reliable reference for test prep, field identification, and certification exams. Keywords: turfgrass disease, brown patch, Rhizoctonia solani, spring dead spot, dollar spot, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, gray leaf spot, Pyricularia grisea, fairy ring, turf pathology, St. Augustine grass, bermudagrass, zoysia, lawn disease, fungal turf diseases, turfgrass maintenance, thatch, nitrogen fertilization, turf care, ornamental turf