Speeding Snowmelt to Control Snow Mold

Authors

Justin Wyatt Clawson, Utah State UniversityFollow
Michael Pace, Utah State UniversityFollow
Eric Galloway
Matt Yost, Utah State UniversityFollow
Earl Creech, Utah State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Factsheet

Publisher

Utah State University Extension

Publication Date

6-15-2023

First Page

1

Last Page

5

Abstract

The high level of snowpack in the winter of 2022–2023 created a renewed interest in speed-melting snow to prevent snow mold on winter wheat crops, golf courses, and homeowners’ lawns. Snow molds are diseases caused by fungi growing under snow cover or in cool, wet weather. Winter wheat can be infected by three types of snow molds, while turf grasses can be infected by two kinds of snow molds. Plants will have a bleached color for pink snow mold or a thin layer of white or gray mycelium leaving the plants gray or white after they dry out for gray snow mold. This fact sheet will discuss ongoing research in Utah aimed at using soil amendments to speed the melting of snow to reduce snow mold pressure for small grains.

Recommended Citation

Clawson, J., Pace, M., Galloway, E., Yost, M., & Creech, E. (2023). Speeding snowmelt to control snow mold [Fact sheet]. Utah State University Extension.