To determine what pesticides potentially are being applied by do-it-yourselfers, four of the most common granular-based homeowner turfgrass management programs were reviewed to determime recommended mixtures and rates of active ingredients (A.I.’s). The rate of A.I. applied per acre was calculated using the percent A.I. analysis disclosure statement and the recommended application rate.
To determine the amount of pesticide used by commercial turfgrass pesticide applicators, a survey questionnaire was developed during the fall and winter of 2001 with input from Research and Extension specialists at The Ohio State University (see the Appendix). Turfgrass pesticide applicators for three Ohio agro-ecosystems were identified from the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s listing of commercial pesticide applicators associated with the turf industry.
Surveys were mailed to 1,290 pesticide applicators in three regions of Ohio in late January 2002 (Table 1). In instances where surveys were sent to multiple individuals at the same company, it was requested that only one representative from a company return a completed survey. When multiple responses came from within a single company, only one of those responses was used in the data set. Non-respondents were contacted by follow-up mail and telephone communications.
Table 1. Counties and Population Centers Sampled in the Three
Agro-Ecosystems of Ohio by the 2001 Ohio Turfgrass Pesticide Usage
Survey.
| Agro-Ecosystem Regions | Population Centers | Counties Included in Survey |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Uplands (Southeastern Ohio) |
Athens Ironton Marietta Portsmouth |
Athens Lawrence Scioto Washington |
| Heartland (Western Ohio) |
Columbus Dayton Springfield |
Clark Delaware Fairfield Franklin Greene Licking Madison Miami Montgomery Pickaway Union |
| Northern Crescent (Northern Ohio) |
Cleveland | Cuyahoga Geauga Lake Lorain Medina Portage Summit |
Most of the survey respondents worked for turfgrass and landscape management companies located in 22 Ohio counties in and around major population centers, although several minor population centers and surrounding counties were surveyed in southeastern Ohio which has no major population center (Table 1). Data were collected, edited, checked for accuracy, and analyzed using standard statistical procedures.