Lambert (Bert) McCarty

Professor of Turfgrass Science & Management
Horticulture Program Team, Agricultural and Environmental Science Department, Plant and Environmental Sciences Department

Office: 213 Poole
Phone: 864-656-0120
Fax: 864-656-4960

Email: bmccrty@clemson.edu

Educational Background

1986 Plant Physiology & Pathology
Clemson University PhD

1983 Crop Science (Turfgrass Management)
N.C. State University MS

1981 Agronomy & Soils
Clemson University BS

Courses Taught

Hort 4120/6120: Advanced Turfgrass Management

Profile

Bert McCarty is a Professor of Plant and Environmental Sciences specializing in turfgrass science and management at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina (USA). Previously, he held a similar position at the University of Florida. He has published numerous articles dealing with all phases of turfgrass management (see below) and is an oft requested speaker. He is currently authors or co-authors 15 books, is a co-author for the GCSAA seminars, Weed Control, Advanced Weed Management, Advanced Management of Bermudagrass Golf Greens, and Advanced Management of Bentgrass Golf Greens and is active in a number of professional societies. He has authored or coauthored 110 book chapters, 120 refereed journal articles, 175 Public Service Activities/Extension Publications, 230 (since 2000) trade journals, 36 annual research reports, and 630 Scientific Presentations/Abstracts. In addition, he has chaired 42 graduate students and been a committee member for 30 more. He currently chairs 4 PhD candidates. He also teaches the course, Advanced Turfgrass Management, and is coordinating author of Clemson University's Annual Pest Control Recommendation Guide for Professional Turfgrass Managers. In 2012, he won the prestigious Godley-Snell Award for Excellence which is given to the top agriculture researcher at Clemson University and in 2010 and 2013, the Notable State Document Award from the SC State Documents Depository System from over 3000 entries. In 2014, he was the recipient of the Fred Grau award through the Crop Science Society as the top national and international turfgrass science researcher and is a Societal Fellow, the highest recognition by the society. He was selected as a Fellow for the American Society of Agronomy in 2016. This was the first recipient of either award by a Clemson University professor. He has received CUs Board of Trustees Award for Excellence three times. He received the CGCSA Distinguished Service Award in 2018.

Research Interests

Turfgrass weed management including biology, control and herbicide resistance; PGR use; soil physical properties plus environmental stress physiology issues affecting turfgrass managers.

Extension and Outreach

Extensive involvement with a wide variety of Extension-type programs including co-chairing the Annual Clemson University Turfgrass Field Day, Editor of the Annual Clemson University Pest Control Recommendations, an opt after speaker at various field days, workshops, and seminars, worldwide as well as a consultant for various turfgrass facilities including sports fields, golf courses, sod production, parks and recreation, commercial lawns, roadsides, and others.

Publications

Books:
McCarty, L.B. and D.W. Hall. 2022. Plants of the Caribbean & Other Tropical Areas. A color pictorial of the major plants occurring in tropical regions. A complete description and uses are included for each plant. Order from: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NS4FYDY. ISBN 979-8784635921.

McCarty, L.B., M. Cutulle, & A. Gore. 2022. Characteristics of Herbicides for Turf, Ornamental Landscapes, and Aquatics – 3rd edition. A guide covering all major herbicides used in these markets. The technical information provides successful use of these products including their mode-of-action, herbicide resistance, & herbicide family classification. Order from: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M59KDCQ. ISBN 9798757605470.

McCarty, L.B. and P.J. Brown. 2022. Advanced Turfgrass Management Lab Manual. This book provides the in-depth knowledge and understanding of the science needed to accomplish desirable turfgrass with minimum inputs. Order from: https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-7554-7/. ISBN: 1-5275-7554-3.

Yelverton, F. and L. B. McCarty. 2022. Advanced Weed Management Workbook. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Lawrence, KS. 170 pp.

McCarty, L.B. and B. Martin. 2022. Advanced Management of Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Golf Greens. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Lawrence, KS. 216pp.

McCarty, L.B. and S.M. Martin. 2016. Management of Bentgrass Golf Greens in Heat-Stressed Environments. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Lawrence, KS. 226pp. Impact: The three above workbooks are critically acclaimed international workshops taught through the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. They are consistently rated by participants in the top 5% of workshops offered in terms of excellence, usefulness, applicability, and recommended to colleagues. Attendance ranges from 80 to 120 participants each.

McCarty, L.B. and G. Miller. 2021. Best Management Practices for Carolina Sports Fields A complete text on construction, watering, fertilizing, cultural practices, and pest management strategies for sustainable sports turf maintenance. Order from: www.scstma.org.

McCarty, L.B. 2018. Golf Turf Management. A complete text covering all agronomic practices for managing golf courses with inputs. Order from https://tinyurl.com/GolfTurfManagement; or crc.com. ISBN 978-1-138-47638-7.

McCarty, L.B. and D.W. Hall. 2018. Common Weeds and Wildflowers. Order from http://www.clemson.edu/psapublishing. This is the world's foremost authority book on identifying and describing the most Common Weeds and Wildflowers in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical regions of the world. The book focusing on those plants most common ly found in gardens, roadsides, pastures, fields, golf courses, sports fields, lawns, crops, ornamentals, and sod production.

McCarty, L.B. and J. P. Kerns. 2016. Best Management Practices for Carolinas Golf Courses. Liberty, SC. 296pp. Impact: Since Dr. McCarty published the first BMP book for golf courses while a faculty member at the University of Florida in the early 1990s, this has become the blueprint for many additional states to follow. NC and SC jointly published one in 2016 with Drs. McCarty and Kerns co-authoring it.

McCarty, L.B., L.R. Hubbard, Jr. and V. Quisenberry. 2016. Applied Soil Physical Properties, Drainage, and Irrigation Strategies. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland at www.springer.com/us/book/9783319242248. Impact: South Carolina has been ranked as the 2nd Best Golf Destination in the country, and the 380 golf courses play a key role in attracting tourists to the state. In addition to golf, the revenues generated by sporting venues and sod production makes turfgrass a profitable and important industry. Decisions made in turfgrass can result in contract disputes, canceled sporting events, and taxpayer money, it is important to have a resource that everyone can understand. This is the first text of its kind because with traditional soil physics texts, you would need a strong knowledge in calculus and physics. With our text you need a base knowledge in algebra, and it focuses more on the application of the principles.

White, R.W. and L.B. McCarty. 2012. Diagnosing Turfgrass Problems - A Practical Guide. Clemson Univ. Public Service. Anderson Publishing, Anderson, SC 353pp. (including 8 chapters). Impact: This recently published book combines over 90 years experience and photographs of diagnosing field turfgrass issues including steps in diagnosis, cultural causes and symptoms of turfgrass problems, environmental turfgrass situations, biological (pest) causes and symptoms of turfgrass problems, and tools, equipment and basic diagnostic procedures.

McCarty L. B. 2011. Best Golf Course Management Practices, 3nd edition. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 776pp. Served as editor and author/coauthor for 27 chapters - 7000 copies have been sold worldwide as of 2012 and is currently being translated into Japanese. Impact: This text (updated in 2018 as Golf Turf Management) is used worldwide as textbooks by universities, community colleges and trade schools for training students and as a resource for golf course managers in developing management programs and trouble-shooting problems associated with managing golf courses.

McCarty, L.B. and D.W. Hall. 2011. More Turfgrass and Related Weeds: Beyond the Color Atlas. Clemson Univ. Public Service. Anderson Publishing, Anderson, SC 380pp.

McCarty, L. B., J. W. Everest, D. W. Hall, T. R. Murphy, and F. Yelverton. 2008. Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds (2nd ed.). Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ. 423 pp. Impact: These are widely acclaimed in the identification, understanding the biology, and control of turfgrass weeds, worldwide.

Turgeon, A.J., L.B. McCarty, and Nick Christians. 2009. Weed Control in Turf and Ornamentals. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 300 pp. Served as author/coauthor for 8 chapters. Impact: This is the only text available dealing with specific topics including chemistry, mode-of-action, and environmental fate of specialty herbicides; weed ID and biology; and developing weed management programs for commercial turfgrass and ornamental production.

McCarty, L. B., I. R. Rodriguez, B.T. Bunnell, and F.C. Waltz. 2003. Fundamentals of Turfgrass and Agricultural Chemistry. John. Wiley & Sons. Hoboken, NJ. 375pp. Impact: This is the only worldwide text dealing with applied Chemical Principals and Practices as related to Turfgrass and Agriculture.

Murphy, T.R., D.L. Colvin, R. Dickens, J.W. Everest, D.W. Hall, and L.B. McCarty. 1996. Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses. Clemson Univ. Coop. Ext. Ser., Clemson, SC. 208 pp. Impact: This is the most successful for-sale extension publication in the USA with over 50,000 copies sold.

McCarty, L. B. and G. W. Miller. 2002. Managing Bermudagrass Turf. Ann Arbor Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 221 pp. Impact: This is the only text dedicated to managing bermudagrass turf, especially for golf courses and athletic fields.

Karnok, K.J., G.W. Landry, Jr., L.B. McCarty, and T.R. Murphy. 2006. Sports Turfgrass Management Course Certificate Program. UGA Center for Continuing Education. Athens, GA. Impact: This text is used for the first Sports Turfgrass Management Course available through continuing education.

McCarty, B., P. McCullough, and S. McElroy. 2010. Characteristics of Herbicides for Turf and Ornamental Landscapes. Clemson Univ. Coop. Ext. Ser. EC 697:114pp. McCarty, L.B. and R. Polomski. 2009. Home Lawn Management in South Carolina. Clemson Univ. Coop. Ext. Ser. EC 687:79pp. McCarty, L.B. (ed). 2003. Southern Lawns: Best Management Practices for the Selection, Establishment and Maintenance of Southern Lawngrasses. Clemson University Public Service Publishing. EC707. 566pp. McCarty, B., G. Landry, Jr., J. Higgins, and L. C. Miller. 1999. Sod Production in the Southern United States. Clemson Univ. Coop. Ext. Ser. EC 702:43pp. Impact: These valuable extension (Public Service) publications are in constant demand by clientele interested in entering these fields and by current field practitioners.

McCarty, L. B. (ed.). 2016. Pest Control Recommendations for Professional Turfgrass Managers. Clemson University Coop. Ext. Ser. EC 699. 129 pp. Edited the publication and authored 8 chapters. Impact: This valuable extension (Public Service) publication is in constant demand by clientele interested in entering these fields and by current field practitioners. The Pest Control Recommendations are updated yearly and are available on-line as well as print.