{"id":23117,"date":"2025-09-18T13:35:30","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T13:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endowment.org\/?post_type=news&p=23117"},"modified":"2025-10-16T13:39:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T13:39:19","slug":"disease-management-for-specialty-cut-flowers","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/endowment.org\/es\/news\/disease-management-for-specialty-cut-flowers","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Disease Management for Specialty Cut Flowers: Results from New Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

The specialty cut flower industry continues to grow rapidly across the U.S., with demand for locally grown flowers climbing each year. However, growers still face persistent production challenges, and one of the most critical is disease management. Soilborne diseases in particular can devastate crops, leading to 50\u201375% losses when flowers are grown in field soil. Traditionally, chemical fumigants like methyl bromide were used to suppress these pathogens, but those options are now phased out or heavily restricted due to environmental and health concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shift has left growers searching for sustainable alternatives that protect their crops while meeting consumer expectations for eco-friendly practices. Recent research conducted by Dr. Francesca Hand and her team at The Ohio State University, supported by the American Floral Endowment, has explored one such alternative: Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD)<\/strong>. At the same time, the project developed a new educational resource, Diseases of Specialty Cut Flowers: A Farmer\u2019s Guide to Disease Identification and Management<\/em><\/a>,<\/strong> to help growers improve disease diagnosis and management strategies on their farms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD)?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ASD is a non-chemical method originally studied in vegetable systems in the Netherlands and Japan. It works by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Incorporating a carbon source (such as tomato pomace, wheat bran, or molasses) into the soil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Saturating the soil with water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Covering it with an airtight tarp for 3\u201310 weeks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    During this process, soil microbes break down the carbon under oxygen-deprived conditions, producing gases and compounds that suppress many plant pathogens. The method has shown strong potential in vegetable crops, but until now, had not been widely tested in cut flower production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"
    Figure 1. Example of the level of disease severity observed in zinnia plants grown in ASD-treated (right) and control (left) substrates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Key Research Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    1. Strong Control of <\/strong>Rhizoctonia solani<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Ranunculus infected with Rhizoctonia solani<\/em>
    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Rhizoctonia stem and crown rot is a major threat to zinnias and other cut flowers. In this study:<\/p>\n\n\n\n