Longer-Lasting Cut Flowers: The Subzero Solution

Discover how cutting-edge research can help flower growers store flowers for longer durations, ensuring blooms remain fresh and vibrant for extended periods. Hear the direct findings from AFE-funded research along with accessing the full research report. Average vase life visual representation of stored rose ‘Freedom Red’ flowers compared to non-stored control flowers after 4- and 8-week storage durations held at 31°F (-0.6°C) or 39 °F (4°C).Cold storage of cut flowers is often a necessity. On most farms, it is impossible to harvest enough flowers to satisfy the immediate needs of all customers and markets. Storing cut flowers at cold temperatures of 35-39°F reduces respiration and transpiration, allowing them to remain fresh and have a longer vase life.  The duration that flowers…

New Thrips & Botrytis Online Library

We are excited to announce the release of a new Thrips and Botrytis Research Library

New Breakthroughs in Thrips and Botrytis Management: A Special Presentation at Cultivate ‘23

This summer marks an exciting milestone in our Thrips and Botrytis Campaign as we unveil our extensive results and insights to the industry.As part of this release, we cordially invite you to join us at Cultivate on Monday, July 17, from 10:30 – 11:30 am for a special presentation of some of our findings. Titled “Effective Management of Thrips and Botrytis,” this session will feature practical takeaways from leading researchers, Dr. Jim Faust of Clemson University and Dr. Rose Buitenhuis of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. You’ll be introduced to cutting-edge discoveries and optimal strategies for managing and controlling thrips and botrytis in your operation. We’ll also delve into the essential topics of fungicide resistance and the use of biological…

Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation – A Sustainable Disease Management Technique for the Control of Soilborne Pathogens in Specialty Cut Flowers

Within the U.S. floriculture industry, cut flowers account for over $382 million in annual national sales (NASS 2019). Although imported cut flowers make up the majority of purchases, locally grown specialty cut flowers are facing a tremendous increase in popularity. This phenomenon is well reflected in the number of members of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), which has increased by more than 100% in the last five years (J. Laushman). Specialty cut flower production systems are diverse and include the use of soilless, soil-based, or a combination of these substrates, which can be reused over multiple seasons. Along with substrate reuse, the use of soil can introduce the risk of soilborne diseases caused by fungi and oomycete…

Protect Spring Crops from Ethylene

Protect Spring Crops from Ethylene Ethylene damages and kills plants and flowers. Ethylene is a naturally occurring wound hormone that causes leaf yellowing, leaf drop, bud drop, and reduced flower life. Ethylene gas is given off by dying, decaying, and dead fruits and vegetables. Also, plants and flowers produce ethylene internally as they age and when plants have undergone mechanical damage, such as vibration during shipping, drought, and heat stress. Damage to plants and flowers may be caused by ethylene in the atmosphere and from ethylene produced within the plant.  In severe situations, plants may not be marketable unless plants are treated with anti-ethylene products. You can protect your plants and flowers from ethylene. Today, several products are available from…

Biocontrol of Whiteflies in Poinsettia: What Works and Why Do It

Unfortunately, poinsettia and sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) go together like cats and fleas; if you have one, you’ll have the other. By this time (June) you should already be considering your whitefly management strategy. Here, we make a case for biocontrol as both a viable and economical way to control whitefly based on leading research supported by the American Floral Endowment (AFE) and many years of grower experience in Canada. The Problem with Pesticides Management of Bemisia whiteflies with pesticides can be difficult, if not impossible, in some years. This is because whiteflies that originate on cuttings (and those that fly in from field crops, as in the Southern US) have likely been exposed to multiple applications of several…

Answering Some of Your Questions on Insecticide Rotation

Article Author: Juang Horng “JC” Chong, Clemson University Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesAs a researcher and educator, I receive questions that touch on the minutia of how to build a successful insecticide rotation program as I preach and write about the importance of developing a rotation program. In this article, I’d like to take the opportunity to explore some of these direct questions.I’m going to proceed with the assumption that everyone who reads this article has some basic knowledge of how to rotate pesticides. If you’ve never heard of the terms “pesticide rotation” or “pesticide stewardship,” or if you are a novice to the practice of rotating pesticides, I invite you to read one of my older AFE’s Growing…

Pioneering a New Era of Nutritional Monitoring with Fert, Dirt, and Squirt

Figure 1. The collaborative group of greenhouse and floriculture specialists and educators, e-GRO, launched a Nutritional Monitoring of Floriculture Crops website. Pictured is the website homepage. Photo by Dr. W. Garrett Owen.Nutritional disorders are among the many challenges greenhouse growers encounter during crop production. These disorders often develop when substrate pH or soluble salts [referred to as electrical conductivity (EC)] drifts above or below optimal ranges for plant uptake. To assist greenhouse growers in addressing nutritional disorders, the collaborative group of greenhouse and floriculture specialists and educators, e-GRO, has launched a Nutritional Monitoring of Floriculture Crops website, Fert, Dirt & Squirt (Fig. 1), led by Dr. W. Garrett Owen and Dr. Brian Whipker. The Nutritional Monitoring of Floriculture Crops, sponsored…

Newly Released: Research Webinars for Thrips and Botrytis

Thrips & Botrytis Webinar Series Recordings Now Available We have released webinar recordings from a 6-week webinar series highlighting new research findings from our specially-funded Thrips and Botrytis Research Fund. Initially presented exclusively to our Thrips and Botrytis Fund supporters, these recorded webinars are now being released to the industry in both English and Spanish. Take advantage of these FREE resources to help with your pest and disease management!Throughout these webinars, you will learn the best practices for managing and controlling thrips and botrytis, understand why decisions are made, and how to make the best management decisions for your greenhouse. Our featured topics also include addressing fungicide resistance and the opportunity for use of biological controls. These presentations are brought to you directly from our…

How Biostimulants Can Increase Plant Health and Quality

Read the Full Article Here By Nathan Nordstedt and Michelle JonesThis article was originally published in Greenhouse Grower. 

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