Pollinator Work Continued Last Week

SAF and AmericanHort participated in two important meetings last week focused on the continuing debate about pollinator health.IR-4, the USDA-funded organization which helps provide EPA with data supporting registration of chemicals for horticulture and other specialty crops, worked with the chemical industry to host a conference on research needs.  Attended by several leading horticultural scientists, along with SAF and AmericanHort, the meeting generated productive dialogue around research needed to answer important questions about our industry’s impact on pollinators and how we can be part of the solution.A second, day-long meeting was held in Washington with the industry task force guiding the Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, launched by SAF, AmericanHort, the Horticultural Research Initiative (HRI) and the American Floral Endowment…

New Genetic Engineering Research Aims to Increase Postharvest Life of Cut Flowers

Roses overexpressing MTD. Symptoms are 4 days after spraying Botrytis spores on flowers of a low MTD expressing plant (2-), medium expressing plant (10+), and a high expressing plant (32+).New genetic engineering research from AFE funded researchers at North Carolina State University provides information about how to manage fungal diseases in eco-friendly ways, potentially increasing the postharvest life of cut flowers.Although fungal pathogens, such as Botrytis, cause economically devastating diseases in nursery, field and greenhouse production of important floriculture crops, few genes have been found that are suitable for targeted breeding or engineering specific resistance.This research is focused on expression of a naturally occurring plant resistance gene to produce plants with reduced production costs as well as lower maintenance requirements…

New Research Offers Cost-Effective Solutions for Ethylene Problems

The tomato plant on the right has been exposed to ethylene.Ethylene is an odorless, colorless gas that plays a role in seed germination, fruit ripening, leaf yellowing, etc., but too much ethylene can lead to product loss via accelerated flower wilting, abnormal growth and other problems. Results from two new research reports by AFE-funded researchers Michelle Jones, Ph.D., and Nichole Edelman of The Ohio State University can help with ethylene concerns.“Ethylene can be very destructive in both production and post-production environments,” Jones said. “Research aimed at understanding plant responses to ethylene and how to prevent damage will benefit producers, wholesalers, shippers, retailers and consumers.”Epinasty in tomato ‘Tumbler’ treated with different concentrations of ethylene for 24 hours.Use of Indicator Plants to…

New Banker Plant Research Identifies Environmentally-Friendly Pest Management Tactics

Parasitoid ‘stinging’ an aphid to insert an egg that will develop into a new parasitoid (left) and a typical banker plant system using biological controls to eliminate pesticide usage at a commercial greenhouse in North Carolina.AFE has new research that proves once again how Murder, Sex and Greed align with floriculture.North Carolina State University (NCSU) researchers describe how aphids can be managed (murder) by releasing the parasitoid wasp Aphidius colemani in Optimizing Banker Plant Systems for Aphid Biological Control in Floriculture Greenhouses, Research Report #217. This report explains how using banker plants is an environmentally friendly way to sustain the parasitoid with alternative hosts, removing the need to repeatedly purchase new parasitoids.“Aphids can murder profits for growers, wholesalers and retailers…

AFE Research Helps Address Common Gerbera Concern

Scape bending of ‘Testarrosa’ was eliminated when stems were supported during hydration (left).For satisfied floral customers, cut flowers need to have high quality and a long vase life, but bending of the scape (stalk) is a major postharvest issue that can leave flowers unmarketable and customers unsatisfied. AFE funded researchers from the University of Florida screened 14 gerbera varieties for scape bending, flower quality and vase life.Reducing Scape Bending in the Gerbera Daisy, Research Report #454 includes the following best practices to eliminate scape bending:Choose varieties that are less susceptible to scape bending or that easily recover. (Most susceptible varieties included Guarda, Fiction, Pink Elegance, Primrose, Sonata, Teresa and Testarrosa)Avoid storing cut gerbera and never store in boxes.Unpack immediately, cut…

Alluring and Murdering Thrips With New Research

A) Marigold guardian plant system in a test greenhouse. B) Thrips lure on sticky card (red arrow).AFE is still up to murder, sex and greed, this time with a new research report. In the report, scientists from the Entomology Research Laboratory at the University of Vermont (UVM) describe how they allured and then murdered western flower thrips through an inexpensive non-chemical pesticide system that is easy to use.Thrips are deadly for ornamentals, causing substantial economic loss by damaging flowers and leaves or transmitting plant viruses, and most chemical insecticides have proven to be ineffective at controlling thrips. Report #216: Formulations of Insect-Killing Fungi in Combination with Plant-Mediated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Systems for Thrips describes an innovative strategy that uses…

Floriculture InfoSearch Puts Decades of Info at Your Fingertips

Industry members now have online access to a comprehensive floriculture library containing information that may have been previously unavailable. AFE has partnered with North Carolina State University (NCSU) to create the Floriculture InfoSearch Engine, a powerful search engine for convenient and comprehensive access to floriculture literature, videos and presentations.The website also contains a floriculture archive with materials from AFE, NCSU, scientific journals and trade publications, all of which is accessible and searchable through one website.“We want to thank a couple of floriculture pack rats, George Staby and Harold Wilkins, for opening their files to us and several industry groups and magazines for allowing us to scan and enter their articles,” project leader and NCSU Horticultural Science Department Head John Dole,…

Greenhouse Grower Donates Charity Competition Win to AFE

BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals created a friendly rivalry with greenhouse industry trade magazine editors this year at the OFA Short Course in Columbus, Ohio, and AFE is $1,000 richer as a result.The company organized a special Media Pyramid for Charity game in their booth at the show on July 15. Editors and publishers from Greenhouse Grower, Grower Talks, GPN and Greenhouse Management magazines answered questions and earned $500 for their charity of choice just for participating. If more than four questions were answered correctly, BASF added additional money.Robin Siktberg, editor of Greenhouse Grower magazine, and her partner, Bob West, director of interactive sales, won the competition for the second year in a row, earning a total of $1,000 for…

Understand Downy and Powdery Mildews with AFE Reports

AFE  has released two new research reports to help the industry better respond to downy mildew and powdery mildews:Understanding Coleus Downy Mildew: Special Research Report #134Understanding Gerbera Powdery Mildew: Special Research Report #135Blair Harlan and Mary Hausbeck, Ph.D., from Michigan State University examine downy mildew on coleus, a colorful bedding plant, in Report 134. Downy mildew can leave plants unmarketable, so the researchers have proposed an integrated pest management program to help growers produce high-quality coleus crops that are untouched by downy mildew.The gerbera daisy industry in the U.S. is booming, as highlighted in Report 135, but powdery mildew on gerberas threatens profits. Leah Granke, Ph.D., from Michigan State University and Mary Hausbeck, Ph.D, examine the effects of environmental factors…

Grow with AFE Resources!

AFE has a wealth of resources available to help students and established industry professionals alike. Did you know that AFE offers more than 150 online research reports for free to the industry? These research reports focus on important industry issues, like:Detecting and managing pests and diseases.Refining watering and nutrition practices.Notably improving plant and flower quality.Providing total management systems for air and soil borne floriculture crop diseases.You can use this website to find other tools too, like an extensive and continuously updated Impatiens downy mildew resource list.Additionally, AFE’s intern scholarship programs give the industry the opportunity to host pre-screened, competent students with a passion for production. While receiving knowledgeable students, you’ll be giving back by providing the hands-on experience necessary to…

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