Sustainable Pathogen Management in Specialty Cut Flower Production
Cut flowers are among the most profitable floriculture products, worth $333 million in annual national sales (NASS, 2023). Cut flower producers include a diverse combination of large-scale international operations growing traditional crops such as roses, chrysanthemums, and carnations, and small-scale local operations growing specialty cut flower crops such as ranunculus, dahlias, and lisianthus, among many others. The floriculture industry has recently seen an increase in popularity and sales of these crops, with the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers boasting over 2,900 members (ASCFG, 2024), up from only 500 in 2014. However, soilborne diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes can cause significant losses, estimated to be 50-75% in crops grown directly in field soil, including ornamentals. Soilborne diseases are…