Horticultural Research Institute Latest News and Information

Understanding Why Rose Rosetting Disease Appears in Distinct Regions of a Shrub Rose Plan

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:23:47 GMT

This webinar dives into the problem of rose rosette virus. Shrub roses consist of multiple canes attached to a root system and produce beautiful spring growth in the form of new flowering stems and branches. Experts will provide an overview of how rose rosette virus first attacks flowering growth and can move throughout the stem. At the same time rosette symptoms appear in mature distinct stems of a plant and may be absent from others. The research delves into understanding how the vascular system connects the flowering stems and above ground canes. The research is to understand how virus movement between adjacent stems and only appears to cause disease in a few but not all canes of the same plant. This research is important to explore potential management approaches to safeguard rose.

From Propagation to Consumers: HRI Research Powers Every Link in the Green Industry Supply Chain

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:56:33 GMT

The horticulture industry continues to change as new technologies, production practices, and consumer expectations reshape the marketplace. Research plays an essential role in helping growers, landscapers, and retailers adapt and succeed. That’s exactly where the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) enters the chat.

Every year, HRI selects and funds research projects that advance horticulture. In 2026, HRI is investing more than $560,000 in 18 research projects that target challenges across the horticultural supply chain, including plant production, pest and disease management, landscape plant performance, and consumer insights.

“What makes HRI research so valuable is that it focuses on real challenges the industry is facing right now,” said Mark Yelanich, HRI President and Research Director at Metrolina Greenhouses. “The 2026 HRI-funded projects were selected because they develop knowledge, processes, or tools that businesses can actually use.”

HRI’s four strategic research priorities guide funding decisions, focusing on quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical solutions to industry challenges. The 2026 projects reflect these priorities across the horticulture supply chain.

Getting Started in the Supply Chain

The supply chain starts with plant propagation. But, when plants root slowly or unevenly, growers can face frustrating delays and unpredictability. In 2026, HRI is investing in projects that will improve propagation systems and rooting success.

For example, Hsuan Chen at North Carolina State University is developing micropropagation systems for redbud cultivars. Redbud demand is rising, but vascular streak dieback complicates traditional methods. The research will refine tissue culture protocols and compare tissue-cultured plants to chip-budded liners.

Other research is focused on improving rooting in difficult woody ornamentals. Clemson University’s Haiying Liang is testing a slow-release synthetic auxin for woody cuttings and Virginia Tech’s Kristopher Criscione is studying plant growth regulators to accelerate root development in container-grown nursery stock.

HRI’s industry-supported investments in projects that improve rooting efficiency and plant quality help build a stronger foundation for success downstream.

Producing Plants More Efficiently

After propagation, growers must maintain quality while managing labor and production costs. Becoming more efficient means the industry must continue to adopt new production technologies. HRI is investing here, too.

At Oregon State University, Marcelo Moretti is testing new ways to manage suckers and water sprouts in ornamentals, reducing the need for hand-pruning and reducing labor and lowering costs. This research tests growth regulators and mechanical methods to reduce sucker growth while maintaining plant quality.

Patricia Knight at Mississippi State University is developing an AI-based drone system to identify, count, and classify southern magnolia trees at different growth stages. This system could give growers real-time inventory data to improve planning and labor management. Although southern magnolia serves as the model crop, researchers may adapt the technology to other ornamental species over time.

Protection from Pests and Diseases

Plant health poses a significant challenge for nursery and greenhouse growers. When new pests and diseases emerge, they can quickly undermine plant quality and marketability, underscoring the importance of effective management tools. HRI continues to address the most pressing plant health challenges head-on, and 2026 is no exception.

Johanna Del Castillo Munera at UC Davis is developing rapid molecular diagnostic tools to detect Phytophthora in irrigation and recycled water. Current tests can take weeks, but faster detection will let growers find contamination sooner and act quickly.

Fulya Baysal-Gurel at Tennessee State University is studying management strategies for vascular streak dieback, a disease that has become an increasing concern in redbud production. The project is evaluating fungicides, biofungicides, and emerging treatments under commercial nursery conditions to identify effective control programs.

Researchers are also exploring biological approaches. Jonathan Jacobs at The Ohio State University is testing bacteriophages and Bacillus species for managing diseases like Xanthomonas and Rhodococcus. Jean Burns at Case Western Reserve University is studying beneficial fungi to help rhododendrons tolerate root rot from Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Insect pests remain another persistent challenge. Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdivia at Virginia Tech is studying integrated pest management for box tree moth, an invasive pest of boxwood. Raymond Cloyd at Kansas State University is testing systemic insecticides applied through container media to reduce redheaded flea beetle damage.

Other HRI-funded projects are exploring next-generation pest control technologies. For example, at Texas A&M University, Hongmin Qin is developing RNA interference-based sprays designed to control crapemyrtle bark scale by targeting essential genes in the pest.

Plants for Tomorrow’s Landscapes

HRI-funded research is not limited to production challenges. It also examines how plants perform in landscapes. Two Oregon State University projects are studying pollinator plants in landscapes this year.

Ryan Conteras is researching whether polyploid ornamental cultivars maintain quality under reduced irrigation while still attracting pollinators. The research explores potential tradeoffs between drought tolerance and ecological value and could help identify cultivars suited for water-limited landscapes.

Gail Langellotto’s project focuses on pollinator diversity in ornamental plantings by evaluating how highly attractive non-native ornamentals, referred to as magnet plants, influence pollinator behavior in garden systems. By attracting honeybees away from native plants, these ornamentals may reduce competition and allow a wider range of pollinators to access floral resources.

Exploring these questions helps the industry unlock new ways ornamental plants can shine both in the landscape and in supporting ecosystems.

Last Link in the Supply Chain: The Consumer

The consumer is the final and most crucial link in the horticultural supply chain and HRI projects show up here as well. Want to spark demand? Start by understanding how people connect with plants.

At Michigan State University, Juan Mundel is studying how artificial intelligence and personalized digital marketing influence consumer trust and purchase intent for horticultural products. The research will examine how different forms of AI-assisted advertising affect engagement while maintaining transparency with consumers.

Another project led by Xuan Wu at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension explores the social and emotional benefits of plant gifting and cooperative gardening activities among young adults with disabilities. The research measures stress reduction, social bonding, and consumer interest in plants.

These insights can help garden centers, public gardens, and horticulture businesses develop programming and marketing strategies that highlight the social and wellness benefits of plants.

A Shared Investment in the Industry’s Future

Each project in the 2026 HRI research portfolio addresses a specific question, but together they reflect the broad range of challenges facing the green industry.

“Research like this moves the entire industry forward,” Yelanich said. “When growers, suppliers, and researchers work together through HRI, the results benefit businesses across horticulture.”

The 2026 HRI-funded projects will provide growers with new management tools, improve propagation and production practices, and offer insights into how consumers engage with plants.

For an industry built on living products and complex biological systems, research is one of the smartest ways to strengthen long-term resilience and profitability. To read more about HRI’s funded projects for 2026 and to learn about our strategic research priorities, visit HRI’s website and follow along on LinkedIn .

Horticultural Research Institute Supports 18 Green Industry Research Projects with $564,521 Investment

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:49:34 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – March 13, 2026 – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has announced $564,521 in research funding for 18 projects in 2026, supporting new work designed to strengthen every stage of the horticulture supply chain.

The selected projects address a wide range of industry priorities, including plant propagation and production efficiency, pest and disease management, landscape plant performance, and consumer engagement with horticultural products. Together, the projects reflect the breadth of challenges and opportunities facing growers, landscapers, retailers, and allied businesses.

HRI’s investments are guided by four strategic research priorities: quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. By aligning funding with these priorities, HRI ensures that supported research delivers meaningful benefits to the horticulture industry.

“The projects funded through HRI reflect the industry’s commitment to investing in solutions that strengthen horticulture today and into the future,” said Mark Yelanich, HRI Board President and Research Director at Metrolina Greenhouses. “When businesses and researchers work together through HRI, the results benefit the entire green industry.”

Creating Innovative Solutions

Lean on me: the roles of microbial "friends" in ameliorating root rot disease in Rhododendron
Jean Burns, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio

Root rot caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi is a persistent and costly problem in Rhododendron production, often requiring repeated fungicide applications with diminishing returns. This project builds on previous HRI-funded work to identify specific beneficial fungi that naturally help plants survive pathogen pressure. Researchers will evaluate ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and multiple Trichoderma species to determine their ability to improve plant survival and growth under disease stress. By isolating and testing these microbial “friends,” the project aims to identify biological tools that can be incorporated into production systems as alternatives or complements to chemical control. Results will provide growers with science-based guidance on using beneficial microbes to reduce losses, improve plant health, and support more sustainable nursery and landscape production practices.

Investigate the rooting-promoting effect of a slow-release synthetic auxin on recalcitrant woody cuttings
Haiying Liang, Clemson University, South Carolina

Many high-value woody ornamentals are difficult to propagate due to poor or inconsistent rooting, limiting liner availability and increasing production costs. This project will evaluate a slow-release synthetic auxin designed to improve rooting success in recalcitrant woody cuttings. Building on prior HRI-funded work that identified physiological barriers to adventitious root formation, this research will test whether a controlled-release auxin can enhance rooting percentage, root quality, and consistency across challenging species. Outcomes will provide growers with clearer guidance on propagation practices that improve success rates while reducing labor, losses, and repeated hormone applications. The results are expected to translate directly into improved propagation efficiency for nurseries producing difficult-to-root ornamental and woody crops.

Transgene-Free by Design: Editing Woody Ornamentals via Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Induced Roots and TLS-Mediated Transcript Mobility
Hongmin Qin, Texas A&M University, Texas

This project advances a novel, transgene-free genome editing platform for woody ornamentals, using crapemyrtle as a model system. By combining Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced root transformation with mobile gene-editing transcripts, the research aims to produce gene-edited plants without permanent foreign DNA integration. The approach targets improved cold tolerance while preserving natural pest resistance, addressing two major production constraints. If successful, this system could accelerate precision breeding in woody ornamentals while easing regulatory and consumer concerns. Outcomes will support the development of resilient cultivars adapted to broader climates, providing nurseries with innovative tools to meet future production challenges.

AI-enhanced High Fidelity, Multi-stage Nursery Inventory Management of Southern Magnolia Using Intelligent Drones
Patricia Knight, Mississippi State University, Mississippi

Manual inventory counting is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to error in nursery production. This project will develop an AI-powered drone-based system to accurately identify, count, and classify southern magnolia trees across multiple growth stages. By combining UAV imagery with machine learning models, the system will deliver real-time inventory data through a user-friendly interface. While southern magnolia serves as the model crop, the technology is designed to scale to other ornamental species. Outcomes will help nurseries improve labor efficiency, production planning, and inventory accuracy while laying the groundwork for broader adoption of precision agriculture tools in horticulture.

Gathering Consumer Insights

Optimizing Digital Marketing Strategies for Horticultural Products: Exploring the Role of AI and Personalization in Consumer Engagement and Sales
Juan Mundel, Michigan State University, Michigan

As online plant sales grow, horticultural businesses need more effective digital marketing strategies to reach today’s diverse consumers. This project will evaluate how artificial intelligence and personalized social media advertising influence consumer trust, engagement, and purchase intent for horticultural products. Building on prior research showing that culturally and demographically congruent advertising improves outcomes, this study will test AI-driven personalization approaches and disclosure practices. Results will provide growers, garden centers, and retailers with actionable guidance on using AI responsibly to increase marketing return on investment while maintaining consumer trust. Findings will help businesses improve ad effectiveness, strengthen customer relationships, and drive online and in-store plant sales.

Producing Practical & Actionable Solutions

Exploring effective strategies for managing vascular streak dieback using innovative chemical treatments, biological agents, and nanomaterial-based applications
Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Tennessee State University, Tennessee

Vascular streak dieback (VSD) has emerged as a serious and costly disease threatening redbud and other valuable woody ornamentals, causing significant plant losses, rejected shipments, and cancelled orders for nursery producers. This project will evaluate and identify effective, practical tools to manage VSD through field-based testing of fungicides, biofungicides, and novel chemical and nanomaterial-based applications. Research trials conducted under commercial nursery conditions will measure disease severity, plant health, and treatment performance to determine the most effective products and application strategies. Results will be translated into clear, actionable management recommendations, including rotation programs, to help growers reduce losses, improve crop quality, and enhance the long-term sustainability of redbud and woody ornamental production.

Establishing Micropropagation Systems and Initiating Biotechnological Tools in Redbud (Cercis spp.)
Hsuan Chen, North Carolina State University, North Carolina

Demand for redbud continues to rise while clean, reliable liner supplies remain limited—particularly due to vascular streak dieback concerns. This project will develop scalable micropropagation systems for popular redbud cultivars and directly compare growth, quality, and performance of tissue-cultured plants versus traditional chip-bud grafted liners. By refining multiplication and rooting protocols using current cultivars, the research will provide growers with validated methods for producing uniform, disease-free liners at scale. The project also initiates biotechnological tools to support future breeding efforts, helping accelerate development of improved redbud cultivars. Outcomes will give nursery producers practical guidance on propagation options, liner sourcing decisions, and long-term strategies to strengthen redbud production capacity and resilience.

Using systemic insecticides to protect container grown nursery plants from feeding damage caused by redheaded flea beetle, Systena frontalis, adults
Raymond A. Cloyd, Kansas State University, Kansas

Redheaded flea beetle adults can substantially reduce the marketability of container-grown ornamentals, resulting in nursery growers relying on frequent, labor-intensive foliar insecticide applications. This project will determine if systemic insecticides applied to the growing medium in containers provides season-long protection against redheaded flea beetle adult feeding damage. Researchers will test several systemic insecticide products under commercial nursery conditions. They will measure effectiveness, residual activity, and plant marketability at the end of the growing season. By identifying treatments that reduce redheaded flea beetle adult feeding damage, this research will lower labor costs associated with applying foliar insecticides and improve management of redheaded flea beetle adults. Results will provide nursery growers with practical, cost-effective management strategies that will allow them to produce marketable container-grown ornamental plants.

Accelerating Root Development in Slow-Growing Nursery Stock Using Plant Growth Regulators
Kristopher Criscione, Virginia Tech, Virginia

Slow root development is a major bottleneck in ornamental production, often extending crop cycles and increasing costs. This project will evaluate whether targeted applications of plant growth regulators (PGRs) can stimulate faster root system development in container-grown nursery stock. By enhancing root fill and quality, plants may reach market readiness sooner or achieve higher quality within standard timelines. The research will assess application methods, substrate interactions, and production impacts under nursery conditions. Outcomes will provide growers with actionable strategies to shorten production cycles, improve liner quality, reduce labor and space constraints, and increase overall production efficiency across nursery and greenhouse systems.

Protecting Plant Health: Rapid Molecular Tools for Phytophthora Surveillance in Water Systems
Johanna Del Castillo Munera, University of California, Davis, California

Recycled and surface water sources can harbor Phytophthora pathogens, posing a major risk to nursery and greenhouse production. This project will develop and validate rapid molecular diagnostic tools to detect Phytophthora directly from irrigation and leachate water. Building on earlier research, the project adapts recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays to deliver accurate results in minutes rather than weeks. Faster detection allows growers to make timely management decisions, evaluate water treatment efficacy, and prevent pathogen spread before losses occur. Outcomes will provide the industry with practical, publicly available protocols to improve disease prevention, reduce crop losses, and support biosecure water management practices.

Advancing Integrated Management for the Invasive Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) with Biological Control, Cultivar Susceptibility, and Alternative Chemical Strategies
Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdivia, Virginia Tech, Virginia

Box tree moth is an emerging invasive pest capable of causing complete crop loss in a single season, threatening boxwood production nationwide. This project will advance integrated management strategies by evaluating biological control agents, cultivar susceptibility, and alternative chemical tools under controlled quarantine conditions. By identifying effective rotation options and compatible tactics, the research aims to reduce reliance on limited insecticide groups while improving control reliability. Results will help growers manage regulatory pressures, reduce labor-intensive spray programs, and protect high-value boxwood crops. The project will deliver practical guidance for nurseries and landscapers preparing for or responding to box tree moth infestations.

Innovations for sustainable control of high impact bacterial diseases
Jonathan Jacobs, The Ohio State University, Ohio

Bacterial diseases caused by Xanthomonas and Rhodococcus affect a wide range of ornamental crops and are difficult to manage with existing tools. This project explores innovative biological control strategies using bacteriophages and beneficial Bacillus species as targeted alternatives to traditional chemical bactericides. Researchers will identify, test, and validate biological agents that suppress bacterial pathogens without harming plant quality or the environment. Outcomes will provide growers with new, sustainable disease management options that can be integrated into IPM programs, helping reduce losses, improve plant health, and meet increasing regulatory and consumer expectations for environmentally responsible production.

Developing optimized micropropagation and callus regeneration systems for gardenia
Wusheng Liu, North Carolina State University, North Carolina

Gardenia remains a popular but challenging ornamental to propagate, with limited cutting windows and inconsistent rooting success. This project will develop efficient micropropagation and callus regeneration systems for elite gardenia cultivars, enabling year-round, large-scale liner production. By refining tissue culture protocols, the research will support consistent propagation of high-quality plants while laying the foundation for future trait improvement through biotechnology. Improved propagation systems will help nurseries meet growing demand, reduce production bottlenecks, and improve plant uniformity. Longer-term benefits include expanded market potential for gardenias through improved cold tolerance, rooting strength, and adaptability, giving growers new tools to increase profitability and resilience.

Less Suckers, More Profits: Advancing Sucker Management Tools for Ornamentals
Marcelo Moretti, Oregon State University, Oregon

Sucker and water sprout removal is a labor-intensive, recurring task in field-grown ornamental production, significantly increasing costs and reducing efficiency. This project will evaluate alternative sucker management tools, including plant growth regulators and mechanical approaches, using ornamental Malus as a model crop. Research will focus on identifying safe, effective methods that reduce sucker growth while maintaining plant quality and form. By decreasing reliance on repeated hand-pruning, this work aims to lower labor demands, improve crop appearance, and enhance profitability for nursery growers. Results will generate field-ready recommendations that can be adopted across multiple ornamental species prone to suckering.

Silencing the Threat: Develop RNAi-Based Spray Strategies for Integrated Management of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale
Hongmin Qin, Texas A&M University, Texas

Crapemyrtle bark scale is one of the most damaging and difficult-to-control pests affecting ornamental landscapes and nurseries. This project will develop RNA interference (RNAi)-based spray strategies that selectively silence essential genes in the pest, offering a highly targeted alternative to conventional insecticides. By focusing on species-specific gene suppression, the research aims to reduce pest populations while minimizing impacts on pollinators and beneficial insects. Outcomes will provide the industry with next-generation IPM tools that improve control efficacy, reduce chemical inputs, and lower long-term management costs for crapemyrtle and other affected hosts.

Quantifying Plant Benefits

Ploidy, pollinators, and plasticity: do polyploid cultivars maintain higher quality under deficit landscape irrigation while still attracting pollinators?
Ryan Contreras, Oregon State University, Oregon

As water scarcity and pollinator conservation increasingly shape plant selection, growers and landscapers need plants that deliver both performance and ecological value. This project examines whether polyploid cultivars—often developed for sterility and reduced invasiveness—maintain landscape quality under reduced irrigation while still supporting pollinators. Researchers will measure plant performance, water stress tolerance, and pollinator visitation to determine tradeoffs or benefits associated with polyploidy. Findings will help breeders, growers, and specifiers better understand how plant genetics influence resilience and ecosystem services. The results will support informed cultivar selection, helping the industry offer plants that meet regulatory, environmental, and consumer expectations without sacrificing landscape performance.

Magnet Plants: increasing pollinator biodiversity via use of non-native, ornamental plants in gardens
Gail Langellotto, Oregon State University, Oregon

This project evaluates how highly attractive non-native ornamental plants—“magnet plants”—can be used strategically to support pollinator biodiversity in garden systems. By drawing honey bees away from native plants, magnet plants may reduce competition and improve coexistence between managed and wild pollinators. Researchers will measure pollinator visitation, diversity, and behavior in mixed plantings to document ecological benefits. Results will provide evidence-based guidance for growers, landscapers, and retailers on how non-native ornamentals can contribute positively to pollinator conservation. The findings have the potential to reshape consumer narratives, support sustainable landscape design, and expand market opportunities for pollinator-supportive ornamental plants.

Stress Relief, Social Bonding, and Consumer Interest Through Plant Gifting and Cooperative Garden Tasks Among Young Adults with Disabilities
Xuan (Jade) Wu, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas

This project examines how plant gifting and shared garden activities influence stress reduction, social connection, and consumer interest among young adults with disabilities. By measuring physiological stress, mood, social bonding, and purchase intent, the research will generate evidence-based insights into the wellness and social value of plants. Findings will help garden centers and public gardens develop inclusive, experience-based programming that positions plants as tools for connection and well-being. Outcomes will provide the industry with science-backed messaging and programming ideas that support both community engagement and increased plant sales.

The HRI-supported projects will explore solutions to industry challenges, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and the overall well-being of the horticultural businesses. As the Horticultural Research Institute continues to support research, the impact of these projects is expected to extend to all segments of the industry.

Applications for 2027 research grant funding are being accepted at HRI’s website now through May 31, 2026.

Weed Control in Propagation: Sanitation, Mulches, and Pre-emergence Herbicides

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:30:36 GMT

Weed infestations can begin in propagation then persist through the production cycle. Sanitation practices prevent the spread of weeds into propagation areas, while mulches and pre-emergence herbicides are used to suppress weed seed germination and growth during propagation. Explore best management practices for preventing weed infestations in greenhouse and nursery propagation systems. In this session, growers will learn about mulch products and pre-emergence herbicides that can be safely used in cutting and seedling propagation to reduce labor costs associated with hand weeding.

Powering the Workforce Pipeline through the HRI Scholarship Program

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:13:04 GMT

As experienced growers retire and operations grow more complex, horticulture businesses are asking a critical question: who is coming next?

Plants may be the product, but people are the engine of the horticulture industry. From nursery and greenhouse production to landscape design, and plant breeding to plant health, businesses across the green industry depend on skilled, well-trained professionals. As workforce shortages and operational demands grow, building and sustaining a dependable pipeline of industry-ready talent is a top priority.

Deliberate Investment in the Future Workforce

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) Scholarship Program makes a deliberate investment in that pipeline. During the 2025–2026 academic year, HRI awarded $62,000 in scholarship support to 18 students pursuing horticulture-related degrees at institutions across the country. These scholarships, funded by generous donors, are not simply financial aid; they represent a commitment to build industry infrastructure through investments in the people who will make up the green industry in the years ahead.

Scholarships Built for Industry Careers

The HRI Scholarship Program is intentionally designed to empower students pursuing careers in the green industry. That includes students like Ella May, recipient of the Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship, who is preparing for a career in greenhouse production, with a focus on science-based growing practices that improve efficiency and plant performance.

Others, such as Landon Erbrick, recipient of the Dennis & Harriet Walters Memorial Scholarship, are pursuing advanced horticulture degrees with plans to work in commercial greenhouse and nursery operations where they’ll bring technical expertise and management skills directly into production environments.

For James Hines IV, recipient of the John B. & Elizabeth Wight Memorial Scholarship and a first-year horticulture student at Tennessee Tech, education is directly tied to succession planning. “My goal is to honor my family’s legacy by modernizing our business practices and introducing more sustainable solutions for the future,” he writes, reflecting the commitment many scholarship recipients bring to strengthening family-owned nursery businesses.

Students pursuing business and market-facing roles are also represented. Paul Crocker, recipient of the Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship, is preparing for a career in horticultural sales, marketing, and business development, areas that are increasingly critical as companies compete for customers and talent alike.

Reflecting the Full Scope of the Industry

The HRI Scholarship Program is supported by a portfolio of endowed funds, each reflecting different priorities within the horticulture industry. Scholarships such as the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, the Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship, the Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship, and the Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Scholarship collectively support students across production, plant science, landscape architecture, and business disciplines.

This year’s Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Scholarship recipients, for example, include students pursuing woody plant production and plant breeding and improvement, fields that directly influence product quality, availability, and market success. These disciplines play a critical role in helping green industry businesses meet customer demand while adapting to changing production and market conditions.

For Katelyn Boyce, recipient of the Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship and a graduate student in plant breeding at The Ohio State University, that intersection of innovation and application is central to her career goals. “I’m deeply committed to horticulture because I see it as both an art and a science—one that brings joy to people while also addressing larger environmental concerns,” she explains, reflecting the blend of technical expertise and industry awareness that defines many HRI scholars.

Attracting Talent to the Industry

For students deciding where to commit their time and energy, scholarships send a simple, important message: the horticulture industry wants you. The HRI Scholarship Program reinforces horticulture as a viable, long-term career path by showing students that industry leaders are willing to invest in their success. That early signal plays a real role in attracting talent and keeping it pointed toward careers in horticulture.

By easing financial pressure, HRI scholarships allow students to focus on learning, skill development, and career preparation, ensuring they enter the workforce ready to contribute, rather than simply credentialed. For businesses, that translates into graduates who understand industry expectations and are prepared to step into operational roles with confidence.

Building the Future, Together

The growth of the HRI Scholarship Program reflects a shared belief among donors that workforce development is essential to the industry’s future. Reaching $62,000 in scholarship support this year marks an important milestone; one only made possible by the individuals, families, and companies who believe in investing in people.

The 2025–2026 HRI Scholarship Program recipients represent the next generation of growers, managers, designers, and business professionals who will help shape horticulture in the years ahead. As workforce demands continue to evolve, sustained investment in emerging professionals will remain essential to the industry’s long-term competitiveness and growth.

Applications for the 2026–2027 HRI Scholarship Program open March 1. For more information, visit hriresearch.org .

2025–2026 HRI Scholarship Program Recipients

Each scholarship fund represents more than generosity; it reflects a strategic commitment to ensuring that horticulture businesses have access to capable, motivated professionals who understand the industry and want to be part of it long term.

Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship

Mona Jones – Cornell University

Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship

Ella May – University of Connecticut

Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship

Katelyn Boyce – The Ohio State University

Cultivate the Future Scholarship

Kathryn Huether – Stephen F. Austin State University

Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship

Layne Krug – Purdue University

Mugget Scholarship

Luke Duncan – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Freddy Mendez Urbano – The Ohio State University

Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Scholarship

Tanner Hamerling – University of Georgia
Jenna Hoffman – Iowa State University
Greg Marshall – NC State University
Jesse Potts – University of Florida
Ryan Joseph Rey – University of Florida
Joseph Romano – University of Delaware
Nathan Sims – University of Rhode Island
Stacey Thorne – Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Susie & Bruce Usrey Education Scholarship
Paul Crocker – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Usrey Family Scholarship

Luke Duncan – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Dennis & Harriet Walters Memorial Scholarship

Landon Erbrick – Auburn University

John B. & Elizabeth Wight Memorial Scholarship

James Hines, IV – Tennessee Tech University

Student profiles and scholarship fund descriptions are available at hriresearch.org.

Jennifer Gray is Administrator for the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), where she leads industry-driven research and workforce development initiatives that connect science with practical industry impact

Herbal Distancing: Keeping Boxwood in Your Nursery Free from Blight

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:13:08 GMT

Learn how your nursery production practices can impact boxwood blight risk and your potential for outbreaks. Whether you’re currently dealing with this disease or working to prevent it, understanding key risk factors is essential for protecting your entire boxwood inventory. Join plant disease expert Jerry Weiland as he examines real-world case studies demonstrating how boxwood blight enters nurseries and spreads via common production activities. This webinar will cover critical factors that influence disease development and spread, including plant size and spacing, cultivar selection, environmental conditions (temperature and moisture), and fungicides. You’ll leave with practical management recommendations and actionable strategies for preventing and controlling boxwood blight in your operation.

Horticultural Research Institute Announces 2026 Board Leadership and Trustee Appointments

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:46:18 GMT

HRI recognizes outgoing trustees Leigh Geschwill and Ed Bemis for outstanding service and stewardship

COLUMBUS, OH – January 20, 2026 — The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has announced its 2026 Board of Trustees leadership and governance updates, including new officers, term renewals, and the appointment of a new board member.

HRI’s Board of Trustees provides strategic direction and oversight for the organization’s national efforts to advance horticultural research, strengthen the connection between research outcomes and industry use, and invest in the future of the green industry through education, scholarships, and leadership development.

2026 Board Leadership

HRI is pleased to announce the following officer transitions effective January 2026:

Mark Yelanich, PhD (Metrolina Greenhouse) will serve as 2026 President
Ed Tankard (Tankard Nurseries) will serve as 2026 President-Elect
Jonathan Berry (J Berry Nursery) will assume the role of Immediate Past President

In addition, Ryan Overdevest (Overdevest Nurseries, LP) has joined the Executive Committee to serve with Treasurer Dan Batson (GreenForest Nursery, Inc.), Jim Eason (Eason Horticultural Resources), Development Committee Chair Harvey Cotten (Horticultural Consultant & Author), and John Rausch (Star Roses & Plants).

HRI extends sincere appreciation to Jonathan Berry for his dedicated service and leadership as 2025 Board President, helping guide HRI’s continued focus on industry relevance, research impact, and long-term stewardship.

New Trustee Appointment

HRI welcomes Matt Foertmeyer (Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse), who will begin a three-year term representing Region II.

Foertmeyer is a second-generation greenhouse grower and owner currently serving as head grower for Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse, the company his parents founded in 1988. He currently serves as the Greenhouse Community Connector Coordinator for AmericanHort, and is a routine volunteer with The Ohio State University’s Department of Horticulture & Crop Science. A graduate of the inaugural class of the HRI Leadership Academy, Foertmeyer is also a frequent speaker and moderator at industry conferences and is known for his commitment to developing the industry’s workforce and strengthening opportunities for grower success.

Trustees Continuing Service

HRI also recognizes the trustees appointed to second three-year terms: Shane Brockshus (Bailey Nurseries), Mike Hiller (KCK Farms), Matt Sawyer (Bennett’s Creek Nursery), Simon Traskey (Star Roses & Plants), and Lloyd Traven (Peace Tree Farm).

HRI gratefully acknowledges the continued service of current trustees who will remain on the board in 2026: Jonathan Jasinski (Microplant Nurseries), Peter Mezitt (Weston Nurseries), Amy Morris (N.G. Heimos Greenhouses), Denise Mullins (Smith Gardens), Ben Rough (J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.), Bennett Saunders (Saunders Brothers), Steve Taber (Southwest Wholesale Nursery), and Maria Zampini (UpShoot LLC).

Recognition of Outgoing Trustees

HRI extends sincere appreciation to Leigh Geschwill (F and B Farms and Nursery) and Ed Bemis (Bemis Farms Nursery) as they conclude their service on the Board of Trustees effective January 2026. Bemis has completed two six-year terms on the board, and Geschwill has completed multiple terms of service, including her leadership as HRI President.

“Leigh has been a remarkable leader for HRI and a steadfast champion for research that strengthens the horticulture industry,” said Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator. “Her leadership helped reinforce a culture of stewardship and accountability, and her influence is reflected in HRI’s continued focus on connecting research investment to practical, actionable outcomes for growers and businesses. We are deeply grateful for her service.”

Gray also recognized outgoing trustee Ed Bemis for his dedicated service to HRI. “During Ed’s service on the Board of Trustees, he brought thoughtful guidance and a steady industry perspective—especially elevating the needs and viewpoints of garden retailers,” Gray said. “His commitment to HRI’s mission and to ensuring our work stays grounded in real-world industry priorities has made a lasting difference.”

Gray added that HRI is equally grateful to Jonathan Berry for his leadership as 2025 President and his continued service as Immediate Past President in 2026, ensuring strong continuity within the organization’s Board of Trustees.

For more information about HRI and its work to fund, support, and share horticultural research, visit www.hriresearch.org .

Nature's Best Hope

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:33:40 GMT

Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Choosing the right plants for our landscapes will not only address the biodiversity crisis but help fight our climate crisis as well. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity, why we must change our adversarial relationship with nature to a collaborative one, and why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.

Understanding and Managing the Two-Spotted Cotton Leafhopper

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:59:55 GMT

The two-spotted cotton leafhopper (also known as cotton jassid) is an emerging pest of growing concern for both cotton and ornamental plant production. This webinar will bring together leading experts to share the latest research and management strategies to help growers identify, monitor, and control this insect.

What You’ll Learn:

Why it matters – An overview of the economic and production impacts of cotton jassid on cotton and ornamental crops.
Host plants – Current knowledge of confirmed and potential hosts for this pest.
Scouting & identification – Practical tips for recognizing symptoms and spotting infestations.
Control strategies – Biological, mechanical, and chemical approaches to effective management.

This webinar is part of HRI’s mission to deliver science-based, actionable information that helps growers improve plant health, increase profitability, and stay ahead of emerging threats.

Meet the HRI Leadership Academy Class of 2026: Ten Industry Leaders Shaping the Future of Horticulture

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:34:49 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – July 22, 2025 – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and AmericanHort are proud to announce the HRI Leadership Academy Class of 2026, a cohort of accomplished professionals from across the green industry who are poised to take their leadership to the next level. These individuals, representing various industry segments and career paths, were selected for their commitment to horticulture and their desire to help shape the industry's future.

The HRI Leadership Academy is a one-year advanced leadership program designed for experienced horticulture professionals looking to elevate their influence and expand their strategic thinking and business skills. Built around in-person classes, peer collaboration, and mentorship, this program prepares leaders to confidently navigate business challenges, drive innovation, and spark positive change in their businesses, the industry, and their communities.

Introducing the Class of 2026:

These individuals represent the next wave of horticultural leadership. “The HRI Leadership Academy continues to elevate the green industry's most promising leaders,” states Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator. “Each year, we look for individuals who are not only accomplished professionals but also thoughtful, forward-thinking leaders. This class brings together the mix of experience, creativity, and purpose that reflects the best of what our industry has to offer.”

Ken Fisher, President & CEO of AmericanHort, adds, "Programs like the HRI Leadership Academy are critical to ensuring the long-term strength of our industry. We’re not only investing in the growth of these leaders—we’re investing in the success and sustainability of horticulture as a whole."

The HRI Leadership Academy provides tools, community, and perspective to lead boldly and collaboratively across a changing industry landscape.

Interested in applying for the next class? Applications for the Class of 2027 open in Fall 2025. Visit www.hrileadershipacademy.org to learn more about eligibility, expectations, and how this experience could help shape your future in the green industry.

Prospecting for Biocontrols

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:43:38 GMT

It is neither economically sustainable nor environmentally acceptable to make multiple fungicide applications to protect boxwood, a key nursery crop and iconic landscape plant, from boxwood blight.

This webinar highlights some of the successes at Virginia Tech in the search for potent biological agents for blight control. Dr. Kong will describe the biocontrol development process: how and where candidate microorganisms were discovered, and how their antagonistic activities against the boxwood blight pathogen Calonectria pseudonaviculata were measured in the laboratory—followed by evaluation on whole plants in controlled environments and then in field trials in western North Carolina. Some biocontrol agents have not only shown blight control at similar levels to the fungicide standard but have also substantially promoted boxwood growth.

Dr. Kong will also share the ongoing research with Burkholderia SSG, the top-performer in her lab’s trials. These studies provide an example of the exploration of the microbial world as a source of powerful tools to promote plant health and production.

Horticultural Research Institute Invests $531,900 in 16 Research Projects for the Green Industry

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:47:27 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – March 4, 2025 – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has completed its annual competitive research grants review process, selecting 16 projects to receive $531,900 in funding for 2025.

Each year, HRI’s grant program supports research that addresses emerging challenges and opportunities across the green industry. The 2025 portfolio includes projects focused on plant production systems, pest and disease management, new technologies, and consumer insights that help horticultural businesses remain competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

The selected projects reflect HRI’s strategic research priorities: quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. These priorities help ensure that HRI-funded research not only advances scientific understanding but also delivers practical tools and knowledge for industry professionals.

HRI Board President Jonathan Berry of J. Berry Nursery (Texas) emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong research pipeline for the future of horticulture.

“Industry-supported research is essential for helping growers and businesses respond to new challenges and opportunities,” Berry said. “The projects selected this year represent the kind of forward-thinking work that will continue moving horticulture forward.”

The funded projects are:

Recommend VSD-Resistant Redbuds for Immediate Use by Nurseries

Hsuan Chen, North Carolina State University

Redbuds, valued for their vibrant blooms and contributing approximately $28.4 million to the U.S. economy, face a growing threat from vascular streak dieback (VSD). The disease has caused many nurseries to abandon redbud production. However, resistance observed in a related species, Cercis chinensis, suggests that other Cercis materials may also possess VSD tolerance. This project will identify VSD-resistant Cercis species within germplasm collections at the U.S. National Arboretum and the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University. These collections include materials that are legally accessible to the nursery industry for immediate use. The project will also evaluate effective propagation methods for these resistant species. The research aims to secure the future of redbud cultivation by identifying and recommending VSD-resistant Cercis materials while expanding the genetic resources available to breeders. The results are expected to provide near-term solutions for nursery producers while also supporting long-term breeding efforts.

Identification of Thrips Pheromones for Sustainable Thrips Control in Horticultural Crops

Man-Yeon Choi, Oregon State University and USDA-ARS

Thrips are a major global agricultural pest, causing damage to leaves, flowers, and fruit in horticultural production systems. Among them, western flower thrips are particularly destructive, feeding on plant tissues and transmitting economically important plant viruses. This project aims to identify active pheromone components that can be used to develop biologically based, environmentally friendly tools for thrips management. By identifying and characterizing these pheromones, the research seeks to support the development of sustainable pest management strategies for horticultural crops. The results and methods developed through this work may also contribute to the biological management of other invasive thrips species in the future.

Determining Genetic Regulation of Drought Stress Tolerance in Woody Plants

Ryan Contreras, Oregon State University

This project addresses growing global water scarcity by investigating drought tolerance in horticultural crops, with a focus on identifying plant varieties that require less water. The research will examine drought tolerance in polyploid cultivars across four woody plant taxa to determine whether increased chromosome sets contribute to improved stress resilience. Researchers will conduct comparative genetic analyses between polyploid cultivars and standard cultivars to identify gene expression patterns associated with improved water-use efficiency. These insights will help clarify the biological mechanisms that enable plants to survive under limited irrigation. Findings from this work will inform breeding strategies aimed at developing new plant varieties that perform well in water-limited landscapes, supporting more sustainable horticultural production systems.

Genetic Tools for Developing Boxwood Cultivars Resistant to Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis)

Theresa Culley, University of Cincinnati

Boxwoods are among the most widely planted landscape shrubs in North America, representing a complex group of Asian and European species and more than 150 cultivars. The industry now faces a major challenge with the arrival of box tree moth, an invasive pest from eastern Asia that has already spread through the ornamental plant trade in Europe. Larvae of the moth can rapidly defoliate plants, threatening the economic viability of boxwood production. Although insecticides can provide control, no boxwood cultivars currently offer resistance to the pest. This project will use genetic DNA markers and molecular techniques to identify boxwood plants with resistance to box tree moth. These plants will be evaluated through host preference trials and used as the foundation for developing resistant cultivars for commercial production. The research aims to provide new tools to help the industry manage this emerging pest.

Predicting Site-Specific Substrate Temperature to Improve Fertilizer Efficiency and Root Health

Darren T. Drewry, The Ohio State University

High temperatures can negatively affect crop growth, particularly for container plants grown in outdoor nursery environments. Excessive substrate temperatures can damage roots, limiting water and nutrient uptake and increasing plant susceptibility to environmental stresses. This project will use advances in machine learning and remote sensing to develop models capable of predicting near real-time, site-specific substrate temperatures. By combining weather data and simple sensor observations, the research aims to create tools that help growers better understand and manage root-zone conditions. The project seeks to demonstrate how widely available sensor data can support improved crop management decisions, ultimately helping growers maintain plant health while improving resource efficiency and profitability.

Parasitoid Exploration for Biological Control of Box Tree Moth in North America

Marc Kenis, CABI (Switzerland)

This project advances a classical biological control program targeting the invasive box tree moth (BTM). Field explorations in Asia have identified promising parasitoid species, including Eriborus sp. and Braunsia hodorii, which have demonstrated parasitism rates of up to 96% in natural environments. The project will focus on evaluating these parasitoids and conducting host-specificity testing in quarantine facilities in Switzerland and the United States to ensure environmental safety. Early results suggest that Eriborus sp. shows strong specificity to BTM, supporting its potential as a safe biological control agent. Successful introduction of these parasitoids could provide long-term protection for the U.S. boxwood industry, valued at approximately $170 million annually, while reducing reliance on chemical control methods.

The Impact of Irrigation Restrictions on Establishment of Newly Planted Landscape Trees

Ryan Klein, University of Florida

This project examines how watering restrictions may affect the establishment of newly planted landscape trees in Florida. Irrigation recommendations for many landscape trees have not been experimentally tested under reduced watering durations, creating uncertainty for growers and landscape professionals. Researchers will evaluate the establishment of southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) under irrigation durations of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. The study will assess how these watering regimes influence tree health and establishment success. The findings will provide research-based guidance for nurseries, landscapers, and municipalities managing landscape trees under water-limited conditions, helping support sustainable landscape practices while maintaining plant health.

Investigating Temperature Stress in Apple Rootstock Decline

Shanthanu Krishna Kumar, Penn State University

Rapid tree decline has emerged as a major challenge in U.S. apple orchards and nurseries, leading to sudden tree death and economic losses. Recent research suggests that cold damage, particularly rapid temperature fluctuations, may play a key role in this phenomenon. This study will evaluate the cold-shock tolerance of ten widely used apple rootstocks using physiological and molecular measurements. The research aims to identify rootstocks that are more susceptible to temperature stress. The results will provide nurseries with data-driven recommendations for rootstock selection and support future breeding efforts to develop cold-tolerant rootstocks.

Advancing Cold-Tolerant Begonias Through Genome Sequencing

Yu Ma, The Ohio State University

Extreme weather events and sudden temperature fluctuations pose challenges for the floriculture and nursery industries. Many ornamental crops, including begonias, are sensitive to cold temperatures. This project will sequence and assemble a high-quality genome for Begonia grandis, a hardy species capable of surviving low temperatures. By identifying genes associated with cold tolerance, the research aims to develop molecular tools that support breeding efforts. These tools will help breeders develop new begonia varieties with improved cold tolerance, reducing crop losses and expanding the geographic range where begonias can be grown.

PlantSafe: An Intelligent Leaf Disease Diagnostic Application for Ornamental Crops

Md Sultan Mahmud, University of Georgia

Plant diseases can reduce crop quality and profitability in ornamental production systems. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are essential for preventing disease spread and minimizing economic losses. This project will develop PlantSafe, a mobile application designed to quantify the severity of leaf spot and powdery mildew diseases in ornamental shrubs. Using image analysis, the app will allow growers to monitor disease progression and evaluate treatment effectiveness. The technology will support data-driven decision-making for disease management while helping optimize agrochemical use and improve plant health.

Preparing the Horticulture Industry for Red Star Rust

Brandon Miller, University of Minnesota

Red star rust is an emerging fungal pathogen that infects both Malus species (apple and crabapple) and Juniperus species. The disease has been detected in multiple states and poses potential risks to nursery production and landscape plantings. This project will evaluate red star rust incidence and host susceptibility under field conditions. The research will also develop educational materials to help nursery and fruit producers recognize and manage the disease. The results will support proactive disease management strategies and improve preparedness within the horticulture industry.

A Grower’s Guide for Soilless Nursery Production

Lloyd Nackley, Oregon State University

Soilless production systems account for approximately 68% of U.S. nursery and floriculture output. Despite their widespread adoption, growers often lack a single comprehensive resource that compiles best practices for substrate-based production. This project will develop a national guide for soilless nursery production, bringing together current research on substrate materials, technologies, and management practices. The guide will translate scientific findings into practical recommendations for growers. The resource will be hosted on the Horticultural Research Institute website and updated as new research emerges, providing a long-term reference for nursery professionals.

Calibrating Aerial Drones for Herbicide Applications in Container Nurseries

Joe Neal, North Carolina State University

This project will evaluate the use of aerial drones for applying granular preemergence herbicides in container nurseries. The research will develop guidelines for drone-based herbicide delivery to improve application accuracy and distribution. By increasing precision and automation, drone technology could reduce labor costs associated with traditional herbicide applications while maintaining effective weed control. The project will also explore environmental benefits by supporting more targeted chemical applications. The findings are expected to help nurseries integrate emerging technologies into production systems while improving efficiency and sustainability.

Who Stops to Smell the Roses? Understanding Sensory Consumers

Alicia Rihn, University of Tennessee

Plant shopping is often a sensory experience that includes sight, scent, and touch. While online purchasing offers convenience, some consumers may prefer the sensory engagement of in-person shopping. This research will identify and profile “high-touch” and “high-scent” consumers through national online surveys. The study will examine how sensory descriptions influence plant purchasing behavior in both retail stores and online environments. The findings will help producers, retailers, and marketers better understand how sensory experiences influence consumer decision-making.

Using UV-C Light to Manage Western Flower Thrips in Greenhouse Ornamentals

Margaret Skinner, University of Vermont

Western flower thrips are a major pest in greenhouse ornamental production. They damage plants through feeding and can transmit plant diseases. Resistance to chemical pesticides has become increasingly common. This project will evaluate the use of ultraviolet light (UV-C) as a pest management tool. Researchers will adapt a UV-C device designed to treat the undersides of leaves, where thrips commonly feed and lay eggs. The study will determine how UV-C treatments affect thrips survival, egg laying, and larval development while ensuring that light doses do not harm plants.

Identifying Genetic Markers for Rose Black Spot Resistance

Seth Wannemuehler, University of Minnesota

Rose black spot, caused by Diplocarpon rosae, is a major foliar disease affecting garden roses. The disease causes leaf discoloration, defoliation, and reduced plant vigor. This project will sequence the genome of the rose cultivar Brite Eyes™, which demonstrates broad resistance to multiple races of the pathogen. Researchers will identify candidate resistance genes and develop molecular markers for breeding programs. The results will help breeders develop roses with improved disease resistance while reducing reliance on chemical controls.

Horticultural Research Institute Opens Grant Proposals for Fiscal Year 2026 Funding: Supporting Horticultural Innovation and Growth

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

Columbus, OH - The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, is excited to announce that it is now accepting research grant proposals for fiscal year 2026. HRI’s competitive grants program supports projects that directly impact and advance the green industry, providing funding for research on significant topics such as plant health, pest management, understanding consumer behavior, production efficiencies, and quantifying plant benefits.

Industry Impact and Opportunities

The HRI grant program is committed to fostering both innovative and practical solutions that benefit every segment of the industry. Over the years, HRI-funded research has created advancements in sustainable practices, improved pest and disease management, and introduced cutting-edge technology that enhances business profitability and growth. By investing in research, HRI ensures the industry gains access to developments that increase profitability and drive sustainable growth.

“Research funded by HRI is pivotal to addressing the critical issues facing our industry today,” says Jennifer Gray, Administrator of HRI. “We encourage the brightest research minds to apply and partner with us in creating dynamic solutions that not only improve our business operations but also foster the growth of the environmental horticulture industry.”

Call for Proposals

HRI is seeking proposals that align with our strategic research focus areas:

Quantifying Plant Benefits: Validating Environmental, Economic, and Health Advantages

Research that quantifies and validates the benefits of plants on ecosystems, on human health, and on society creates value propositions that boost sales of horticultural products and services. This research underpins efforts to offer products that contribute to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for consumers.

Creating Innovative Solutions: Driving Efficiency and Productivity

HRI's focus on creating innovative solutions through the adaptation of biological, mechanical, and technological systems enhances efficiency and productivity in horticultural practices. This research supports the industry’s commitment to effective business operations and sustainable practices, thereby increasing profitability and ensuring the long-term viability of horticultural businesses.

Gathering Consumer Insights: Aligning with Market Needs

By evaluating consumer behaviors, preferences, and trends, HRI's research helps the horticultural industry understand and meet consumer needs more effectively. This alignment enables businesses to tailor their product offerings, enhancing consumer success and confidence. Such insights drive industry-wide profitability and boost consumer satisfaction and loyalty, essential components of a successful market strategy.

Producing Practical & Actionable Solutions: Tackling Industry Challenges

HRI’s efforts in providing practical and actionable solutions address ongoing and emergent challenges in the horticulture industry, such as pest and disease management. This research empowers industry stakeholders by improving their operational success and satisfaction through innovative and effective solutions, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to addressing real-world problems and enhancing consumer experiences.

Researchers and institutions interested in applying for funding must submit their proposals by May 31, 2025. The application process and requirements can be found in detail at HRI’s Research Application and Requirements page .

Why This Matters

HRI’s grant program represents a critical opportunity for industry professionals to guide innovation and business sustainability. The research funded by these grants not only addresses immediate industry challenges but also sets the groundwork for long-term prosperity for horticultural businesses.

For more information about the Horticultural Research Institute and how to apply for a research grant, please visit HRI’s website .

Over $50,000 in HRI Scholarships Available to Horticulture Students for 2025

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:46:22 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for its 2025 scholarship program. With more than $50,000 in funding available, these scholarships demonstrate HRI’s deep commitment to advancing the horticultural field through supporting student education.

Available awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, each designed to assist students pursuing careers in the diverse sectors of horticulture. The streamlined application process, through the HRI portal, also provides access to the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship, with twelve additional awards of $2,000 each.

Empowering the Next Generation

Established in 1962, the Horticultural Research Institute is a cornerstone in green industry growth, granting over $9.5 million in scholarships and funding to research projects that address a broad spectrum of production, environmental, and business issues in the green industry.

This year's scholarship funds are made possible through generous endowment contributions from individuals, corporations, and associations committed to the advancement of the industry. These scholarships are designed to aid students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to horticultural careers, ensuring the industry's continued innovation and growth.

The application portal is now open, and students are encouraged to apply early. The deadline for submitting applications is May 31, 2025. Interested students can access the application and find more details at HRI's scholarship application page .

Jennifer Gray, Administrator at the Horticultural Research Institute, emphasizes, “Our scholarships do more than just fund education; they are a launchpad for careers in horticulture, helping students to cultivate their passions into meaningful contributions to the industry.”

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the scholarship, research, and leadership development affiliate of AmericanHort, has committed over $19 million to its endowment to ensure the ongoing availability of funds for research and scholarships. The institute supports the green industry through extensive efforts in research and education, aimed at ensuring a prosperous future for the industry.

For additional information about the Horticultural Research Institute and the scholarships offered, contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Cleaning up Boxwood Blight with a Full Spectrum of Sanitizers

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 22:09:19 GMT

UMass Amherst Student Awarded 2024 Timothy S. and Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 20:10:04 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is proud to announce Dante Filadoro as the 2024 recipient of the Timothy S. and Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship. Established in 1988 by the Bigelow family, this scholarship aims to support students from New England pursuing careers in horticulture, honoring the memory of Timothy Bigelow and celebrating the legacy of Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow.

Dante Filadoro, a junior at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Turfgrass Science and Management after completing his associate degree in Landscape Contracting. A dedicated member of Alpha Tau Gamma, an agricultural fraternity, Dante combines his horticultural studies with community service and hands-on industry experience, regularly participating in landscaping projects like cleanups at local fire and police stations to support his community. His academic commitment earned him the James Edward Mulcahy Freshman Excellence Award, and he aspires to launch his own landscaping business to create sustainable, beautiful outdoor spaces that enhance people's lives.

Patricia Bigelow, President of Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. , expressed her enthusiasm for the scholarship recipient, stating, “We could not be more delighted to support Dante Filadoro with this scholarship. His dedication to both his studies and community service embodies the values we hold dear at Bigelow Nurseries. We believe that investing in students like Dante is crucial to ensuring the growth and development of the nursery and landscape industry for years to come.”

The Timothy S. and Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship reflects the Bigelow family’s commitment to fostering the next generation of horticulture professionals. Eligible applicants must be residents of one of the six New England states—Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont—though attendance at an institution within these states is not mandatory. Preference is given to those planning to work in the nursery and landscape industry after graduation, including the desire to own a business.

HRI , established in 1962, has granted over $10 million in scholarships and research grants, supporting the next generation of horticulture professionals. HRI’s scholarship program offers financial assistance to students who demonstrate a commitment to a career in the green industry, ensuring the vitality and growth of horticulture. To learn more about HRI's scholarship program, including the Timothy S. and Palmer W. "Bill" Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship, visit HRI Scholarship Application and Resources .

Horticultural Research Institute Invite Emerging Leaders to Apply for the HRI Leadership Academy Class of 2026

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:56:14 GMT

COLUMBUS, OH – (November 12, 2024) The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) announces the opening of the HRI Leadership Academy Class of 2026 application window. This one-year leadership program is designed to develop the skills green industry leaders need to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future.

“As we enter the fourth year of the HRI Leadership Academy, this program is driving the development of the next generation of leaders in the green industry. Our commitment is to empower passionate, dedicated individuals ready to lead the future of horticulture, and we can’t wait to welcome those who want to make a lasting impact,” said Leigh Geschwill, HRI Board President.

The HRI Leadership Academy offers horticulture leaders a unique opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, broaden their horticultural knowledge, and connect with professionals across the industry. The academy is designed to give participants a comprehensive approach to leadership development through in-person training sessions and online classes and meetings.

Applications will be evaluated on demonstrated leadership qualities, past evidence of or estimated future potential for contribution to the green industry, ability to consider the broader interests of the community, the applicant’s character and ability to grow because of this experience, and personal and employer commitment to the program. Preference will be given to candidates with at least five years of leadership experience and seven years of relevant industry work experience.

“The HRI Leadership Academy is a critical investment in shaping our industry’s future. Graduates of the academy develop enhanced leadership skills to grow their companies, drive innovation, and strengthen the entire industry,” said Ken Fisher, AmericanHort President and CEO. “By cultivating leaders who are equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow, we are ensuring the long-term success of individual businesses, our communities, and the industry as a whole.”

Application Timeline:

Application Window: Open now until February 7, 2025
Interviews: March and April 2025
Class Selection and Notification: May 2025
Class Announcement: Cultivate'25, July 12-15, 2025, in Columbus, OH

There is no fee to apply and AmericanHort covers program tuition. Applications should be submitted through the HRI Leadership Academy website during the application window. All applicants will be considered, and successful candidates will be chosen based on their commitment to the industry, leadership potential, and potential to contribute to the horticultural community.

For more information about the HRI Leadership Academy and to download a program brochure, please visit HRILeadershipAcademy.org .

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About the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI)

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $9.5 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Over $19 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit For more information about the HRI Leadership Academy and to download a program brochure, please visit HRILeadershipAcademy.org .

About AmericanHort

Green industry businesses perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future as a member of AmericanHort, the green industry’s leading association. With a rich history of serving horticultural professionals, AmericanHort supports 20,000 members and affiliated businesses that include breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry market chain. The horticulture industry's production, wholesale, retail, and landscape service components have annual sales of $346 billion, and sustain over 2.3 million full- and part-time jobs. AmericanHort works to impact the growth, performance, and successful future for the industry through advocacy, research, education, and advancing industry standards.

University of Maryland Graduate Student Receives 2024 Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 19:39:49 GMT

Columbus, Ohio – November 7, 2024 — The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the leading industry foundation dedicated to advancing horticultural education and research, proudly announces Elliott Kenney as the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was established in 2002 by the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Inc. (MANTS) to honor Carville M. Akehurst’s significant contributions to the horticulture industry and his commitment to education.

Vanessa Finney, Executive Vice President of MANTS and daughter of Carville Akehurst, expressed her support for the scholarship program and excitement for this year’s recipient, saying, “This scholarship honors our father’s belief in the power of education and his passion for the green industry. We are thrilled to see the scholarship awarded to Elliott Kenney. We are proud to support her educational journey and look forward to seeing her contributions to the industry.”

The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, part of the HRI scholarship program, commemorates the legacy of Mr. Akehurst, who dedicated over 30 years to the horticulture industry, including his role as Executive Vice-President of MANTS and Executive Secretary for numerous Maryland horticulture associations. MANTS established this scholarship with the belief that a strong education is essential to the future success of the nursery and landscape profession, embodying Mr. Akehurst’s values of opportunity and achievement through education.

MANTS is a premier event for the horticulture industry, consistently attracting over 11,000 attendees and more than 900 exhibitors. Known as the “Masterpiece of Trade Shows,” MANTS is sponsored by the State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland , Virginia , and West Virginia .

HRI , established in 1962, has granted over $10 million in scholarships and research grants, supporting the next generation of horticulture professionals. HRI’s scholarship program offers financial assistance to students who demonstrate a commitment to a career in the green industry, ensuring the vitality and growth of horticulture. To learn more about HRI's scholarship program, including the Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship, visit HRI Scholarship Application and Resources .

Farewell to a Legend in Our Time

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:39:53 GMT

Our hearts are heavy, yet our minds and memories are filled with fond recollections of the life, career, and innumerable achievements and contributions of Peter Orum, 82, who passed October 17, 2024, in the company of family and close friends. Peter’s remarkable life journey began in Denmark in 1941, under the long shadow of a global conflict. His roots and ties there remained strong throughout his life, and you may read more of the sweep of his life experience in his obituary . We focus here on his profound contributions to the American horticulture community.

Peter and his wife Irma, and over time their daughter Christa, extended family and loyal employees took Midwest Groundcovers from its most humble beginnings to a world-class family of plant growing and service companies based near Chicago, IL. Peter fervently believed in the power of individuals working together to realize meaningful change and progress. Over the years he became an outsize presence in our industry’s association community and a catalyst for good. He was a seasoned industry leader in high demand locally, regionally, and nationally, eventually serving as President of the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) in 2005, and later as President of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). He was inducted into the ANLA Hall of Fame, the organization’s highest honor, in 2010.

Peter was deeply committed to civic and political engagement on behalf of family farms and small businesses. He led by example, investing time and treasure to build relationships and influence policy. He rarely missed a “day at the capital,” legislative conference or fly-in, and was a passionate advocate on a range of business issues. He often brought employees along to mentor them on how our system of government works.

No cause over the years animated Peter more than of agricultural labor and immigration reform and the multi-year push to advance the AgJOBS bill. “If we are not growing, making, and selling things, where will we be as a country…who will we rely on to feed us?” he asked on more than a few lobbying visits. Understanding the adage that politics makes strange bedfellows, in August of 2004 Peter was the first grower ever to be invited to address the biennial convention of the United Farm Workers union. In his historic address, he emphasized that “while we do not agree on many things, there are some things we can agree on, and must work together to achieve.”

He made no secret of the fact that he cast his first presidential ballot for Ronald Reagan in 1984, and clearly embraced Reagan’s farewell address reflections on America as a “shining city on a hill…a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity…and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” As an immigrant himself, he saw the potential of others who came to America with little more than a dream and the resolve to achieve it.

As the years passed, Peter turned considerable intention to investing in future solutions and talent. Peter was a loyal and generous supporter of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). Over the years, he established numerous named endowment funds that celebrated his business, his family, his mentors, and his friends. These funds will advance horticultural research and scholarship in perpetuity. Peter never sought the spotlight for his contributions, preferring instead to lead by example. Yet, Peter never hesitated to share why he believed so strongly in HRI’s mission and encouraged others to take notice of HRI’s impact and join in supporting this work.

Peter was one of a kind and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew him. His belief in AmericanHort and HRI and the impacts we make when the industry works together was inspiring. Peter’s unwavering belief in our cause was contagious. If you worked for him, or with him, you always wanted to do better—for Peter. His high standards and genuine passion challenged us all to rise to the occasion. Though we will miss him dearly, he leaves behind a legacy of excellence and generosity that will continue to inspire for years to come.

Generously, Peter requested that donations be made to HRI, among other charities, in his memory. To honor his wishes, we’ve added a special donation option on our website’s donation page .

We’ve always thought of Peter as a cornerstone of our industry, someone whose influence and dedication helped shape so much of what we do. We will miss Peter dearly, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Peter Orum with dear friend and colleague Ken Doty on a visit to Greenland in 2023.

Horticultural Research Institute Announces Research Effort to Combat Phytophthora austrocedri

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:53:21 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is pleased to announce that, in response to the recent discovery of Phytophthora austrocedri , nearly $250,000 in federal funds have been shifted to address the urgent research needs of the horticultural community.

The funds, provided through USDA Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI), will be used to study and manage this emerging threat to the horticulture industry. The research represents a concerted effort to safeguard valuable plant species at risk from this destructive pathogen, particularly those in the Cupressaceae family, which includes economically and ecologically important plants like cypress, arborvitae, juniper, and cedar. HRI would like to thank USDA partners Drs. Tim Rinehart, Jerry Weiland, and Nik Grunwald and Oregon State University partners Drs. Alan Peper and Mana Ohkura for working quickly to reprioritize FNRI research objectives toward this emerging issue.

Phytophthora austrocedri is a water mold that causes severe disease in woody plants, primarily affecting the roots and collar area, which leads to the decline and death of the infected plants. The pathogen is part of the broader Phytophthora genus, a notorious group that includes species responsible for diseases such as sudden oak death and potato late blight. First detected in Argentine Patagonia, where it was linked to widespread dieback of the native Austrocedrus chilensis trees, Phytophthora austrocedri has since emerged as a growing concern in other parts of the world, including the United States, where it has been detected in two Oregon nurseries .

The pathogen’s ability to survive in soil and to move with irrigation water makes it highly adaptable and difficult to control, posing a significant threat to horticultural operations, particularly nurseries and landscapes that rely on susceptible plant species.

The plants most at risk from Phytophthora austrocedri are members of the Cupressaceae family, including popular ornamental species such as Leyland cypress and Chinese juniper. Cultivars of both species are widely used in landscaping and nursery production across the U.S. due to their aesthetic appeal, drought tolerance, and ability to provide windbreaks and privacy screens. The spread of Phytophthora austrocedri could have severe economic consequences, especially for the nursery industry, which relies on the production and sale of these plants. Additionally, this pathogen poses a risk to natural ecosystems, where native species could also be impacted, leading to broader environmental consequences.

The funding will enable researchers to explore several key aspects of this pathogen, including its biology, modes of transmission, environmental factors that contribute to its spread, and potential methods for controlling or mitigating its effects. Developing an understanding of the disease’s epidemiology will be critical for implementing effective management strategies, both in nurseries and in the broader landscape. As part of this effort, HRI is collaborating with leading plant pathologists, nursery operators, and landscape professionals to ensure that research results can be quickly translated into practical recommendations for the industry.

One of the primary objectives of this research is to develop best management practices (BMPs) for nurseries and landscapers to prevent the spread of Phytophthora austrocedri . BMPs will include guidelines for irrigation management, sanitation practices, and the use of fungicides or other chemical treatments that have proven effective in managing related Phytophthora species. Given the pathogen’s ability to spread through contaminated soil and water, nurseries may need to adopt stricter protocols to prevent the unintentional movement of the pathogen via plant material, tools, or irrigation water. Research will also address how the pathogen responds to environmental conditions in the Pacific Northwest, which are characterized by having cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.

Additionally, further research is needed to explore whether certain cultivars or species within the Cupressaceae family exhibit greater resistance to the disease, which could inform future breeding programs.

This research will also involve exploring potential chemical controls that can be safely and effectively used to manage the pathogen in both nursery and landscape settings. While fungicides can sometimes provide temporary protection, the goal is to develop integrated pest management strategies that rely not only on chemical control but also on cultural practices that reduce the risk of disease introduction and spread. The possibility of biological controls, such as natural predators or antagonistic organisms that can suppress the pathogen, will also be explored.

The collaboration between HRI and USDA and the ability to direct funding where it is most urgently needed, underscores HRI’s commitment to addressing emergent threats within the industry and ensuring that growers, landscapers, and plant health professionals have the tools they need to protect plants from serious diseases like Phytophthora austrocedri .

As this research progresses, HRI will continue to work closely with stakeholders to share findings and recommendations, ensuring that the horticultural community is well-equipped to manage this new challenge and protect the plants that play such a vital role in both the economy and the environment.

Images

Image 1 - Lesion at the stem base . Photo used with permission of Forestry Research. Crown Copyright, Forestry Research, United Kingdom.

Image 2 - Phytophthora austrocedri killing juniper . Photo used with permission of Forestry Research. Crown Copyright, Forestry Research, United Kingdom.

Image 3 - Dying juniper . Photo used with permission of Forestry Research. Crown Copyright, Forestry Research, United Kingdom.

Symptoms of Phytophthora austrocedri

Plants infected with Phytophthora austrocedri typically exhibit symptoms such as root and collar rot, which can lead to the gradual decline and death of the plant. Early signs include yellowing or browning of foliage, often starting at the top of the tree, and wilting of branches. As the disease progresses, the bark at the base of the trunk may crack, revealing necrotic, discolored tissue underneath. In advanced stages, the tree may show dieback of the crown, and infected roots become blackened and decayed, ultimately leading to plant death. Since these symptoms resemble those caused by other Phytophthora species, laboratory testing is often needed to confirm the presence of P. austrocedri.

Additional Resources:

CABI Compendium: Phytophthora austrocedri

Purdue/USDA-APHIS-PPQ-CPHST Pest Datasheet for Phytophthora austrocedri

UK Forestry Commission Phytophthora austrocedri Symptoms Guide

Tiny But Mighty! Unlocking the Microbiome Potential to Enhance Boxwood Resilience to Diseases & Environmental Stress

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:20:15 GMT

The webinar, "Tiny but Mighty," hosted by the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and the Boxwood Blight and Insight Group (BBIG), focuses on the potential of the microbiome to enhance boxwood resilience to diseases and environmental stress. Dr. Xiaoping Li, a microbiome scientist at Virginia Tech, leads the discussion, explaining the importance of microorganisms in plant health.

Microorganisms are present everywhere, including in the above-ground parts of plants (the phyllosphere) and below-ground (roots, rhizosphere) . These microbes, which include bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and algae, form a complex community called the microbiota. The concept of the microbiome includes the microbiota and their structural elements, such as viruses, and their activities. Plants and their associated microorganisms form an ecological unit called the holobiont.

The interaction between plants and their microbiome can be categorized into three types: pathogens, commensals, and beneficial. While some microbes are pathogens, a large proportion are either commensal or beneficial, aiding in plant growth and health. The microbiome can benefit plant growth in four main ways:

Nutrient Acquisition: Microbes help plants access essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which are often limited in soil. Some microbes fix atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, while others break down organic matter to release nutrients.
Modulating Seed Germination and Plant Growth: Microbes produce plant hormones that promote cell division and elongation, aiding in seed germination and plant growth. They can also attract pollinators by emitting or modifying visual, olfactory, and gustatory cues.
Abiotic Stress Tolerance: Microbes help plants escape environmental stressors such as drought, heat, and salinity. They do this by producing biofilms, plant hormones, and osmo-protectants. Additionally, some microbes can reduce the concentration of ethylene, a stress hormone.
Protection Against Pathogens and Pests: Microbes can produce antimicrobial compounds, compete with pathogens for resources, and activate the plant immune system.

Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water acquisition. They can also induce plant defense mechanisms. Many microorganisms are now being commercialized as biopesticides, biofertilizers, and biostimulants.

Microbial communities are affected by various biotic and abiotic factors, including plant species, compartment, age, agricultural activities, and climate conditions. High-throughput sequencing allows researchers to profile these microbial communities by examining microbial DNA.

Boxwood, once considered a no-maintenance plant, now faces many emergent diseases. Microbiome research may offer new strategies for understanding and protecting boxwood. The first step in this research is to capture the microbial communities associated with boxwood . Then, the functions of these microbiomes must be elucidated, leading to the development of microbiome-based applications.

Research has revealed a diverse microbial community in the boxwood phyllosphere, with proteobacteria and ascomycota being the dominant bacterial and fungal phyla, respectively. Core microbiomes have also been identified, which are consistently associated with boxwood and may have crucial functions. Some of the core microbes include Methylobacterium (bacteria) and Alternaria and Cladosporium (fungi), which may participate in plant nutrient acquisition and defense.

The study also explored how fungicides affect the boxwood microbiome. Repeated use of certain fungicides, like Daconil, can reduce fungal sensitivity to the chemicals. Fungicides can also alter the bacterial community structure. Similarly, antidesiccants, used to protect plants from water loss, can impact the microbiome, with fungal communities being more affected than bacteria.

The boxwood rhizosphere, the soil surrounding plant roots, contains diverse microbial communities, dominated by actinobacteria, proteobacteria, and firmicutes at the phylum level. High levels of Pseudonectria, a pathogen causing Volutella blight, have been found in the rhizosphere, suggesting soil could be a reservoir for pathogens. Core bacteria in the rhizosphere include Actinobacteria and Alpha proteobacteria, known for nitrogen fixation. Mycorrhizal fungi, which are essential to plant health, have also been identified, with Ceratobasidium, Hyalocifae, and Cystoderma species being the most abundant. Microbial networks constructed from blight-tolerant boxwood cultivars show more positive interactions among fungi and the presence of a hot taxon Amanita.

The webinar concluded with a discussion of the implications of this research, emphasizing that soil is a major reservoir of boxwood pathogens, that mycorrhizal fungal interactions may enhance blight tolerance, and that nursery practices influence the boxwood microbiome. Future research will focus on the functions of the microbiome at molecular levels and the interactions between boxwood and its microbiome.

HRI Leadership Academy Announces 2025 Class Members

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:45:04 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the AmericanHort Foundation, announces eleven new class members for the 2025 HRI Leadership Academy. The class will be introduced at Cultivate’24 being held July 13-16, 2024, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH.

This will be the third class to complete the near year long program, which is designed to develop leaders on all levels of the green industry. Program participants will grow personally and professionally through leadership and business skill training, engagement with the green industry network, and through completion of a real-world project.

“The HRI board is pleased to see this program continue to grow as it enters its third year. The response from the industry has been positive and the candidate pool creates a competitive process each year as class members are selected, “ said Leigh Geschwill, HRI Board President and co-owner of F and B Farms in Oregon. “It’s exciting to meet the next cohort and it makes me very confident that the future of our industry is bright as these leaders emerge.”

The 2025 Class Members are:

Christopher Brown Jr, VA

Christopher, a second-generation nurseryman, attributes his personal and professional growth to the horticulture industry. His career spans various roles, from weeding as a teen, to being a grower, propagator, and shipping manager, to his current position as head of purchasing at Lancaster Farms, a leading nursery in the southeast. A Virginia-certified horticulturist, Christopher has actively contributed to the industry through his involvement with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association (VNLA), the VNLA research foundation, and the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS). Known for his forward-thinking views, Christopher emphasizes the need for the next generation of leaders to collaborate and innovate to ensure the industry's future success.

Crystal Cady, OR

Crystal is a dedicated horticulture professional with over 25 years of experience, including owning her own grower-retailer business. Her well-rounded career reflects her passion for the independent garden center segment. Currently, she serves as CEO-Designate for the Northwest Nursery Buyers Association, set to assume the CEO role on January 1, 2025. Crystal has worked for the Oregon Association of Nurseries and actively volunteers on the Far West Show committee, among other volunteer roles within and beyond the green industry. Recognized by Greenhouse Product News' 2013 40 Under 40 class, she has also received OAN's Retailer of the Year and Young Professional of the Year awards. Crystal is committed to collaboration to help strengthen the industry.

Pablo Costa, British Columbia, Canada

A native of Chile, Pablo grew up on a cherry farm and has dedicated his horticulture career to continuous improvement and operational efficiency. As the Director of Operations and Growing for Van Belle Nursery Finished Plants in British Columbia, he oversees teams managing everything from growing to shipping. Bilingual and personable, Pablo connects well with diverse individuals. Known for his eagerness to learn, he asks thoughtful questions before making decisions. Pablo embraces the values of continual improvement, remains calm under pressure, and is respected by his peers. His leadership and commitment to excellence have made a significant impact on the nursery's success.

Mason Day, IL

Growing up in a quaint Michigan town, Mason's roots in horticulture run deep, cultivated through years at his family's retail greenhouse. From launching a tech-driven venture, Grow It, to his current role as Director of Growth and Development at JR Peters Inc., Mason embodies entrepreneurial spirit. Actively contributing to the industry, he co-chairs the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH), serves on America in Bloom's board, and has served on the AmericanHort Generation Next community. With a penchant for industry insights, Mason has penned articles for numerous publications. He was recognized in the Greenhouse Product News 40 Under 40 2017 class. A visionary with an upbeat demeanor, Mason's optimism and broad perspective resonates with peers and colleagues.

Bob Dickman, NY

Bob, the fifth-generation leader of Dickman Farms, cultivated his work ethic from an early age on the family farm. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Marines, where he excelled, earning honors in boot camp and infantry school and leading numerous missions as a squad leader. This military background shapes his leadership as the general manager of an expansive 18-acre greenhouse operation with over 100 employees. Bob's commitment to the industry extends through his past role as an AmericanHort board member and his current involvement in the AmericanHort Greenhouse community connectors. His dedication and achievements were recognized with the 2021 Greenhouse Grower Operation of the Year award and inclusion in the prestigious 2014 Greenhouse Product News 40 Under 40 class.

Aaron Dillon, CA

Aaron, the Vice President and General Manager at Four Winds Growers, is a fourth-generation citrus nurseryman from California who is actively involved in both his industry and community. Growing up in a family business, he gained experience in various roles, preparing him to lead the company successfully. Aaron faced adversity when the industry confronted the Asian Citrus Psyllid threat, forcing difficult decisions and instilling an appreciation for regulatory policies. He has served as president of the California Citrus Nursery Society and has held positions on the California Citrus Nursery Board, Plant California Alliance, and numerous other committees and organizations. Aaron’s passion for sports has led him to compete during his youth and coach his children's teams, teaching him the value of teamwork and a growth mindset.

Jesse Eastman, CO

Jesse leads Fort Collins Nursery, where he has worked for over 25 years. Since taking over from his father, he has restructured the management team to boost efficiency and profitability. The nursery has significantly expanded in sales, employees, and production acres. A Colorado Certified Nursery Professional, Jesse has held leadership roles with Friends and Gardens on Spring Creek, the Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association, and the Garden Centers of Colorado boards. Known for his strong communication and employee-first approach, Jesse has fostered strong loyalty among his team. His leadership has propelled the nursery to new heights, and he looks forward to tackling future challenges constructively.

Sonya Westervelt, VA

Sonya, the Chief of Wholesale Sales at Saunders Brothers Inc., drives growth through forward-thinking collaboration. Renowned for her adept communication and team-building skills, she fosters consensus and empowers her team to excel. Recognized for her achievements, she received the Young Professional of the Year awards from the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association (VNLA) and the Southern Nursery Association (SNA) in 2017. Recently honored in the Greenhouse Product News 40 Under 40, she also earned the Outstanding Recent Alumna award from Virginia Tech. Actively engaged in various committees and associations, including VNLA, the Delaware Center for Horticulture, and the Virginia Tech Alumni Association. Sonya's impact extends beyond her professional realm to her community involvement with her local church and school district.

Paul Vaandrager, British Columbia, Canada

Paul Vaandrager is an experienced Canadian Nursery and Greenhouse Certification Manager, who currently serves as the Supply Chain Manager at Qualitree Propagators Inc. Recognized as adaptable and collaborative, Paul seamlessly orchestrates teamwork among internal teams, suppliers, and stakeholders, propelling them toward common goals. A natural motivator, he fosters a culture of achievement and leads by example, readily diving into tasks alongside his colleagues. With LEAN certification in both green and yellow belts, Paul commits to continuous development. Beyond his professional pursuits, he generously dedicates his time to community service as a volunteer firefighter, youth leader at his church, and mentor for aspiring baseball players, embodying his commitment to making a positive impact beyond the workplace.

Deanna van Klaveren, CA

Deanna is a dedicated advocate and educator for California agriculture. As the Chief Operations Officer and co-owner of Generation Growers Inc., she excels in developing organizational processes and training staff. For over thirty years, Deanna has significantly contributed to the green industry through her involvement with the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers (CANGC, now Plant Alliance) and the California Agriculture Leadership Foundation (CALF). An alumna of the California Agriculture Leadership Program, she has been honored with the CALF Profiles in Leadership Award, the CANGC Young Nursery Professional of the Year Award, and the CANGC Ron Regan Education and Career Award. Deanna is committed to sharing the industry's story and advocating for its needs.

Chris Wichman, CA

Chris is the Production Manager at Belmont Nursery, a 20-acre growing facility and garden retail operation. Renowned for his collaborative approach, Chris values listening to diverse perspectives and fostering a team-oriented problem-solving environment. He prioritizes a culture of engagement, measurement, and accountability. Chris is actively involved in the industry, contributing to the county and state Farm Bureau, the California Water Institute, the Center for Irrigation Technology, and the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS). His community service includes volunteering as a firefighter and participating in local clean-up efforts. Chris has also shared his expertise in panel discussions at Cultivate and holds the AmericanHort Greenhouse Technician Certification designation.

“Effective leadership and continuous development are essential for the success of green industry businesses,” said Ken Fisher, AmericanHort President and CEO. “We are impressed with the quality of the class members and are excited to support their growth as leaders within their companies, communities, and our industry. The HRI Leadership Academy represents a significant investment in the future of our industry.”

The curriculum is designed specifically to meet industry needs and is organized to include Strategy, Leadership and People Management, Numbers and Advocacy, and the Value Chain. In-person classes begin September 2024. Course principles are put to practical application through a course-long leadership project which will be presented at Cultivate’25 being held July 12-15, 2025. Applications for the 2025-26 class will open in the fall. For more information and to download an informational brochure on the HRI Leadership Academy, go to HRILeadershipAcademy.org or contact Jennifer Gray at JenniferG@AmericanHort.org or by calling 614-487-1117.

Box Tree Moth Compliance Agreement Explained

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:50:27 GMT

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Box Tree Moth Compliance Agreement, including its goals, implementation strategies, and the roles of various stakeholders. Attendees will also learn practical tips for complying with the agreement and mitigating the moth’s impact.

Understanding the BTM Compliance Agreement - Join us for an in-depth webinar on the Box Tree Moth Compliance Agreement, designed to protect our boxwood plants from this invasive pest. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the agreement’s objectives, key provisions, and the roles of various stakeholders in its implementation.
BTM Regulations and Regulated Areas - Explore the BTM regulations with a detailed analysis of how these regulations were designed to control this invasive pest, including an understanding of the BTM quarantines. Learn why these regulations are essential for protecting the nursery trade and the economy and how you can contribute to these efforts.
What is the National Plant Board? A brief introduction to the National Plant Board and their role in BTM Compliance Agreements and other phytosanitary topics.
Maintaining Training Records and What to Expect During Inspections - Learn why record-keeping is essential and gain an understanding of what to expect during BTM compliance inspections.

Boxwood Blight Insight Group (BBIG): Sanitation and Nursery Practices

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:45:02 GMT

his educational session aims to equip nursery producers, gardeners, and plant health professionals with vital knowledge and strategies to combat the pervasive threat of Calonectria pseudonaviculata, the fungus responsible for the devastating boxwood blight.

Boxwood blight, a serious concern for the horticulture industry, jeopardizes the health and viability of boxwood plants, significantly impacting the ornamental plant market. Addressing this issue, the webinar will delve into the critical control points in nursery production, emphasizing effective sanitation practices to prevent and manage the spread of this disease.

Attendees of the webinar can expect to gain:

An understanding of the lifecycle and spread of Calonectria pseudonaviculata.
Insight into the latest research and developments in boxwood blight control.
Practical guidance on implementing effective sanitation and preventive measures in nursery production.
Strategies for identifying critical control points to mitigate the risk of boxwood blight in their operations.

This webinar is essential for anyone involved in the cultivation, care, or management of boxwood

Box Tree Moth Demystified

Mon, 20 May 2024 21:46:32 GMT

Are you seeking to fortify your expertise in identifying and managing Boxwood Tree Moth (BTM)? Watch the recording for an in-depth webinar focused on the nuances of BTM identification, lookalikes, controls, trapping, and scouting.

Understanding Box Tree Moth

Delve into the essential aspects of identifying BTM, covering its life stages, signs, symptoms, and life cycle dynamics. Gain invaluable insights into the impact of multiple generations, ensuring you're equipped to tackle BTM infestations effectively.

Is It BTM...or Something Else?

This session will equip you with the expertise to effectively separate BTM from pests like boxwood leafminer, diseases such as Volutella blight/canker, and physiological issues like winter injury. Learn how to compare and contrast these problems to enhance your ability to detect and manage BTM infestations efficiently.

Proposed BTM Control Tactics

This presentation covers research on testing insecticides to control BTM in both lab and field settings. Attendees will discover effective chemical tactics for reducing BTM infestations, along with the conditions for optimal application. It also includes updates on an area-wide mating disruption project using sex pheromones and Bt applications to manage BTM in urban/suburban areas, including field observations and population dynamics.

BTM Trapping and Scouting Techniques

Detecting BTM through adult trapping and field scouting is crucial for containment. This presentation will discuss the use of sex pheromone traps and adult phenology. It will also share field scouting observations, including where to find egg masses and immature phenology, along with the methodology for BTM field scouting.

Unveiling Vascular Streak Dieback: Insights, Surveys, and Solutions

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:18:56 GMT

This webinar dives into the emerging nursery problem of Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD). In this session, experts will provide a comprehensive overview, sharing insights gleaned from surveys, research updates, and practical management strategies. From understanding the timeline of recognition to discussing the fungus associated with VSD, its range of hosts, and symptoms, our speakers will cover it all. Delve into the latest research findings on identifying causal agents, fungicide efficacy trials, and cultivar screening. Whether you're a nursery owner, researcher, or simply interested in plant health, this webinar offers valuable knowledge and a platform for addressing your queries. Join us as we tackle VSD head-on and explore effective management approaches to safeguard woody ornamentals.

VSD: Introduction to an emerging nursery problem

Discover the timeline of VSD in North America, the fungus associated with VSD, the range of plant hosts on which it has been found, internal and external symptoms, and look-alike diseases.

Devin Bily

VSD of Woody Ornamentals in Virginia

The presentation will discuss the results of the two-year survey conducted by VDACS, and symptoms associated with plants that tested positive for C. theobromae.

Katy Kilbourne

Multi-State VSD survey

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has partnered with several states for a cooperative VSD nursery and environs survey. Identification of this pest within the plant trade assists with keeping populations geographically confined and determining population density and host range.

Fulya Baysal-Gurel

VSD Research Update

VSD is an emerging is an emerging threat to the woody ornamental industry. This session addresses the research updates regarding identification of the causal agent/s of the VSD, fungicide efficacy trials and redbud cultivar screening. Finally, best management practices for VSD will be discussed

Horticultural Research Institute Invests $420,000 in 13 Innovative Projects Addressing Critical Green Industry Challenges

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 21:01:49 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is proud to announce the successful completion of its competitive grants application and review process for 2024, resulting in the selection of 13 impactful projects for funding. The total investment of $420,000 will be directed towards initiatives tackling a spectrum of green industry issues, including pest management, new technologies, marketing insights, and plant disease prevention.

HRI's commitment to advancing horticultural research that challenges current methods and fosters collaboration between businesses and researchers remains at the forefront of its mission. The selected projects align with HRI's commitment to advancing horticultural research within its four strategic areas of focus: quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. This comprehensive approach ensures that the funded projects will contribute significantly to the advancement of the green industry on multiple fronts.

Board President Leigh Geschwill expressed her enthusiasm for the selected projects, stating, "The diversity of the projects submitted during this year's application and review process continues to build the scientific building blocks the industry needs to succeed. The Horticultural Research Institute is confident that these projects will deliver actionable advice for green industry businesses throughout North America, ultimately contributing to the growth and resilience of our industry."

Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator, emphasized the significance of the projects in meeting the unique needs of the horticultural industry. "Innovation and research are the cornerstones of a thriving green industry,” stated Gray. “The projects selected for funding each play a key role in driving progress, addressing challenges, and shaping the future of the industry.”

The funded projects are:

Identifying the causal agent and predisposing conditions that facilitate vascular streak dieback in redbud

F. Baysal-Gurel, Tennessee State University

Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD) in redbud is an emerging problem that has caused significant economic loss to nursery producers in the Southeastern United States in recent years. Even though the causal agent(s) of VSD has not been confirmed yet, Ceratobasidium theobromae (CT) has been identified both molecularly and morphologically and has always been associated with VSD symptomatic redbuds. CT is exhibiting a fastidious growth, hence isolating, and maintaining pure cultures of the fungus, and, more importantly, conducting Koch’s postulate is considered challenging. As every delay in a proper understanding of this issue, means more crop loss and a greater risk of the spread of the potential pathogen to new locales, nursery growers are seeking for a definitive and prompt diagnosis. Understanding the causal agent(s) and the conditions that favor the disease development is the key to the effective management of this novel threat. This proposed project aims to address several grower concerns regarding VSD by understanding the causal agent(s), predisposing environmental factors, and cultural practices that can accelerate VSD-related symptom development. Consequently, the findings of this study will enhance the horticulture industry’s profitability and consumer satisfaction with a better understanding of this threat.

Introgression of VSD resistance to Eastern Redbuds

Hsuan Chen, North Carolina State University

Redbud (Cercis spp.) is a valuable landscaping flowering tree, and easter redbud, C. canadensis, an east coast native species, is the most important one that has been in high demand because of its diverse ornamental traits. Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD), a wide-range infectious disease, has caused more and more damage in redbud production since 2020. This project aims to introgress the VSD resistance traits from a related species to eastern redbuds and to develop molecular markers for enhancing the breeding process. The long-term target of the project is to release VSD-resistant eastern redbud cultivars for the nursery industry.

Sequencing lilacs to discover genes for remontancy

Ryan Contreras, Oregon State University

Remontancy, or reblooming, is a preferred trait for ornamental plants because the extra or continuous flower season increases economic value of plants for growers and ornamental value for consumers. In taxa with this trait such as azaleas, roses, hydrangea, and lilac, reblooming cultivars dominate the market. Therefore, breeders would like to increase development of this trait in new cultivars. To streamline breeding, we have been developing molecular tools to predict which seedlings will be reblooming. Using new sequencing technology, our team will assemble a high-quality genome of Bloomerang® lilac that will allow us to identify the gene(s) responsible for reblooming in lilac and other taxa. In the near term we will use these tools to improve traditional breeding. Future aspirations include using new information to facilitate biotechnological methods to introduce reblooming in taxa where it previously has been absent.

Improving Reception: Better Detection of RFID Plant Labels with Drone Mounted and Handheld Readers

R. Thomas Fernandez, Michigan State University

This project will build on previously funded HRI research that investigated reading 9 different types of RFID labels at a commercial container nursery using an aerial drone mounted reader and a handheld reader that was walked through the plant beds. A total of 4,000 labels were used on 4 different plant types read every other month for 1 year. Labels were read at 95% or better for up to 7 of the label types depending on plant and dates with the handheld reader. 4 of these label types were read at 98% or better for all plants and all dates. Stake and loop-lock label types were the most effective, while adhesive labels were reading at 90% or less in most cases. Additionally, the power output needed for the payload and RFID reader for the drone reading system resulted in short flight times per battery charge that limited its effectiveness. Improvements made to the drone reading system for longer flight time and reader powering and improved label configurations based on the prior results will be evaluated for this round of funding to increase the effectiveness of the drone reading system and expand the range of label types.

Improving detection and resistance screening of current bacterial pathogen threats to the geranium industry

Jonathan Jacobs, Ohio State University

Diseases caused by microbial pathogens limit geranium production through the development of symptoms undesirable to consumers or even complete losses from whole plant death. The geranium industry regularly suffers losses from the bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomonas hortorum pv. pelargonii. A new, destructive lineage of this pathogen emerged in 2022, and this project aims to create diagnostic tools for emerging X. hortorum pv. pelargonii and screen geranium germplasm for resistance. We will directly engage stakeholders and make our knowledge and tools publicly available to the industry.

Improving Management of Rose Rosette Disease by Understanding Movement Behavior of Vector, Phyllocoptes fructiphilus

Shimat Villanasery Joseph, University of Georgia

The eriophyid mite Phyllocoptes fructiphilus transmits rose rosette virus to rose while feeding. This virus causes a serious disease in roses, referred to as rose rosette disease (RRD). The RRD and mites are common in ornamental landscapes. The mites can spread and threaten the container rose industry. This project is focused on understanding the temporal dispersal and determining the effects of water, nutrients, and insecticides on mite movement from the RRD symptomatic plants.

National Green Industry Survey

Melinda Knuth, North Carolina State University

This survey is the 8th national green industry survey conducted by this team of researchers. The overarching objective of this national survey is to quantify the extent of on-going structural changes in the U.S. green industry. This year we will have three repetitions of data series (2014 and 2018) capturing key information from retail and landscape service firms (in addition to growers). With three iterations of the data, time series analyses of long-term behaviors in H2A, H2B, water rights issues, and IPM practices will be able to be observed. Specific primary objectives are to: (1) determine the production, management and marketing practices of wholesale and retail nursery firms related to labor, water, IPM practices, marketing, and other critical issues; (2) identify structural changes and economic trends in the nursery and greenhouse industry; and (3) evaluate regional competitiveness within the national green industry.

Enhancing golden camellia’s accessibility and profitability by improving stem-cutting rooting rate and understanding its genetic diversity in USA

Haiying Liang, Clemson University

Cutting propagation is a widely used clonal approach to fix and maintain desired genotypes. However, some woody species notoriously have difficulty forming adventitious roots with this approach. This project investigates the effect of cutting length, leaf number kept on each cutting, and type of auxins and sugar solutions on the rooting rate of golden camellia, as well as the genetic diversity of the U.S. collection with molecular markers. Golden camellias are rare yellow-flowering camellia species. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, golden camellia flowers are valued for tea because they contain chemical compounds that may improve health. Driven by its scarcity and high ornamental value, golden camellias and their hybrids have a much higher market price and are sold out quickly each year. The project will provide knowledge to form rooting and breeding strategies for golden camellia in the floricultural industry.

Optimizing the use of rice hulls in container nursery weed management programs

Chris Marble, University of Florida

Preemergence herbicides are the foundation of most container nursery weed control programs, but many growers have limited or no options due to crop safety issues, label restrictions, and other concerns. Many nurseries are now turning to parboiled rice hulls (PBH) as a herbicide alternative, but questions remain concerning how PBH interact and affect other production inputs and their long-term efficacy against a broad spectrum of weed species. This project will focus on optimizing PBH use in container nurseries by evaluating their efficacy against a broad spectrum of weed species, determining optimal depth and application timing relative to potting, longevity under nursery environments, and effects and interactions between PBH rice hulls and other inputs such as irrigation, fertilization, and preemergence herbicides. Overall, the aim of this project is to provide growers with the information they need to optimize their use of PBH and get the most value from their weed management programs.

Evaluation of substrates for suppression of Phytophthora root and crown rot on greenhouse ornamentals

Inga Meadows, North Carolina State University

Wood substrate components are increasingly being used in place of peat in containerized production of herbaceous ornamentals. Despite an increase in their usage, little is known about how these components influence the incidence and severity of Phytophthora root rot, which negatively affects the production of herbaceous ornamentals nationwide. This research will evaluate the severity of Phytophthora root rot on petunia grown in media composed of different ratios of wood substrate and peat.

Establishing a CRISPR/Cas9-based system for breeding crapemyrtle with improved cold hardiness

Hongmin Qin, Texas A&M

Despite its widespread popularity, crapemyrtle faces economic losses in harsh winter regions due to its low cold tolerance. This research project aims to employ CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to enhance its cold tolerance. The anticipated outcomes include advancements in gene-editing technology for crapemyrtle, with potential applications extending beyond the scope of crapemyrtle itself. This project is critical for breeding new cold-hardy cultivars, expansion of the market to colder zones. The findings will be presented through conferences, publications, and industry events to maximize the impact of this innovative research.

Towards precision insecticide application for sustainable Green Industry practices by analyzing toxicity, sublethal- and low-dose effects on crapemyrtle bark scale through recording feeding behavior of insects on artificial diet

Hongmin Qin, Texas A&M

The Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (CMBS), an invasive pest, poses a significant threat to the green industry. Presently, managing CMBS infestations depends on neonicotinoid insecticides. The growing awareness of the detrimental effects of these insecticides underscores the crucial necessity for accurate application. This precision approach aims to optimize insecticide effectiveness and alleviate the environmental repercussions of systemic insecticides. The study will establish lethal, sublethal, and low-lethal concentrations of neonicotinoids for CMBS by utilizing insect life table and electrical penetration graph (EPG) assays. Our goal is to enable precise insecticide application, diminish environmental impact, and contribute to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies tailored for CMBS in the horticultural sector.

Mapping water risk for US nursery and greenhouse growers

Sarah A. White, Clemson University

Water security is a critical issue facing greenhouse and nursery producers in the US. Whether we are discussing drought or flooding - water security and weather extremes are becoming more common. This project will develop a visualization tool (map) that enables water risk mapping for greenhouse and nursery growers throughout the conterminous United States, enabling strategic planning at local, regional, and national scales. Ultimately, results from this project will help growers in forward planning and strategic investment of resources to manage, and hopefully mitigate, climate risk at the operational level.

Applications for 2025 research grant funding are being accepted at HRI’s website now through May 31, 2024.

HRI's Support Fuels 5-Year National Green Industry Survey

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 21:03:39 GMT

In a bid to delve deeper into the dynamics of the U.S. Green Industry, the Green Industry Research Consortium, comprising esteemed horticulturists and agricultural economists from various universities, is embarking on its 8th iteration of the National Green Industry Survey. Sponsored by HRI (Horticultural Research Institute), this comprehensive study aims to unravel the nuances of production, marketing, and retailing practices within the green sector.

The survey, spanning a five-year timeline, serves as a critical barometer for measuring the industry. By soliciting insights from stakeholders across the nation, the Consortium endeavors to paint a vivid picture of evolving trends within the green industry.

One pivotal aspect of the National Green Industry Survey lies in its capacity to track changes over time. From shifts in consumer preferences to advancements in cultivation techniques, the data gleaned from participants offers invaluable insights into the industry's trajectory. Furthermore, by analyzing current trends, researchers can anticipate future developments and strategize accordingly.

At its core, this survey is not just an academic exercise; it holds significant implications for the horticultural industry. By quantifying the contributions of the green industry, from job creation to revenue generation, the findings serve as evidence of its economic significance. Moreover, this empirical evidence bolsters advocacy efforts and informs policy decisions at both the state and federal levels.

The invitation to participate in this survey extends to all horticultural businesses. Whether you're a grower, retailer, or involved in any facet of the green supply chain, your input is invaluable. By completing the survey, you're not only contributing to a deeper understanding of the industry but also shaping its future trajectory.

To participate in this survey, simply follow this link: National Green Industry Survey . Survey responses are due no later than May 1, 2024.

In supporting initiatives like the National Green Industry Survey, HRI underscores its commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering innovation within horticulture. Together, through collaborative research efforts, we can cultivate a greener, more sustainable future for all.

In the Lab and the Landscape at the National Arboretum: Boxwood Genomics and AI Solutions for Blight Detection and Protection

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 19:22:56 GMT

The Boxwood Blight Insight Group (BBIG) invites horticulturists, researchers, and plant enthusiasts to join an insightful webinar titled, "In the Lab and the Landscape at the National Arboretum: Boxwood Genomics and AI Solutions for Blight Detection and Protection." This webinar will offer an exploration of the latest boxwood research from the National Arboretum, with a focus on the intersection of boxwood breeding, genomics, and machine learning.

Webinar Highlights:

Cutting-edge Genomics Research: Learn about the latest developments in boxwood genomics and breeding strategies aimed at identifying genetic resistance to boxwood blight. Gain insights into current methodologies and breakthroughs at the National Arboretum.
AI Solutions for Blight Detection: Discover how artificial intelligence (AI) is enhancing the detection and protection of boxwood in both laboratory settings and natural landscapes. The seminar will showcase innovative AI methods for recognizing and combatting boxwood blight, presenting a glimpse into the future of plant disease management.
Engaging Presentation: Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions fostering a collaborative environment for learning and idea exchange.

Wood-Boring Ambrosia Beetles: Management Tactics to Reduce the Risk of an Infestation

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 17:50:48 GMT

Dr. Christopher Ranger - Research Entomologist·USDA Agricultural Research Service

The exotic ambrosia beetles Xylosandrus crassiusculus and Xylosandrus germanus are destructive wood-boring pests of trees growing in ornamental nurseries and tree fruit orchards. Beetles tunnel into the heartwood of trees, where they farm and consume their fungal symbiont. Signs of an infestation include sawdust noodles, defensive sap production, wilting, and branch dieback. A wide range of trees are attacked, but thin-barked deciduous trees are generally preferred. Host quality plays a crucial role during host selection. Beetles preferentially attack trees in the early stages of stress. Flooding/inadequate drainage and low temperature stress are the two most important stressors that predispose trees to infestations by ambrosia beetles. Ethanol-baited traps are effective for monitoring the flight activity of these Xylosandrus species ambrosia beetles. Conventional insecticides reduce attacks on vulnerable trees, but they do not provide complete protection. Optimizing tree health is the most effective and sustainable tactic to reduce the risk of an infestation.

HRI Leadership Academy Inaugural Class Establishes Endowment Fund; Welcomes Class of 2024

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:46:05 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research and scholarship foundation of AmericanHort, extends its congratulations to the inaugural HRI Leadership Academy class for their dedication to personal and professional growth and successful completion of the program. The class spent the past year honing business acumen, building a toolbox of leadership strategies, diving deep into advocacy issues, learning the art of negotiation, and more. Now, as program graduates, they are eager to put the skills learned into practice in their businesses, their communities, and in the industry.

The members of the Class of 2023 include: Susannah Ball, Ball Horticultural Company, IL; Melanie Bedner, Bedner’s Farm and Greenhouse, PA; Sander Brooks, Palms & Pahoke Growers, FL; Hamza Daour, Dan & Jerry’s Greenhouses, IA; Kyle Fessler, Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas, OR; Matthew Foertmeyer, Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse Co, OH; Christine Fortman, Berridge Nurseries Inc., AZ; Jonathan Jasinski, Microplant Nurseries, OR; Andy Klittich, Otto & Sons Nursery, CA; Adam Kobes, Kobes Nurseries Inc, Ontario, Canada; Denise Mullins, Smith Gardens, WA; Tyler Richardson, DeGroot Inc, MI; Jacob Stidman, Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, KY; and Ryan Watkins, Brownswood Nursery Inc, SC.

“We would like to congratulate each member of the inaugural HRI Leadership Academy class and recognize their exceptional achievements this year,” says Jon Reelhorn, AmericanHort immediate past chairman, a past president of HRI, and champion of this initiative. “Witnessing the tremendous growth of each member of the class throughout the year underscores the importance and value of the HRI Leadership Academy. Investing in leaders like these graduates is critical to the vision AmericanHort has for the industry.”

On behalf of the entire class, Matt Foertmeyer and Jonathan Jasinski announced the establishment of the HRI Leadership Endowment Fund. The fund aims to empower even more aspiring leaders. Over time, the fund will make sure that the HRI Leadership Academy becomes a permanent opportunity for green industry leaders, ensuring a strong future for generations to come. All class members contributed to the fund, which currently has more than $33,000 in support. You may back future leadership development of the green industry by making an online donation to this new endowment by clicking here .

HRI and AmericanHort enthusiastically welcome the class of 2024, who are meeting this week in Denver, CO, for their first in-person class focused on authentic leadership and business strategy. The class is made up of the following industry members:

Tabatha Beier, A+ Garden Center, MN - Tabatha is the proud owner and president of A+ Landscaping, a certified woman-owned business. She and her husband started their company soon after they married. They started with small landscape and spring clean-up jobs, and worked up to selling finished annuals, floor pots, hanging baskets, and some trees and shrubs. Today, they have one acre of greenhouse space, 13,000 sq. ft. of garden retail space, and a five-acre nursery where they grow trees and shrubs for their landscape business. Tabatha’s hard work and entrepreneurial spirit are keys to her success, earning her nominations for industry awards. Today, she is on the board of the Entrepreneur Fund, where she serves on both the executive and finance committees.

Jennifer Broersma-Neujahr, Profile Products, IL – Jennifer boasts over three decades of unwavering dedication to the industry. She currently holds the position of Senior Director of New Business Development at Profile Products. Her rich career spans three continents, where she honed her expertise in ornamental horticulture, soil substrates, and the cut flower industry. Recognized for her prowess in implementing successful go-to-market strategies, she excels in managing multimillion-dollar accounts, successful new products, and advising C-level executives. Broersma-Neujahr’s colleagues regard her as a highly organized and creative problem solver who is an expert at guiding teams through challenging projects.

James Hines, Hales & Hines Nursery, TN – James has spent his life working and developing his family farm into the successful nursery it is today. He graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in Nursery and Landscape Management. He has worked in all areas of the business before becoming a key manager in the large family operation. Hines has been described as community-oriented, helping to secure housing for people experiencing homelessness and is now serving as a County Commissioner. He is dedicated to ensuring a bright future as the fourth generation of the family looks to work in the family’s 1000-acre business.

Jared Hughes, Groovy Plants Ranch, OH – Jared is the owner and head grower of Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo, Ohio, a company he started in 2015 with his wife Liz. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, his first position in the industry was a seasonal greenhouse position in a small nursery. He later joined Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouses as a seasonal greenhouse technician. Jared has been actively involved in several industry organizations, including serving on the OFA (AmericanHort predecessor organization) Retail Committee and leading several other important industry projects. Hughes has been described as creative, innovative and a breath of fresh air in the industry.

Joel Kempfer, Express Seed Company, OH – Joel, a US Army veteran and a valedictorian both in high school and at Texas Tech University, boasts a stellar career in horticulture. His early fascination with gardening in his grandmother’s garden laid the foundation for a journey that began with a job at the Wal-Mart Garden Center after high school. Kempfer has consistently performed at a high level, contributing to his strong performance at large national companies such as Greenleaf Nursery Company and the Fred C Gloeckner Company. He currently serves as the National Sales Manager at Express Seed Company, leading a team of twenty sales managers.

Eric McKie, Green Oak Garden Center, MS – Eric is a motivated leader with over ten years of experience in the green industry. Two years ago, he became the owner of Green Oak Garden Center, representing the third generation in the company’s 63-year history. McKie currently serves on the AmericanHort Interior Plantscape Community Connector group and is a Board Member of the Mississippi Nursery and Landscape Association. He was recognized as one of the Top 40 under 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal in 2022.

Jennifer Moss, Moss Greenhouses, ID – Jennifer is a fourth-generation co-owner of a wholesale bedding plant grower operation in Jerome, Idaho. She earned her stripes in every role on the farm. Her journey began with learning the essential skills needed to take on a leading role, establishing that merit is the key to success. Moss gives back to the industry by volunteering for the AmericanHort Generation Next and Greenhouse Community Connector groups and the Cultivate decorations team, as well as having served in leadership roles with the Idaho Nursery & Landscape Association. Alongside her brother, she now celebrates 71 years in business after taking over the company from their parents, Kevin and Dana Moss. Her efforts have been recognized as she was named to the 2020 GPN 40 under 40 class and was awarded the Horticulture Industries Leadership Award (HILA) earlier this year.

Alfredo Rios, Loma Vista Nursery, KS – Alfredo has worked in nearly every position at Loma Vista Nursery throughout his 22 years at the company. Currently, as Nursery General Manager, Rios oversees a host of responsibilities, including the application of plant protection products, fertilization, scouting, and irrigation. Additionally, he was integral to creating the metrics and tracking systems that helped Loma Vista evaluate success in their Landscape Distribution Center business. Alfredo is a proud father of a 21-year-old son and is described as someone who embraces challenges and seeks out ways to identify and solve business obstacles.

John Terhesh, Goodmark Nurseries, IL – John started in the industry at 16 years old, working at an independent garden center loading mulch, watering plants, and landscaping. His educational path led him to Southern Illinois University and from there, he gained experience at various nurseries. He eventually became a container production manager, propagation manager, and head grower. Today, he is President at Goodmark Nurseries where he oversees all aspects of the business. Terhesh has volunteered as a member of the AmericanHort Generation Next Community Connector Group and is now a member of the Nursery Community Connectors. In 2019, he was awarded the "Young Grower of the Year" award recognizing his innovative contributions as head grower.

“AmericanHort and HRI created the HRI Leadership Academy because we knew strong leaders and strong ongoing leadership development are mission critical for green industry businesses,” said Ken Fisher, AmericanHort President and CEO. “We are pleased to honor our first alumni class alongside the Class of 2024 members. We look forward to helping them grow and watching their positive impacts on the industry. ”

Applications for the Class of 2025 will be accepted starting later this fall. For more information and to download an informational brochure on the HRI Leadership Academy, go to HRILeadershipAcademy.org or contact Jennifer Gray at JenniferG@AmericanHort.org or Tel: 614-487-1117.

BBIG Boxwood Seminar Series: Battling Boxwood Blight

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:59:51 GMT

The Boxwood Blight Insight Group is pleased to host the next webinar in their on-going efforts to assist the industry manage boxwood health in the nursery and in landscapes.

Dr. Jim LaMondia presents research results and recent discoveries relating to boxwood blight management in nursery and landscape settings. These tactics will include targeted fungicide use, host plant genetics and cultural controls.

Speaker

Dr. James LaMondia

Emeritus Scientist, Plant Pathologist & Nematologist / Plant Breeder, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, The Boxwood Blight Insight Group

Dr. James A. LaMondia earned his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology at Cornell University. He joined The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in 1986 after two years of postdoctoral work for the USDA APHIS and was the Chief Scientist and Head of the CAES Valley Laboratory until he retired in March2022.

Jim is volunteering as Emeritus Scientist and conducts research on the biology and management of plant pathogens and nematodes on a number of crops, including tobacco and ornamentals. His research focuses on the development and utilization of management strategies, fungicides and fungicide resistance, plant resistance to pathogens, and management with crop rotation and antagonistic crops.

He has published over 155 refereed publications, 10 chapters, 75 extension publications, 100 abstracts and has made over 500 research and extension presentations.

Jim has served as President of the Society of Nematologists, on the Journal of Nematology Editorial Board as Associate and Senior Editor, and as President of the American Phytopathological Society Northeast Division.

Pollinators, Plant Trials, & People: Discovering & Sharing The Best Pollinator Plants

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:41:06 GMT

Presented by Steve Foltz, Director of Horticulture, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

What happens when you mix a desire to support pollinator health with a passion for growing beautiful, high-performing plants? What if you then added in a commitment to sharing information with and assisting a community of gardeners?

For more than two decades, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has trialed plants with the goal of determining what plants work best in the Mid-West region. Over the last three years, they’ve paid particular attention to which plants bring in and support the most pollinators. Their renowned plant trials and expertise, combined with their impressive position within the surrounding gardening community, has created a unique program where gardeners and pollinators work hand-in-hand helping the horticultural industry thrive.

Join us for an exciting look into this unique program, the best pollinator plants, and the people behind it all with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s own director of horticulture, Steve Foltz.

Inspiring every visitor, every day with plants!

Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management for Ornamental Plants

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 18:27:22 GMT

Thrips Parvispinus: Identification, Scouting, And Potential Controls

Thu, 11 May 2023 17:37:32 GMT

Thrips parvispinus may lack a universally accepted common name (some refer to it as Pepper Thrips, others as tropical tobacco thrips), but by whatever name you might call it, it is one destructive little pest. Native to the Asian tropics, T. parvispinus has been reported in or intercepted from five continents in the last 30 years and has a wide range of host plants including vegetable, fruit, and ornamental plants.

The Basics of Box Tree Moth

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:45:54 GMT

Boxwood producers and boxwood plantings are facing a new threat—the invasion of the box tree moth (BTM-Cydalima perspectalis), an invasive insect from East Asia. With total annual value of U.S. sales at an estimated $141 Million, boxwood is an important revenue source for plant producers. Boxwood plantings are among the oldest plantings in the United States, with living plants dating back to the 1700s. The triple threat of box tree moth on revenue for boxwood producers, on the viability of historic boxwood plantings, and on the health of boxwood plantings throughout North America makes this pest high-consequence.

In this webinar, Dr. Jeanine West will provide background on the box tree moth best management practices developed in Canada, where the pest was first detected in 2018. Dr. Alejandro Del-Pozo will share updates from Western New York, where the pest was first detected in 2021, including phenology, biology, and ecology.

Phenology of the Box Tree Moth in Western New York

This presentation, led by Dr. Alejandro Del-Pozo, will discuss the data collected on this invasive pest in Niagara County, New York from June to October in 2022. A Virginia Tech research team documented the fluctuation of densities for this insect utilizing adult trapping and visual examinations. Additional field observations on the biology and ecology of this insect in its new US invasive range will be shared during this presentation.

Managing BTM in the Nursery

Immediately following the first report of BTM in Toronto, Canada, the nursery growers’ association formed a best management practices document. Over the last few years, these “BMP’s” have evolved along with the science, and nurseries across Canada are using this information to guide BTM management and/or prevention at their farms. Dr. Jeanine West will share experiences and challenges of boxwood producers in the regulated area

Horticultural Research Institute Calls for Research Proposals

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:55:00 GMT

Proposals Accepted Through June 1, 2023

The Horticultural Research Institute is now accepting research project proposals designed to improve green industry efficiencies and profitability. Proposals for the 2023 grant cycle are due no later than June 1, 2023.

The Horticultural Research Institute’s mission is to direct, fund, promote, and communicate horticultural research. Supporting research that advances current methodologies, develops better technology, and bridges the divide between businesses and the consumer is exactly how HRI helps build prosperous businesses, advance the green industry, and fulfill its core vision.

Researchers are encouraged to submit proposals for research that addresses HRI's four strategic areas of focus :

Quantifying Plant Benefits
Gathering Consumer Insights
Creating Innovative Solutions
Producing Practical & Actionable Solution

Applicants are further encouraged to present projects that represent collaborative research efforts. Researchers are challenged to focus their research on attainable outcomes that demonstrate a return on investment for all sectors of the horticulture industry.

Grant awards typically range from $5,000 to $35,000. The Horticultural Research Institute encourages investigators to seek out matching funds as part of the proposal application process, although matching funds are not required.

Learn more about the grant application and procedural guidelines and access the online application submission portal on by clicking here .

Horticultural Research Institute and the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund Announce Common Scholarship Application

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 21:33:14 GMT

Nearly $50,000 in Scholarships Available; Application Deadline is June 1, 2023

Today, the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), two leading scholarship granting foundations in the green industry, announced their collaboration in creating a common application form for their respective scholarship programs. This partnership will make it easier for students to apply for multiple scholarship programs at once and mitigate the time-consuming application process.

HRI and the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund are dedicated to helping students in the horticultural industry reach their goals by providing them with financial assistance. Established in 1989, Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund has awarded more than $600,000 in scholarships. HRI, established in 1962, has provided scholarship and grant funding exceeding $9.5 million. Both organizations recognize the importance and value of education in horticulture and are dedicated to helping students pursue their studies.

“We are delighted to join forces with HRI on this project,” said Danny Summers, Executive Vice President, Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund. “This partnership is a great example of how two nonprofits can come together to make the scholarship process easier and more accessible for students. "

“By aligning our scholarship programs in this way, we can help more students achieve their educational goals,” added Jennifer Gray, Administrator, Horticultural Research Institute. “Our partnership allows us to make the application process easier for students and increase their chances of receiving the financial assistance they need.”

The new online application form is now available for students to fill out and submit. The deadline to apply for 2023 scholarship is June 1, 2023.

HRI and the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund are proud to support students in their pursuit of higher education and look forward to seeing the impact these scholarships will have on their educational journey. For more information about all the scholarships available and to get started on an application, please visit https://www.hriresearch.org/scholarship-application-and-resources . To learn more about the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund, visit www.sbmsef.org ; for more about HRI, visit www.hriresearch.org .

HRI Celebrates Mission, Donors; Ushers in New Leadership

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:36:18 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) held its annual winter donor recognition reception in conjunction with the 2023 Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) in Baltimore, MD in January. Over 150 supporters joined the event to honor HRI’s impact and accomplishments and raise funds to support future growth.

The reception recognized more than $350,000 in donations received prior to the end of the year and during the reception. These critical funds will support research fostering business-building knowledge for the horticultural industry and scholarships for students pursuing careers in the green industry.

Of note, several new named funds were added to the endowment. Jim Eason, Eason Horticultural Resources, Ft. Wright, KY announced the establishment of a named fund in honor of his family. Alan Jones, Manor View Farms, Monkton, MD, announced the creation of a new scholarship fund in honor of his family and business. Mark and Jolly Krautmann of Heritage Seedlings and Liners, Salem, OR, were also present to announce their gift of $25,000 to honor the many people and relationships they have fostered in what Mark calls the craft of horticulture. They challenged the room to match their gift and within minutes another $15,000 was raised for the Craig Regelbrugge – Advocates for Horticulture Fund.

Monies raised from the donations made during events like this, and throughout the year, fund the activities of the Horticultural Research Institute’s research and scholarship programs, along with educational outreach activities for the organization.

HRI was established by industry leaders on the premise that no one could better direct needed research to advance horticulture than the very people who work in it, day in and day out. Over 60 years, HRI has been shepherded by volunteer board members who have lived that mission—building and growing HRI’s reach, influence, and impact.

At its January board meeting also held at MANTS, HRI welcomed five new mission-minded trustees to its board: Shane Brockshus, Bailey Nurseries, MN; Jim Eason, Eason Horticultural Resources (EHR), Ft. Wright, KY; Mike Hiller, KCK Farms, Dayton, OR; Matt Sawyer, Bennett’s Creek Nursery, Smithfield, VA; and Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, PA.

These five new trustees join Ed Bemis, Bemis Farms Nursery, Spencer, MA; Peter Mezitt, Weston Nurseries, Hopkinton, MA; Ryan Overdevest, Overdevest Nurseries, LP, Bridgeton, NJ; John Rausch, Star Roses & Plants, West Grove, PA; Mark Reiner, Oakland Nursery & Acorn Farms, Columbus, OH; Ben Rough, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., Boring, OR; Bennett Saunders, Saunders Brothers, Piney River, VA; and Maria Zampini, UpShoot LLC, Fairport Harbor, OH.

New board leadership for 2023 was announced including Board President Brian Decker, Decker’s Nursery, Groveport, OH; Immediate Past President Alan Jones, Manor View Farm, Monkton, MD; and President-Elect Leigh Geschwill, F and B Farms and Nursery, Woodburn, OR. Ed Tankard, Tankard Nurseries, Exmore, VA, was elected to serve on the executive committee alongside Jonathan Berry, J Berry Nursery, Grand Saline, TX and Mark Yelanich, PhD, Metrolina Greenhouses, Huntersville, NC. Dan Batson, GreenForest Nursery, Inc., Perkinston, MS will continue to serve as treasurer, Harvey Cotten, Horticultural Consultant & Author, Huntsville, AL will continue to serve as development committee chair, and Bob Couch, Dayton Bag & Burlap, Dayton, OH will continue to serve as investment committee chair.

Ken McVicker, Woodburn Nursery, Woodburn, OR, concluded his time of service with HRI’s trustees as immediate past president in 2022. HRI is deeply grateful for his long-time commitment and dedication to its mission and the green industry.

HRI Fundraiser: People, Plants, and Politics…And A Pledge To HRI

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:18:39 GMT

An industry icon and a dear friend of HRI, Peter Orum, has at long last written his memoir, People, Plants, and Politics. Now, for a limited time and with limited availability, Mr. Orum has pledged that proceeds from book sales will be donated to HRI. Between now and March 31, for the first 100 orders, you can support HRI while taking in the story of Peter’s remarkable journey from Denmark to the U.S., from the army to the board room, and from being a mentee to being a mentor—and a friend to many.

About the Book

Born in semi-rural Denmark during German occupation, Peter Orum early on experienced hard work and adventure, a solid education, and the nurturing of a small and close-knit family. Following apprenticeships and service in the Danish Army, he made his way across the Atlantic to work at a Midwestern nursery where, with the help of mentors, he began to plan for what would become one of the largest and most influential nursery operations in the region.

Along the way, his “outside” interests—ranging from leadership and support of local, national, and international associations and foundations, to his collection of vintage World War II vehicles, among many, many other interests—helped to shape the story of his life.

“It has been an interesting journey through life, and now for a second time through this book. The journey has brought me to unbelievable joy and heartbreaking sadness, and everything in between.

“I came from very little in the country Denmark that I loved, to a country, the USA, that gave me tremendous opportunity, and that I came to love for its freedom to speak and to do things. Neither is perfect, and neither are we.”

This Danish-American has a lot to say, and you’ll want to take in every word!

Horticultural Research Institute Announces Funded Research for 2023

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 13:58:28 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) announces nearly $408,000 in grant support for 14 projects working to tackle green industry issues ranging from pest management to new technologies, from developing marketing insights to battling plant diseases.

“Research is essential to accelerating business growth,” said Brian Decker, HRI board president and president of Decker’s Nursery, Groveport, Ohio. “HRI is committed to supporting research in the priority areas of quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. The projects selected through our competitive grants program for funding this year meet the unique needs of the horticultural industry—and will provide solutions and knowledge that can help grow businesses.”

The Horticultural Research Institute’s mission is to direct, fund, promote and communicate horticulture research. Supporting research that challenges current methods and bridges the divide between businesses and the consumer is exactly how HRI helps build prosperous businesses, advance the green industry and fulfill its core vision.

“The 2023 investment in each of these projects is intended to improve and strengthen the industry,” said Jennifer Gray, HRI administrator. “Research is critical to the future of our industry, and thanks to the support of our dedicated donors, HRI is able to fund promising research and researchers every year.”

The 2023 funded projects are:

FOCUS AREA: GATHERING CONSUMER INSIGHTS

Assessing the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of Native Plants

A. Rihn, University of Tennessee

Recently, consumer demand for native plants has grown. There is a diverse array of marketing and promotional options available to retailers who sell native plants. This project will survey a national sample of US consumers to gain a better understanding of how different marketing messages influence consumer interest in native plants. Ultimately, this information can be used to encourage native plant sales and improve the customer experience. Insights from this project could aid growers, wholesalers and retailers involved in growing and promoting native plants.

FOCUS AREA: QUANTIFYING PLANT BENEFITS

Categorizing and Summarizing the Environmental and Ecological Benefits of Plants

M. Knuth, North Carolina State University

We are known as the Green Industry, yet how can we communicate the benefits of how green we are to our consumers? This project will be an extensive deep-dive into the existing literature where we will provide ready-to-use environmental benefits of plants messaging that industry stakeholders can utilize to connect with their environmentally conscious consumers. The key findings will be presented in a four-part article series, similar to the four-part Mental Health Benefits of Plants article series published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture by Hall and Knuth in 2020.

FOCUS AREA: CREATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Use of Drones in Nursery IPM Programs for Agro-Chemical Application and Monitoring Plant Health

S. Gill, University of Maryland

For Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to progress towards greater efficiency including pest and disease control and economics, the green industry must continue seeking and studying new technologies. It is vital for growing operations to improve early detection of plant problems including insects, disease, and nutrient and water stress problems. This project will expand drone application testing of new low risk pesticides, use of biological control organism releases, and determining nutrient and water deficiencies in nursery and greenhouse plants. The results will help reduce labor hours needed for pesticide applications, reduce chance of spray drift, accurately direct spray for improved efficacy in disease and insect control. Field research will enable chemical companies to explore expansion of their pesticides labels to include drone applications.

Pulse Electricity as a Fumigant Alternative Nonchemical Preemergence Weed Control in Seedling Beds

M. Moretti, Oregon State University

Tree seedling nurseries often rely on a combination of fumigation and hand weeding to control soil pathogens, nematodes, and weeds. This practice is unsustainable due to increased regulation, costs, and environmental safety. This project will explore alternative approaches to soil fumigation using soil-applied energy pulses to control the target organisms or a continuous electrical current to heat the soil, Ohmic heating. We will identify the optimum volume of treated soil to control target species to improve the effectiveness of pulse electricity. Our goal is to identify practical alternatives to management yield-limiting soil pests while reducing labor demand and production costs.

Combating the vector of rose rosette disease

I. Tzanetakis, T. Druciarek, University of Arkansas

We currently witness an epidemic of rose rosette disease spreading throughout North America. The disease also threatens the future of the landscape rose industry, repositories, and rosarians around the globe. This project aims to identify and characterize the most effective predatory mite species for the control of Phyllocoptes fructiphilus, the vector of rose rosette; providing the first-to-date practical solution to control the disease in the field.

Creating new genetic resources toward preventing rose rosette virus infecting roses

J. Verchot, Texas A&M AgriLife Research

Rose rosette virus (RRV) causes one of the most devastating virus disease of roses and the symptoms it causes include witches broom, distorted growth of shoot and flowers, and hyper-thorniness. This project will identify the genetic pathways underpinning the RRV induced changes in growth patterns as a step towards developing molecular markers to advance breeding capacity to reduce the impacts of disease. We will evaluate and report the plant gene networks and gene families that contribute to the disease pathology. Such knowledge is essential toward developing novel strategies to combat RRV.

FOCUS AREA: PRODUCING PRACTICAL & ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS

Periodical Cicada: Study of potential controls for the Tennessee Nursery Industry

D. Airhart, M. Bowombe Toko, Tennessee Technological University

Current research on prevention or control of cicada oviposition damage to young tree species in Middle Tennessee commercial nurseries is limited. Reducing damage or loss during the year of cicada emergence is a cause of concern for growers. During the 2008 and 2011 emergences of periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Magicicada spp.) in Middle Tennessee, adult female oviposition caused millions of dollars in damage on field-grown nursery trees. The objective of this research project is more systematic knowledge through data collection on strategies to consider as control methods for female cicada egg-laying damage. This study will provide a reference document to help nursery growers better prepare for the expected cicada emergences in 2024 and 2025.

Coordinating a National Response to Low Fertility Cultivars of Invasive Nursery Crops

R. Contreras, Oregon State University

Modern plant breeders are developing low-fertility, seedless, non-invasive cultivars of potentially weedy, but valuable nursery crops. These cultivars represent great opportunity for growers and gardeners. However, getting them approved for production once banned can be confusing and presents a new set of challenges that require a national conversation. Each state may have different criteria and thresholds, even though our industry ships plants across many states and regions. A team of breeders, horticulturists, and industry members from Oregon, North Carolina, Florida, and Michigan, along with industry advocates from AmericanHort/HRI have joined to establish common language, evaluation protocols, and a reference document for our industry and regulators.

Beauty is only skin-deep

F. Hand, The Ohio State University

Latent fruit rot of winterberry, caused by the fungus Diaporthe ilicicola, has been confirmed in nurseries throughout the North-Eastern and Midwestern U.S. Symptoms of the disease include early plant defoliation and fruits which fail to turn color, lack a fully formed, glossy cuticle, remain undersized, and develop necrotic spots which coalesce into complete fruit rot. This project will determine if D. ilicicola is altering development of the fruit cuticle leading to increased fruit injury during freeze events. On fully mature fruit, this would allow opportunistic fungi to enter the fruit mesocarp and cause fast-progressing rot. Additionally, this project will evaluate cultural control methods that can reinforce the fruit’s physical barrier of protection to prevent colonization by opportunistic fungi late season.

Extension of the study on the parasitoid complex of the box tree moth in Asia for a classical biological control program in North America - M. Kenis, CABI

The objective of the project will be to continue the research and foreign exploration needed to implement a classical biological control program for box tree moth through the introduction of parasitoids from the region of origin to North America for permanent establishment and control. This first stage will consist in surveys and collections of parasitoids in East Asia and in the establishment of parasitoid cultures at the quarantine laboratory of CABI in Switzerland. After the establishment of cultures and initiation of efficacy and host specificity studies at the CABI quarantine, work in subsequent years will focus on sending the most promising candidate BTM parasitoids to the USDA-APHIS quarantine laboratory in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts to evaluate possible impacts on non-target species to support an application for a U.S. release permit.

Copper-based nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) in the management of boxwood blight

S. Kodati, University of Connecticut

Boxwood is a very important ornamental plant in the landscape throughout the United States. Boxwood blight is the most important disease of boxwood with limited management options. With the interest in environment and human health protection, development of alternative/sustainable management methods for plant diseases has gained interest. This research will determine the efficacy and duration of protection of copper-based nanoparticles on boxwood varieties against blight.

Assessing Mouse Ear Disorder of Emerging Nursery Crops

B. Miller, University of Minnesota

Mouse Ear Disorder (MED) is an understudied container production issue stemming from nickel deficiency. The only nursery crop species currently documented as susceptible are river birch and the pecan hickories. However, this phenomenon is seemingly a more widespread problem, especially with emerging nursery crops. This project aims to evaluate an assortment of underutilized species to determine susceptibility to MED and to outline production solutions for growers.

Climate Ready Landscape Plants for California

L. Oki, University of California, Davis

It is important to provide sustainable management practices for green industry products that will spend the majority of their lifespan in a consumer’s landscape. This project aims to provide unbiased, scientific plant performance evaluations critical for new plant introductions and promote the best performing low and moderate water use plants in the trials. The green industry can provide this information to encourage consumers to purchase water-wise plant material, and thus promote environmentally responsible landscape management practices that conserve urban water through the use of high-performing, low-water-use plants and the practice of hydrozoning.

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $9.5 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Over $19 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Horticultural Research Institute Launches Second Year of HRI Leadership Academy

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 19:36:35 GMT

The initiative, made possible by funding from AmericanHort, offers a year-long, immersive leadership training program for leaders at all levels.

COLUMBUS, OH – AmericanHort and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) are pleased to announce the second year of The HRI Leadership Academy, a one-year leadership program designed to develop the skills the green industry needs to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future. Consisting of in-person training sessions and virtual online classes and meetings, the HRI Leadership Academy addresses the industry’s need for leadership development serving both current and future leaders.

“The HRI Board was inspired by both the quality and quantity of applications received for the inaugural class,” stated Brian Decker, HRI Board President and President of Decker’s Nursery, Groveport, OH. “The industry’s response was a clear indication that a leadership growth platform like the HRI Leadership Academy is important and necessary for industry-wide success. We are excited to offer the program again this year, and we are thankful for AmericanHort’s continued support.”

HRI Leadership Academy curriculum is designed specifically for the green industry and is organized in four modules: Strategy, Leadership and People Management, Numbers and Advocacy, and the Value Chain. Participants will grow personally and professionally, through leadership and business skills training, engagement with a green industry network, and completion of a LEAD Project. The LEAD Project is a year-long assignment where participants Learn and research an industry issue, Engage with their team and others, Adopt a position and solution, and Deliver an analysis and recommendations. The first LEAD Projects will be presented by the inaugural HRI Leadership Academy class at Cultivate’23 in July.

“HRI and AmericanHort believe that networks of connected leaders throughout the industry are key indicators of industry health,” said Jon Reelhorn, AmericanHort Board Chair and President of Belmont Nurseries, Fresno, CA. “The HRI Leadership Academy not only sets the stage for these networks to emerge and grow, but also ensures that these leaders are positioned to have a positive impact on their businesses, their industry, and their communities.”

The application period for the second class of the HRI Leadership Academy is now open and consists of a two-part online application with the first step due March 1. Following committee review, finalists will be invited to a video interview. The class will be introduced at Cultivate’23, the all-industry trade show and conference hosted by AmericanHort each July. In-person classes begin in September 2023 and conclude in July 2024. Applications may be submitted at www.HRILeadershipAcademy.org .

There is no fee to apply and program tuition is covered by AmericanHort. Those selected for the program will invest considerable time in preparing for the in-person and virtual class sessions held over the twelve-month period. Full details on class session dates and more can be found at www.HRILeadershipAcademy.org .

“Strong leaders and strong ongoing leadership development are mission critical for green industry businesses and the industry at-large,” said Ken Fisher, AmericanHort President and CEO. “The HRI Leadership Academy is an important investment in the future of our industry.”

For more information and to download an informational brochure on the HRI Leadership Academy, go to www.HRILeadershipAcademy.org or contact Jennifer Gray at JenniferG@AmericanHort.org or by calling 614-487-1117.

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About HRI

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has provided over $9.5 million in funds since 1962 to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Contributions from individuals, corporations, and associations have grown HRI assets to over $19 million. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org.

About AmericanHort

Green industry businesses perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future as a member of AmericanHort, the green industry’s leading association. With a rich history of serving horticultural professionals, AmericanHort supports +18,000 members and affiliated businesses that include breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry market chain. The horticulture industry's production, wholesale, retail, and landscape service components have annual sales of $346 billion, and sustain over 2.3 million full- and part-time jobs. AmericanHort works to impact the growth, performance, and successful future for the industry through advocacy, research, education, and advancing industry standards.

BBIG International Webinar Series: Calamities of Georgia’s Boxwood Forests

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 18:47:46 GMT

Presented by Iryna Matsiakh - Doctor of Biological Science - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Iryna Matsiakh will be rounding out our seminar series with a talk on the unique boxwood forests (Buxus colchica) in the Caucasus: their habitat, ecology and biodiversity. Dr. Matsiakh is Dr. in Forestry at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre and in the Forestry Department of the Ukrainian National Forestry University. Boxwood trees growing in the Caucasus Mountains are threatened by habitat loss and defoliation by an introduced disease, boxwood blight, and an introduced insect, the box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis. Dr. Matsiakh’s story will include invasive species introductions, actions taken by forestry authorities against box tree moth, research studies and the current situation in boxwood forests.

Smart Plants—Magical interactions between flowers and their pollinators

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 18:48:55 GMT

This presentation takes a closer look at flower morphology and diversity as it relates to pollination. Various systems used by flowers to facilitate pollination are described. Special attention is given to adaptations in flower morphology designed to attract and interact with general or specific pollinators. Flowers signal pollinators with nectar guides, trick insects into visiting flowers by mimicking other organisms, lure pollinators into traps and even have moving floral parts. If you look closely, you can see the magic in flowers.

Boxwood Blight Insight Group Wins Prestigious NIFA Award

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 14:33:16 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute is invested in helping the industry understand and navigate the ever-changing environment of boxwood health. HRI continues to guide research, monitor results, and provide an expanding toolbox of resources on boxwood health directly to the industry. Although boxwood blight continues to challenge the industry, research is making it possible for growers and landscapers to better manage the disease, produce blight-free plant stocks, and build resilience into production and plantings.

Recently, these successes have been celebrated by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture prestigious Partnership Awards. The Boxwood Blight Insight Group , one of HRI’s key partnerships, was selected as the 2022 Partnership Award in Program Improvement through Global Engagement. NIFA solicits nominees from across stakeholder groups (all sectors of ag) and winners are selected from a review panel.

The Boxwood Blight Insight Group (BBIG) is an international research and education consortium working to improve boxwood blight mitigation through innovation, economic analysis and education and is funded through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). Since beginning work in 2020, the BBIG team has conducted boxwood cultivar evaluations throughout the U.S. and Germany, adapted mulching for disease mitigation, identified fungicides for boxwood protection, improved diagnostics, identified biocontrol agents, assessed antidesiccants for mitigation, and analyzed the spread of boxwood blight and its impacts on production. Further, the group has hosted a dozen seminars, presented at nearly 200 events, and authored more than 125 articles.

HRI participates on the advisory board for this project, hosts the group’s website, and assists in the project team’s outreach and educational efforts.

Learn more about the BBIG project and the award in this article issued by Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech-led Research Group Wins USDA Award

The Boxwood Blight Insight Group (BBIG) was awarded a Partnership Award from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the Program Improvement through Global Engagement Category.

The group of researchers and collaborators from across the country, with partners around the world, is led by Chuan Hong, Plant Pathology professor in the Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. The group studies the emerging destructive disease of boxwood blight, which has destroyed entire crops, resulting in significant economic losses for garden centers and production facilities, as well as many historic boxwood plantings. Over the past three years, the scientists have collaborated with colleagues in Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom on the best ways to mitigate the spread of the boxwood blight.

Symptoms of blight include black, cloudy spots on leaves, which often get larger and cover the entire leaf, causing it to fall off of the plant. “I am honored and excited and my first reaction was to share the great new with the entire BBIG team,” Hong said, who is located at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

According to the USDA, the award is given to a program that “strengthens U.S. agriculture through effective international engagement in research, education and/or Extension.” In an effort to study and look for ways to better contain and manage the disease, researchers took samples from three nurseries in Oregon, one of several states experiencing blight, noting it at two of the three nurseries. They found the cool, wet spring of 2022 led to new infections and outbreaks.

The researchers conducted experiments, looking at the impact of temperature on infection by two fungal pathogens, Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Cps) and C. henricotiae (Che).

They found the optimal temperature for Cps is dependent upon the substrate on which they are grown. For potato dextrose agar, it is 25 degrees Celsius, while malt extract agar grows better at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. In the lab, the reaction of six boxwood cultivars were tested to see the reaction to Cps and Che at four temperatures.

They found that it is possible that temperature contributed to observed variable response. To better manage the disease, three antidesiccant products were tested. Virginia Tech researchers worked with state partners and growers in North Carolina, another impacted state, applying the solutions at two sites every four weeks.

After careful analysis, researchers found that SSG, a boxwood endophyte, induces various defense priming in boxwood plants, but it did not survive well on the foliage surface, suggesting its survival is critical to realize the full potential of the bacterial strain. In addition, they found Bacillus methylotrophicus BP1024, a biocontrol agent, had the potential to control blight and promote growth.

Going forward, the group plans to test whether higher nitrogen levels contribute to increased susceptibility and if higher calcium levels will lead to a decrease. To make the research done in Europe and elsewhere available for the U.S. horticulture industry and the public, the group conducted an International Boxwood Seminar Series, which was attended by people from the U.S. and twenty other countries on five continents.

They have presented their findings to more than 13,000 people at seminars in five countries, written more than 50 journal articles, and presented at nearly 200 Extension and outreach events. Due to their research, the group has adapted mulching as a means for blight mitigation, identified effective and cost-effective fungicides and analyzed the spread of the disease in the U.S.

Findings have also caused growers to shift their production to less susceptible cultivars, which they believe will fast track the nation’s sustainability of boxwood production and gardening. Through outreach efforts, growers have implemented blight mitigation and boxwood crop health management systems, working to detect accidental introduction early, and contain and eradicate the disease.

As a result, boxwood production has shifted to states less affected by the disease, resulting in a 25 percent increase from 2016 to 2021. Boxwood blight was first discovered in the 1990s in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, spreading to continental Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the U.S. in 2011. Boxwoods have been featured in American landscapes since 1653 and is the nation’s leading evergreen ornamental shrub crop.

New Research Tackles Rose Rosette, Black Spot Diseases

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 18:47:05 GMT

Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is delighted to share news of a brand-new, multi-year, multi-million dollar grant for research tackling rose diseases.

The industry suffers nearly $10 million in annual losses due to the two most damaging rose diseases: rose rosette disease (RRD) and black spot. Fortunately, a group of 21 researchers from around the country led by Dr. David Byrne and Dr. Oscar Riera-Lizarazu at Texas A&M have received $4M through the USDA NIFA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) to develop adapted and commercially acceptable rose rosette resistant varieties.

The project combines traditional plant breeding, field evaluations, and molecular genetics to develop sustainable landscapes based on cultivars resistant to rose rosette and black spot diseases. The project will also seek best practices for managing the diseases through a series of multistate trails assessing chemical and cultural controls. Finally, project economists will evaluate the management options for socio-economic impacts and provide decision support information for the industry and home gardeners.

HRI participates on the advisory board for this project and will assist in the project team’s outreach and educational efforts.

Image Caption: Typical symptoms of RRD are known and widely accepted; they include rapid elongation of new shoots, witches’ brooms, small or distorted leaves, red pigmentation of stems or foliage, and excessive thorn development.

Learn more about the Sustainable Rose SCRI project in this article issued by Texas A&M University.

Texas A&M AgriLife to lead disease-resistance project to save rose industry

A new rose cultivar might smell sweet, but will it resist disease? Texas A&M AgriLife is leading a team of researchers to ensure the answer is “yes” to alleviate the estimated $10 million in annual disease-related loss to the rose industry.

“The goal of our latest project is to meet the increasing demand for carefree and sustainable roses that require fewer inputs, are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses, and have high ornamental quality,” said David Byrne, Ph.D.

Byrne, the Basye Chair in Rose Genetics, is co-leading the new project with Oscar Riera-Lizarazu, Ph.D., both Texas A&M AgriLife Research rose geneticists in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences .

Their new project, “Developing Sustainable Rose Landscapes via Rose Rosette Disease Education, Socioeconomic Assessments, and Breeding RRD-Resistant Roses with Stable Black Spot Resistance,” received $4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative .

Resistance necessary to rose rosette, black spot diseases

Rose rosette disease, caused by the rose rosette virus, is a significant threat to cultivation and production throughout the U.S. Black spot disease is the major fungal disease of field-grown roses throughout the world.

These are the two most damaging rose diseases, and resistance to both is essential in a sustainable cultivar,” Byrne said.

Approximately 35% of garden roses sold are used by the professional landscape market. Recently, this sector has decreased its use of roses by about 10% each year due to rose rosette disease, according to the Census of Horticulture Specialties.

Currently, most cultivated roses are susceptible to these diseases, Byrne said, and thus the transport and distribution of infected asymptomatic plants propagates the disease spread. Already, plantings have been devastated in the Midwest and Eastern seaboard and major landscape firms are stopping the use of roses in some regions.

“We are concerned rose rosette disease has the potential to devastate the major rose production regions on the West Coast, Arizona and Florida if it is spread to those regions,” he said.

The project’s long-term goal is to develop sustainable landscapes based on cultivars resistant to rose rosette and black spot diseases.

This involves combining traditional plant breeding, with field evaluation sites in Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma, with molecular genetics to accelerate the process of stacking multiple copies of multiple resistance genes into a rose. This approach should at least double the rate of progress, reducing the time it takes to develop highly disease-resistant, sustainable plants for gardens, Byrne said.

In collaboration with industry partners and hundreds of citizen scientists, Extension programs in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and Ohio will monitor rose rosette disease’s geographic distribution. In multi-state trials, these collaborators will determine the best practices for managing the diseases, including chemical and cultural control methods as well as disease-resistant germplasm.

As the management options are developed, the economics specialists on the team will assess the socio-economic impacts of the various management practices to provide decision support for the industry and gardeners.

“These sustainable best management practices will reduce human and environmental exposure to agrochemicals and will be designed to avoid the introduction of the disease into regions that currently do not have it and to manage its severity in infested regions,” Byrne said.

An extensive network of private and public stakeholders, including breeding programs, production and wholesale/retail nurseries, landscapers, consumers, rose enthusiasts, public gardens, major rose testing organizations and industry publishers, have committed to work with the Extension team to disseminate the information.

“We believe this widespread education will lead to better management and lower costs for the industry and longer-lived plants that deliver enhanced enjoyment and consumer satisfaction,” Byrne said.

The ultimate goal is the restoration of healthy rose collections to botanical gardens, public parks and private landscapes to improve the aesthetics, thus resulting in improved wellbeing and property values.

Nationwide effort in place

The multi-state team consists of 21 researchers from Texas A&M; the University of Minnesota; the University of Tennessee; USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland; the University of Tulsa; Oklahoma State University; the University of Georgia at Athens and Tifton; The Ohio State University; and the University of Wisconsin, River Falls.

In addition to Byrne and Riera-Lizarazu of the Rose Breeding and Genetics Program , the Texas A&M AgriLife team consists of Charlie Hall, Ph.D., Ellison Chair in Floriculture, and Patricia Klein, Ph.D., professor and executive associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, both in the Department of Horticultural Sciences; Kevin Ong, Ph.D., plant pathologist and director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and Jeanmarie Verchot, Ph.D., plant virologist, both in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology ; Luis Ribera, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist and director of Texas A&M’s Center for North American Studies ; and Marco Palma, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics . All the Texas A&M AgriLife team members are based in Bryan-College Station.

Controlling Nostoc, a slippery hazard for nursery workers

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:49:57 GMT

Nostoc, is a cyanobacterium that produces thick, olive-green to brown, gelatinous masses on nursery roadways, walkways and production areas. While it does not impact crops directly, patches of this slimy invader are slipping hazards for you and your workers. Most pesticides used in nurseries are ineffective. But, what was once a perplexing and frustrating problem can now be controlled with relative ease. In this presentation Dr. Neal will review five years of research on strategies to control nostoc in container nurseries.

Securing The Future

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 19:46:48 GMT

Horticultural Research Institute: By the Industry, For the Industry

The numbers tell a story:

In the 60 years since the establishment of the Horticultural Research Institute, the foundation has endowed $9.5 million in research grants and scholarships, drawing on funds contributed by horticulture industry professionals. Of that remarkable figure, $3.6 million has been distributed to more than 100 research projects in the past 10 years. This year alone, HRI will provide $417,039 to support industry-specific research.

The generosity of donors, paired with the foundation’s strategic and savvy investment plans, has created a total endowment of nearly $20 million, and it’s a figure that continues to grow. Remarkably, there are more than 200 named funds established by industry professionals, their businesses, and organizations. In addition, 103 scholarships have been awarded since 2007.

At the most recent fund-raising gathering of HRI members in July 2022, a record $882,000 was pledged on the spot. Three new funds were established, and existing fund sponsors announced additional contributions to the coffers.

“HRI has experienced incredible industry support, especially over the last five years,” states Alan Jones, HRI President (Manor View Farms, Monkton, MD). “The major investments made in HRI by the industry indicates that the work HRI accomplishes is valued and, in turn, allows us to tackle even more.”

But the numbers tell only part of the story. The people involved, the research conducted, the programs established, and the students supported all have contributed to the success of HRI and, critically, to the ongoing success of the greater horticulture industry.

Sixty years ago, the Horticultural Research Institute was established on the premise that the most useful research—that which would provide practical, actionable solutions— should be determined by those professionals whose work is most directly affected: the horticulture professionals themselves. No one knows their day-to-day challenges better; no one understands their long-term goals more clearly.

From Day One, HRI has sought their input in order to drive the research that propels the industry toward growth and stability, vitality and sustainability. Industry professionals identify specific challenges and present their recommendations; HRI’s teams of industry volunteers then assess the industry relevance and scientific merit of grant proposals. Horticulture professionals also evaluate all scholarship applications.

Dan Batson, current HRI treasurer and president and CEO of Greenforest Nursery, Inc., in Perkinston, Mississippi, explains the concept:

“Those of us on the board, as well as HRI members and contributors, see this as a way for the industry itself to influence and maneuver the research that needs to be done through the universities,” he states. “We give them the ideas of what needs to be done in our industry: say, this is today’s problem, one that we need to have solved as soon as possible. The progressiveness of our industry is really dependent on people who can connect the research directly to our industry.”

Susie Usrey, vice president of customer relations for Monrovia, agrees. Susie and her husband, Bruce, long ago established research and scholarships funds, and Susie remains a staunch supporter. Research initiated by industry professionals and funded by HRI, she states, “is unique and very much needed, and handled very well. It has really made a huge difference in the industry.”

The critical influence of horticulture industry leaders identifying research needs cannot be overemphasized. “The advantage is in having industry leaders in the leadership of HRI, [who are] constantly assessing the marketplace for the most current issues that need to be studied and addressed,” asserts Dale Bachman, retired CEO of Bachman’s Inc. in Minnesota. “It’s the industry leaders who volunteer to guide the whole process of establishing the priorities, and going out and soliciting the funds, and ultimately making the decisions on what is to be funded.”

Again, who knows better how to ensure the long-term growth and strength of an industry than those whose livelihoods depend upon it?

The targeted studies that address immediate and long-term challenges, the outcomes of which directly assist horticulture industry professionals to solve problems and move forward, have run the gamut. They range from insect pest and disease prevention or control to mechanization solutions that support efficiency and precision.

“Without the experts working on some of the plant blights and insecticides and insect issues—and so forth—we probably would not have come as far as we have in the hort industry,” says Dennis Molitor, vice president of finance and accounting for Home Nursery in Albers, Illinois. “The other issue is mechanization; we’re seeing more and more automated work issues. I consider HRI to be a huge asset when it comes to any kind of research and development for our industry.”

One area of research that has contributed to long-term industry sustainability involved pollinator health. Public concern about pesticide use, and the potential harm such chemicals can wreak upon pollinator populations, once was a public relations nightmare. Research into alternative treatments, as well as which plants the industry grows that attract pollinators and encourage a healthy population, provided solutions that helped on both fronts. Relying on trusted scientific findings, growers could treat their ornamental crops with effective alternatives, as well as grow plants proven to be beneficial to pollinators and popular among the gardening public.

“The research we did in the benefits of plants and how that contributed to pollinator health really gave our retail community something they could sink their teeth into,” offers Harvey Cotten, Ad-Hoc Development Committee Chair for HRI. “They were able to use it in their marketing efforts to increase plant sales,” to the long-term benefit of the entire industry, he adds.

The act of growing a plant is an investment in—and a commitment to—the future. And the act of investing in the horticulture industry, through targeted research and support of hort scholars, ensures that the future is vital, strong, and able to support generations to come.

Risk Assessment Tool: An Ounce of Prevention

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:51:03 GMT

An Ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure, the adage says. In plant production, knowing what can go wrong, when and where, empowers a production team to hit quality targets and timelines and avoid costly surprises.

As innovative growers consider the Systems Approach to Nursery Certification (SANC), the facility risk assessment is the foundation.

Building that foundation just got easier, with a new online risk assessment tool the Horticultural Research Institute developed in partnership with the National Plant Board and USDA. Learn more about this new tool, is now available to any U.S. grower seeking to improve their practices, and is the first step toward SANC certification.

How do weather and climate impact boxwood blight? A modeling approach to aiding in boxwood disease management

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 17:52:09 GMT

Presented by Len Coop - Associate Professor @Oregon Integrated Pest Management Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon (USA)

Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that can decimate boxwood plantings in most all settings and environments. The degree of injury can vary widely, depending on cultivar susceptibility, local disease severity, and weather, from nearly symptom-free to total destruction and death of boxwood plants. Dr. Len Coop will present how weather and climate affect both where the disease is of most concern, and when conditions may be most favorable for disease build-up. A demonstration of online tools will be given so that boxwood managers can apply these principles towards reducing and controlling this disease. Now boxwood blight model predictions can be delivered according to a subscriber's settings in their email in-box, making management decisions easier and less time consuming.

The Inaugural HRI Leadership Academy Class Announced at Cultivate’22

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:57:53 GMT

This program is designed to help ensure a strong future for the green industry.

(Columbus, OH) – The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the AmericanHort Foundation, is excited to announce the members of the inaugural class of the HRI Leadership Academy. The class convenes next week for the first of the five in-person sessions that will take place over the next 11 months.

Launched in spring of this year, the HRI Leadership Academy is a new program designed to develop leaders on all levels of the green industry. Participants will grow personally and professionally, through leadership and business skills training, engagement with a green industry network, and completion of a real-world leadership project. This program is presented through a partnership with AmericanHort.

“HRI is pleased with the response we received from program applicants and the diligent process that ensued to select this first class,” said Alan Jones, HRI Board President and President of Manor View Farms, Monkton, MD. “The class members are impressive, and this initiative is an important step in ensuring the future of our industry remains bright.”

Jon Reelhorn, chairman of the AmericanHort Board of Directors announced the inaugural class members during the Cultivate’22 keynote address. Inaugural Class Members are:

“Strong leaders and strong ongoing leadership development are mission critical for green industry businesses,” said Ken Fisher, AmericanHort President and CEO. “We are pleased with the caliber of this first class and look forward to helping them become even better leaders in their company, in their community, and in our industry. The HRI Leadership Academy is an important investment in the future of our industry.”

The curriculum is designed specifically to meet industry needs and is organized to include Strategy, Leadership and People Management, Numbers and Advocacy, and the Value Chain. In-person classes begin September 2022 in Denver, CO. Course principles are put to practical application through a course-long leadership project which will be presented at Cultivate’23 being held July 16-18, 2023. Applications for the 2023-24 class will open early next year. For more information and to download an informational brochure on the HRI Leadership Academy, go to HRILeadershipAcademy.org or contact Jennifer Gray at JenniferG@AmericanHort.org or by calling 614-487-1117 .

Biology and Management of Volutella Blight caused by Pseudonectria buxi

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 17:56:42 GMT

Presented by Dr. Tom Hsiang University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Volutella blight is commonly found on boxwood plants worldwide. Although some consider it mainly a saprophyte surviving on dead tissues, it is capable of initiating disease on live wounded tissues. Here we present some background on the disease, some basic biology on how it causes infections, and end with its disease cycle and recommendations for management in nurseries.

New Tool Helps Growers Mitigate Risk and Improve Plant Health

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 16:12:20 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC & COLUMBUS, OH

The Horticultural Research Institute, in partnership with the National Plant Board and the USDA, is pleased to announce the launch of an important new tool for nursery and greenhouse growers seeking to improve plant production processes by identifying hazards (operational areas where plants could be contaminated or introduced to plant pests) and where to apply best practices. Understanding these critical control points helps growers reduce or eliminate risks, paving the way for healthier plants and healthier businesses.

Healthy plants are integral to human health and well-being, and to the environment that sustains us. To ensure that plants moving in the horticultural trade are free of regulated invasive pests that threaten agriculture and the environment, greenhouses and nurseries are regulated by state and federal authorities. A multi-year effort to modernize plant certification has resulted in a new program known as SANC.

The Systems Approach to Nursery Certification (SANC) program is a voluntary, grower-driven, officially state-verified plant health certification partnership that applies quality management principles to the entire plant production process. SANC was developed as a holistic approach to growing and certifying plants that satisfies applicable state and federal plant health regulations.

SANC applies best practices at key points in the plant production process to address identified risks. These practices are integrated into a growing operation system , hence the name: systems approach. The place to start with system design is a greenhouse or nursery-specific risk assessment that examines what can go wrong where the plant production process.

“To make the process easier, the Horticultural Research Institute teamed up with the National Plant Board and USDA to develop a web-based risk assessment tool ,” states Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort Executive Vice President Advocacy, Research, & Industry Relations.

Although the tool was designed to help growers more easily perform the risk assessment required to participate in SANC, the tool is available, at no cost, to any U.S. nursery or greenhouse seeking to improve their processes, whether they choose to pursue SANC certification or not.

Growers may request free user access to begin a facility risk assessment by visiting the Risk Assessment website at https://hriresearch-sanc.org/ .

Vascular Streak Dieback Update

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:58:13 GMT

Researchers from Purdue University and Tennessee State University have released a new article providing a research update on Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD), tentatively identified as Rhizoctonia theobromae . As mentioned in the article, a great deal of research is still needed concerning VSD. In particular, the completion of Koch’s postulates, the criteria for establishing a causal relationship between a microbe and a disease. To date, no one has successfully completed Koch’s postulates with the fungus isolated from symptomatic redbuds. As previously mentioned, AmericanHort and HRI are working with researchers to support expanded efforts concerning VSD and will provide updates as they are available.

How Do Consumers Visually Find the Plant They’ll Buy? A Look Through Their Eyes!

Sun, 15 May 2022 17:54:46 GMT

Presented by Dr. Bridget Behe - Professor of Horticultural Marketing at Michigan State University

HRI has funded several studies of how consumers view retail displays in order to find the plant they want to purchase. Findings give growers, retailers, and wholesalers insight as to how consumers “read” or “view” these displays in the plant selection process. The information shared will help your company construct more effective displays and webpages. Bridget will share the research findings and also some practical uses of these new studies.

60 Years of Support: The Horticultural Research Institute Continues to Grow the Industry

Thu, 05 May 2022 13:55:27 GMT

Think back, if you will, to 1962:

John Glenn became the first human to orbit the Earth
President John F. Kennedy was dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis
Rachel Carson published her landmark book, “Silent Spring”

And in September 1962, a small group of forward-thinking nursery professionals established the Horticultural Research Institute to provide funds that would support industry-driven, targeted research. Starting from a combined donation of $1,300 in the early 1960s to having supported a total of $9.5 million in research grants and scholarships by its 60th year, HRI continues to grow—and to grow the industry.

“It’s remarkable to imagine that 60 years ago, HRI was merely an idea. Today, that idea has grown into an incredible organization singularly focused on the research needs of the green industry,” says Alan Jones, current president of the Horticultural Research Institute and president of Manor View Farms in Monkton, MD. “Sixty years later, on the shoulders of those who started the work, HRI is a strong, thriving organization with hundreds of volunteers, thousands of donors, and millions of dollars invested in research.”

The roots of the organization actually go back to the early 1950s, when the American Association of Nurserymen Board of Directors proposed a program to solicit financial contributions to support industry research. That early attempt laid the foundation, but it wasn’t until a few years later that the AAN Board formally established HRI as an organization separate from, but related to, AAN.

Beginning in those early days in the 1960s, through AAN’s change to the American Nursery and Landscape Association, and then AmericanHort, the Horticultural Research Institute has been committed to prioritizing and funding research that addresses specific problems and challenges identified by industry professionals.

Where do those funds come from? The money is contributed by industry stakeholders—growers, landscapers, garden center retailers, and other green industry professionals—through endowments they’ve established with HRI. “This is a grassroots organization,” explains Harvey Cotten, HRI’s Ad-Hoc Development Committee Chair. “All the money has come from industry; it has been individuals or companies who have seen the wisdom in trying to solve our own problems.”

All funds are invested, and so the money continues to accrue interest over the years; the fund draws dividends, which then can be used to fund further research. “I’ve often said that you’re not giving to HRI, this is not a charitable contribution in the sense that we make a contribution to our church or even to feed the homeless,” Cotten adds. “This is actually an investment that is going to pay you back in dividends, i.e. problem solving, so that it isn’t just a gift. And this research is what will make one profitable in one’s own business.”

Dale Deppe, President of Spring Meadow Nursery and member of HRI’s Investment Committee, puts it this way: “HRI does things that we can’t do for ourselves. You’re better together than you are as an individual nursery or greenhouse person. Because you can’t do the research, you can’t fund it at the level that HRI does.”

It’s an investment in finding research solutions to your specific challenge. But it’s also an investment in the future of the industry.

Looking ahead, HRI has identified four Strategic Focus Areas that serve as a guide for further prioritizing funding of research programs. To consider and identify the broad spectrum of interests within the greater green industry, HRI convened a large panel of stakeholders, each representing unique businesses and industry segments.

“We came together with 50 different stakeholders, representing the whole industry and every segment of it to talk about what we see going into the future: What are the research priorities that we need to look at, and how would we then prioritize the type of research projects that we want addressed? And that’s where the four areas of strategic focus came about,” says Cotten.

The first area is “Quantifying Plant Benefits.” The ultimate target is the consumer—those who purchase plants and plant-related services—and the aim is help them to fully understand and appreciate plants’ value. But in order to do that, Cotten explains, “We need to get our people, whether that’s the greenhouse side, the landscape side, or the retail side, the ammunition they need to show the benefits of plants as more than just being something pretty. Whether that’s ecosystem services, pollinator appeal, pollution, erosion, all of these things—including climate change.”

Research that highlights the quantitative value of plants—what, specifically, do plants do for me? what do plants do for the environment?—will provide green industry professionals the information that will help sell those plants, and help grow and sustain the industry.

The second area is “Creating Innovative Solutions.” A prime example of a continuing challenge, for all segments of the industry, is labor. “When we looked at ‘creating innovative solutions,’ labor continues to be our biggest problem,” Cotten says. “So how do we, instead of just saying, ‘fix labor,’ determine which innovative solutions will reduce the need for additional labor?”

Is mechanization the answer? Are efficiency studies called for? Funding the most appropriate targeted, specific, dedicated research will help to answer these questions and find innovative, useful, applicable solutions.

The third area is “Gathering Consumer Insights.” Growers excel at propagating, hybridizing, and, well, growing plants. Landscape professionals are expert at designing and installing built environments that showcase those plants. And garden center retailers are generally that all-important point of contact between the buyer and the producer.

Cotten says of the stakeholders’ considerations, “‘Gathering consumer insights’ truly was looking at the buying public and marketing of our plants, which we had never done.” Listening to the end user, assessing the home gardener’s wants and needs, working with professional customers and clients to determine what they’re looking for: All this is necessary to provide the best, most valuable, most saleable goods and services.

The final Strategic Focus Area identified by HRI’s panel of industry professionals is “Producing Practical and Actionable Solutions.” Ideally, it’s the goal of all research funded by HRI grants. Research for the sake of research is laudable, admirable, necessary. But what professionals in the green industry need from HRI-funded research—the research into which they’ve invested their dollars—is information and strategies they can put to use to solve the problems they’ve identified.

“Producing practical and actionable solutions,” Cotten explains, “is that easily defined” category into which very specific challenges fall. It’s where producers get the answers for their unique problems: “There’s crape myrtle bark scale; how do we solve it?” Cotton says. “Or there’s spotted lantern fly coming up, or boxwood tree moth. We wanted to have an area of focus that those types of problems would fit very nicely into.”

As the country appears to be emerging from the restrictive grip of a global pandemic, studies have determined that lockdowns, career changes, working at home, and other factors contributed to an extraordinary growth in the number of new gardeners: 16 to 18 million are estimated to have entered the market. Reaching out to them, educating them, maintaining them as good customers, producing the best quality and most desired plants—it’s all quite a challenge. But HRI has already provided funding support for research that will lead them, and the industry, into the future.

Progress in Boxwood Blight Management in the United Kingdom & New Zealand: 1990s to 2021

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 17:58:05 GMT

In this seminar, Matthew will trace the progress of box blight and its management in the UK since it was first found in the mid-1990s. Early advice to gardeners was to remove all Buxus from gardens where the disease had been recorded. Since then, considerable progress has been made in keeping gardens free from box blight, but also to avoid the eradication of the host from gardens where it does appear. While it is still a difficult disease, there are increasing options for its management. The situation in the UK will be compared with that in New Zealand, where box blight has also been present since the 1990s.

Horticultural Research Institute Announces 2022 Grant Awards

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:45:43 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, proudly announces the portfolio of research projects receiving 2022 funding. Projects reflect HRI’s research priority areas of quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. HRI is providing a total of $417,039 in financial support this year.

"Now celebrating its 60th year, HRI is more relevant to the success of the horticultural industry than ever before,” said Alan Jones (Manor View Farm, Monkton, MD), HRI president. "The projects selected for 2022 funding represent a diverse selection of research topics showcasing ‘The Power of Plants.’ To date, HRI has supported $9.5 million in research grants and scholarships and looks forward to expanded funding as the endowment continues to grow."

“HRI supports projects where the outcomes impact the bottom line for industry businesses,” said Jennifer Gray, HRI administrator. “The projects selected for funding encourage innovative solutions, provide practical application, and will garner valuable information companies can use to grow their businesses.”

QUANTIFYING PLANT BENEFITS

Measuring the Benefits of Plants: Improved Cardiovascular Health and Well-being from Visual Exposure to Plants - J. Hollander, Tufts University

New research findings and tools in biometrics have advanced this field drastically and offer significant opportunities to better quantify the benefits of plants. These new tools dramatically improve understanding of how the unconscious human mind responds to plants and what that means for cardiovascular health and wellbeing. These technologies give us the means to compare horticultural elements in ways that were not possible before bringing complex data to bear to quantify the benefits

of plants.

CREATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Creation of emerald ash borer-resistant “lingering ash” cultivars for restoration of ash as landscape and street trees - S. Merkle, University of Georgia

North American ash species are under threat of destruction by the emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis), an exotic wood-boring beetle that has destroyed millions of ash trees. “Lingering ash” trees are individual ash trees that have been identified as potentially EAB-resistant by their persistence in populations where EAB-induced mortality exceeds 99%. Clonally propagating these lingering ash trees

or selected progeny from them would allow clonal testing of potential EAB-resistant genotypes to confirm genetic-based resistance and the development of elite EABresistant ash cultivars for production by the nursery industry and planting by landowners and municipalities as landscape and street trees.

Stimulating adventitious root formation in recalcitrant woody plants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes - H. Liang, Clemson University

Some woody plant species are notoriously difficult to form adventitious roots. This project aims to examine the rooting stimulation effect of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, a soil-borne gram-negative bacterium that induces 'hairy roots' in dicotyledonous plants, on cuttings of American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and yellow-flowering camellias. The project objectives are to: Evaluate the effect of A. rhizogenes on promoting rooting and identify optimal strains and reveal the physiological and biochemical responses during adventitious root formation induced by A. rhizogenes.

Tulipalins: A Natural Fungicide for Greenhouse Hydrangeas from a Tulip Bulb Waste Stream - T. Gianfagna, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey

Tulip bulbs from cut flower production are considered a substantial waste-stream product. Tulip bulbs have been found to contain tulipalin lactones, these compounds have anti-fungal properties especially against Botrytis cinerea. Botrytis is a soil borne fungus that affects greenhouse-grown hydrangeas at several stages of production by damaging the flowers and the leaves. We think that a possible way to control Botrytis would be by using a natural anti-fungal spray or compost containing tulipalin.

GATHERING CONSUMER INSIGHTS

Enhancing Marketplace Acceptance of Native Plants - A. Rihn, University of Tennessee

Traditionally, retailers have not had highly effective marketing of a wide variety of native plants and educating their customers about which plants are native in their region. Some retailers may perceive that consumer may be unaware of the many benefits that native plants provide or that consumers are not interested in environmental benefits. Goal: Take the first step to enhance the marketing of native plants by assessing consumer demand, profiling consumers by their values and native plant acceptance, and identify consumer preferences for native plants to ultimately increase eco-conscious plantings in landscapes that improve environmental health and biodiversity.

Images of People or Plants: Which Sells More Plants? - B. Behe, Michigan State University; J. Mundel, Arizona State University

A majority of signage in both the independent retail garden center (IGC) and home improvement centers (HIC) show images of plants, not people. This is due largely to a desire to show consumers what the mature plant will look like. However, a theory called image congruency states that people identify strongly with products used by people who “look like they feel”. Our objective is to identify which helps sell more plants: images of people congruent with the observer holding a plant or an image of the plant itself.

PRODUCING PRACTICAL AND ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS

Improved Irrigation Efficiency Through Modeling and Spatial Distribution Analysis - P. Bartley, Auburn University

Improper irrigation management in container production can seriously affect crop productivity and cause issues such as overuse of water resources and nutrient losses to surrounding water bodies. The overall goal of this research is to evaluate and optimize irrigation parameters for specialty crop producers using soilless container cultivation. The results are intended to aid researchers and producers in characterizing irrigation efficiency and dynamic root substrate interactions in order to improve the sustainability of container cultivation of specialty crops.

Improving Water Management in Pine Bark Substrates via Pore Size Characterization and Infiltration Testing - R. Stewart, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Containerized nurseries require proper management of water within individual pots to minimize shrinkage or crop loss and to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. It is commonly assumed that soilless substrates are able to receive water through their surface at an infinite rate (in/hr), and that their capacity to retain water remains the same throughout production. In this project we seek to better understand and characterize water infiltration and storage processes in pine bark substrates composed of three different size fractions.

Management Options for Jumping Worms in Private & Commercial Landscapes and Natural Areas - E. Buchholz, University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Jumping worms are a growing concern within the horticultural community throughout the eastern half of the United States. Amynthas spp. have been shown to have a significant impact in the losses of leaf litter and nutrient levels in surface soils. There are no practical methods of control or removal. This research will focus on determining which methods and products can offer a solution.

Periodical Cicada: Study of potential controls for the Tennessee Nursery Industry - D. Airhart, Tennessee Technological University

The goal of this research project is preventing or controlling periodical cicada oviposition damage associated with nursery tree crops. To accomplish this goal, two major priorities will be addressed: 1) evaluation of some new or typical insecticide treatments to manage periodical cicada adults to identify more effective management options; and 2) assessment of nursery tree damages by periodical cicada adults (Brood X, 2021) by oviposition, now starting in eastern Tennessee.

Preliminary study on the parasitoid complex of the box tree moth in Asia for a classical biological control program in North America - M. Kenis, CABI

The objective of the project will be to initiate the research and foreign exploration needed to implement a classical biological control program for box tree moth through the introduction of parasitoids from the region of origin to North America for permanent establishment and control. This first stage will consist in surveys and collections of parasitoids in East Asia and in the establishment of parasitoid cultures at the quarantine laboratory of CABI in Switzerland. After the establishment of cultures and initiation of efficacy and host specificity studies at the CABI quarantine, work in subsequent years will focus on sending the most promising candidate BTM parasitoids to the USDA-APHIS quarantine laboratory in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts to evaluate possible impacts on non-target species to support an application for a U.S. release permit.

Preventing disease outbreaks in ornamental nurseries: Determining most effective diagnostics tools and developing a rapid diagnostics test for Phytophthora species infecting ornamental crops - J. Del Castillo, University of California Davis

Phytophthora species are well-known and recurrent pathogens of ornamental greenhouses and nurseries in the U.S. The development of faster and more specific diagnostics tool is imperative to determine in a timely fashion if plants are infested with Phytophthora and consequently prevent pathogen spread. The objectives of this project are to: 1. Compare and determine the efficacy of the currently available diagnostics tools to diagnose several Phytophthora species and 2. Develop a rapid and more specific Phytophthora genus and species-specific detection tool that can be implemented in the field.

Soil Microbiomes for Plant Health: Exploring microbes in the soil for candidates that protect plants against root rot disease caused by Phytophthora cinnamomic - J. Burns, Case Western Reserve University

Between 20-40% of crop productivity worldwide is lost to plant diseases every year and plant diseases cost the global economy around $220 billion/year. While chemical control of many plant diseases is possible, pathogens often evolve and become resistant to these measures. Biocontrol using soil microbial species, or the soil microbiome, has great potential in agriculture and horticulture to reduce our reliance on chemical control, enhance plant health, and maintain global food security. Our goal is to characterize this complex community, which is essential to the future development of “probiotic” products that might enhance plant health.

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million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Three students named beneficiaries of 2021-2022 Spring Meadow - Proven Winners® HRI scholarships

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:16:21 GMT

Spring Meadow Nursery and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) are pleased to announce the recipients of 2021-2022 Spring Meadow - Proven Winners® Endowment Fund scholarships .

Dale & Liz Deppe established the Spring Meadow - Proven Winners® Endowment Fund in 1999 with the belief that backing bright, well-trained, qualified people is essential to the green industry's protection and growth. Through HRI, the AmericanHort Foundation acts as the administrator of endowments that help students obtain the necessary education to pursue horticultural careers.

"We have been blessed by this industry and the mentors who've helped us along the way, and we are committed to supporting emerging professionals through efforts like these," said Dale Deppe. Spring Meadow Nursery's goal is to grant scholarships to students with an interest in woody plant production, woody plant propagation, woody plant breeding, horticultural sales, and marketing.

Three students were each awarded $4000 scholarships for the 2021-2022 granting period, bringing the total amount of awards distributed through the fund to $104,750. The students were chosen from a competitive national applicant pool for their academic achievements, outstanding leadership abilities, and commitment to pursuing horticulture careers.

Yuvraj Khamare is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. His study is focused on weed management in container-grown plants and his research focuses on developing new methods of weed control by strategically improving the cultural practices used by nursery growers. The goal of his research is to find effective, economical, and environment-friendly weed management options.

An aspiring garden writer, Khamare has contributed to several articles on weed management and its uses in GardenSmart magazine . He has also been a regular contributor to The Herbs Quarterly and Edible Orlando magazines. He has also published two peer-reviewed journal publications and extension papers on weed identification and management for the University extension website and research center blog.

Of the scholarship, Khamare said it will allow him to dedicate his time to fieldwork, studying, participating in internships, and volunteering. He feels that the scholarship will further motivate him to pursue academic excellence.

John Nix is a graduate student at North Carolina State University where he is working to complete his Master of Science degree in Horticultural Science. His interest in plants began with his high school's horticulture program and time spent in the southern Appalachians. He completed his bachelor’s degree in horticultural science and plant biology at NCSU where he was able to study with the Mountain Crop Improvement Lab . Before starting graduate school, he worked as a research and conservation intern at Longwood Gardens and spent time studying British horticulture as the Royal Horticulture Society-Garden Club of America Interchange Fellow.

Nix is interested in a career centered on improving nursery crops by driving innovation through breeding. He believes that the future of ornamental plant breeding will lean heavily into tools such as ploidy manipulation, flow cytometry, embryo rescue, database management, and transgene-free genome editing. He continues to seek opportunities to receive hands-on exposure to these valuable tools.

Runshi Xie received his master's degree in plant breeding at Texas A&M University, where he is working toward a doctoral-level degree in horticulture. He is currently working on a multi-state, multi-disciplinary project to combat crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS), an invasive insect attacking crapemyrtle and other woody plant species in the United States. He has a great interest in plant breeding and the study of plant-insect interaction. His works involve developing insect-resistant crapemyrtle cultivars and insect biology-based IPM strategies such as mating behavior for CMBS, leading to innovative and sustainable pest control and management methods for the horticulture industry.

This scholarship will allow Runshi to increase his involvement in academic events such as conferences and industrial networking events.

A total of 39 Spring Meadow-Proven Winners® Endowment Fund scholarships have been awarded to students since 2004. Scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 granting period will open in March 2022. Individuals interested in applying for a scholarship can check the HRI website or contact Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator, at (614) 884-1155 for more scholarship application details.

For more information about Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, visit www.ProvenWinners-Shrubs.com and www.SpringMeadowNursery.com .

Horticultural Research Institute Kicks of 60th Anniversary Year at MANTS

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 15:12:11 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC and COLUMBUS, OH - On Thursday, January 6, 2022, the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), kicked off a milestone year, recognizing and thanking donors, researchers, and the industry during a reception at the Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) in Baltimore, MD. September 19, 2022 marks the 60 ^th anniversary of HRI, the horticultural industry’s research and scholarship foundation and the year-long celebration got off to a strong start at MANTS raising over $400,000 in donations during the event.

HRI, the AmericanHort research foundation, was established by industry leaders on the premise that no one could better direct needed research to advance horticulture than the very people who work in it, day in and day out. Today, HRI sticks to that same vision: funding and guiding horticultural research efforts with the direct input from industry professionals.

To date, HRI has supported $9.5 million in research grants and scholarships--$3.6 million of that has been distributed to over 100 research projects since 2012. HRI has grown from a small organization to a nationally recognized foundation providing hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in research grants, a robust outreach program, a proven track record of establishing swift-moving emerging issues funds, and a growing scholarship program.

“HRI’s success is driven by the industry’s belief in our mission and both their financial and volunteer support,” stated incoming 2022 HRI President Alan Jones, of Manor View Farm, Monkton, MD. “We achieved this milestone through the hard work and dedication of our industry volunteers, our staff team, and our thousands of donors over the last six decades. HRI’s work improves our industry and will continue to do so for decades to come.”

During the celebratory reception, Ed Tankard, owner of Tankard Nurseries Inc, of Exmore, VA, announced the creation of the John E. Tankard Jr. Research Fund. This new fund aims to provide a legacy in memory of John Tankard Jr., Ed’s father, who guided the business for 53 years, in order to secure a long-term source of funding for research deemed important to the industry.

American Beauties Native Plants announced that it will provide a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $10,000, for donors who would like to help grow the fund aimed at supporting research into native plants. To donate to this fund, visit https://www.hriresearch.org/donate or contact Jennifer Gray at JenniferG@AmericanHort.org .

Danny Summers, CEO of the Garden Retail Group, announced that the Southern Nursery Association Legacy fund within HRI was about to exceed $300,000 and offered a limited quantity gift to donors interested in contributing to this fund. Each donor will receive a limited-edition copy of the Southern Nursery Association legacy book.

Additional donors were recognized during the celebratory reception, including American Beauties Native Plants, Spring Meadow Nursery, North Creek Nurseries, Herman Losely & Son, Overdevest Nursery, Decker Nursery, NewGen Boxwood, Manor View Farm, the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and GreenForest Nursery.

Monies raised from donations made during events like this, and throughout the year, fund the activities of the Horticultural Research Institute’s research and scholarship programs, along with educational outreach activities for the industry.

HRI tackles the biggest challenges—everything from disease management to water quality and availability—to bring you the information and best practices you need to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future.

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The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has provided over $9.5 million in funds since 1962 to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Over $20 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Invasion, impact and management of box tree moth in Europe

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 18:59:15 GMT

The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, is a pest of boxwood (Buxus spp.) originating from East Asia. Since 2007, it has invaded Europe and the Caucasus, causing severe damage to planted and wild Buxus species, in particular the European boxwood Buxus sempervirens. In 2018, it was found in Toronto. In Europe, boxwood is quickly disappearing from private gardens, parks and forests, causing serious concern for the ecological survival of the tree species.

In this presentation, the speaker will share the European perspective on the insect - its impact, identification, biology and management.

Boxwood Breeding and Selection for Blight Resistance

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 19:05:19 GMT

Boxwood (Buxus L. spp., Buxaceae) are popular woody landscape shrubs grown for their diverse forms and broad-leaved evergreen foliage, with an estimated $141 million economic impact in the U.S. alone. Boxwood plants grown in temperate zones worldwide are threatened by a blight disease caused by the ascomycete fungi Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae. While the disease can be mitigated somewhat through cultural practices and fungicides, the most sustainable long-term solution is the development of disease-resistant boxwood cultivars.

This session delves into interspecific breeding and selection of boxwood towards resistance to Calonectria pseudonaviculata.

Learn from Belgian researcher Katrijn Van Laere, who will share the creation of new boxwood cultivars resistant to boxwood blight, based on interspecific hybridisation and an efficient selection bio-assay.

Box Tree Moth

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 18:06:31 GMT

Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is considered a high-consequence defoliating pest of boxwood, with other possible hosts. Box tree moth (BTM) is a Eurasian native moth. The larvae are voracious defoliators of Buxus.

The pest is established in western Europe, where it has been extremely damaging to boxwood in the landscape. Roughly two years ago, it was found in an urban Toronto neighborhood. In May 2021, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in a St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada nursery. On May 26, USDA imposed a federal order prohibiting the importation of all Buxus, Ilex, and Euonymus spp.plants from anywhere in Canada until further notice.

Box Tree Moth (BTM) Webinar

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:15:21 GMT

Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is considered a high-consequence defoliating pest of boxwood, with other possible hosts. Box tree moth (BTM) is a Eurasian native moth. The larvae are voracious defoliators of Buxus.

Redwood Level Million Dollar Fund

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 18:35:23 GMT

HRI is thrilled to announce the first Redwood Level ONE MILLION DOLLAR FUND.

Please join us in celebrating this momentous achievement of the continuous support from Spring Meadow and Proven Winners. Dale and Liz Deppe and the entire Spring Meadow have been incredible champions in growing this fund which has funded numerous research grants and scholarships awards. Horticultural Research Institute wanted to recognize them on this amazing milestone by letting them hear it from people that this fund has directly benefited.

Knowing & Growing Boxwood

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 18:10:18 GMT

Grown for centuries, boxwood is not always well understood. Gardeners know of its reputation, but find it difficult to describe good growing practices. Professionals search for accurate and detailed information to make appropriate horticultural decisions. This introductory presentation hits the high points of box history, nomenclature, landscape use, physiology, pest & diseases, legend & lore, and in particular, horticulture.

Plant Benefits or Features: Which Cue is More Effective?

Mon, 10 May 2021 18:11:18 GMT

Better understanding consumer behavior, preferences, and trends is a key HRI research priority. In 2020, Dr. Bridget Behe built upon her previous research that showed younger customers were more likely to purchase a branded plant – even when identical to a non-branded plant – and that consumers in general want more information on signs because they cannot ascertain plant attributes by looking at it. In this session, Dr. Behe will review new research findings from her study looking at which benefits resonate best with which type of consumers.

Boxwood Blight - A 15 Year Love and Hate Relationship

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:12:20 GMT

German researchers have been working on boxwood blight since it first appeared in Germany in the summer of 2004. Initial cultivar trials indicated that there were large differences in susceptibility. This resulted in a series of horticultural trials, on the one hand on the susceptibility of Buxus species and cultivars, and on the other hand on alternative woody plants as substitutes for boxwood. In parallel, many trials on the suitability of fungicides have been running since 2005, both in vitro and in the field. In addition, the trials have repeatedly tested preparations that were considered as alternatives for chemical plant protection. Furthermore, we monitored the occurrence of the two blight pathogens, Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae, and examined other host plants - Pachysandra and Sarcococca in trials. This talk will summarize the 15-years of research results and share the successes and difficulties of blight control in gardens and parks in Germany.

Seeing Red? Redheaded Flea Beetle

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 19:13:26 GMT

This presentation will briefly cover insect phenology for the mid-Atlantic and how it has provided some guidance with management in the southeast. There will also be discussion regarding larva and adult activity in relation to growing degree days and plant phenological indicators. Host plants fed on by the beetle will be discussed, and recent observations in the selection from different species and cultivars of Hydrangea. You will hear about feeding preference trials conducted in the field and laboratory between different species of plants other than hydrangea. In this session we will discuss timing of different management options for the flea beetle larvae and adult stages. Insecticide efficacy trial evaluations will be shared and discussed. Additionally, we will discuss the successes, limitations, challenges and potential for biological control and entomopathogens in pest control.

BBIG Grant Award for Boxwood Research with an HRI Connection

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 18:38:17 GMT

New Website & Webinar Series Announced

WASHINGTON, DC & COLUMBUS, OH - USDA NIFA awarded a confederation of researchers a multiyear grant to help elucidate the mysteries of boxwood blight and its management.

The Boxwood Blight Insight Group, or BBIG, has several key areas of focus over the next four years, including the following.

Conduct impact analysis to generate data that better resonate with state and federal policy makers, such as disease loss estimates and model economic analysis of best management practices.
Identify critical control points in nursery production to help pinpoint best sampling points and develop site-specific best management practices.
Assist landscape managers to better manage the disease by looking at potential biological control agents, agents that activate boxwood plant defenses, fungicide optimization, and mulch optimization.
Build boxwood resilience through identifying resistant cultivars, understanding the soil microbiome, and breeding efforts utilizing modern technologies.
Create a better understanding of boxwood blight infections (symptom and disease development and expression) in the Pacific Northwest through expanded nursery surveys.
Develop an extensive outreach network including materials such as a pictorial guide of symptoms under certain environmental conditions, videos to help scouting efforts, and materials to help train industry, research, and extension personnel.

Industry has much to gain from the research. Bennett Saunders, General Manager of Saunders Genetics and former President of the American Boxwood Society, commented, “When boxwood blight hit the United States, we were deeply concerned that this might be the end for Boxwood. In Europe, there was very little research and there were very few answers. However, the research community in the United States was up to the challenge. They embraced the dire situation and began giving us answers very quickly.”

“This most recent grant will continue to give boxwood growers practical, understandable, and effective tools to combat boxwood blight. We look forward to seeing their work and their results!”

HRI has joined BBIG in their efforts as a collaborator on the outreach team. HRI’s role includes hosting the materials generated on its website, distributing newsletters, and working closely with the researchers on presentation of information. The new website is accessible through www.hriresearch.org and www.boxwoodhealth.org .

Ken McVicker, President of HRI, welcomed the opportunity by saying, “Boxwood blight continues to threaten nursery production and landscapes, and much needs to be learned and understood. We at HRI are excited for this announcement both for the discovery of critical information that will help us manage this disease and also for the opportunity to grow HRI’s outreach program. Working with BBIG is a wonderful opportunity for HRI to improve our efforts to connect research to industry.”

That connection begins with a series of boxwood research webinars launching on March 18, 2021 with Boxwood Blight: A 15-Year Love-Hate Relationship, with speaker Dr. Thomas Brand, Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony. This session will summarize the 15 years of research and share the successes and difficulties of blight control in gardens and parks in Germany, where the fight for boxwood has been ongoing since 2004. Attendance is free and more details are available at: http://bit.ly/3rrnWxu .

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) proudly supported the funding of BBIG. Back in 2013, HRI established a special research initiative dedicated to boxwood blight research shortly following its identification in the US. HRI reopened the fund in 2018 to work with researchers towards a standardized protocol where boxwood varieties can be assessed for boxwood blight resistance. This research continues through the USDA ARS’s Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI), also supported by HRI. The BBIG project will take boxwood blight research to the next level and will benefit both production and landscape management of boxwoods.

HRI's Funded Research Projects for 2021

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 19:16:45 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, is pleased to announce the portfolio of research projects to be funded in 2021. Projects range from innovations to crop production for both greenhouse and nursery segments, emergent consumer research, pollinator research, and plant disease projects. A total of $364,000 will be awarded this year.

“Investing in diverse, high-quality research is our mission,” said Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator. “The 2021 projects selected from a competitive batch of grant applications represent all facets of the industry and touch each of HRI’s four strategic research priorities. ”

The Horticultural Research Institute’s mission is to direct, fund, promote, and communicate horticulture research. Supporting research that challenges current methods and bridges the divide between businesses and the consumer is exactly how HRI helps build prosperous businesses, advance the green industry, and fulfill its core vision.

QUANTIFYING PLANT BENEFITS

A practical method for rapidly assessing pollinator attraction to plant cultivars

H. Patch, Penn State University

With the increase in consumer demand for pollinator-friendly plant stock, there is a clear need for a user-friendly method to routinely evaluate plant attractiveness to pollinators. This project will develop a protocol for industry and flower trial assessors to rapidly and accurately estimate a cultivar’s attractiveness to beneficial insects in the field trial settings. Additionally, this project will develop a web tool prototype that will analyze data from this rapid assessment and rank trial cultivars based on their value to insect pollinators.

CREATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Transparent Solar Cell Design for Greenhouses

R. R. Lunt & E. Runkle, Michigan State University

We have pioneered a range of transparent solar cells that selectively harvest invisible solar radiation. However, there are key differences between the photopic response in the human eye and the photon action response of plants that need to be considered as these devices are designed specifically for greenhouse applications. In this project we investigate the optical impact of various wavelengths on a range of horticultural crop species. This is the first step to optimize transparent solar cells designed to maximize both plant productivity and electricity generation simultaneously in the same area for worldwide adoptability.

Controlling Flowering of Summer-Fall Garden Mums with Strategic LED Lighting

Q. Meng, University of Delaware

In summer-fall garden mum programs, growers typically use black cloth to trigger flowering of these short-day plants under otherwise long days. However, pulling black cloth twice a day to create short days incurs labor and material costs with potential heat delay of flowering. Based on a theoretical flowering model for mums, this project aims to identify night LED lighting strategies to promote flowering of summer-fall garden mums with reduced or no use of black cloth.

Removal of paclobutrazol from captured irrigation runoff using slow sand filters

L. Oki, UC Davis

To stabilize water supplies and comply with runoff regulations, nurseries and greenhouses capture runoff from irrigation and storms. However, captured irrigation runoff may contain plant growth regulators (PGR) at concentrations high enough to cause stunting or deformation of non-target crop plants. Water treatment using slow sand filters may be able to provide long-term removal since contaminants are biologically degraded and the microbes performing the degradation are constantly regenerated.

Fluorescence imaging: a low-cost method for early stress detection

M. van Iersel, University of Georgia

Plants are exposed to different biotic and abiotic that can negatively impact crop production. Early detection of such stresses is important to mitigate their negative impact on the crop. Such detection typically depends on visual inspection of crops. However, stresses can only be detected when symptoms have become visible. Our objective is to develop and test a novel imaging approach for detection plant stress before visible symptoms are present.

GATHERING CONSUMER INSIGHTS

Gardening purchase motivation and satisfaction during COVID-19 isolation and their effects on likelihood to buy again

B. Behe, Michigan State University

The COVID-19 pandemic ignited a big interest in plants. Understanding why and how much of that will influence future plant purchases is the focus of a study to be conducted by Drs. Behe and Huddleston at Michigan State University. They will survey both plant purchasers and non-purchasers to discover how their attitudes and motivations for buying (or not buying) plant differ. Results from 2021 data will be compared to 2020 data. Growers, wholesalers, and retailers should all benefit from a better understanding of consumer perceptions this study will provide to improve their sales and communications.

Growing Green Industry Profits from an Emerging Market of Plantspeople

J. Campbell, University of Georgia

Recently, the horticulture world has seen an influx of new plantspeople entering the marketplace. These new consumers are providing new challenges and opportunities for our industry. This project will provide insight and tools, developed from consumer research, to equip horticulture industry stakeholders to better engage emerging audiences and convert them into lifelong buyers.

PRODUCING PRACTICAL AND ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS

Fertility, population dynamics, and pollinator attractiveness of standard and “sterile” cultivars: Buddleia as a case study may inform the way forward for our national industry

R. Contreras, Oregon State

Many plants are grown not just for their beauty but for their ecosystem services, particularly pollinator attraction. But plants such as butterfly bush have escaped cultivation in some regions such that they have been banned. To address this, breeders have developed new cultivars with the goal of reduced fertility. This project aims to answer several questions: 1) What happens to pollinator attraction with reduced fertility? 2) What is the fertility of a suite of modern cultivars compared to old classics? 3) Can we use population modeling to establish a “safe” threshold of fertility?

A holly jolly Christmas starts with disease-free hollies

F. Hand, Ohio State University

An emergent fungal fruit rot disease is severely affecting deciduous holly production in Midwestern and Eastern U.S. States. This project will screen deciduous holly cultivars for disease susceptibility, to provide growers with selection recommendations when establishing new plantings. Additionally, this project aims to identify antifungal compounds naturally present within different cultivars fruit that can suppress pathogen proliferation. Antifungal compound identification has the potential to feed into a biofungicide development pipeline, which will ultimately increase the availability of sustainable disease management tools for the nursery industry.

Characterization and Modeling of Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Wood Substrates

B. Jackson, North Carolina State University

The demand for soilless substrates continues to increase as ornamental/floriculture markets grow and as more traditionally field-grown crops are transitioning to soilless growing systems. As a result, global soilless substrate demand is projected to increase by 240% by 2050. To meet this significant demand, wood products will play a major role in future substrate formulations. After decades of scientific research and grower trials, we have a better understanding of how wood substrates can be used, but more in-depth evaluations and characterizations are needed to advance the use (and confidence) in these new materials. The aim of this work is to provide in-depth characterizations and testing of commercially available engineered wood components.

Early detection of Phytophthora spp. on nursery-grown ornamental plants

S. N. Jeffers, Clemson University

Diseases caused by Phytophthora species are a constant and substantial problem in U.S. nurseries and greenhouses with few sustainable management options. While the use of fungicides can be effective temporarily, the best long-term solution is sanitation. Therefore, it is essential to identify and eliminate sources of inoculum early during plant production. This research will evaluate methods for efficiently detecting Phytophthora spp. on nursery-grown plants and investigate factors that may affect detection.

Developing Native Plants for Sustainable Green Industry Production

Y. Sun, Utah State

The introduction of novel native plants for landscaping has the potential to infuse new energy into the Green Industry. Utah ranks in the top 10 states for vascular plant species diversity. Utah State University has capitalized on this diversity by establishing a program (Sego Supreme™) for selecting and introducing plants native to Utah and the Great Basin for use in water-efficient landscaping. Many natives are not used in the industry because they are so difficult to propagate, produce, and/or maintain. This project aims to develop snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus), a broadleaf evergreen shrub, for sustainable horticultural production and landscape use.

Spotted Lanternfly

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 19:14:47 GMT

Presented by Brian Walsh

While we still have a lot to learn, this session covers the status, impacts and management of spotted lanternfly in North America, including the latest information on the distribution of Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), SLF host preferences, and impacts on ornamental plants. Brian Walsh, Penn State Extension Horticulture Educator based in Berks County, Pennsylvania, also discusses the latest SLF management research on insecticide trials and treatment recommendations. Watch and arm your team with the latest research information and strategies to protect against the invasive SLF.

HRI Coffee Chat: FNRI Research on Potential Invasive Insect Pests

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 19:38:33 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute is pleased to share a roundtable discussion and Q&A with the researchers representing USDA's Floriculture & Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI)'s Whitefly & Thrip Group. Bring your coffee and questions!

Ralstonia Reference Sheet

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 15:45:24 GMT

Ralstonia solancearum race 3 biovar 2 (RSr3b2) is a plant bacterium capable of infecting a number of solanaceous weeds and crop plants (those in the nightshade family) and also geraniums. Geranium cuttings produced in offshore locations have been identified as the primary carrier of this disease to the US. While not currently established in the US, it is a federally quarantined pest and as such is subject to stringent eradication measures upon positive identification. Diseased geraniums planted in the landscape can potentially infect other plants, including tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant and thus must be destroyed when they are detected during greenhouse production.

The environmental horticulture industry stands to lose millions of dollars in production and retail environments when RSr3b2 is identified or worse, spread However, there are several practices producers and retail centers can employ to minimize impacts to business, even before a positive RSr3b2 diagnosis. The practices outlined below will help to minimize spread of RSr3b2, as well as other plant diseases.

Avoid sub-irrigation. Though effective and efficient, sub-irrigation systems enable pathogens, including RSr3b2 to spread via contaminated water. Bacterial cells are shed by plant roots, even when plants do not show symptoms, and enter water systems. RSr3b2 can survive for days or even years in water.
Start with clean stock plants. Clean stock standards have improved in recent years, especially with regard to RSr3b2. Ensure that your supplier follows those guidelines.
Use clean media. Many plant pathogens, including RSr3b2, are transmitted in contaminated soil. Soilless mix is free from RSr3b2 when purchased, but any medium that contains field soil must be pasteurized.
Sanitize hard surfaces thoroughly and often. Disinfest all frames and trays after a production cycle and always use a disinfectant on tools between blocks (during production), either a 10% bleach solution or 70% alcohol. Many pathogens, including RSr3b2, reside within plant debris and in residue (including sap) that lingers on hard surfaces. This can serve as an infection source for healthy host plants.
Label and separate geranium varieties.
Practice sanitation practices between houses. Workers should wear gloves or wash hands between handling and use footbaths between houses.
Educate workers. Worker training to recognize common symptoms and/or signs of plant distress can lead to a faster response time and less crop impact, damage, and loss.
Do not compost infected plant material (alive or dead). Plants, media, and containers should be bagged and disposed in a landfill.

Symptoms include the following:

wilting of the youngest leaves,
yellowing of foliage,
brown discoloration of stem tissue,
stem collapse, and
plant death.

If you suspect you may have RSr3b2-infected plants, contact your county extension agent or state department of agriculture immediately for diagnosis.

Hypoxylon Canker: Feller of the Mighty Oak

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:57:18 GMT

We have a ton of oak trees where I live. Unfortunately, many are dead or dying, and Hypoxylon canker is one of the main culprits.

Trees are perennial and (hopefully) long-lived and resilient, but through their lifetime, they are subjected to multiple stresses. Often the impact(s) of stressors isn’t visible for several years. For example, a particularly droughty year will reduce tree growth and vigor, but the effects from the lack of water may not be visible until years later. The same is true with floods or prolonged, water-saturated soils…tree roots will be deprived of oxygen, yet the tree shows little impact in the short term.

Extended extreme weather events weaken trees and make them more susceptible to insect pests. Outbreaks of many weak pathogens (one incapable of infecting a healthy tree) suddenly appear 3-5 years (or more!) after a prolonged stress. That’s right - long after you’ve probably forgotten about that drought/flood, trees still feel the effects. For example back in 2007, Maryland suffered severe-extreme drought conditions that persisted through late summer 2008. And now many of our oaks are dead and dying, not directly from that drought but from Hypoxylon canker.

Let me back up a bit. A canker is a dead spot on the trunk or a branch, usually noticeable because the bark is missing or injured, exposing the wood. Cankers can be caused by mechanical injury (aka tractor blight or lawnmower blight) or plant pathogen(s). Hypoxylon canker happens to be a fungal pathogen, Hypoxylon atropunctatum to be precise. It is normally unable to infect a healthy tree (such as our beautiful, mighty oaks), but if those oaks are stressed, watch out.

Hypoxylon canker may be present but inactive in a tree for years - just hanging out and not causing any problems. Then some (not-well-understood) event triggers Hypoxylon to become pathogenic. That’s when the disease starts. It attacks the living portion of the bark (or cambium), the part between the outer, corky bark and the wood. Eventually the tree is girdled and unable to transport water and nutrients to/from leaves and roots. Once disease has begun, Hypoxylon can kill a tree in 1-2 years. Our oaks were likely infected by Hypoxylon back in 2007/2008, and the disease is just now rearing its ugly head and killing them.

Early symptoms (before the canker is obvious) are subtle and include yellowing of leaves and a general decline of growth in the top of the tree. Later symptoms, however, include cankers, and they are obvious. The outer bark sloughs off, exposing a crusty fungal mat where brown, dusty spores form. They eventually change to a silver color and then finally black as the pathogen’s life cycle progresses. These spores are wind-blown and cause new infections. Another stage of the pathogen produces masses of dark spores that ooze out onto the fungal mat. These are spread by rain and insects.

Canker diseases, including Hypoxylon, cannot be controlled. The best strategy is to maintain tree health. Sadly, that opportunity has passed for our oaks.

Once the tree is removed, do not compost the wood. The causal agent, H. atropunctatum, can remain active on dead wood. Any infected wood must be burned as soon as possible to prevent new infections. Other hosts include hickory and pecan. Other Hypoxylon species exist as well, including one that infects sycamore.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
HRI & AmericanHort

Photos courtesy: J. Calabro

jenniferg's blog

AmericanHort & HRI Recommend Terms for Disease Resistance Claims

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 20:54:10 GMT

AmericanHort and its research foundation, the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), are dedicated to unifying the environmental horticulture industry to cultivate successful businesses and help enhance lives through the benefits of plants. AmericanHort prides itself in listening to industry needs and relies on stakeholder input to drive its focus and efforts, including the recent industry-initiated movement to standardize the terms used as marketing tags on newly released plant material in reference to specific diseases and/or abiotic stresses.

Disease resistance and tolerance to abiotic stresses (such as drought, cold exposure, others) in plants contribute greatly to plant health and ultimately to the success of our industry. As more new plants are anticipated to be released targeting disease and/or abiotic stress management, the industry will be faced with how to best represent these traits to customers and set performance expectations. Often the terms resistance and tolerance are used interchangeably, and oftentimes resistance is mistakenly thought to equal immunity.

At the request of Industry representatives, AmericanHort led an effort to explore an industry-wide adoption of specific terms to be used in the event of a new plant release when describing disease resistance and/or tolerance to abiotic stresses to help avoid unsubstantiated and misleading claims.

Jean-Marc Versolato, Production Manager, Plant Health Department, Bailey Nurseries, participated in the process and commented, “It’s a good idea for the whole industry to use the same words to describe a plant’s response to stress and to clarify the specific pathogen or agent tested. This is useful so that the end customer understands the claim being made, and there is no ambiguity a plant’s resistance or tolerance to a stress. It becomes a truer statement and no longer misleads the customer into thinking a plant is resistant to all sorts of problems.”

A working group made up of the research community and industry breeders advised a set of clear definitions for the terms immunity, high or intermediate resistance, susceptibility, and tolerance to be used industry-wide going forward. Disease specifics should be included on marketing claims. For example, a tag on an impatiens plant should state ‘High Resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew’ as opposed to ‘High Resistance to Disease.’

Shannon Carmody, Plant Pathologist, Ball Horticultural Company, commented on the process, “The development of downy mildew resistant Impatiens started a conversation internally at Ball Horticultural Company about how to use accurately disease resistance language in breeding, product development, and marketing for ornamental crops. We look forward to working with other industry stakeholders to improve clarity and consistency for our customers.”

The full white paper is available here . AmericanHort encourages all breeders and those involved in new plant introductions within environmental horticulture to follow this guidance.

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Green industry businesses perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future as a member of AmericanHort, the green industry’s leading association. With a rich history of serving horticultural professionals, AmericanHort supports nearly 15,000 members and affiliated businesses that include breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry market chain. The horticulture industry's production, wholesale, retail, and landscape service components have annual sales of $346 billion, and sustain over 2.3 million full- and part-time jobs. AmericanHort works to impact the growth, performance, and successful future for the industry through advocacy, research, education, and advancing industry standards. Visit www.americanhort.org for news and information.

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has provided over $9 million in funds since 1962 to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Over $14 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Dr. Lance Osborne

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:37:06 GMT

Dr. Osborne recognizes that conventional insecticides are the best control option in some circumstances, but that reduced dependence on them is desirable. Much of his lab’s research centers around biological controls, such as screening for pesticide interactions, efficacy, and quality control. Listen to an in-depth discussion of the benefits of modified banker plant systems and view some amazing video clips of biological agents in action! Spoiler alert: the Mealy Bug Destroyer is real, and it is fierce.

Dr. Cindy McKenzie

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:36:05 GMT

Dr. McKenzie was part of the whitefly action from the very beginning and continues to monitor populations nationwide. She shares some of that history and why it’s still relevant today. Her lab’s rapid detection and implementation of improved control strategies targeting Biotype Q has so far prevented establishment of this pest beyond the greenhouse. She shares some of the data from nearly 70 trials testing 44 control products over several years; come find out what works and what doesn’t.

Supporting SCRI

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 10:35:38 GMT

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a program housed in the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The program supports a range of specialty crops (defined by federal law as including horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture, fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, and dried fruits) by researching, developing, and disseminating science-based tools to address their needs.

The program has a mandate that its funds support work in five main areas:

Improving crop characteristics through breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods
Identification and mitigation of threats from pests and diseases
Improving producers’ productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
Research and development of new and innovative technology
Developing methods to improve food safety

Why Is SCRI Important?

SCRI was created to ensure that specialty crops would have some funding available to address their specific critical needs. In general, research on specialty crops is often not funded as robustly as research on row crops. Crops that fall under the specialty crops umbrella are diverse and numerous, but do not represent large acreages (as row crops do). Collectively, they represent about one quarter the value of all U.S. agriculture, or roughly $60 billion.

This program has become a critical tool to advance research in environmental horticulture and an important means to help our industry succeed. Examples of SCRI-funded projects that benefit our stakeholders include management of rose rosette disease, lighting optimization in production, management of crape myrtle bark scale, and plant production that protects bees.

We have involved from the beginning. USDA’s NIFA mandates that all SCRI projects must support a valid industry need. To that end, NIFA built a review process that starts with a review by industry members. If a proposal is not prioritized through an Industry Relevance Review Panel, it is not invited for full consideration by the Scientific Merit Panel.

In addition to recruiting stakeholders as volunteer reviewers, members of AmericanHort and the Horticultural Research Institute’s team volunteer as reviewers themselves. Members of AmericanHort’s research and advocacy team frequently participate in the review process. Dr. Jill Calabro has twice served as the Industry Relevance Panel Manager and once as a Scientific Merit Panel reviewer. Craig Regelbrugge is often an Industry Relevance Panel reviewer as well. Jennifer Gray, along with Jill and Craig, also supply letters of support for many of the projects that benefit environmental horticulture. Strong letters of support are key to a proposal’s success.

NIFA stresses the importance of outreach in the SCRI program. If the industry does not know about the new information generated, the research is essentially meaningless. We also help on that end by frequently participating on advisory panels for funded projects relevant to environmental horticulture. Through this, we can learn new information in a timely manner and help share it with stakeholders.

AmericanHort lobbies to ensure adequate funding of the SCRI program and address funding issues as they arise. Since passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, AmericanHort has tirelessly worked to fix an omission that threatened investment in SCRI’s research.

While research programs like SCRI typically have requirements that researchers provide one-to-one matching funds for any federal investment, USDA’s research programs have traditionally included the ability for the Secretary of Agriculture to waive these requirements where the research is in the public interest. While other research programs kept these waivers in the 2018 bill, the SCRI program did not. This omission threatened to direct much needed investments in research elsewhere.

AmericanHort made this a key issue of it's Impact Washington Summit last year and, we’re happy to report that the matching funds waiver was reinserted to ensure continued investment in the program. Visit AmericanHort.org for more information.

Ralstonia Webinar: What You Need to Know

Fri, 29 May 2020 10:35:37 GMT

Ralstonia solancearum race 3 biovar 2 (R3B2), a federal quarantine pest, was recently confirmed in a single geranium variety in a greenhouse in Michigan, the first confirmed case in the US since 2004. Diseased geraniums planted in the landscape can potentially infect other plants, including tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant and must be destroyed.

HRI is proud to join this effort and host a webinar on the basics of R3B2, such as how it spreads and prevention strategies, to help educate the green industry. APHIS will be on hand to discuss the recent action plan, and Ball Horticultural Co will share their story.

AGENDA & SPEAKERS

Welcome & Introductory Remarks
Dr. Jill Calabro, HRI/AmericanHort Science & Research Director
Ralstonia Basics & Prevention Strategies
Dr. Caitilyn Allen, the Ethyl and O.N. Allen Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Slide Deck
APHIS Action Plan
Dr. Matthew Royer, Associate Deputy Administrator Field Operations USDA APHIS PPQ
Slide Deck
Ball Horticultural Co. Update
Dr. Mike Klopmeyer, President Ball FloraPlant
Slide Deck

Ralstonia Webinar: What You Need to Know

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:51:19 GMT

Since the detection was confirmed, AmericanHort has collaborated with the importer of the geranium and with USDA APHIS toward the goal of a rapid, targeted, and effective response that minimizes unnecessary interruption. HRI is proud to join this effort and host a webinar on the basics of R3B2, such as how it spreads and prevention strategies, to help educate the green industry. APHIS will be on hand to discuss the recent action plan, and Ball Horticultural Co will share their story.

Smartphone Nitrogen App

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:50:08 GMT

Dr. Krishna Nemali, Purdue University, will introduce his concept of developing a smartphone app to measure nitrogen status in crops in the second release.

Stratified Media

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:49:19 GMT

Dr. Jim Owen, USDA ARS and collaborators Dr. James Altland, USDA ARS and Dr. Jeb Fields, Louisiana State University detail their studies on the impacts of stratified media on crop stress and production in the first release.

HRI tHRIve Session: FNRI's Resilient Plant Researchers

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:45:18 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute is pleased to share a roundtable discussion and Q&A with the researchers representing USDA's Floriculture & Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI)'s Resilient Plant Group. Bring your coffee and questions!

John Erwin

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:44:20 GMT

Dr. John Erwin, University of Maryland, reports on research on plant roots, greenhouse edibles, and reducing labor costs and pesticide applications. It’s all about improving plant growth, resilience, and yield!

Paul Fisher

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:43:27 GMT

Dr. Paul Fisher, University of Florida, discusses research projects spanning labor and automation of transplanting (sticking cuttings), indoor propagation of cuttings, and guaranteeing success for home gardeners. This work was also conducted in part by Dr. Celina Gomez, also at University of Florida.

Erik Runkle & Roberto Lopez

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:42:21 GMT

Dr.’s Roberto Lopez and Erik Runkle, Michigan State University, share research on rates of rooting hormones, impacts of substrate-applied micro-drenches of plant growth regulators, enhancing foliage color of ornamentals through lighting variables, and lighting applications in horticulture, including photoperiodic, supplemental, and sole-source (indoor) manipulations.

Dr. Charlie Hall

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:41:16 GMT

Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M, presents an economist’s view on how a carbon/water footprint drives the economics of production facilities, the rising costs of grower inputs, and key grower-level benchmarks that demarcate operational/financial performance over the past several years.

Jim Faust

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:40:07 GMT

Dr. Jim Faust, Clemson University, specializes on daily light integral maps and measurements to better predict plant growth and development, how to improve consumer performance of bedding plants, and heat delay of poinsettia.

Call for Fiscal Year 2021 Research Proposals

Fri, 22 May 2020 10:35:35 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute is now accepting research project proposals designed to improve green industry efficiencies and profitability. Proposals for the 2021 grant cycle are due no later than June 1, 2020.

Researchers are encouraged to submit proposals for research that addresses HRI's four strategic areas of focus :

Quantifying Plant Benefits
Gathering Consumer Insights
Creating Innovative Solutions
Producing Practical & Actionable Solution

Learn more about the grant application and procedural guidelines and access the online application submission portal here .

Wheel Bugs

Fri, 08 May 2020 10:35:34 GMT

If ever there was an insect to make me an entomology enthusiast, this is it.

Behold: wheel bugs.

One afternoon last fall, I found that pair of wheel bugs on my front porch. For the following two hours, I photographed them and researched all about them. They are fascinating!

Wheel bugs are the largest type of assassin bug (up to an 1.5” in length) in the US with a crazy-looking, growth that resembles armor or a shield sticking out of its back. Fun fact: this is the only animal in the US with this kind of crest! Assassin bugs live up to their names – they are predatory insects that capture and feed on a number of other insects, such as bees, flies, and caterpillars. They are quick and nimble and capture prey with their powerful front legs. The real threat, however, comes from their mouthparts. They have a long beak that violently and repeatedly stabs their victims and then sucks out their body fluids.

I had to see that for myself.

Turns out that wheel bugs feed on large caterpillars, and during my two-hour photo session, a wayward, unsuspecting caterpillar just happened to be nearby. That poor caterpillar didn’t stand a chance; the female wheel bug attacked it immediately and enjoyed a good meal.

If you see a wheel bug in your garden, keep a safe distance. They can bite humans, and it’s reportedly quite painful (more so than a wasp sting). No need to control them though; wheel bugs are known biocontrol agents of Japanese beetles and tent caterpillars. Dr. Mike Raupp, extension entomologist at University of Maryland, once commented about wheel bugs, “They’re the lion or the eagle in your food web. They sit on top. When you have these big, ferocious predators in your landscape, that tells me this is a very healthy landscape, because all these other levels in your food web are intact.”

*Update: two weeks after my photo session with these two wheel bugs, one wound up in our fireplace, presumably a hitchhiker on a log. Sadly, it met an untimely end. I found it clinging to the fireplace screen, trying to escape, but it was too late…poor thing was a burnt husk.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
Horticultural Research Institute

All photos courtesy J. Calabro, unless otherwise noted.

tHRIve Garden Party at Cultivate'20 Virtual

Wed, 06 May 2020 20:56:40 GMT

INAUGURAL THRIVE GARDEN PARTY

Monday, July 13, 2020; 5:00-6:00 p.m. (EDT)

You are cordially invited to attend a special reception honoring Horticultural Research Institute donors and achievements.

“Mix and mingle” with industry peers and get a peek at a few incredible test gardens and passion projects July 13, 2020, at 5 p.m. during the inaugural tHRIve Virtual Garden Party hosted by the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the AmericanHort foundation.

Tour around the country with HRI from the comfort of your home during this virtual happy hour! You are encouraged to mix up some garden-inspired cocktails or mocktails as you join in on intimate garden tours led by some of the most passionate growers in the business. HRI will have special moments to share throughout the live event as we celebrate recent horticultural advances.

Come be inspired and support HRI’s work to make an impact in four strategic research areas of focus:

Plant Benefits
Innovative Solutions
Consumer Insights
Practical and Actionable Solutions

Most of all, come have some fun and celebrate the conclusion of the first day of Cultivate’20 Virtual.

A Note About Donations

We are so thankful that many of you choose to financially support HRI during our traditional summer gathering.

This year, HRI will have options for accepting live donations before (during the RSVP process) and during this event.

If you would like to share a live or pre-recorded message along with your donation, or have any questions about donating, please contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155 to coordinate your donation before 7/9/20 at 5 p.m.

Your financial gifts make all the difference--to our researchers, our students, our academic institutions--to the future of green industry businesses.

Our virtual tour stops include:

Illinois - “The Gardens at Midwest Groundcovers” Tour Guide: Gary Knosher, Director, Midwest Groundcovers Learn how Midwest Groundcovers takes steps to evaluate consumer trends and get a peek at some of the display and design gardens on property.

Texas - “Hall Hacienda Gardens & Estate” Tour Guide: Dr. Charlie Hall, AmericanHort Chief Economist Take a look at the Hall Hacienda gardens and estate as Dr. Hall walks us through his backyard paradise and points out some of his favorite plants.

California - “From Home Plate to Backyard Oasis” Tour Guide: Jon Reelhorn, President, Belmont Nursery See how a bare plot of land inspired a baseball field, sprawling landscape, and impressive outdoor escape at Jon's personal residence.

Michigan - "Garden on the Grand" Tour Guide: Tim Wood, Product Development Manager, Spring Meadow Nursery Get an inside look at the trialing strategies and beautiful hydrangeas, roses, clematis, and several other plant varieties at the test gardens at Dale Deppe’s personal residence.

Texas - “Private Backyard Retreat” Tour Guide: Todd Davis, Sales Director, Orora Visual Learn how Todd Davis transformed a dilapidated yard into an inviting backyard retreat, featuring drought-resistant plants and innovative designs.

Hope in Gardening

Fri, 01 May 2020 10:35:33 GMT

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson

If you follow our blog, chances are you already know all about how plants can help people feel better. You’ve probably experienced this firsthand. One of my favorite things at the moment is working in my garden – I pull weeds for at least 15 min every day (curse you, winter annuals!) and have been cramming as many perennials into my mulch beds as possible (thank you to all the growers who sell directly online!).

I may regret the plant density in a few years, but it sure helps me cope today.

Spending just 15-20 minutes in nature (a garden or a park or a forest) has been shown to relieve stress and improve your mood. Bonus: it’s healthier than eating that pint of ice cream! These easy, low-cost techniques are especially important now, as we may be overwhelmed by anxiety and fear of the unknown.

Houseplants can help too! Research has shown that office plants can reduce employee sick time by 14% and improve work productivity. If you’re now working from home, consider adding a houseplant or two to your office

space. Last weekend I bought a ZZ plant to add to the ‘tropical rain forest’ (my son’s phrase to describe our collection of houseplants) in my house. Heck, I’ve even committed to buying fresh flowers every week until this settles. The more bright and cheerful, the better!

Our whole industry is dialed into this concept. Industry leaders pinpointed the need to better quantify the benefits of plants, including environmental, societal, and impact on human health, at a roundtable meeting in 2018. HRI trustees took it one step further and adopted this as a key research priority to guide our competitive grants program, our priorities with federal funding partners, and our outreach activities.

For example, this year HRI funded a project led by Dr. Anita Catlin, Manager, Research and Design, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo, Northern CA, designed to evaluate the therapeutic value of a shared gardening experience between the caregiver and the care recipient. Basically, they are looking at the benefits of gardening not only on a patient, but also the patient’s support person. More about our funded projects can be found on our website .

HRI also partnered with Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M ag economist, to develop a video highlighting plant benefits to human well-being . It’s a great video!

Finally, Dr. Hall published a series of articles in HRI’s journal, Journal of Environmental Horticulture (JEH), on this topic. They include:

An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: Part 3 - Social Benefits , Charles R. Hall and Melinda J. Knuth, Journal of Environmental Horticulture 2019 37:4, 136-142
An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: Part 2 Physiological Health Benefits, Charles R. Hall and Melinda J. Knuth, Journal of Environmental Horticulture 2019 37:2, 63-73
An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: A Review of the Emotional and Mental Health Benefits of Plants, Charles Hall and Melinda Knuth, Journal of Environmental Horticulture 2019 37:1, 30-38

All articles in JEH are open access and free to anyone in the world…just click on the links. Plus each article includes a ‘Significance to the Industry’ section.

As many localities are increasingly turning to shelter in place orders and/or closure of nonessential businesses, surround yourself with plants!

….and stay safe

Dr. Jill Calabro
Science & Research Director

jenniferg's blog

Spotlight on Supplemental Lighting

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:35:32 GMT

Controlled environment agriculture, including greenhouses, vertical farms, and plant factories, has existed in the US for decades, especially for production of environmental horticultural crops like potted plants and bedding plants. As technologies advance, interest in controlled environment agriculture has risen. This option is now being considered as a viable method of producing other high value crops as well, such as vegetables and herbs. However, growers haven’t widely adopted these new technologies yet out of a concern over the expense. Supplemental lighting, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in particular, is one such technology where great advances have been made, but growers are slow to adopt.

With all the benefits that come from supplemental lighting, a set of researchers set out to help growers exploring controlled environment agriculture make educated decisions. This multi-disciplinary group of researchers was awarded a Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant from USDA NIFA in 2018 to study supplemental lighting in greenhouses. Lighting Approaches to Maximize Profits, or LAMP , is the title of this multi-state, collaborative project aimed at optimizing supplemental lighting needs in greenhouse applications.

Their mission statement reads: We will help growers get more value out of their lighting systems by providing horticultural and economical information and tools to manage the lights for optimal crop growth and quality and to maximize the return on investment.

Jessica Tatro, Production Research and Development Manager at Pleasant View Gardens and one of the industry representatives on the LAMP advisory panel, commented, “Pleasant View Gardens utilizes supplemental and photoperiodic lighting to provide high-quality liners to the floriculture industry. We recognize the benefits of crop lighting but are continually looking for ways to maximize our current lighting systems to increase quality and/or reduce energy costs through different lighting strategies. As our lighting systems age, we are also interested in new lighting technology that could produce similar quality crops with reduced input costs.”

She added, “We are excited to be a member of Project LAMP and look forward to the research coming out of this group, specifically the decision-support programs and modeling software being developed around the economics of lighting, and the development of software and controllers to regulate how/when lights are run.”

Dr. Marc van Iersel from the University of Georgia leads the team and is accompanied by a cadre of agricultural economists, engineers, horticulturalists, extension specialists, and industry representatives. Many aspects of supplemental lighting will be evaluated, including energy informatics (improving efficiency by collecting, analyzing, and acting on information), photobiology (the effect of light on living organisms, in this case plants), engineering (optimal control algorithms, hardware to implement them, and imaging technologies to monitor growth) and even impact evaluation of the team’s efforts.

While supplemental lighting advancements have stimulated greater interest in food production in controlled environments, traditional crops grown in greenhouses (potted plants, bedding plants) stand to benefit from this research as well. Production time could be shortened and higher quality plants could result with the optimization of lighting. With that in mind, the LAMP team selected various annual and perennial ornamentals, such as rudbeckia, verbena, pansy and petunia, in addition to lettuce as the model crops for testing.

The team focuses strongly on the impacts of far red light. Previous research has confirmed that far red light triggers an elongation response in plants, such as stem elongation and leaf expansion. Newer research shows that a combination of red and far red light can be synergistic and may further enhance plant growth by stimulating a higher rate of photosynthesis – a total amount greater than applying each wavelength independently. These two phenomena are more apparent in small, young plants. So, one key objective of the LAMP project is to optimize red and far red wavelengths to encourage young seedlings to grow bigger faster to increase leaf area, since larger leaves enhance light capture. This allows the canopy to close sooner, and light waste is minimized.

Another lighting strategy to enhance growth is the employment of LEDs. For example, supplementing sunlight with LEDs can cut the rooting time of many crops, leading to a significant decrease in the production schedule. For those nervous about trying LEDs, propagation and young plant operations are a good place to start experimenting with them. Finished production, too, can benefit from supplemental lighting, with a two- to three-week shortened finish time. In this case, lighting can be cost effective if the producer is doing two or more crop turns in a production space, with the potential to get more turns.

The cost of lighting is a major concern to any operation. A large part of the LAMP project is dedicated to understanding the costs and benefits of LEDs, including lamp efficiency and efficacy and the amount of heat generated by LEDs vs. high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. The LAMP team plans to quantify this information and incorporate these calculations into a decision support tool to help growers decide which supplemental lighting system (LEDs, HPS, or no lights) is best for them. This should be available in the coming months on the LAMP home page.

For example, the heat generated by LEDs vs HPS lights is an important consideration and is being compared. High-pressure sodium lights generate a fair amount of radiant heat that is directed downward, towards the leaf surface, leading to an increase in the leaf surface temperature. LEDs, on the other hand, do not emit as much radiant heat; therefore, will more ambient heat be required?

Furthermore, the team is considering how a new cost calculator can be integrated into the current USDA ARS Virtual Grower software tool. This decision-support tool was developed many years ago to help growers estimate heating costs under various scenarios. It has since undergone several updates and revisions to increase its capacity and utility, including the addition of lighting systems. Members of the LAMP team include USDA-ARS researchers who plan to spearhead the next Virtual Grower update and incorporate a range of different lighting options.

This is just a sampling of the key objectives of the LAMP project. AmericanHort and its affiliate, HRI, in conjunction with like-minded organizations such as the American Floral Endowment, supported funding of this research through the USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) granting program.

For more information, please visit the LAMP team website or follow the project on Facebook .

Boxwood Health Check-Up

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:35:31 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute is invested in helping the industry understand the complex nature of boxwood health. New boxwood blight best management practices for landscape management were released last month in tandem with updated best management practices for production. HRI continues to guide research, monitor results, and provide an expanding toolbox of resources on boxwood health directly to the industry.

Boxwood blight continues to cause producers and landscape managers headaches. Reports of the disease continue to rise as scouting prowess increases in our industries and weather conditions (warm, wet/humid conditions, 60-82° F) continue to favor disease development. Researchers are making headway at unraveling boxwood blight’s secrets.

Some of the latest areas of research currently underway includes:

Longevity of chlorothalonil fungicide applications, modeling fungicide resistance, and looking at fungicides that induce boxwood’s natural resistance, such as acibenzolar. Dr. Sara Villani, North Carolina State University
Possible biocontrol agents, such as Trichoderma koningiopsis, Pseudomonas sp., and Burkholderia sp. Dr. JoAnne Crouch, USDA ARS and Dr. Ping Kong, Virginia Tech
Development of a rapid, equipment-free diagnostic assay. Dr. Xiao Yang and Dr. Doug Luster, USDA ARS
Population changes (in term of genetics), Dr. JoAnne Crouch, USDA ARS
Continuing evaluation of cultivar tolerance and susceptibility. Dr. Jim LaMondia, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Dr. Marc Cubeta, North Carolina State University, Dr. JoAnne Crouch, USDA ARS, and Dr. Nina Shishkoff, USDA ARS
Surveys of boxwood production in Oregon, Dr. Jerry Weiland, USDA ARS

It is important to remember, though, that the risk to boxwood does not rest solely in boxwood blight

New Action by APHIS

Early this month, USDA APHIS issued a federal order amending entry requirements for Buxus, Euonymus, and Ilex entering the US from Canada due to the emerging risk of box tree moth. These plants, including propagative material, must now be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration certifying that the plants have been produced in an area recognized by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as free of box tree moth or the shipment has been inspected and declared free of this pest. APHIS has also made pheromone traps available to state departments of agriculture wishing to monitor for box tree moth in 2020.

Box Tree Moth

Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, is the latest insect pest to trouble boxwood production. It is native to eastern Asia and has made its way to North America. A photo enthusiast in the Toronto, ON area first noticed in August 2018 what she thought was a melonworm moth in a pollinator garden. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was not a melonworm moth, and her entomologist friend (who happens to be the author of the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern America) identified it as box tree moth. This was the first detection in North America. CFIA eventually confirmed the new invasive pest find and deployed traps and a management plan for 2019. Traps were placed throughout southern Ontario, targeting residential areas with boxwood. According to Jennifer Llewellyn with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, traps tested positive for box tree moth in over three hundred residences in the Toronto metropolitan area, mostly in the Etobicoke.

Folks in Ontario remain optimistic. Llewellyn commented, “In all of my 21 years as the provincial Nursery and Landscape Specialist in Ontario I have experienced the threat of various invasive pests. This is the first time that we have discovered an invasive pest where there was already an effective pheromone lure in place, effective biological insecticides and known life cycle and behavior information thanks to the amazing research efforts in Europe. For all these reasons, I am hopeful that through awareness, monitoring and education we have a good chance to manage box tree moth while supporting a thriving boxwood industry.”

As Llewellyn indicated, foundational research from Asia and the EU already exists to help us (in North America) get a jump on box tree moth so that we are prepared and ready for when it makes its way here. The EU first reported box tree moth in 2007 in Germany. It spread quickly from there – throughout all of the EU within ten years – primarily through the plant trade. Box tree moth can fly an estimated six to twelve miles per generation, with anywhere from two to five generations per year expected in the US. Only about two generations per year are observed in Ontario. However, movement of infested plant material by humans is the main form of spread.

Box tree moth overwinters as larvae that emerge when temperatures warm in the spring. Females lay about 400-800 eggs over her lifetime on leaf undersides, and the lifecycle from an egg to an adult takes about 45 days. Again, human-mediated movement is the likeliest way this pest is spread long distances. Host material includes Buxus, live or dead plants and greenery. Asian researchers have implicated Euonymus and Ilex as two other hosts; however, researchers in the EU have not confirmed this.

As in Ontario, many researchers from the EU are confident that box tree moth can be easily managed but scouting and identification will be key. Once infested, gardens have shown signs of remediation. We are fortunate in North America that native boxwood forests (which can harbor the insect) are nonexistent, and many commercial pesticides available here are likely effective at control. Bacillus thuringiensis, in particular, has shown strong efficacy, in addition to pyrethroids. Some systemic insecticides look to be good candidates as well, such as chlorantraniliprole; however, efficacy data may not be available yet. For more information on box tree moth, view an informative webinar from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, featuring Jennifer Llewellyn.

HRI supports research directly related to boxwood health and leverages these funds to help protect the industry. We further support research funded through the USDA ARS’s Floriculture and Nursery research Initiative and USDA APHIS’s PPA7721 (formerly Section 10007). Directing needed research like the kind being conducted on boxwood health is a prime example of how HRI fulfills its mission to improve the productivity and profitability of the horticultural industry. To learn more about boxwood research results and to access to resources on boxwood health, visit HRIresearch.org.

The San Diego Zoo: Beyond Animals

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:56:42 GMT

Way back in February (which seems like two years ago now), I joined a group of ag economists for their meeting, which included a behind the scenes tour of the plant programs at the San Diego Zoo.

The tour blew my mind! Their botanical gardens are stunning, but I had no idea that zoos included such extensive plant programs. It’s easy to get caught up in the education and entertainment value of zoos and forget the part that focuses on research and species conservation. Turns out plants are a part of that mission too! And the San Diego Zoo, voted the #1 zoo in the world, was an ideal place for me to learn more. They even have a suite of pamphlets available for plant nerds outlining suggested botanical tours in the park.

Naturally the zoo has its own propagation nursery to act as a source of material when displays are updated or a plant must be replaced somewhere in the park. The Zoo strives to match plant displays with the animal displays. For example, the Australian Outback exhibit boasts not only animals native to Australia but also plant life. There are some unexpected plant-centric programs there as well.

Plants can be victims of poaching too, and the San Diego Zoo serves as a plant rescue center for orchids. When a plant is illegally brought into the U.S. and is seized, the plant is sent to a plant rescue center. Often the confiscated plants have been mistreated and are in bad shape, are unknown, or are a protected species. Zoo horticulturalists step in to nurse them back to health, coax them to flower, and identify them. Over 2,500 orchids are currently housed at the zoo.

And then there is the carnivorous plant display. Our tour group got to feed a pitcher plant, a Venus fly trap, and a sundew! Of course there are many, many more plant displays at the San Diego Zoo, including the extensive bamboo collection, over 1,300 ginger species, cycads (a specialty for them) for days, 26 banana varieties, and innumerable Ficus specimens. Speaking of all those Ficus trees, the zoo even has a dedicated ‘browse room’ where foliage is collected throughout the park to be fed to some of the animals; ficus is the most common forage.

Many thanks to the hospitality of the San Diego Zoo and their staff for their time and information that day. I learned a lot that day and found a greater appreciation for zoos! For more information, check out their website. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/plants

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI Research & Science Directo

HRI & OAN Boxwood Health Workshop Recap

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:35:29 GMT

Over a quarter of all boxwood (the #1 broadleaf evergreen shrub!) production in the U.S. occurs in either Oregon, California, or Washington. A handful of pests challenge boxwood production and landscape management, but boxwood blight has emerged as a significant threat. This disease is even more troublesome in the PNW since symptoms appear to be more subtle as compared with other regions.

HRI, OAN, and AmericanHort hosted a one-day workshop in Oregon to talk about boxwood health. Specific topics included:

The latest updates on cultivar testing and control strategies of boxwood blight,
Insights from a major boxwood producer in the heart of boxwood blight country on how to start clean and stay clean
An overview of nursery production surveys for boxwood blight in Oregon
An update on APHIS efforts to prevent introduction of box tree moth to the US.

Representatives from Oregon Department of Agriculture were be on hand to discuss the Oregon boxwood cleanliness program.

Presentation materials are available for download from the following workshop sessions:

Sanitation for boxwood blight management - Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Research Assistant Professor, Tennessee State University

The session addressed 1) why you should use sanitation practices at boxwood production and 2) improved boxwood blight sanitation/hygiene practices through research results

Cultivar Resistance (PDF), Dr. Jim LaMondia, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The potential for boxwood cultivar resistance/susceptibility and fungicide programs for management of blight.

First year scouting insights from the Oregon boxwood blight survey (PDF), Dr. Jerry Weiland, USDA ARS
This presentation covered the range of boxwood blight symptoms that growers can expect to see, some other common diseases that may look similar, scouting strategies for detecting boxwood blight, and some common risks that may lead to explosive boxwood blight outbreaks, spreading the pathogen, or make detection difficult. Also included: a summary of the cultivars affected by boxwood blight

Boxwood Blight - A Managed Disease (PDF), Bennett Sauders, Saunders Brothers Nursery
After the record rainfall in 2018, Boxwood Blight became a common disease active in many gardens in the mid-Atlantic area of the United States. Along with the increased incidence of Box Blight, researchers have recently identified many commonsense ways to reduce the incidence of Box Blight at the nursery level. Bennett explained Saunders Brothers’ Nursery “one two punch” of 1) BMP’s and 2) more tolerant cultivars to greatly reduce the chance of introduction and severity of Boxwood Blight.

Boxwood Blight Cleanliness Program (PDF), Chris Benemann, Oregon Department of Agriculture
In 2011, the Oregon Department of Agriculture created the voluntary Cleanliness Program In response to concerns of boxwood blight spreading among Oregon nurseries. The program emphasizes the working relationship between a nursery and their ODA inspector to effectively scout for the disease.

Does the arid Mediterranean climate have an impact on Boxwood blight infection and symptom severity? (PDF), Karen Suslow, Program Manager & Principle Investigator, National Ornamental Research Site at Dominican University CA (NORS-DUC)

Cydalima perspectalis Box Tree Moth – An APHIS Overview (PDF), Judy Macias, Assistant Trade Director, Phytosanitary Issues Management, Plant Protection & Quarantine
APHIS provided an overview of Box Tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis), including its general biology (description, life cycle, distribution and hosts), and discussed current and pending restrictions to prevent its introduction into the United States.

Best Management Practices for Boxwood Health in the Landscape Fact Sheet Available

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 10:35:29 GMT

Resource Expands HRI’s Growing Boxwood Blight Library

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) released a set of recommended best management practices (BMPs) aimed at dealing with boxwood blight in the landscape . The new BMPs came at the request of industry stakeholders following new findings from ongoing boxwood blight research.

As boxwood blight discoveries continue to increase, so does concern over the long-term success of the most popular broadleaf evergreen, boxwood. The BMPs are meant to provide guidance to landscape managers regarding practices and their risk of boxwood blight. They are suggested for voluntary adoption; none are mandatory or legally enforceable.

Topics address practices to help train personnel, the importance of scouting, reducing the risk of introduction to a property, preventing spread of a confirmed infected area, replanting, and sanitation. All recommendations were developed by a working group convened by HRI consisting of National Plant Board representatives and landscape managers. Furthermore, the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) endorsed the resulting BMPs.

“Boxwood blight continues to grow as a threat to established landscapes across North America,” states Gary Knosher, HRI President. “Boxwood is the most popular broadleaf evergreen sold in the United States and has significant presence in landscapes and historic gardens. Creating voluntary management practices for boxwood health to guide landscape managers was a natural next step in HRI’s commitment in helping the industry mitigate the spread of the disease.”

The current BMPs for nursery production were updated as well to reflect more recent findings by the research community. For example, 70% alcohol has been confirmed to kill conidia, a type of spore, within seconds. This is a critically important and cost-effective tool to incorporate into sanitation practices such as cleaning pruning tools between blocks and/or properties.

HRI is invested in helping the industry understand the complex nature of boxwood health. To aid growers, we partnered with the Oregon Association of Nurseries and hosted a one-day, sold-out workshop in February 2020. The workshop emphasized the importance of BMPs and cultivar selection to best managed boxwood blight. Presentation materials from this workshop are available here .

HRI proudly supports scientific research and students for the advancement of the environmental horticultural industry. Outreach is a key component to HRI’s mission. HRI was established by industry leaders on the premise that no one could better direct needed research to advance horticulture than the very people who work in it, day in and day out.

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Helping plant nurseries reduce runoff

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 10:35:28 GMT

Originally published by the Soil Science Society of America .

You may have heard how excess nutrients, such as phosphorus, can run off of crop fields. This can cause harm when the nutrients end up in rivers and lakes. However, there are other sources of excess nutrients you might not think of, such as the pots nursery plants come in.

Researcher Jake Shreckhise collects drainage water from columns containing pine bark growing media to determine how dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer amendments affect different forms of phosphorus. Credit: Alex NiemieraBefore being shipped to farmers and garden centers, many tree crops and ornamental plants are grown in pots at nurseries. The growers apply fertilizer with nutrients, including phosphorus, to the plants in containers.

Phosphorus runoff, including that from container-grown plants, can be harmful to water quality. Because of this, researchers are looking into ways nurseries can keep phosphorus where it belongs - in the pots. Jacob Shreckhise of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service has been looking into this problem.

"Specialty crops, including ornamental plants, small fruits, and fruit trees, may spend all or a part of their life in a pot or container," explains Shreckhise. "Growing plants in containers saves space, helps with shipping and handling, and requires no arable land. These containers are usually filled with peat or bark instead of soil. Because peat and bark provide very little nutrients, plants are given fertilizer that release nutrients slowly over time."

However, little research has previously been done to determine what additions to the peat or bark might help keep the phosphorus in the containers. To help answer this question, he and other researchers performed a laboratory study on pine bark-based potting medium and two ingredients nurseries often add to it: dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer.

"It's important to remember that the growing media used to produce nursery crops in containers is totally different than the field soils other crops are grown in," says Shreckhise. "Bark and peat-based growing media can't stop the phosphorus from moving around as easily. So, it's free to drain from the containers when they are watered. That's what we are trying to prevent."

For their lab experiment, they filled columns with the potting material, a fertilizer and ingredients thought to help with keeping phosphorus around. Then, they watered the columns and collected the drainage water to analyze.

They found that the two additives, dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer, reduce the concentrations of a particular form of phosphorus by an average of 70%.

The additives work because of complex chemistry. Phosphate, a form of phosphorus that plants can use, has a negative charge. This means it likes to stick to things with a positive charge, such as dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer. In addition to improving plant growth, this research shows that these amendments help keep phosphorus in the pot.

Shreckhise and his team also studied how long dolomite and micronutrient fertilizers help to retain phosphorus in containers. Their next step is seeing if that retained phosphorus is in a form that plants can use.

Phosphorus runoff is becoming a bigger and bigger problem for the environment. Farms, including nurseries, must continue to combat it. "This research shows that we should continue exploring the use of amendments to help reduce the phosphorus that washes away from the containerized plants," says Shreckhise.

"This research was just the first step toward understanding the phosphorus chemistry occurring in these pots," he says. "Since plants were not involved in this study, we cannot make specific recommendations to growers based solely on this research. The general public should know that nursery growers routinely add these amendments to the potting medium. This is a step in the right direction to keeping the green industry 'green.'"

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Read more about this work in Soil Science Society of America Journal . This research was partially funded by the Hatch Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (including SCRI 2014- 51181-22372), the US Department of Agriculture, the Horticultural Research Institute, and the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association.

Box Tree Moth: Coming Soon to a Boxwood Near You?

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:35:26 GMT

A new insect pest, box tree moth, will likely make itself known to the U.S. soon after being found in a few Toronto area landscapes in fall 2018. An online, citizen science group first reported the sightings after a homeowner submitted photos of the pest that were then verified by an entomologist. This marks the first reports of this pest in North America; however, the findings remain unconfirmed by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

How did it get to Canada?

Our story begins in Germany, in the vicinity of a shipping center that receives materials from China. That’s where box tree moth (BTM) was first found in the EU in 2007. The details of BTM introduction to Germany are unknown, but it is most likely linked to importation of infested boxwoods from BTM’s native range, China. Since 2007, it quickly spread to nearly all countries in the EU, mostly through the movement of infested boxwood in the nursery trade; this is the likely explanation of how it made its way to Canada as well.

Not even a polar vortex can slow it down.

No natural predators exist in the EU. Not even birds and other animals will eat the caterpillars, because they contain toxins deemed distasteful. Once introduced to an area, damage to boxwood is severe. In just a few years, large areas of native boxwood trees and forests have been devastated. Between 2009 and 2010, German officials attributed over 90% defoliation in the country’s largest box tree forest to BTM. Boxwood can survive defoliation as long as the caterpillars do not eat bark on the main stems. Once this happens, boxwood lose ability to obtain necessary nutrients and water, while becoming more susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections.

Boxwood garden destroyed by box tree moth. Photo courtesy Bennett Saunders.

Getting to Know BTM

As with many insect pests, the most destructive life stage is larvae, or caterpillars in this case. Damage is caused by larvae feeding on leaves (aesthetic damage) and bark (physiological damage). Infestations are flagged by skeletonized leaves, frass deposits, and webbing created by caterpillars for protection during feeding and pupation. Adults are moths with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches, and wings are either white with a dark brown border or brown with small, white spots.

Box tree larvae and webbing. Photo courtesy Bennett Saunders.

The ideal temperature range for BTM is from 70 – 92° F, but activities are known to occur outside this range. Eggs hatch when temperatures are at least 52° F, and larvae regularly survive winter temperatures below -22° F in parts of China. Not even a polar vortex can slow it down. Depending on temperature and light levels, two to four life cycles per year are common in the EU; each lasts around 45 days.What can we do to protect ourselves?

APHIS has been closely monitoring for the potential introduction of this new pest to the U.S. for over ten years and created new pest response guidelines in preparation. One possible course of action that APHIS could take involves creating a federal order requiring inspection and certification of boxwood entering the U.S. from Canada.

Traps and monitoring programs are other examples. Researchers are unsure how quickly BTM will spread in the U.S. Box tree forests do not exist here; so, less host material may translate to slower or less spread.

Controls are available, including pheromone traps, pyrethroids, chlorantraniliprole, and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) products (Xentari, DiPel). Eradication in North America could be a viable option in North America, but only if we, as an industry, are vigilant and stay prepared for any suspicious-looking boxwood damage. Please report anything that even remotely looks like it could be BTM and help protect our boxwoods!

Damage to boxwood from box tree moth. Photo courtesy Ferenc Lakatos.

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) continues to monitor BTM as part of its ongoing Boxwood Initiative. Outreach on emerging pests and diseases is another example of how HRI helps the industry stay informed on issues impacting their bottom line.

Product information is in no way a product endorsement. Please consult product registration and label for the most current use information.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Horticultural Research Institute & AmericanHor

Learn more about HRI’s Boxwood Initiative here .

The Furtive Foe of the Forests

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:35:25 GMT

For most people, mistletoe conjures warm feelings of holiday traditions.

Not me. You won’t find mistletoe in my house.

Sure, the sprigs of leafy, evergreen mistletoe you strategically hang in your doorway as an excuse to kiss your sweetie during the holidays may be lovely, but it just reminds me of its grave cousin, dwarf mistletoe.

Dwarf mistletoe infections cause spindle-shaped swellings on branches and small stems. Dwarf mistletoe shoots begin to sprout in the spring eventually forming clusters of shoots as seen in this plant. Photo Credit: USDA Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Dwarf mistletoe is the plant parasite responsible for severe damage to conifer forests, especially in the Western U.S. The U.S Forest Service estimates at least 43% of all Douglas fir stands in eastern Washington are infected with dwarf mistletoe. And you may never see this fearful assassin, despite it operating in plain sight.

It starts as a seemingly harmless thief.

Dwarf mistletoe begins it sordid journey from a seed (it is a plant, after all) that germinates and taps into the tree host vascular system to burgle water and nutrients. From there, it is slow to develop. In fact, it can take one to two years to notice any change to the tree, and even then, it’s usually subtle. The first signs of any harmful activity appear merely as some swelling or distortion of the infected branch. Another two to three years later, the mistletoe plant itself emerges as leafless, olive green-colored, small shoots on infected branches that easily blend into conifer needles. Two years after that, seeds are produced, for a grand total of about six years to complete its life cycle. Even more wicked, this furtive foe can lie dormant in a tree for years in dense stands until light levels are adequate.

They have their own superpower. Their sticky seeds are forcibly ejected at speeds clocked around 60 mph and can land as far as 30-40’ away. Most only go about 10-15’ though. That’s when the cycle starts all over again.

So how do we know it’s there?

One clear symptom that dwarf mistletoe is mischief-making, is when the tree starts producing witches’ brooms. As the mistletoe colonizes the tree, interior buds are eventually pillaged. This invasion stimulates the buds to produce a dense mass of shoots (instead of just one under normal circumstances) that resembles a bird or squirrel nest. That is a witches’ broom.

The poor, unsuspecting, victimized tree suffers a slow decline, as nutrients and water are stolen. Growth rate is slowed, the tree shape becomes grotesque, and branches are more prone to breakage. First the top of the tree declines, as lower, infected branches demand more and more resources. Meanwhile, the mistletoe spreads within the tree first by moving upward about 4-6” each year and outward to adjacent and lower storied trees. As a tree is compromised, insects, wood decay, and climatic factors often finish the tree off. Full-on mercenary action.

Just to be clear, the common leafy mistletoe is a plant parasite as well, just not as effective. It can absolutely damage trees (especially deciduous trees) and result in their decline, but it is not considered as ruthless as dwarf mistletoes.

Mistletoe management is a major challenge and relies on pruning, removal of infected trees, and planting nonhosts. Removing mistletoe shoots (if you’re lucky enough to see it) is insufficient; often it will just regrow there the next year.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Directo
rHorticultural Research Institut

All photos courtesy J. Calabro, unless otherwise noted.

Small (but Mighty!)

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 10:35:25 GMT

Fungi are so variable – from single-celled yeasts to the biggest living organism on earth (Armillaria ostoyae covers nearly 4 square miles in an Oregon forest…and is a butt rot!). Others are small but mighty, like the artillery fungus.

Also known as the shotput fungus or the cannonball fungus, the artillery fungus is most often found in mulch. Its Latin name, Sphaerobolus stellatus, means star-shaped sphere thrower. Other species of Sphaerobolus have been identified as well, including S. iowensis (Iowa-shaped sphere thrower? Sphere thrower from Iowa?). The name alone implies that this fungus has a colorful story to tell.

They resemble little, teeny tiny cups that grow in landscape mulch, about 1/8” in size. Their ‘cup’ holds a mass of sticky spores called a gleba. Water pressure builds up in the ‘cup’ and eventually blasts the gleba out into the world. Being sticky, the gleba sticks to the surface where it lands and looks like a small, shiny black speck.

What’s so mighty about that?

Well, researchers documented a gleba shot as far as 18’ in length and 14’ in height. For perspective, that is equivalent to a six-foot-tall person throwing a baseball almost two miles away and nearly 1.5 miles high. Since this fungus is prevalent in landscape mulch, homeowners with light-colored siding often report headaches from trying to scrub scads of tiny black spots off their home or car. If the siding is wood, spores could germinate and slowly degrade it, if enough moisture is present. In addition to being super sticky, the glebal mass is quite resilient, and its job is to protect the spores within it. Research has shown that even when the gleba is kept dry and dormant for 11 years, spores are able to successfully germinate once exposed to ideal conditions (moisture is key).

This is another example of a wood decay fungus. Artillery fungi prefer mulch as a food source, since it is usually moist. The type of mulch doesn’t seem to matter. Researchers at Penn State have tested 27 different kinds of mulch, and all supported Sphaerobolus spp. growth eventually. However, they do seem to favor the north side of houses, which tend to have cooler temperatures and shade.

North side of a house featuring Sphaerobolus stellatus

The dark side

New plant diseases don’t come along that often; so, it’s a fairly big deal when it happens. One of the newest turf diseases is attributed to (you guessed it!) the artillery fungus. Turns out mulch isn’t the only substrate they consume.

Back in 2010, a handful of golf courses in New Zealand, Scotland, and the US reported small dark rings that resembled fairy ring, except that the turf was sunken within the ring. It looked as though the ring had collapsed; thus, the name ‘thatch collapse’ was coined. In all cases, the golf course had high levels of organic matter.

Dr. John Kaminski and his lab, at Penn State, led the charge to identify the culprit, and they pinpointed S. stellatus as the offender behind this new disease. Thatch collapse is most noticeable on putting greens, since they are maintained at such a low height. Researchers theorize that thatch collapse could occur on home lawns but would be less noticeable.

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI Science & Research Director

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Halloween-y Bugs: What NOT to Eat on Halloween...

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 10:35:23 GMT

Some bugs look a little spooky. Some people might argue that all bugs look spooky. Either way, I’m in the mood for some Halloween, and, based on their orange and black appearance, so are large milkweed bugs!

Large milkweed bugs

Monarch caterpillars aren’t the only game in town when it comes to milkweed (Asclepias). Several different kinds of bugs rely on milkweed: small milkweed bugs, red milkweed beetles, milkweed tussock moth caterpillars, and a few others. Oh, and large milkweed bugs.

Large milkweed bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus, are technically true bugs. ‘True bugs’ is a term used by entomologists to describe a group of insects (some 50,000 to 80,000 species!) that have piercing and sucking mouthparts. They cannot chew but rather insert their beak into a plant and suck the plant sap. Other examples include aphids, leafhoppers, and cicadas. Their young nymphs somewhat resemble their adult phase, which means they do not undergo a complete metamorphosis (like a caterpillar creates a chrysalis and emerges a beautiful butterfly).

Large milkweed bugs fit that description to a ‘T.’ They feed on sap from seeds, leaves, and stems of milkweed. Milkweeds are rarely killed from them; they are more of a nuisance than anything. One interesting aspect about these insects is that they migrate. A researcher first documented this activity on populations from Iowa. Towards the end of the summer when the days began to shorten, temperatures cooled, and milkweeds started to decline, large milkweed bugs were found to high tail it out of Iowa in search of warmer digs. Turns out, they travel all the way to the southern Atlantic area and Gulf Coast states, and then reverse their flight the next spring/summer to head back north. Some populations exist in southern regions year-round that do not migrate and stay put.

But are they spooky? One thing is certain: you shouldn’t eat them. Only a few insects can eat milkweeds. This is because they produce toxins, called cardiac glycosides, that are poisonous to humans, pets, livestock, and the vast majority of insects. In humans, these toxins can cause bloating, fever, and difficulty breathing, among other symptoms, and results can be fatal if enough milkweed is consumed. Well, it turns out that a handful of insects are able to store the cardiac glycosides, rather than metabolize them. This is exactly what large milkweed bugs (and monarchs for that matter) do. When a predator eats one, it will vomit and never eat another one again. And they advertise their unsavoriness with their Halloween-y bright orange and contrasting black colors.

So, while the jury is still out on whether large milkweed bugs are spooky, everyone can agree they are quite festive! …and don’t eat them!

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
Horticultural Research Institute

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Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 10:35:21 GMT

Surely you’ve seen it.

Maybe you didn’t know what it was and dismissed it as something vile, repulsive, and unappealing lying provocatively in a mulch bed.

I’m talking about dog vomit fungus.

It’s a bit of a misnomer; dog vomit fungus is not a true fungus. It’s actually a slime mold, which are quite wonderful organisms!

My love for fungi stems from the time I spent with my grandma hunting morels every spring in our timber (Iowa-speak for unmanaged, deciduous forest), but my appreciation for fungal beauty comes from slime molds. And the most recognizable slime mold is (you guessed it) dog vomit fungus, aka Fuligo septica.

But again, the name is a misnomer. Slime molds aren’t true fungi; they’re not even in the same biological kingdom as fungi. They used to be, but research determined that they are more closely related to amoebas and certain seaweeds (than fungi). So now slime molds are classified in the Protista Kingdom, which is made up of a hodgepodge of simple organisms that don’t really belong anywhere else.

Regardless of their classification, there are many hundreds of different types of slime molds all throughout the world. Some are macroscopic and can be easily be seen, such dog vomit fungus, but most are micropscopic. Not all slime molds look like dog vomit; some are outwardly quite pretty, especially ones found on decaying wood or even grass blades. They all feed on bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.

When food is plentiful, slime molds live freely as single-celled organisms, but they come together to move as a single body, when food is scarce. Eventually they form multicellular fruiting bodies that look similar to fungal fruiting bodies – only on a generally smaller scale. The fruiting bodies are GORGEOUS – so delicate, intricate, some are surprisingly colorful – they are remarkable.

And they are microscopic; so, you need a microscope to fully appreciate their beauty and splendor. Slime molds, or Myxomycota, were the first organisms we studied in my introductory Mycology class with the famous mycologist Dr. Lois Tiffany at Iowa State. I was instantly hooked.

So the next time you see an amorphous, possibly fuzzy, looking blob on your mulch, please don’t be dissuaded by the fact it looks like dog vomit (because it really does)…rather, try to remember that there’s immense beauty on the inside.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
Horticultural Research Institute

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Mighty Mites

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:35:20 GMT

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED FUNKY-LOOKING MAPLE OR CHERRY LEAVES?

Right about this time of the year, as we say goodbye to spring and move into full summer mode, is when they can be found – leaves that almost look like they need a shave. It’s not really hair though. Those growths are called spindle galls, and they are formed by the feeding of teeny, tiny eriophyid mites.

Maybe you’ve heard of mites before; spider mites are pretty common. Eriophyid mites, however, are even smaller than spider mites; they average about 1/100” long. They can only be seen with the aid of a hand lens or microscope, and for this reason often go undetected. For comparison, spider mites are about 0.04”, or less than 1mm. Neither are technically insects; they both are more closely related to spiders.

Spindle galls formed by eriophyid mites. Photo courtesy J. Calabro.

Regardless of all that, they can do some neat things to leaves. Eriophyid mites cause leaf distortion from their feeding. Some eriophyid mites cause bronzing or reddening of leaves, as is the case with the mite that transmits rose rosette virus. As they infest leaf surfaces and suck plant juices, their spit often transfers a toxin to the plant that alters the plant’s normal plant growth hormones, resulting in more and larger plant cells. And in the case of cherry (and maple), spindle galls form!

Inside those galls are slow-moving, carrot-shaped, feeding mites. Female eriophyid mites overwinter in bark crevices or other protected parts of the tree and have already been fertilized. When spring comes, they move to developing, unfolding leaves and set to work. The gall eventually envelopes the feeding mite – it will even continue to develop if the mite dies or leaves, since the plant growth hormone shift has already occurred – and protects the mite from any predators or miticide. Eggs are eventually laid in the gall, and the adult moves to other newly emerging leaves. Only new leaves produce galls; mature leaves do not. Therefore, gall formation ceases by mid-summer.

Not to worry, spindle galls (and similar bladder galls) do not inflict much harm to the plant. In severe infestations, leaves may drop prematurely, but generally the tree feels no long-term, negative impacts. They just look funky for a while.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
HRI & AmericanHort

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Lose the (Azalea) Lace Bugs

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 10:35:19 GMT

Cherry blossoms hog the flowering plant spotlight every spring in the D.C. area, but there’s another woody out there that deserves equal (if not more) attention: azaleas. And one of the best places to see them in all their glory is at the U.S. National Arboretum (USNA). Fun fact: National Geographic readers recently named the USNA as one of the ten best destinations for blooms in the world! Their azalea collection is part of the reason why. Every spring, over 10,000 azaleas stun visitors with gorgeous pink, purple, coral, and white blooms. In fact, these beautiful blooms first prompted the USNA to open to the public 70 years ago, and yes, they are that beautiful!

Photo courtesy Dr. Jill Calabro

But every rose has its thorn. And in the case of azaleas, that thorn is azalea lace bug.

Azalea lace bug is one of the most common pests on azaleas and can be devastating. Early infestations are discreet and may go unnoticed until the damage becomes severe. If you start seeing azalea leaves that look like they are covered in tiny white-to-yellow colored dots or leaves that look unusually yellow with green veins, azalea lace bug may be the culprit, and it’s time to act. Repeated infestations can result in plant death.

Photo via Facebook, Friends of the National Arboretum (@FONArboretum)

These little bugs are inconspicuous, covertly waging warfare against azaleas. They prefer the undersides of leaves and are small; so, they are not obvious. Plus, larvae are nearly translucent and wingless, making them even harder to detect. They feed in clusters, sucking sap from the plant and draining it of nutrients and chlorophyll. Adults are no more than ¼” in length with translucent, lace-like wings (hence the name). It overwinters as black eggs on leaf undersides often found along leaf veins. After hatching in spring, this pest completes its life cycle in about 40 days. This means there can be as many as 4 generations per year in some locations – maybe even five in southern states.

If infestations persist, the plant will suffer over time and become increasingly susceptible to other pests, diseases, and weather extremes. Premature leaf drop may occur, and small shrubs are at a greater risk for death.

Jim Baker, North Carolina State University, Bugwood.org

Many control options are available. Before planting, consider the site. Azaleas grown in sunny locations tend to be more susceptible to lace bug problems. Cultivars range in terms of their tolerance of lace bug. For example, several selections in the Encore series are considered resistant (Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Sangria, Autumn Rouge and others), while others are considered moderately resistant (Autumn Embers, Autumn Bravo, Autumn Ruby, and others).

Natural enemies do exist, such as minute pirate bugs, jumping spiders, and lace wings (oh my!). But in many situations, pesticide use is warranted. Insecticidal soaps, contacts (such as pyrethroids – just make sure to apply to leaf undersides), and systemics (such as neonicotinoids and acephate) have been shown effective. As with most pest problems, insecticides will prevent and reduce new damage, but they will not instantly make current damage disappear. Plants will need to outgrow damaged foliage, and this takes time.

Be monitoring now, as azalea lace bug eggs are surely hatching!

And next time you’re in the D.C. area, please make some time to visit the USNA!

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director, HRI & AmericanHort

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Too Much of a Good Thing: the Story of Mulch Volcanoes

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 10:35:17 GMT

Welcome, Spring! Tender, new leaves are emerging, blossoms are blooming, plants are waking, and a fresh new crop of mulch volcanoes has formed. It’s almost as if they appear overnight – one day everything is peaceful and quiet in the landscape; the next day mulch volcanoes are everywhere. And they are not good.

They look innocuous enough, just simple mounds of mulch around a tree. But underneath lurks a hot bed of trouble waiting to slowly erupt. They form under good intentions, often to help protect trees from lawn mowers and weed whackers. When the mulch is too thick, those well-meaning deeds lead to more stress for the tree.

Ideally, mulch should be no more than 2-3” thick, spread about 4-6’ diameter around the trunk, and not touch the trunk. This amount benefits trees greatly by acting like a blanket by moderating soil temperatures to keep summer temperatures down and winter temperatures up. Soil structure improves as well – aeration is better, erosion is lessened, and water can better penetrate the soil surface. Surface evaporation is also reduced, helping maintain soil moisture.

Source: Steve Bullmanl, arbtalk.co.uk

Mulch reaches volcano status when it reaches a depth of around 8-12”, sometimes more! This creates an environment where there is not enough oxygen for roots. The mulch compacts over time, which makes it even harder for roots to have access to oxygen. And it can smell bad. Fresh mulch should smell earthy; bad mulch turns sour from the buildup of hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell). Plus high mulch layers cause tree bark to rot and crack. This leaves the tree more susceptible to rodent damage, bark decay, and tree diseases (remember butt rot? Long live butt rot!).

Often the tree can confuse the mulch for soil and send out secondary roots all throughout the mulch. These shallow roots can encircle the tree or even grow upward instead of spreading outward, creating a weak support system for the tree. Shallow roots are also more susceptible to drought stress than those in soil.

All that translates to a slow death for the tree.

This can be corrected with a little hard work. First the mulch must be removed down to the soil line. Care must be given to remove secondary roots found during excavation, especially those encircling the trunk. Then add fresh mulch but aim for more of a flat doughnut shape and avoid the lava dome look.

Here’s hoping one day we will live in a world free of mulch volcanoes!

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI & AmericanHort Science & Research Director

Header photo courtesy J. Calabro.

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When Plants Get Salty

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 10:35:14 GMT

While diseases are important in plant health, they are not responsible for every browning or plant death. Abiotic diseases can cause problems too. Things like drought, freezing temperatures, herbicide drift, dog urine, nutrient deficiencies – anything negatively impacting plant growth that isn’t caused by a living agent. That includes salt, the kind used for deicing purposes in the winter.

Most people know by now that rock salt can be harmful to pets - causing lethargy and vomiting if ingested and irritating little paws just by walking on treated surfaces. It also damages plants, and spring is the most common time of the year to see the effects; that’s when the telltale signs appear. Leaf or needle browning, bud death, and scorched-looking leaf margins are all typical. When you look at the whole plant, branch dieback on the side facing a road or sidewalk may be evident.

Some signs, though, are not apparent until summer, when deicing is but a faded memory. Summer is when fewer or smaller leaves than normal can be observed, and water stress becomes a concern. These symptoms occur more often in hot, dry years. The salts in the soil can absorb water, making it less available for the plant. Then roots dehydrate, and the damage may not be fully visible until summer.

Plants are exposed to these salts through a variety of ways. Sometimes they are inadvertently applied directly onto plants, especially if located near a sidewalk or roadway. Other times, spray from passing cars lands on plants, and salt-laden snow can even get plowed or shoveled onto landscape plants. In these cases, rock salt desiccates bud scales, the protective layer around buds, leaving tender floral and leaf tissue exposed to the ravages of cold, winter winds. In milder winters, the impact may not be as pronounced. But in winters with a wicked polar vortex, don’t be surprised if damage is more apparent.

However, one of the more destructive introductions comes from salts dissolved in runoff water, creating the potential for salt accumulation in the soil. Chloride can accumulate at toxic levels in plants, leading to interference with chlorophyll production and ultimately a lea- burn appearance and dieback. Sodium and chloride together cause nutrient imbalances in soil. Roots will absorb sodium & chlorine instead of other, essential nutrients like phosphorous and potassium. This results in problems such as darkened, discolored leaves or yellowing between leaf veins.

If you are concerned about this kind of damage, changing the type of salt you use may make a big difference. All salts are not created equal. Most just happen to be rock salt, which is made up of sodium chloride and is the most damaging to plants. Other, safer options include magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and calcium magnesium acetate. Salts without sodium are preferable around plants (and pets!) and important tools for preventing future damage.

If you can’t control the type of deicing agent used, consider changing your landscape. Some plants are more tolerant of salts than others, such as juniper, Mugo pine, white spruce, paper birch, and sumac. These would be better suited for locations near sites treated with salts in winter.

The extent of damage depends on the plant type, movement of runoff, availability of fresh water, and the type of salt used. There are many kinds of deicing agents available for use on roads, driveways, and sidewalks. Chemistry matters in this case.

In addition to rock salt,

Salts applied late winter more damaging than early apps (allow more opportunity for salts to leach away before growth in spring
Volume of fresh water applied to soils impact amount of salts leached away, rainfall washes salt from leaves

Management: reduce salt use

Combine salt with sand, sawdust, or cinders that can provide grittiness for traction
Use calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride (more expensive)
Target apps away from plants & beds
Flow of runoff should be considered
Protect plants with physical barrier – burlap, plastic, wood
In times of warfare, used to destroy soils

There are many kinds of different salts available in winter for use on roads, driveways, and sidewalks to manage snow and ice and make surfaces safer for driving and walking.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
Horticultural Research Institute & AmericanHort

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Spotted Lanternfly Summit Held

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:35:15 GMT

AmericanHort member and HRI supporter Bartlett Tree Experts recently hosted a meeting of environmental horticulture professionals dedicated to spotted lanternfly (SLF) discussions. Professionals including researchers, extension agents, state regulators, and industry practitioners attended. It was a good opportunity to learn and share the latest SLF information.

A major consensus was reached: this is one complicated pest.

Some information is concrete. SLF has established populations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia. It has also been reported in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maryland.

In Pennsylvania we know there is one generation per year, with hatch occurring May-June and eggs are laid end of September. Four instars, or life stages, are known. Besides seeing the actual insect adults and larvae, excessive honeydew and resulting sooty mold are key signs of an infestation - and homeowner complaints.

Adult emerging from 4th instar case. Eric R. Day, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org

Over 70 hosts have been listed, and popular ones (to SLF) include tree of heaven, red maple, silver maple, river birch, and black walnut. Then things get sticky; distinct host preferences have been noted by industry and researchers.

Since its discovery in Berks County, PA in 2014, researchers have observed a link to tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima. Initially, they believed that SLF required tree of heaven to complete its life cycle, which would lead control recommendations to be centered around management strategies of tree of heaven removal and treatment. But as we learn more about this pest, there doesn’t seem to be a silver bullet. Early research indicates that SLF adults live longer when tree of heaven is the host, but it may not be a necessity after all.

Spotted lanternfly nymphs on black walnut. Eric R. Day, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org

Researchers have been able to rear SLF in the laboratory in the absence of tree of heaven, and landscape managers have witnessed SLF moving to different tree species based on their stage of development. For example, early instars may be found on roses or red twig dogwood, but late instars (fourth instars) are often observed hopping several hundred feet in search of tree of heaven or black walnut. By fall, many adults end up on red or silver maple.

Also unclear is the extent of their mobility. Larvae are wingless and crawl up and down trees as they are feeding and move by hopping to new trees/hosts. Adults, on the other hand, appear to be strong flyers in short bursts, just enough to launch them into an air current to assist movement. In short, researchers are unclear as to how far they can travel on their own.

One thing is certain though, reinfestation following treatment is a significant problem in landscapes. ‘Hot’ trees, or specific trees repeatedly attacked that can also serve as a congregation spot, are common in infested areas.

Spotted lanternfly. Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org

Concern exists over the possibility of multiple generations in southern regions, since egg masses may not require a chill or cold period before they hatch. As SLF continues to spread, we will undoubtedly continue to learn more. Over $10 million was dedicated to SLF research through Farm Bill’s Plant Protection Act Section 7721 this year. Much of it is oriented towards monitoring and surveys, as well as management strategies.

Research geared to improve management guidelines for multiple audiences, including nursery production, landscape management, and home owners, was identified by the group as a priority. Dinotefuran is accepted as an excellent control material for adults, but other systemic products need to be evaluated. Larvae are best controlled using contact insecticides, such as bifenthrin, carbaryl, and cypermethrin. Egg masses may be treated as well; a horticultural oil may reduce egg viability and success.

In 2019, the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is funding a project dedicated to exploring SLF affects to environmental horticulture, titled ‘Interactions between spotted lanternfly and woody ornamentals that influence tree health and insect fitness.’ The project is led by Dr. K. Hoover, Pennsylvania State University and is focused on movement of SLF in the landscape and host tree preference by life stage. Information learned will help environmental horticulture protect landscape and nursery investments.

Leveraging both federally-available and industry-raised research funds to better understand and manage emerging pests like SLF and communicating results is precisely how HRI helps the horticultural industry grow faster, perform better, and prepare for the future.

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI & AmericanHort Science & Research Director

Header photo: Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org

Walking in a Winter Wonderland...With Bagworms

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 11:35:13 GMT

I’m not a big fan of winter. It’s just too cold and dark; plus, I like the greenness of spring and summer.

Since I won’t be moving to any subtropical or tropical climates anytime soon, I’ve learned to look for the positives of winter. For example, the first snow fall can be pretty, and I love seeing the arctic swans on the bay on my Sunday morning runs. And I also look forward to being able to easily spot tree damage caused by insects and diseases. Winter is a great opportunity to see all sorts of tree cankers, galls, and wood decay that are normally shrouded by leaves!

Imagine my delight when on my walk through the neighborhood the other day, a large, half dead arborvitae caught my eye…it was positively covered with dozens of ‘bags’ caused by bagworms. There were scads of them!

Bagworms are a type of caterpillar that make a little ‘bag’ out of silk and host plant material as their nest, for both protection and overwintering. The female bagworm remains in a worm-like state and never leaves the bag she constructs until she dies. Females lay eggs in the bag in the fall, and the eggs hatch the following spring. Larvae hang out in the bag all summer, partially emerging from time to time to feed on the host plant. Males, on the other hand, develop into a moth with clear wings that eventually leave the bag in early fall to fly to a bag with a female to mate.

While their bags are quite fascinating, bagworms are a pest capable of inflicting damage to their host plant (evergreens, sycamore, willows, & other deciduous trees…over 128 different plants!) through feeding. The bags are normally difficult to see – they blend in very well with the host plant – and become more obvious during heavy infestations. And the winter.

Control is fairly simple – remove the bags before the eggs hatch in the spring. Just remember to throw the ‘bags’ somewhere outside of your landscape; so that they don’t reenter it. However, insecticides may be needed during heavy infestations.

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI Science & Research Directo

Photo courtesy J. Calabro, HRI.

Learn more about bagworms in this helpful video from Nebraska Extension Entomologists.

What We Know About Box Tree Moth

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 11:35:11 GMT

While recent reports of a new (to North America) insect pest of boxwood in the Toronto area have not yet been confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) or USDA APHIS, many in the nursery and landscape industries are rightfully concerned and asking questions.

In case you missed it, a homeowner reported seeing an unusual moth on her neighbor’s boxwood hedge in Ontario, Canada in late August and snapped a picture of it. An entomologist later identified it as box tree moth, a newer pest spread throughout the EU. Since then, two other homeowners in Ontario found samples as well and reported their observations to a citizen science-based website, iNaturalist.com . Again, neither CFIA or APHIS has confirmed that this is indeed box tree moth, Cydalima perspectali. Hopefully it is a case of mistaken identity, but if not, our industry needs to be informed and prepared in the event it makes its way the US.

This pest is considered a strong flyer, capable of flying about 6 miles (or 10km) per year, but most spread is attributed to movement of infested plant material. Eggs present on leaf undersides can easily go undetected. Box tree moth was first confirmed in the EU in 2006/2007 in Germany and the Netherlands. From there, it has spread throughout the EU, defoliating gardens and natural box woodlands. Fortunately, research in the EU gives us a heads up on some of the specifics of this pest.

Its lifecycle takes about 45 days, depending on temperature. As many as 3-4 generations per season are possible in Central and southern Europe, from mid-late March through October. It overwinters in its pupal state on leaves and can survive temperatures as low as -22 F (-30 C) in winter, meaning it can survive most winters in the contiguous US. Pheromone traps can help monitor adult male populations from May to October.

Host plants include all Buxus species. In its native East Asia, Euonymus and Ilex are reported hosts as well, but this has not been observed in the EU. Damage to boxwoods is caused by caterpillars, or larvae, as they eat leaves and bark. If the damage is contained only to defoliation, most boxwoods will recover. However, death can occur when the caterpillars consume bark. Effects of box tree moth are often compounded by boxwood blight infections.

Symptoms include quick defoliation of boxwoods, webbing present on leaves and stems, and presence of caterpillars.

Several insecticides have been evaluated, with successful caterpillar control reported with chlorantraniliprole, spinosad, and chlorpyrifos + cypermethrin. Success has also been reported using Bacillus thuringensis strains. In the event this pest is confirmed in the US, other products that typically express good efficacy against Lepidopterans should be considered, such as abamectin, acephate and pyrethroids. Always check labels for use information.

If you see a suspicious-looking moth or caterpillar, please consult your local extension service or diagnostician. Production and landscape managers in the Great Lakes regions should be especially diligent in monitoring boxwoods, as the adults could easily fly from Toronto to upper Michigan, if positively confirmed in the Toronto area.

Dr. Jill Calabro
Director of Science & Research, HRI + AmericanHort

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Nature’s Spooky Trees

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 11:35:10 GMT

NATURE SERVES UP MORE THAN CRISP FALL LEAVES FOR HALLOWEEN!

It’s fall! The weather suddenly cooled, and fall is here! In between sipping pumpkin lattes and pumpkin patching, you may have noticed some changes in the trees – more than just the standard fall leaf colors and leaf drop. I’m talking about the webbing that pops up every fall in tree canopies. Who is responsible for this mysterious, spooky (and seasonal!) tree décor? It’s none other than the fall webworm .

Fall webworms themselves aren’t very striking in appearance, but they are showstoppers when it comes to their nest. Some even get be two to three feet in size!

Nondescript, white moths (the adult stage) emerge in summer, after overwintering under debris in a cocoon, and females begin laying eggs on leaves. Eggs hatch in about a week. The larvae are small-ish, fuzzy caterpillars, about an inch in length. Over 100 common landscape trees have been documented as host plants, but they seem to prefer black walnut, ash, hickories, and oak. The caterpillars live in a colony…a colony that weaves a beautiful web!

The caterpillars eventually eat all the leaves in the safety of their web and have been known to wander out at night time for feeding if the nest is barren. Eventually the caterpillars mature and pupate in the fall, starting the cycle over again.

No need to worry about damage to the tree. Even though some webs are large, the fall webworm rarely kills a tree. But, of course, the aesthetics of the tree will be impacted, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing…depending on how big a fan you are of creepy, ghostly things.

It’s probably a little late in the year to find any active fall webworms at this time, but their webs should persist through Halloween; think of it as mother nature’s spin on seasonal decor!

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI Science & Research Director

Photo courtesy J. Calabro, HRI.

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Oak Tree Butt Rot

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:35:09 GMT

WHO EVER SAID PLANT PATHOLOGISTS HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR, CLEARLY HAD NEVER MET A FOREST PATHOLOGIST. THE TERM STILL MAKES ME SNICKER A LITTLE.

All kidding aside, butt rot is a very real thing. In fact, it can be a scary, dangerous thing. Butt rot refers to the damage caused by wood decay fungi that decay the inner heartwood at the base of trunk. A tree can live with butt rot for many years but, over time, becomes more susceptible to windthrow from root or crown failure – hence the danger component. ( See previous post on hazard trees .)

My neighbor’s giant oak tree has butt rot and has had it for years. In fact, it exploded this last week – it’s massive! This particular butt rot is caused by Inonotus dryadeus, the Latin translation for fibrous, ear-like fungi associated with oak.

I’m not sure what images come to your mind when you think of the term ‘butt rot,’ but I’ll bet it’s not too far from I. dryadeus, with its large, irregularly (some might say lumpy) shaped, pale yellow to brown colored, fuzzy conks (mushrooms), exuding amber-colored drops on their surface. I. dryadeus fits the description of butt rot to a ‘T.’ (and that rhymes with ‘B’ and that stands for…butt rot!) (I’m from Iowa – opportunities to reference Music Man are few and far between.)

The conks are attached at ground level to the base of the tree or to large roots – or both as in the case of my neighbor’s beloved tree – and crop up every year around this time, a sort of bellwether for the end of summer. By the end of fall, the conks turn dark brown to black but persist on the tree trunk/roots.

Many, many different fungi - not just I. dryadeus - can cause butt rot. Some of them are large and showy (Ganoderma applanatum, aka ‘artist’s conk’); while some are even edible (Laetiporus cincinnatus, aka ‘chicken of the woods’). Despite the diversity, the damage they inflict usually remains undetected until the appearance and recognition of fruiting bodies (conks/mushrooms) or the tree has been uprooted/snaps at the ground. Even if fruiting bodies are observed, it’s difficult to predict the full extent of the decay.

Unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of butt rot or stop it. The best thing to do is closely watch the tree for symptoms, such as progressive canopy dieback, undersized leaves, open cavities at the base of the tree, etc. Hopefully my neighbor will leave their tree alone for a while - the kids really love the swing attached to one of its branches – and just watch for signs of decline.

Not all fungi around a tree are bad; some are from mycorrhizal associations, which help trees! But if you suspect you’ve got some butt rot, please contact an arborist for help with diagnosis.

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Attack of the Giant Hogweed

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 11:35:07 GMT

Two of my friends (one is a weed scientist, the other an entomologist) and I have a running debate: we argue over which is most interesting – weeds, bugs, or fungi. If I could ever bring myself to consider that weeds might be cooler than fungi, giant hogweed would be a contender.

A little over a month ago, researchers from Virginia Tech announced that giant hogweed, a truly wicked invasive weed, had been confirmed for the first time in Virginia . As much as I like to dramatize the diabolicalness of various fungal diseases, this plant just scares the bejeezus out of me. The name alone is frightening - remember Hogzilla?!?!

Giant hogweed is a member of the parsley or carrot family, Apiaceae, and, as its name implies, it gets big - 15 to 20 feet tall in fact. True to the plant family, its flowers are umbels (or umbrella-like), and even they are huge – up to 2.5 feet in diameter! It is also a biennial, meaning it requires two years to complete its life cycle, and no self-respecting invasive weed would be complete without being a prolific seed-producer and having a massive root system. Eradication is difficult, to say the least.

This dastardly weed prefers to grow in wet areas along streams and disturbed areas and is commonly found near houses and vacant lots. It quickly displaces any native or desirable plants and diminishes the environment. For example, native riparian plant species cannot compete, and eventually stream banks erode away. If you find some, don’t try to remove it yourself; call the professionals. This weed has one nasty trick up its sleeve (errr, stem): the sap can cause second and third degree skin burns and blindness if it gets in your eye.

Once the sap gets on your skin, it causes severe sunburn-like symptoms – one that’s bad enough to blister. Once certain compounds in the sap, called furocoumarins, get on skin, they are energized by UV light and then readily bind to DNA and cell membranes. This process doesn’t happen overnight but eventually destroys cells and skin tissue in a matter of days. What a defense mechanism!

Interestingly enough, long ago some creative doctors devised a treatment for psoriasis that is nearly identical to the process described above: a furocoumarin-like drug is combined with UVA radiation. However, this treatment reportedly can lead to skin cancer.

A couple of other members of the parsley family cause similar effects, including wild parsnip and cow parsnip. These bad actors are a fraction of the size of giant hogweed; however, and only grow 4-7 feet tall.

Giant hogweed can be found in about a dozen US states and parts of Canada, including the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, the upper Midwest, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic. It’s native to Caucasus Region and was first documented in the US in 1917. The dried fruit is prized as a spice in the Middle East.

So, yeah, giant hogweed is a pretty neat weed…but still not as awesome as the fungus that turns ants into zombies. Fungi totally rule.

It’s worth mentioning again: if you think you have found some, please contact your local extension agent or other professional for assistance – don’t tackle this one on your own!

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI Research Director

Image via Creative Commons. “Image made by nature protector Natubico; www.vivism.info .”

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Hazard Trees & The Notorious BIG Fungus

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 11:35:07 GMT

IT’S BEEN A RAINY SPRING IN THE MID-ATLANTIC. NORMALLY, THE SPRING RAINS MAKE ME LOOK FORWARD TO AN ALMOST CERTAIN FLUSH OF MUSHROOMS AND DISEASES. THE SPRING RAINS THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN ON THE EXCESSIVE SIDE AT TIMES, MAKING ME THINK OF A NOT SO FUN OUTCOME: HAZARD TREES.

Specifically, my neighbor’s 90+-year-old swamp chestnut oak was uprooted during a thunderstorm. Aside from a temporarily blocked driveway, thankfully no one was hurt.

Foresters have their own vocabulary and “hazard tree” is one their terms. (So is “butt rot”, but more on that in a later post.) A hazard tree is a tree with a defect that poses a danger to people or property. For example, a tree heavily infested with emerald ash borer (think 70-90% defoliation) in a suburban yard, qualifies as a hazard tree. It likely has dead or dying limbs that could fall on a parked car, a house, or even a young child walking home from school on the sidewalk.

Hazard trees pose the greatest risk during ice or windstorms, heavy snow, and excessive rains, when the tree is stressed by outside forces. The majority of trees that ‘snap’ or topple during a storm (hurricanes and tornadoes aside) have some sort of hazard or defect that created a weak point. Most often a fungal plant pathogen is to blame.

Most scary is that sometimes the “hazard” is not overtly obvious, like my neighbor’s fallen tree. There was no stem canker, no conks, no nothing. This particular tree suffered from root rot, most likely caused by a species of Armillaria, which is a pretty unique fungus. Some species of Armillaria bioluminesce – yes, they glow in the dark! Not only that, but Armillaria mellea produces a mushroom revered as a delicacy, called the honey mushroom.

Notorious BIG Fungus

But don’t be fooled by Armillaria’s more appealing idiosyncrasies – this is one fungus not to play with. It’s downright notorious. Armillaria species are the most damaging and broadly distributed forest tree pathogens worldwide. Even more impressive, it’s the largest living organism in the world , covering 2,385 acres of the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. This is a very widespread, destructive, and slow-moving disease.

Fungi are often mysterious, inconspicuous, and in the case of Armillaria (and other root rots), subversive. External symptoms of root rots are subtle, such as low vigor, slow growth, and yellowing foliage, but they all lead to certain death. They prefer already stressed trees. Trees planted too deeply, subjected to a lengthened drought period, or infested with other pests are often more susceptible to Armillaria infection. After talking with a local arborist, I learned that many oaks in my local area are declining due to Armillaria, following a drought period in Maryland several years ago.

Unfortunately, control of Armillaria is next to impossible. Fungicides are ineffective, due to the nature of the disease. Research at Clemson has shown promise in a method where soil is excavated from the tree crown, allowing the crown and upper roots to be exposed to air and solarization. However, this is a labor-intensive process that may not be feasible in many situations, including my neighbor’s remaining oaks.

Guaranteed my neighbor (and I) will be closely monitoring the other oaks on property…and waiting patiently for the coming crop of honey mushrooms!

Dr. Jill Calabro
Horticultural Research Institute & AmericanHort

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Stop and Smell the...Taphrina?

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 11:35:06 GMT

Fungi are just plain neat. It boggles my mind that one group of organisms can be so diverse. From mushrooms to dead man’s fingers to the causal agent of boxwood blight – they’re all fungi of one sort or another! One individual fungus can even look different depending on its life stage. For example, some rust diseases require two separate hosts to complete their life cycle (remember cedar apple rust ?) and look completely different on each host. I can’t imagine how mycologists figured out it was the same fungus on both cedar and apple trees – and that was way before the advent of molecular techniques!

And then there’s Taphrina. No, it doesn’t have an odor, as the title implies.

You know that feeling when you run across something awesome you haven’t thought about in a long, long time but never really forgot it? That happened to me over the weekend.

I first learned about Taphrina leaf curl in my introductory plant pathology class at Iowa State and looked for it (unsuccessfully) for years; I’m talking decades. So imagine my excitement when I found some while out on a run a few days ago. Of course I went back with my camera to grab some photos and then decided to search for any updated information. And was late to brunch – but it was worth it!

So what is it? Taphrina is fungus that causes peach leaf curl, oak leaf blister, plum pockets, and a variety of other similarly named disease that convey the symptoms perfectly: thickened, curled, and/or puckered leaves, often with a reddish color. At least eighteen different species are known and are host specific. One of the most common, peach leaf curl, is caused by T. deformans, oak leaf blister is caused by T. caerulescens, and leaf curl on chokecherry (as in the picture) is caused by T. wiesneri. Other hosts include poplar, birch, maple, pear, apricot, and many others.

This disease is similar to rust diseases in that it looks different at different growth stages; however, it only uses one host to complete its life cycle. The first growth stage is very yeast-like in appearance. It overwinters in that yeast-like phase in bark crevices, bud scales, and infected tissue. In this phase, it can grow saprophytically, or without causing disease, for quite some time until conditions are prime for disease. Once the yeast-form comes in contact with host tissue during ideal environmental conditions, it’s on. Infection begins. A lot of plant pathogens can do this - hang out for a while on plant material, incognito, all sneaky-like, and then BAM! A switch goes off and all the sudden it’s a full on siege…kinda like a Trojan horse scenario.

In the case of Taphrina, infection happens early in the spring as leaves emerge and expand, while temperatures are cool (50 – 70 F) and conditions wet. Symptoms aren’t usually visible until after about two weeks. Exactly how Taphrina causes that typical leaf curling and puckering remains to be determined. The prevailing thought maintains that the fungus can influence and/or synthesize plant hormones, stimulating plant cells to grow larger than normal. Imagine if that was your superpower! After infection, leaves eventually turn brown and fall off the tree.

An argument can probably be made that maybe plant diseases make me a little too happy. At least this one is not too terribly injurious to its tree host; most of the damage is cosmetic, because of the leaf drop. However, the second leaf flush does weaken the tree. Preventive fungicide applications are only recommended in situations where leaf drop cannot be tolerated, such as nursery settings, but must be applied prior to bud break or right at leaf flush. Don’t worry about picking up the infected leaves once they fall. Spores have already been released and are likely lodged in bark fissures/crevices, and the yeast-like phase will start all over again…leading to more beautiful, puckered leaves next spring!

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI & AmericanHort
Research & Science Programs Director

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Ground Nesting Bees are Afoot!

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 11:35:05 GMT

Spring has finally arrived – and not a minute too soon! I know this because the ground nesting bees are afoot.

Being a horticulturist and in the green industry, it is with some shame that I admit that my lawn is nowhere near worthy of being featured in Sunset or Southern Living magazine. Not even close. There is no turf to speak of – just a healthy stand of crab grass interspersed with winter weeds, like chickweed, bedstraw, and henbit. In the spring, most of the exposed soil areas of my lawn are dotted with holes, about ¼” diameter, caused by these native bees.

Ground nesting bees, or mining bees, are really cool and really great springtime pollinators. They are most visible in the spring, when females are busy digging burrows to rear their larvae and males are flying about in a mating display. They are solitary bees, meaning only one female uses one burrow, but they congregate en masse. Hundreds or even thousands of little nests can be found in the same area. The population in my neighbor’s yard is particularly impressive; their yard looks like a veritable pegboard. It’s awesome!

Ground nesting bees prefer sites with exposed soil that is well drained and has a southern exposure; my so-called lawn fits the bill perfectly. So do many golf courses, especially sand traps and bunkers. Unfortunately, most golfers are fearful of ground nesting bees and/or consider them a nuisance, prompting unnecessary control measures. These bees are not aggressive and will only sting if they are handled. Males lack the ability to sting altogether.

All of this reminds me of the meeting I attended a few weeks ago, the annual research meeting of Penn State’s Center for Pollinator Research (CPR). As always, the meeting was excellent. This year was a bit different in that the pollinator research team from Cornell University also presented research updates. This made for a jam-packed meeting full of good information!

A number of researchers are still focused on the various factors impacting bee health, such as environment, nutrition, pesticides, and pathogens and pests of bees. For example, Dr. Christina Grozinger from CPR is leading some innovative research into what makes pollen high quality (the answer: protein content) and how bees judge pollen quality. How cool is that!

In our world of environmental horticulture, researchers have concentrated on determining plant attractiveness, since many landscape plants have been intentionally bred to be sterile. After a few years of study, results are showing that cultivars of the same genus can vary greatly in bee attractiveness. For example, varieties of Echinacea purpurea can range from low to high attractiveness. Also, the same plant may be more attractive in some settings than others, depending on the landscape (urban vs rural or even surrounding plants). In short, it’s complicated (typical biology, never an easy answer!). Hopefully the continuing research will give us a better understanding.

In the meantime, I’m going to continue doing my part, which is to say I will no longer refer to my lawn as ‘sad’ and instead proclaim it as native bee habitat!

Dr. Jill Calabro
HRI & AmericanHort
Research & Science Programs Director

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Cedar Apple Rust: A Gateway Plant Disease?

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:35:04 GMT

Spring in the Mid-Atlantic, and much of the northern US, has been elusive this year. Temperatures are cool (c’mon Mother Nature – it’s April already!). Winter has had a hard time letting go.

On a recent family trip to Tennessee, I was enjoying a morning run and found one of my favorite signs of spring: cedar apple rust. This was no ordinary cedar apple rust; it had the most glorious, biggest, squishiest telial horns I have ever seen. I quickly shifted into full pathology geek mode and snagged my camera to document the find before they dried up.

So what is cedar apple rust (CAR)?

Rust diseases on plants are host specific, which means that the CAR is different than rose rust and different than coffee rust. Many rusts are even more unique in that more than one host is required to complete its life cycle. So for CAR, the hosts are (you guessed it) cedar and apple trees.

Rust diseases have four different spore stages. Two stages occur on the cedar host, and two on the apple host. The pathogen overwinters on cedar as hardened galls on stems that burst with orange, gelatinous tendrils in the spring following a rain event. The orange tendrils sport spores that eventually infect the apple host.

Severe infections may warrant treatment with fungicides, especially to protect apple production or ornamental flowers. Rusts typically do not kill its host outright, but they can weaken trees and impact flowering/fruiting abilities.

Arguably, my first introduction to plant pathology was through CAR. One spring when my Aunt Gretchen (from Tennessee!) was visiting us in Iowa, our juniper tree, about 50 feet away from our crabapple, had bright, orange galls all over it. I was in high school at the time and, until then, had not paid much attention to our juniper tree but was fascinated. Aunt Gretchen, however, was horrified. She was convinced the galls were full of worms and forbade me from cutting one open. Years later as a student in the horticulture department at Iowa State, I finally found the answer and was hooked on pathology after that.

As for my Aunt Gretchen, I excitedly showed her the pictures of those awesome galls from my run and reminded her of that visit so very long ago (please don’t ask how long). It opened a whole conversation about plant diseases and their impact on landscapes and agriculture and our efforts as an industry to be environmental stewards. My hope is that she caught a bit of my enthusiasm and will be more aware of landscapes and (of course) plant diseases going forward. Fungi rock!

For more information about CAR, please visit:

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/factsheets/CedarAppleRust.pdf

https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/cedar-apple-rust-and-gymnosporangium-rusts/

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PLANTPOP

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 11:35:01 GMT

Welcome to the holidays!

And the cold. I do not like cold. I much prefer actively growing plants. As temperatures drop, daylight lessens, and we slowly settle into winter, now is when I start building an arsenal of strategies to cope with winter. Hiking, skiing, and the occasional trip to warmer digs are always great options, but I also need little (and cheaper!) pick-me-ups too to help manage the day to day doldrums.

PLANTPOP is the latest antidote on my list!

PLANTPOP is the brainchild of Art Parkerson, owner and CEO of Lancaster Farms. Art is also very active in AmericanHort and Horticultural Research Institute (thank you, Art)! More specifically, PLANTPOP is a film studio dedicated to telling the stories of people and plants. From their site:

“We are artists. We pursue beauty and understanding. We believe philosophy was born in the garden. Culture starts with cultivation. And growing is the highest art.”

I think that mission is pretty cool, admirable in the very least. And what an innovative way to promote the industry!

When you visit the PLANTPOP site, you will find a collection of films featuring various aspects of plants and people’s interaction with them. For example, one of the newer films features a small North Carolina based business bent on encouraging community development through the giving of plants. They even started a ‘give a friend a plant’ campaign.

Another film features Dagny Kream, a nature and floral photographer with a unique perspective about plants and flowers.

Over 20 films are hosted on PLANTPOP, and they all contain a message of inspiration and hope, based on some aspect of plants.

…just what I need to get through the long winter ahead!

Dr. Jill Calabro
Research & Science Director
Horticultural Research Institute

admin's blog

The Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship Fund

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 11:35:03 GMT

Establishing a legacy for the future of our industry

Hans Gunter Mecking was one of those people in the green industry who, if you knew him, you knew he was salt of the earth. He knew the meaning of hard work and valued the relationships he built over a lifetime working side by side growers. Gunter had an impeccable reputation and his commitment to honesty and custom solutions for each and every one of his customers was well known.

It is not surprising, then, that his friends and family recently banded together to create a lasting tribute to Gunter. Partnering with the Horticultural Research Institute, Gunter’s family and colleagues established the Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship, benefitting green industry students who aspire to the same qualities that made Gunter so special: hard work, honesty, and commitment to the industry.

A PEAT MOSS JOURNEY

Gunter was a legend in the industry, specifically for his work in bringing peat moss solutions to North America. According to his long-time colleague and friend K.C. Browne, “no one understood the function of peat moss better than Gunter Mecking.”

Gunter was born in the early 1930s in Klein Reken, Germany, and grew up during World War II. A staph infection he contracted in his teens kept him out of fighting in the war and instead landed him in the hospital ward for long periods of time. According to his daughter, Maria, he was in a full-body cast for 16 months during one stay. The struggle of Gunter’s youth prepared him with the determination and grit that made him a stand-out professional in the green industry.

Gunter’s family had a peat moss business in Germany with ties to Klasmann-Deilmann. When he was nearly 30 years old, Gunter became interested in growing the family business and traveled to Canada in search of a location for his peat bog.

He landed on a spot in Tabusintac, New Brunswick, Canada, and set up shop to develop a peat bog and business with his cousin, Bernd Georg Mecking, under the name Heveco. Heveco became the first Canadian peat moss producer to offer commercially available mixes, and it is still in operation today under the ownership of the Scotts Company.

“He provided so many jobs in that tiny little town,” said Gunter’s daughter Maria Nilles. “That little town was basically fishing in the summertime and then hauling logs for lumber, so there weren’t very many jobs in that area. He brought in 20-25 jobs, or maybe more.”

Gunter supplied much of the peat moss from the New Brunswick factory to the J-M Trading Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. J-M Trading was run by Gunter’s uncle, John Mecking. After several years of building the business in New Brunswick, Gunter moved his wife and two kids to Chicago in the early 1970s to work in sales for his uncle John’s business.

Gunter had some training in accounting but none in the peat business, but he was outgoing and he knew his product and customers.

“He was the type of person that people wanted to be around,” said his daughter Maria. “They wanted to hear him talk.”

Gunter was an excellent salesman and he was incredible with numbers. This gift enabled him to pack peat moss delivery trucks with extreme efficiency. It was one of his many skills.

Gunter was most passionate about listening to his customers to find out exactly what they needed, and then delivering. As long-time customer Peter Orum recalled, one year there was a shortage of peat moss and concern throughout the industry on being able to get the product.

“I called Gunter and he told me, ‘Mr. Orum, shortage or no shortage, you will have the peat moss you need,’” said Orum. “He was a very honest and trustworthy man and he expected the same from you.”

Gunter retired from the J-M Trading Corporation at 65 but desired to continue working. He found a fit with the Lambert Peat Moss Company and continued his sales career until a few years before he passed away.

The Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship fund was established at $20,000 and quickly grew to over $32,000 as more friends and colleagues learned of the endeavor to honor Gunter.

Initial supporters, including Peter Orum of Midwest Groundcovers, LLC, Gabriel Lambert and K.C. Browne of Lambert Peat Moss Company, Joe Hobson of Midwest Trading Inc., and his daughter Maria attest that Gunter would have been extremely honored and appreciative of this fund in his name to support our industry’s young leaders

To make a donation or to support other HRI initiatives, call (614) 487-1117 or visit hriresearch.org .

HRI’s Endowment Fund was created to enable individuals, businesses, associations and foundations to make tax-deductible contributions to support educational and scientific research. The Endowment is now around $12 million, including donations and pledges. By law, the original financial donations are not available to be distributed to fund research. Only the proceeds, including interest, dividends and realized capital gains, can be used to fund research. The annual research funding level varies with the amount of proceeds.

Seed Your Future – Promoting Horticulture – A National Study and Plan of Action

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:34:59 GMT

From September 2018 through this date in 2019, Seed Your Future has been applying the research we conducted to the development of an education and outreach campaign to promote horticulture and encourage more young people to be inspired to find out more about pursuing careers in horticulture. BLOOM! is that youth-focused campaign helping young people unlock the potential of the natural world, and, in the process, introducing them to a lifelong passion – and perhaps even a career. We call BLOOM! the movement to improve the world through the power of plants.

Formally launched in April 2018, (and a second year launched in April 2019) BLOOM! was created to shed light on plant-blindness and bridge this growing awareness gap, inspiring young people to appreciate the plant world so that horticulture – and the millions of people that depend on it – thrives well into the future. While BLOOM! provides value for audiences of all ages, we are specifically developing content for middle school age youth – and the adults in their lives – in hopes that that new knowledge about the power of plants and opportunities in horticulture will benefit tweens as they explore future education, training and career opportunities. In its broader programming efforts, we have now expanded to pursue a second – audience – colleges and universities.

Highlights to Date:

Through eye-catching content delivered both inside and outside of the classroom. BLOOM! is educating and inspiring young people, their parents, teachers and youth program leaders about the endless possibilities in horticulture.

The Seed Your Future website ( www.SeedYourFuture.org ) provides resources on plant careers, where to study, internships, and scholarships – and more – to help visitors appreciate the careers and diversity of opportunities working with plants
The youth-focused BLOOM! website ( www.WeAreBLOOM.org serves as a digital hub for all youth campaign content and activity, and includes a fun interactive quiz, social media content, videos, educational resources and more for a variety of audiences.
Teachers and youth program leaders can access lesson plans, learning modules and additional educational resources via the BLOOM! Educator microsite ( www.Scholastic.com/BLOOM ) created in partnership with Scholastic, Inc. These resources are also being proactively distributed to teachers nationwide via Scholastic Inc.’s vast network.

Early Indicators

As of August 31, 2019, initial metrics include:

4 million students reached to date through the materials developed with Scholastic.
600,000 middle school teachers (virtually all of them in the US) reached to date through our educator materials developed in conjunction with Scholastic.
10,000 youth have taken our Plant-Power quiz.
23.3 million reached with our social media efforts.
15.5 million combined impressions and contest views of the social media influencer campaign.
234 million YouTube impressions (number of times viewed).
New Seed Your Future website launched on a new platform (and we have just received the Garden Writers America Gold Award for best organizational website).
New Career Exploration Tool launched www.SeedYourFuture.org/careers with more than 20K views to date.
Hosted our first Horticulture Programs Enrollment Summit in 2019 with 85 colleges, universities and industry representatives exploring the promising practices in student recruitment (which will lead to the development of new resources based on this research in 2020.)

OBJECTIVE:

The mission of Seed Your Future is to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. We aim to change the perception of horticulture by increasing public awareness of the positive and diverse attributes of the profession and to encourage talented young people to view horticulture as a vital, viable, and vibrant career path. We envision a U.S. where everyone understands and values the importance of plants and the people who work in the art, science, technology and business of horticulture.

We will generate the following outcomes:

Improve public perceptions of horticulture
Develop tactics to ensure that horticulture is part of the national education curriculum
Increase youth participation in NJHA, JMG, 4-H, and FFA
Increase number of high school students in horticulture and plant sciences programs
Increase number of horticulture students in 2-year and 4-year college and university programs
Increase number of well-trained horticulture employees

Research Methodology And Significance:

We have made much progress. All the initially planned phases of research were completed. However, we began new research in June 2019 to discover the promising practices in college and university student recruitment . In our initial research we found that few understood the jobs available in growing, breeding, distribution, science, technology, art, design, and business in the industry. But once participants learned about the diverse opportunities in the industry, they were very interested. And significantly, not one middle-schooler had ever heard the term “horticulture.” They told us that we need to use simple language they can understand; and inspiring, relatable imagery. During our focus group research, we also wanted to find out the ways people prefer getting information and where they turn for trusted advice. The sources varied by groups:

Students rely on parents, web, teachers and friends
Parents rely on counselors and web
Teachers rely on guest speakers, curricula and videos
Counselors rely on materials from colleges, other teachers/counselors and professional organizations

Education of parents, teachers, and counselors increases the likelihood of recommending horticulture as a career, but they will recommend horticulture as a career only if their child/student already has an interest in horticulture. Thus, we will need to reach both students and their parents, teachers and counselors. Based on the information learned, Seed Your Future along with our partners, including Scholastic®, launched BLOOM! - a proactive education, marketing and national PR campaign.

OUTCOMES AND ECONOMIC RETURN ON INVESTMENT:

This research will help green industry members by increasing the number of motivated, well-trained employees. We know that many businesses are looking for employees and this project addresses that issue. This project is also intended to increase public awareness of horticulture, which we hope will increase interest in and demand for horticultural crops.

JOURNALS AND TRADE PRESS: Since the last update:

Wright, Bruce. Making Horticulture Cool. Floral Management . September 2018
Yoder, Susan E. Plantologists Unite.Longwood Chimes. 298. Winter 2019
Ray, Dennis T., Seed Your Future: Horticulture Programs Enrollment Summit, American Society for Horticultural Science, August 2019
Yoder, Susan E. Our Future Depends on “ Urban Lumberjacks ” and “Water Farmers”.Garden Club of America Bulletin. August 2019

PRESENTATIONS: Conference Presentations Since the Last Update

Society of American Florists, September 12, 2018, Ball, Anna and Yoder, Susan E.
National FFA, October 24, 2018, Yoder, Susan E.
American Camp Association, Keystone Regional, Yoder, Susan E.
Outdoors Alliance for Kids, November 14, 2018, Yoder, Susan E.
Indiana Green Industry Conference, January 9, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, January 10, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
The Western, January 16, 2019, Reed, Seth
National Association of Landscape Professionals, February 11, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
American Camp Association, February 18, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
Philadelphia Flower Show Student Event, March 9, 2019, Peters, Cari, and Yoder, Susan E.
Henricks County Garden Club, March 27, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
The Garden Club of Indiana, April 9, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
The Garden Club of America, May 18, 2019, Petri, Ann Neal, and Yoder, Susan E.
American Public Gardens Association, June 17, 2019, Masterton, Sarah
International Master Gardeners Conference, June 16, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
National Child and Youth Garden Symposium, July 10, 2019, Yoder, Susan E.
Cultivate 19, July 13, 2019, Ball, Anna; Mangum, Cole; and Yoder, Susan E.
American Society for Horticultural Science, July 21, 2019, Dole, John, and Yoder, Susan E.

IMPLICATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH:

As mentioned earlier, the overall goals of Seed Your Future are to change the perception of horticulture by increasing public awareness of the positive and diverse attributes of the profession and increase capacity in horticulture through a perception shift that drives talented young people to view horticulture as a vital, viable, and vibrant career path.

Seed Your Future has brought together a broad range of university, public horticulture and industry entities together to address these issues. We will assess the impact of BLOOM! and recommend additional research thereafter. In addition, we intend to develop a plant to conduct further research on the promising practices in college and university student recruitment.

RESEARCH WEBSITE/BLOG:

The Seed Your Future website can be reached at: www.seedyourfuture.org/ . The youth-focused site is www.WeAreBLOOM.org and the educator resources site is www.Scholastic.com/BLOOM .

Preventing Clogging of Irrigation Emitters Caused by Algae in Greenhouses & Nurseries

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 11:34:59 GMT

Preventing Clogging of Irrigation Emitters Caused by Algae in Greenhouses & Nurseries

Clogging of irrigation systems is a persistent and expensive problem in greenhouses and nurseries because it causes uneven irrigation and consequently crop loss. In this project, we aim to identify algae that accumulates in irrigation systems—causing clogging— and then evaluate chemical and non-chemical alternatives to prevent or reduce algae accumulation on irrigation systems. We expect that growers who are able to reduce clogging of the irrigation systems will directly benefit through savings in labor associated with inspecting, cleaning, and replacing clogged emitters. In this first stage of our project, we conducted preliminary sampling and then validated a series of protocols that will help us study algae in irrigation systems. We have recruited six operations that will allow us to continually sample.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this project are to:

Identify the water quality parameters that affect the incidence and severity of clogging of irrigation emitters caused by algae.
Evaluate treatment options to prevent clogging caused by algae.
Disseminate the results of our experiments to the greenhouse and nursery industry.

Research Methodology And Significance:

On this first stage of the project, we have conducted the following activities:

We recruited a graduate student and a technician to work on this project.
We did a preliminary sampling of water and surfaces from a greenhouse in Massachusetts and a nursery in Connecticut. These samples were used to develop and fine-tune protocols to collect, quantify and culture algae from environmental samples. The student learned how to identify and isolate algae from the samples obtained in the operations. The student is currently learning culturing techniques to produce inoculum and quantify. We have tested the culture and molecular techniques to identify algae.
We recruited six CT operations (three greenhouses and three nurseries) who agreed to allow us to sample in their operations multiple times in the coming spring and summer.

SIGNIFICANCE

While our project has made timely progress in the first six months, we still have not generated new or conclusive information that can be disseminated to growers.

OUTCOMES AND ECONOMIC RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Not applicable at this stage of the project.

JOURNALS AND TRADE PRESS

None yet.

PRESENTATIONS

In the following presentations, we included a slide that mentioned the direction of this project, HRI sponsorship, and the need to get grower participants.

Raudales RE. ” Nutrient and Water Management in Propagation ” Plug & Cutting Conference. Charlotte, NC. 6 Sept 2019
Raudales RE. ” Water Quality for Healthy Crops and Clean Irrigation Lines ” Plug & Cutting Conference. Charlotte, NC. 5 Sept 2019
Raudales RE. ” Selecting Water Treatments for Control of Plant Pathogens in Irrigation ” Plug & Cutting Conference. Charlotte, NC. 5 Sept 2019
Raudales RE. ” Root Diseases : Identification & Control” Plug & Cutting Conference. Charlotte, NC. 5 Sept 2019
Raudales RE. ” Testing and Interpreting Water Quality” Water and Nutrient Management for Container Production. New Haven, CT. 11 July 2019

IMPLICATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

The industry still needs to know what are the environmental conditions (biological or irrigation systems design) that they can manipulate to prevent algae accumulation on irrigation systems and other surfaces.

RESEARCH WEBSITE/BLOG

www.greenhouse.uconn.edu

HRI & OAN Boxwood Health Workshop Recap

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 13:30:19 GMT

HRI, OAN, and AmericanHort hosted a one-day workshop in Oregon to talk about boxwood health. Specific topics included:

The latest updates on cultivar testing and control strategies of boxwood blight,
Insights from a major boxwood producer in the heart of boxwood blight country on how to start clean and stay clean
An overview of nursery production surveys for boxwood blight in Oregon
An update on APHIS efforts to prevent introduction of box tree moth to the US.

Representatives from Oregon Department of Agriculture were be on hand to discuss the Oregon boxwood cleanliness program.

Presentation materials are available for download from the following workshop sessions:

Sanitation for boxwood blight management, (PowerPoint) Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Research Assistant Professor, Tennessee State University The session addressed 1) why you should use sanitation practices at boxwood production and 2) improved boxwood blight sanitation/hygiene practices through research results.

Cultivar Resistance (PDF), Dr. Jim LaMondia, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The potential for boxwood cultivar resistance/susceptibility and fungicide programs for management of blight.

Cydalima perspectalis Box Tree Moth – An APHIS Overview (PDF), Judy Macias, Assistant Trade Director, Phytosanitary Issues Management, Plant Protection & Quarantine

APHIS provided an overview of Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis), including its general biology (description, life cycle, distribution and hosts), and discussed current and pending restrictions to prevent its introduction into the United States.

HRI & OAN Team Up To Present Boxwood Health Workshop

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 11:34:58 GMT

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FEBRUARY 4 EVENT IN OREGON

The Oregon Association of Nurseries is teaming up with the Horticultural Research Institute to bring you a full day of seminars with experts from around the nation discussing boxwood blight best management practices. Designed to educate growers, each session will provide the attendees with the latest research and give them actionable tactics to implement in the nursery. The cost is $50 and includes lunch. Registration is required; space is limited to 50 people.

Located at the Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, Oregon on February 4, 2020, the Boxwood Health Workshop will begin at 8am and end at 4pm, with six distinct sessions. Speakers include an expert from a major boxwood producer, university ag research facilities, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Specific topics include the latest updates on cultivar testing and control strategies for boxwood blight, sanitation tactics and an overview of the nursery production survey implemented by the ODA.

Anticipated pesticide recertification credits will be available from CA, OR and WA. For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://www.americanhort.org/page/boxwood-health-workshop .

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The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) is a non-profit trade association that represents more than 700 individual nursery stock producers, retailers, landscapers and related companies serving the nursery and greenhouse industry.

New Rose Rosette Detection Underway

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 11:34:57 GMT

One of the most important tenets of plant pathology is that the first step to effectively controlling a plant disease is identifying its cause. Otherwise, control measures could be ineffective, leading to further plant loss and wasted time and resources. This is especially true of rose rosette disease (RRD).

Typical symptoms of RRD are known and widely accepted; they include rapid elongation of new shoots, witches’ brooms, small or distorted leaves, red pigmentation of stems or foliage, and excessive thorn development. However, none of these symptoms is guaranteed to be expressed when the disease is present, especially early in the disease cycle. An infected rose may have something as subtle as a thickened cane or flowers with fewer than normal petals – either of which could be easily overlooked or dismissed as a nutrient deficiency or even herbicide injury. Early RRD symptoms can be diverse in expression and may vary based on age of plant, cultivar, and environmental conditions, but later in the disease cycle, symptoms usually become overt and obvious. But by this stage, RRD has likely spread to neighboring plants.

The simple fact that RRD is caused by a virus alone, makes confirmation of the disease more challenging. There are no obvious signs of the disease’s presence like with powdery mildew where white, powdery spores are prominent on leaf undersides. Complicating matters further, infected plants can be symptom-free for months, and viruses cannot be seen with a microscope, let alone a naked eye. Eriophyid mites transmit the virus, but even the mites are difficult to find. They are too small to be seen with the naked eye and are often difficult to find. Diagnosticians and scouts have no choice but to rely on visible, observed symptoms, until serological and/or molecular techniques can be conducted in the lab.

Nebulous expression of symptoms early in the disease cycle is exactly why researchers direct their energies towards diagnostic tools development. In the case of RRD, it is critical to find a means of quick and easy diagnosis, preferably without having to destroy the plant. Researchers have been working since 2014 on various aspects of RRD through a multi-year, multi-million dollar grant titled ‘Combatting Rose Rosette Disease’ funded by USDA NIFA, and development of diagnostics has been a key component. Knowing sooner that a plant is infected will, in the very least, help limit spread and movement of the disease.

A small team of researchers, part of the larger group mentioned above, from Texas A&M, led by Dr. Dmitry Kurouski, developed a new diagnostic tool for RRD detection. Using a hand-held, portable spectrometer, Dr. Kurouski’s team has correctly identified the virus in leaves both non-invasively and non-destructively, with an almost instant read. Raman spectroscopy works by relying on light to interact with molecular vibrations in a leaf. A ‘fingerprint’ is made based on these vibrations, meaning that the virus that causes RRD is identified by its unique fingerprint. Previously the team proved that this technology could identify fungal diseases on corn, wheat, and sorghum and eventually adapted it to successfully compare healthy and asymptomatic rose leaves, as well as symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves. They could even differentiate rose leaves with different degrees of infection.

While not yet ready for widespread adoption and use in the industry, this tool can help diagnostic labs by acting as an initial screen for RRD that can help save on more costly, molecular techniques. Plus it may be available for use in the field one day!

The American Rose Society provided small research grants for a portion of this work.
AmericanHort and our Horticultural Research Institute affiliate, in conjunction with likeminded organizations such as the Society of American Florists, previously supporte
dfunding of rose rosette research at the University of Arkansas through the Farm Bil
lSection 10007. AmericanHort participates on the advisory board of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)-funded Combatting Rose Rosette Disease project

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The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has provided over $7.5 million in funds since 1962 to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Over $13 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

HRI Celebrates $240,000 in Contributions

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 11:34:56 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the AmericanHort foundation, is pleased to announce the receipt of $240,000 in donations during its summer reception, held in conjunction with Cultivate’19 in Columbus, OH.

More than 150 industry professionals attended the summer reception, which celebrated HRI supporters. The reception recognized more than $240,000 in donations supporting horticultural scholarships and research.

Friends and family of the late Gunter Mecking attended and announced the creation of the Gunter Mecking Scholarship Fund. This fund, created with the financial support of numerous donors including the Mecking family, Peter Orum, Gabriel Lambert, and K.C. Browne, will support a new generation of horticulture students as they work to earn degrees.

Albert J. Gates III of Pro Packaging, LLC became the most recent member of HRI’s Heritage Circle with an announcement of a planned gift to HRI that will establish a scholarship fund in his name. Planned gifts like this one create a permanent legacy through the eventual establishment of endowed research and scholarship funds.

Long-time HRI supporter Peter Orum (Midwest Groundcovers) was on hand to present a donation from Platt Hill to the John B. “Jack” Hill Memorial Research Fund. Hill’s donation of $75,000 elevates this fund, which celebrates the memory of Hill’s father, to HRI’s Platinum Circle.

Two organizations were celebrated for completing fund pledges to HRI during the reception. The Alabama Nursery & Landscape Association Research Fund reached $25,000 and joined HRI’s Silver Circle and the IPPS Southern Region of North America Fund reached $50,000 and joined HRI’s Gold Circle. Funds created by organizations like Southern Region IPPS and ALNLA provide enduring research benefits for their stakeholders.

Spring Meadow Nursery and the Deppe family were recognized for a milestone: the Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Research and Scholarship Fund exceeded $900,000 this summer. This fund was created in 1994 by Dale and Liz Deppe with an initial gift of $5,000 toward a $20,000 goal. Originally created to exclusively fund research, the fund expanded in 2004 to create scholarships for horticulture students. To date, this fund has granted nearly $150,000 in research grants and over $75,000 in scholarships.

Additional gifts were made by donors to honor loved ones, including donations made to celebrate industry icon Ernest Wertheim’s 100th birthday.

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HRI Offers $20,000 in Scholarships

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 11:34:54 GMT

APPLICATION MATERIALS ACCEPTED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) is pleased to announce it is accepting scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year.

These scholarships are made possible by seven special HRI endowment funds that aid students who are seeking a lifelong career in horticulture. HRI and its donor firms consider graduating students in horticulture to be the lifeblood of the green industry.

HRI is pleased to offer the following scholarships (applications due September 13, 2019):

The Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow Jr. Scholarship (one, $3000 scholarship available)
The Usrey Family Scholarship (one, $1000 scholarship available)
The Bryan A. Champion Memorial Scholarship (one, $1,000 available)
The Susie & Bruce Usrey Scholarship (one, $500 available)
The Spring Meadow Scholarship (three, $3500 scholarships available)
The “Muggets” Scholarship (one, $1500 scholarship available)
The Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship (one, $5000 scholarship available)

Applications must be completed using HRI’s online application form. The deadline to apply is September 13, 2019. For complete details visit the HRI website at www.hriresearch.org.

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Priorities for a Thriving Industry

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 11:34:53 GMT

HRI SETS NEW STRATEGIC RESEARCH FOCUS

Horticulture is a key player in specialty crops and agriculture as a whole. In fact, our industry generates one third of both all specialty crop revenue (over $19 billion each year!) and its workforce. Yet, our industry receives only 12% of federal funds earmarked for specialty crops from USDA Agricultural Research Service and USDA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) recognized this disparity and sought a means to bring federal funding levels more in line with our economic contributions.

HRI realized the industry lacked a unified, strategic vision of research needs to provide a roadmap for future priorities that can be used to better leverage federal funds while, at the same time, guide its own research funding decisions.

With these goals in mind, HRI set to work. The result was a professionally moderated, two-day stakeholder meeting, where attendees shared their collective understanding of industry challenges, trends, and opportunities. Delegates representing all segments of horticulture and regions of the country gathered for a face-to-face summit to listen, learn, and share their insights with each other. Participants were encouraged to expand their reach by engaging in conversations with their peers in advance of the meeting to widen their perspectives. During the summit, the moderator led the group through a series of discussions that culminated in a consensus on four, key research priorities.

Through these efforts, HRI identified research priorities to tackle the challenges, capitalize on the trends and opportunities, better direct our research investments, and leverage federal funding.

Quantifying Plant Benefits—

Research that quantifies and validates the benefits of plants on ecosystems, on human health, and on society creates value propositions that boosts sales of horticultural products and services and increases interest in horticultural careers.

Our industry benefits when society understands how plants contribute to the health and well-being of individuals and their ecosystems, as well as the resources plants produce that are often overlooked or taken for granted. New research regarding plant benefits needs to be aligned with industry priorities to maintain environmental horticulture at the forefront of providing sustainable green solutions for the world.

Creating Innovative Solutions—

Research that creates or adapts biological, mechanical, and technological systems making practices and processes more efficient and productive assists horticultural businesses of all segments and sizes to increase profits.

Our industry continually needs improved systems to produce new or improved crops with less labor, water, nutrients, time, and/or pesticides in a safe work environment while adding value to quality plants that thrive during shipping, marketing, and consumer use. Whether in the supply chain, current inventory, or on the road to end-users, crops and inputs need to be traced, evaluated, ordered, managed and/or improved upon to provide cost effective solutions for producers to integrate into existing production practices. This would include (but not be limited to) advances in plant breeding, crop production and protection, software, automation, mechanization, and logistics. Recognizing and addressing barriers to adoption will be crucial.

Gathering Consumer Insights—

Research that evaluates consumer behavior, consumer preferences, and consumer trends empowers horticultural businesses to optimize products and services and leads to industry-wide profitability and growth.

Consumers are responsible for the health and prosperity of our industry. Therefore, producers need to understand ongoing changes in consumer demographics and behaviors. Examples include emerging market preferences, relative purchasing power, and general gardening confidence. Markets, consumers, and the products they desire interact and change over time. To adapt, industry producers need information that considers all this, yet is easily understandable and crafted for various segments of the industry. Research on consumer preferences, attitudes, needs, motivations, and purchasing behaviors for our industry’s products and services will help companies make better business decisions by capturing what consumers want.

Producing Practical and Actionable Solutions—

Research that tackles ongoing and emergent industry challenges in production, resource management, or pest and disease management provides practical and actionable advice for horticultural businesses to improve sustainability and profitability.

Disruptive, ongoing, emergent issues that challenge short-term profitability and success of environmental horticulture will continue to rise. Therefore, providing solutions to these challenges must remain a research priority for funding agencies.

HRI has adopted these four key research priorities and will use them to guide future HRI funding and leveraging decisions. For more information, look for the Research Roadmap Executive Summary at www.hriresearch.org.

HRI, the foundation of AmericanHort, supports scientific research and students for the advancement of the environmental horticulture industry. HRI was established by industry leaders on the premise that no one could better direct needed research to advance environmental horticulture than the very people who work in it. We adhere to that same vision today: we fund and guide environmental horticulture research efforts with direct input from industry professionals. It is the strong foundation upon which to build the industry.

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Box Tree Moth Findings Confirmed in Canada

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 11:34:53 GMT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed that box tree moth (BTM) was indeed found in three separate residential landscapes in Etobicoke, Ontario, a Toronto neighborhood in fall 2018. CFIA plans to assess the extent of spread and determine whether this is a transient, or not fully established, pest or if it is more widely distributed. Surveys and outreach efforts to educate the local public are planned as well. Control measures and future plans for delimitation will be coordinated among CFIA, the Ministry of Ontario, and the boxwood industry.

APHIS is still evaluating the need for a Federal Order requiring certification of boxwood entering the US from Canada; however, a Pest Alert bulletin was issued to ports of entry. Surveillance and monitoring along the border in addition to entry points will be heightened. Researchers are unsure how quickly BTM will spread in the US. Box tree forests do not exist here; so, less host material may (hopefully) translate to slower or less spread.

The ideal temperature range for BTM is from 70 – 92° F, but activities are known to occur outside this range. Eggs hatch when temperatures are at least 52° F, and larvae regularly survive winter temperatures below -22° F in parts of China. Depending on temperature and light levels, two to four life cycles per year are common in the EU; each lasts around 45 days.

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The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $7.5 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Horticultural Research Institute Announces 2019 Funded Research Projects

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 11:34:51 GMT

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, is pleased to announce the portfolio of research projects to be funded in 2019. Projects range from innovations to crop production for both greenhouse and nursery segments, water management in landscapes, emergent pest issues, and economic and marketing analyses. A total of $437,200 will be awarded this year.

“The projects funded this year truly represent all facets of the industry,” commented Steve Mostardi, HRI President. “From support of new technological innovations to understanding how consumers buy plants, there’s something in this set of awards that should benefit everyone in environmental horticulture. HRI’s mission is to advance the industry, and the trustees take that to heart when selecting projects to fund. The continuing financial support of individuals and companies from all branches of horticulture, is much appreciated.”

Off the sales floor & into the cart: Analyzing the path to plant purchases
Dr. B. Behe, Michigan State University

How do consumers make buying decisions? This project aims to tackle that question about plant purchases. New technologies such as a portable device that tracks eye movement, will be used to investigate visual cue selections that lead to plant purchase. Packaging, in-store signage, brand, and price may impact consumers’ choices. Results should help retailers improve the shopping experience.

Fertility, population dynamics, & pollinator attractiveness of standard & sterile cultivars: Buddleia as the case study may inform the way forward for our national industry
Dr. R. Contreras, Oregon State University

Many in our industry aspire to maintain and promote ecosystem services of plants. The search for plants that are both not weedy or invasive yet are still attractive to pollinators continues. Often pollinator attractiveness is sacrificed to ensure a new introduction has a low risk of becoming invasive. Dr. Contreras and his group aim to develop robust and consistent metrics for evaluating a plant’s potential to be invasive as well as support pollinator services.

Seed your future
Dr. J. Dole, North Carolina State University and S. Yoder, Seed Your Future

Increasing the number of students and graduates in horticulture serves the entire horticultural industry. The Seed Your Future project aims to do just that through promotion of horticulture among young people and in academic settings. Over 150 partners are involved, and HRI is pleased to continue support of this work.

RFID & beyond: Using RFID, drones, and BLE to improve crop inventory management
Dr. R. Fernandez, Michigan State University

Dr. Fernandez and his team take an integrative approach to helping environmental horticulture better manage crop inventory and make production more efficient. Three different technologies will be evaluated, including RFID technology, Bluetooth, and drones, and merged for greatest impact. Ultimately, these technologies can allow traceability of production information to crops from the moment they are tagged until they leave the production facility and beyond. This potentially will improve inventory data accuracy, quality control, irrigation management, and pesticide application.

Fundamental aspects of auxin foliar spray applications to woody plant cuttings
Dr. R. Geneve, University of Kentucky

Applying auxin as a foliar spray has several advantages over traditional quick dip methods for rooting cuttings, such as potential improved worker safety and application efficiency. Foliar auxin sprays are also becoming an integral part of propagation systems using automated, machine-assisted sticking robotics. However, not all woody species respond to foliar spray as well as a quick dip application for rooting, and there are questions concerning application timing as well as the optimal number of applications. Basic questions about auxin movement in cuttings related to spray volume, single vs. multiple applications, and use of a surfactant will be addressed.

National green industry survey
Dr. C. Hall, Texas A&M

This group has conducted the National Green Industry Survey every five years since 1988. Each time, the nursery and greenhouse community reports back on production, management, and marketing practices. This information is important to aid industry members and their allied industries make strategic decisions and continues to serve as a way to monitor changes over time.

Interactions between spotted lanternfly and woody ornamentals that influence tree health and insect fitness
Dr. K. Hoover, Pennsylvania State University

Feeding on more than 65 known species, spotted lanternfly (SLF) poses significant threats to nursery production and landscapes, as well as agricultural commodities. SLF was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since been sighted in neighboring states and beyond. USDA APHIS is focused primarily on the impacts to agricultural crops, with minor resources dedicated (to date) to environmental horticulture. Movement of SLF in the landscape will be tracked, host tree preference by life stage will be determined. Information learned will help environmental horticulture protect landscape and nursery investments.

Using hyperspectral technology to assess seed quality of horticultural crops
Dr. M. Mesgaran, University of California – Davis

When starting crops from seed, rapid and uniform germination are highly prized. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Hyperspectral imaging collects information based on a seed’s electromagnetic spectrum, or wavelengths not visible to the human eye. This technology is being evaluated as a quick and nondestructive alternative to time-consuming and costly seed assays.

Boxwood blight management in the landscape
Dr. J. LaMondia, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Historic gardens and home and commercial landscapes alike fear invasion of boxwood blight. Once plants are infected, the current recommendation calls for plant removal and destruction, followed by a rigorous fungicide program to protect any adjacent, symptom-free boxwoods. Dr. LaMondia plans to focus specifically on management of boxwood blight in landscapes with various fungicides.

Measurement of plant nitrogen status in floriculture and nursery production using smartphones
Dr. K. Nemali, Purdue University

Smartphones have revolutionized the way we find information, like monitoring the weather and remotely adjusting your heating and lighting systems. Wouldn’t it be great to add measurement of your crop’s nitrogen needs to the list? This tool could help enable timely decisions about fertilizer needs in production by bypassing the need for lab analysis (that could take up to 7 days), all the while saving costs and labor.

Landscape plant performance: water use assessments of new cultivar selections
Dr. L. Oki, University of California – Davis

Sound science will be employed to quantify and validate water use claims of certain plants. The data generated will enable the industry to better position certain plants as being verifiably drought tolerant or low water use. Landscape managers and nursery producers in states that experience periodic drought conditions, such as California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida, will benefit most from this study.

Defying gravity: Stratified growing media to reduce inputs, crop stress, and minimize time to market
Dr. J. Owen, Virginia Tech

Have you considered layering two different media substrates? Preliminary studies conducted by Dr. Owen have shown that creating stratified layers of different growing media can help reduce water and nutrient use, all while improving growth and reducing production time. The benefits will be more closely analyzed. As an added bonus, automated container filling systems can be adjusted to create the layers with ease.

Submist for propagation of nursery crops by stem cuttings
Dr. B. Peterson, University of Maine

Propagation is a major component of production in environmental horticulture. Overhead mist systems are quite common but use large volumes of water and create environments ideal for disease. In contrast, a submist system could eliminate these shortcomings and perhaps even expand the range of taxa that can be propagated from stem cuttings. Submist will be compared to overhead systems in terms of cost of construction, operating cost per cutting, and water use per cutting.

Preventing clogging of irrigation emitters caused by algae in greenhouse and nursery
Dr. R. Raudales, University of Connecticut

Clogging of irrigation main pipes and emitters is a persistent problem in both greenhouse and nursery production. One greenhouse operation reportedly dedicated over 13,000 man-hours to inspect, clean, and replace clogged emitters, filters, and irrigation lines in one calendar year. Caused by algae, the biofilm responsible for creating this problem is difficult to manage. Control products exist but could potentially damage crops. As an alternative, manipulation of the irrigation system will be studied as a means to control the biofilm.

Increasing inventory management efficiency with automation for ornamental nurseries & Christmas tree farms using unmanned aerial systems
Dr. M. Wallhead, University of Maine

Labor comprises a large percentage of production costs within environmental horticulture; therefore, technologies that reduce labor costs and increase production efficiency are needed. Automation offers growers the ability to reduce labor and production costs, while increasing production efficiency. In this study, improvements in inventory management using drones fitted with cameras capable of counting trees, tracking tree location and size, and determining tree health status will be assessed.

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2020 Funded Projects

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 11:32:41 GMT

HRI's Funded Research Projects for 2020

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, proudly announces the portfolio of research projects to be funded in 2020. Projects fit into the cadre of research priorities established in support of the new strategic vision. Research priority areas include quantifying plant benefits, creating innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights, and producing practical and actionable solutions. A total of $345,800 will be awarded this year.

“HRI has new research priorities in place – to quantify plant benefits, encourage innovative solutions, better understand consumer preferences, and provide practical solutions. These will help shape what projects HRI funds, starting this year,” commented Gary Knosher, HRI President. “I continue to be amazed by the industry’s support of HRI’s mission and initiatives. Thank you to all in the industry who contribute!”

National Green Industry Survey Begins Data Collection

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 11:34:50 GMT

The Green Industry Research Consortium, with funding support from the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), is launching the National Green Industry Survey this month. This represents the seventh time that this survey has been conducted since 1989. The purpose of the survey is to document trends in production, marketing, and retailing practices in the U.S. Green Industry.

The Horticultural Research Institute’s mission is to direct, fund, promote, and communicate horticulture research. Supporting research that measures the industry’s economic contributions and documents industry trends is another example of how HRI helps advance the green industry and fulfill its core vision.

"This is the 30th year that our research team has conducted this national study, so it is special for us to commemorate this significant milestone. But more importantly, the study has been the steady source of information that is not collected by any other entity and has served the industry in so many capacities,” states Dr. Charlie Hall, research member of the Green Industry Research Consortium. “The National Green Industry Survey also provides much of the needed data for our economic impact study which is important in providing our industry trade associations with the ammunition they need to affect state and national policymaking affecting the future of the green industry."

Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort Senior Vice President of Industry Advocacy & Research, concurs. “The results of this survey enable our AmericanHort advocacy team to educate Members of Congress, their staff, and other federal policymakers on our industry’s role, importance, and impact. Decision makers and influencers are more likely to support our policy goals when they understand our industry’s true impact on jobs and the economy, as well as human health and well-being, strong communities, and the environment.”

HRI encourages every business that receives the survey to participate. The survey is distributed via mail and email (when available) to randomly selected wholesale and retail firms throughout the U.S. Participation is voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. If you would like to participate and do not receive a survey, contact the research team below:

Dr. Alan W. Hodges, University of Florida, 352-294-7674, awhodges@ufl.edu
Dr. Hayk Khachatryan, University of Florida, 407-410-6951, hayk@ufl.ed
uDr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University, 979-458-3277, c-hall@tamu.ed
uDr. Marco Palma, Texas A&M University, 979-845-5284, mapalma@tamu.ed

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Fight the (Fire) Blight

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 11:34:49 GMT

It’s common knowledge that certain bacteria can make people sick, but did you know that bacteria can cause plant diseases as well? They most certainly do! The first bacterial pathogen to be identified was anthrax, a disease affecting sheep and cattle, in 1876. Shortly after that, the first bacterial plant disease was confirmed – fire blight on apples and pears.

Fire blight is likely native to North America and has colonized most of the U.S. and Canada. While outbreaks are irregular, reports of devastation to apple, pear, and other hosts were widespread in 2018, particularly in the Western U.S. Colorado, Washington, and California experienced extended favorable weather conditions, and fire blight flourished. Fire blight is very difficult to control once established and can destroy entire orchards in a single season, if conditions are just right.

Infected plant tissue cannot be cured. This is partly due to the fact that fire blight infections extend up to 2-3’ in wood beyond any visual signs and symptoms. Infected tissue can (and should) be removed and destroyed and clean plant tissue can be protected, but it is likely the tree will harbor the bacteria indefinitely. Disease management, as opposed to control, is key with fire blight.

If you’ve spent any significant length of time with a plant pathologist, you might have heard the phrase ‘disease triangle.’ It’s a model to help visualize how interactions between the plant, environment, and a pathogen result in disease development or not. For example, if a susceptible host is present (such as Snowdrift crabapple), but the pathogen (in this case a bacterium) is not present or active, then fire blight won’t be a problem. Likewise, if the environment is not conducive to disease (such as hot, dry weather), then fire blight won’t be an issue then either.

Altering one or more of these three factors can impact fire blight development in a positive way for the grower.

Environment. Fire blight depends on favorable weather conditions associated with most springs: namely warm weather (between 65 – 85 F) accompanied by intermittent rains or high humidity. Throw in a little hail storm that damages tender shoots, leaving open wounds ideal for pathogen entry, and the environment is prime for infection. While ambient temperatures cannot be altered, humidity can be lowered with techniques such as pruning and weed management. These practices increase airflow, which will help lower disease susceptibility.

Host. Fire blight infects over 200 different species in the Rosaceae family, including crab apples, pears, apples, Pyracantha, and blackberry. Some cultivars are more susceptible than others; so, planting cultivars more tolerant of fire blight will help minimize overall damage. Beyond that, the way the host is managed can lower disease severity too. Fire blight prefers succulent growth; therefore, avoid actions that encourage new, vigorous growth, such as excessive nitrogen fertilization, high soil moisture, and aggressive pruning. These are all ways to manage the host to slow disease.

Pathogen. In the case of fire blight, this vertex on the disease triangle is toughest. Most of the plant diseases we know are caused by fungi, which tend to be easier to control with fungicides. Plant diseases not caused by fungi, however, pose a much greater challenge in terms of control. Humans and animals often rely on antibiotics for bacterial disease control and in some situations, antibiotics are used in agriculture, such as citrus greening in oranges. Nursery production and landscape management situations are far less suitable for antibiotic use; so, other control strategies are needed. Copper sprays are somewhat effective against the bacterium, especially to protect new, clean growth, but efficacy is limited under high disease pressure.

Finally, removing the pathogen itself can help reduce inoculum in subsequent growing seasons. Since the pathogen resides in infected plants, cankered tissue should be removed in winter months, when the pathogen is not active, and then destroyed. When removing a cankered branch, find the lowest part of the canker, trace the branch to its point of attachment, and cut at the next branch juncture. In the case of large cankers on trunks, scrape down the bark around the canker to the cambium. Pay attention to wood color as it can be an indicator of infection. Wood directly underneath a canker is usually dead and turns a red color further out, eventually becoming red flecks. Beyond that, the tissue is healthy.

Fire blight is difficult to manage but not hopeless in most years. Management should focus on environment and host modifications as a means of reducing disease pressure. Cultural practices combined with mechanical strategies can help, but in some years (like 2018), almost nothing seems to help.

Charlie Hall Health and Well Being Video Post

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 11:34:47 GMT

Priorities for a Thriving Industry

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 13:13:52 GMT

HRI Sets New Strategic Research Focus

Through these efforts, HRI identified research priorities to tackle the challenges, capitalize on the trends and opportunities, better direct our research investments, and leverage federal funding.

Quantifying Plant Benefits—

Creating Innovative Solutions—

Whether in the supply chain, current inventory, or on the road to end-users, crops and inputs need to be traced, evaluated, ordered, managed and/or improved upon to provide cost effective solutions for producers to integrate into existing production practices. This would include (but not be limited to) advances in plant breeding, crop production and protection, software, automation, mechanization, and logistics. Recognizing and addressing barriers to adoption will be crucial.

Gathering Consumer Insights—

Producing Practical and Actionable Solutions—

Authors: James Owen, Jr., Virginia Tech; Anthony LeBude, North Carolina State University; Jill Calabro, HRI; Jennifer Boldt, USDA-ARS; Jennifer Gray, HRI; and James Altland, USDA-ARS.

HRI Launches New Boxwood Variety Evaluation Initiative

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 12:22:44 GMT

HRI has recently relaunched its Emerging Issues: Boxwood Blight Fund and will use this fund to coordinate development efforts for a standardized evaluation of boxwood varieties’ tolerance of or susceptibility to boxwood blight.

In 2012, in response to confirmations of boxwood blight in the United States, HRI established the Emerging Issues: Boxwood Blight Fund and dedicated over $16,000 towards research on mitigation efforts. Since then, HRI has leveraged these funds to gain an additional $2.7 million through multiple funding sources including the USDA-ARS Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative and USDA-APHIS Farm Bill. HRI continues to directly fund boxwood blight research, including two projects funded in 2018.

In addition to needed mitigation research, the industry needs to better understand which boxwood varieties exhibit tolerance or susceptibility. HRI is using the re-established Boxwood Blight Fund to help establish a standardized testing protocol. Previous research has shown potential variability among results. For example, a variety may show high tolerance in one site but moderate tolerance at another site. Ultimately, HRI hopes to endorse a labeling system indicating a variety’s tolerance level to guide better choices by nursery growers, retail customers, and landscape managers. Both the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association and the West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association have committed $10,000 toward this work.

To make a charitable contribution in support of the Boxwood Fund, please contact HRI at 614-487-1117. Make checks payable to HRI at 2130 Stella Ct; Columbus, OH 43215 and include a memo line: Boxwood Blight.

Reclaiming Boxwood from Boxwood Blight

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 12:24:53 GMT

Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, before boxwood blight became a household name among nurseries, growers reported a slump in sales of boxwood and plentiful inventory. This was during the period where the great recession was in full swing and new housing construction was at low levels. Fast-forward a few years, and it’s a whole different story.

The recession ended, and the U.S. real estate market rebounded. Growers now report an inability to meet consumers’ demands for boxwood—a good scenario! Boxwood is the #1 woody plant sold in the U.S. In 2014, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated the value of U.S. boxwood production at over $126 million, beating azalea, holly, hydrangea, arborvitae, and many others. Even some greenhouse producers are handling boxwood at certain times of the year.

With demand for boxwood at an all-time high, it’s unfortunate that growers must contend with boxwood blight, the impact of which is increasingly felt in production. The costs to grow boxwood have reached an all-time high as well for most growers.

While other diseases and pests threaten boxwoods—such as boxwood leafminer, Volutella, and mites—boxwood blight, caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata, is the primary concern in the US at the moment. This was confirmed at the recent American Boxwood Society (ABS) meeting, where new developments in boxwood blight research were featured. Some in the industry are concerned that the U.S. is on the cusp of exponential boxwood blight spread.

“The American Boxwood Society was overwhelmed at the response to the Boxwood Blight meeting in Beltsville on February 20, 2018,” commented Bennett Saunders, President of ABS. “It is obvious to the Society that the industry is very interested in fighting this disease. Indeed, the talks centered on keeping the disease out, but there is an increasing realization that in the future we will manage the disease through better pruning techniques, better ground cover management, more resistant cultivars, and other practices.

As this disease becomes better managed, we see a continued strong demand for this ‘Aristocrat of Plants’, in spite of the higher cost of production.”

To date, boxwood blight has been positively identified in 25 states. However, consensus among researchers is that it is likely present throughout the contiguous U.S. wherever there is a sizable population of boxwood. Any state where boxwoods are used in the landscape, but the disease hasn’t been reported, may just not have been identified yet. In any event, incidence of boxwood blight is increasing, both in production and landscape settings, as well as in cut greenery. Several reports emerged during the 2017 holiday season of boxwood blight-infected cuttings used and sold in wreaths and greenery in floral arrangements; horticultural inspectors issued quarantines on some of this material.

Margery Daughtrey, Senior Extension Associate with Cornell University specializing in ornamental plant pathology, noted, “In any given locality, the fungus that causes boxwood blight is usually moved only short distances, mostly by rain splash, or wind-driven rain…but we help it out in its distribution by inadvertently moving infected plants over large distances via the nursery trade. Diseased boxwood leaves and cankered shoots travel via B&B material, gallon containers, and even in Christmas wreaths.”

In parts of Europe, where boxwood blight has become almost ubiquitous in production and landscapes, treatment with fungicides is the norm. Eradication is not their primary control strategy, since the disease is widespread. The U.S. may get to that point – or maybe not. Our industry strategy is to keep boxwood blight out of areas, especially historic gardens - relying on a “start clean, stay clean” mantra. Time will tell how successful we are. In the interim, research continues.

Though boxwood blight was only identified in the U.S. in Fall 2011, a tremendous amount of research has been done since then. From 2014 to 2017, USDA APHIS has dedicated over $2.7 million to boxwood blight research through the Farm Bill, Section 10007. Additional research funds have come from the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative program through USDA ARS and the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program with funding from USDA APHIS and USDA NIFA. The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) sponsors research directly in tandem with its education and advocacy efforts.

Early research efforts focused on fungicide efficacy trials. Since then the research has morphed into the investigation of novel control strategies and longer-term solutions.

Dr. Chuan Hong, Virginia Tech, is coordinating a number of valuable research projects with a “you got questions, we got answers” attitude.

One example is the evaluation of mulch to help prevent spread in landscape situations. The spores of C. pseudonaviculata are very large and sticky; therefore, they do not readily spread via air currents. Tools, boots, rain splash, animal movement (even cats and dogs!), and infected plant material are prime ways boxwood blight is transmitted. Dr. Hong has found that mulching can effectively suppress disease through reduction in rain splash transmission and possibly by a change in the microbiome. Dr. Anton Baudoin, Virginia Tech, is considering the impact of mulch in production.

Dr. Hong is also working with Dr. Len Coop, Oregon State University on development of a boxwood blight forecasting model. The model can be found online now but should only be used as reference at this point. Future validations are needed and will enable it to more accurately serve as a guide for fungicide applications. Release of a mobile app is expected later this year.

Regarding fungicides, Dr. Jim LaMondia, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, has been testing the efficacy of commercially available products. Dr. LaMondia’s work has indicated some potential, early curative effects from certain demethylation inhibitor (DMIs, also known as sterol biosynthesis inhibitors or FRAC code 3) fungicides. More work is needed here, since many DMIs regulate plant growth or can cause severe plant injury.

Dr. LaMondia is also considering the impacts of alternate host plants, such as Pachysandra and Sarcococca, on disease development. Pachysandra production is different than boxwood and is not considered a likely source of boxwood blight. However, Pachysandra can serve as a reservoir for the pathogen in landscape settings.

Sanitation should always be a consideration – regardless of what disease is at play - for both producers and landscape managers. Several products are effective, such as ethanol, bleach, Lysol™, and Zerotol™. Ethanol, in particular, has been shown to effectively kill C. pseudonaviculata microsclerotia. This is great news because microsclerotia are masses of hardened fungal material capable of tolerating extreme weather conditions for an extended period of time. Microsclerotium formation is one way boxwood blight can persist in the soil for a very long time.

Other key research areas include biocontrol options, betterment of diagnostic tools (maybe even one suitable for field use!), the disease cycle, and a breeding program.

Finding tolerant boxwood varieties is a critical need identified by many throughout our industry. Mark Sellew, President of Pride’s Corner Farm, added, “At Prides Corner Farms we still grow and sell susceptible varieties but have dramatically changed our cultural practices to minimize disease pressure from limited access to the plants, to careful water management and finally to an aggressive chemical program with multiple MOA’s.”

“I believe our industry has to do a better job of policing ourselves, particularly when it comes to growing very susceptible varieties like Buxus suffruticosa. This plant, in my opinion, should be absolutely banned. It is highly susceptible and is most likely spreading the disease and jeopardizing the future market potential of the entire genus of Buxus.”

Once boxwood blight was discovered in the U.S, HRI acted quickly and established a fund for boxwood blight research, making some of the first fungicide efficacy trials possible. Since then, HRI has continued support of the industry by leveraging these funds for additional support and the development of a best management practices (BMP) document through collaboration with AmericanHort and the National Plant Board. The BMPs help gold standard growers ensure clean boxwood production.

One of HRI’s latest projects is working with researchers towards a standardized protocol where boxwood varieties can be assessed for boxwood blight tolerance. Previous studies have been conducted to evaluate boxwood varieties in terms of tolerance and susceptibility; however, the studies varied in methodology and, in some cases, results. Due to this variability, a more streamlined approach is desired. The boxwood blight research fund was reopened in 2018 and is now accepting donations to help guide the industry towards production of boxwood blight tolerant varieties.

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Jill M. Calabro, Ph.D. is science and research programs director at the Horticultural Research Institute, the AmericanHort research and scholarship foundation. The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) has provided more than $7.5 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry since 1962. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or call 614-884-1155.

Fundamental aspects of auxin foliar spray applications to woody plant cuttings

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 10:34:45 GMT

Applying auxin as a foliar spray has several advantages over traditional quick dip methods for rooting cuttings. These include potential worker safety and application efficiency. Foliar auxin sprays are also becoming an integral part of propagation systems using automated machine-assisted sticking robotics. However, not all woody species respond to foliar spray as well as a quick dip application for rooting and there are questions concerning application timing as well as the optimal number of applications. The overall goal of the research is to better understand the fundamental aspects of foliar applied auxin to cuttings.

OBEJECTIVE

The objective of the proposed research will be to answer basic questions about auxin movement in cuttings related to spray volume, single vs. multiple applications, and use of a surfactant.

Research Methodology And Significance:

Plant material: Cuttings were or will be collected from several woody plant species including hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), and burningbush (Euonymus alatus).

Cutting propagation: Terminal cuttings were cut to an average length of four inches and the upper two sets of leaves were left intact. Following sticking, the cuttings were placed under intermittent mist. The entire mist bed was covered in a single layer of shade cloth to reduce heat load throughout the day. Cuttings were treated with 20ml per six cuttings as a foliar spray at 1000 to 5000 ppm K-IBA to the upper and lower leaf surfaces. 5,000 ppm K-IBA as a quick dip was used as a control.

SIGNIFICANCE:

Applying auxin as a foliar spray has several advantages over traditional quick dip methods for rooting cuttings. These include potential worker safety and application efficiency. Foliar auxin sprays are also becoming an integral part of propagation systems using automated machine-assisted sticking robotics. However, not all woody species respond to foliar spray as well as a quick dip application for rooting and there are questions concerning application timing as well as the optimal number of applications. Therefore, the objectives of the proposed research will be to answer basic questions about auxin movement in cuttings related to spray volume, single vs. multiple applications, and use of a surfactant

OUTCOMES AND ECONOMIC RETURN ON INVESTMENT:

One advantage of using a foliar spray to deliver auxin is reduced labor costs. Drahn (2013) compared the labor required to treat 90,000 cuttings (one Quonset house) by either quick dip or foliar spray. He estimated that treatment by quick dip required 30 labor hours (8 persons ~4 hours per person), while the foliar spray required less than 2 hours of one person’s time. A considerable savings in labor costs. However, depending on the spray concentration, K-IBA costs can be 4-times the cost of auxin used for quick dip. Therefore, understanding the interactions between auxin concentration and the optimal number of foliar sprays can directly influence both rooting success and overall costs. Completion of the proposed research should provide growers with better guidelines for applying foliar sprays related to reducing costs while maintaining high rooting success.

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH RESULTS:

In Hydrangea , the foliar K-IBA application was more effective for rooting than a quick dip, except when treated with 1,000 ppm the day after sticking (Table 1). The best rooting occurred with a treatment of 2,000 ppm the day after sticking with 94% rooting and an average of 40 roots per cutting. The remaining applications exhibited good rooting as well, but the applications of 1,000 ppm K-IBA performed better than applications of 2,000 ppm. Hydrangea cuttings did not root well at the lower auxin concentration the day after sticking (18% rooting and 2.3 roots per cutting at 1,000 ppm). This indicates that while a lower concentration may be sufficient, the cuttings needed to fully acclimate to the misting environment to root without a higher auxin concentration. This may be partly explained by the delay in sticking following transport of the cuttings that could have led to lower foliar auxin absorption.

There were no significant differences in Hydrangea rooting when auxin application was delayed for up to 6 days after sticking. There was also no obvious additive or synergistic effect observed in rooting with multiple auxin sprays. From a practical standpoint, these data provide a window for initial auxin sprays where auxin remains effective for rooting and also indicates that there is no incentive for multiple foliar treatments in Hydrangea cuttings.

Table 1. Rooting in Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ cuttings treated with 1,000 or 2,000 ppm IBA foliar sprays at different times after sticking.

More Than One Million Strong: National Pollinator Garden Network Surpasses Goal of One Million Registered Pollinator Gardens

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 16:06:42 GMT

RESTON, VA. – In just three years, 1,040,000 gardens were registered with the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge (MPGC) involving an estimated eight million people, concentrated in the United States, and Canada with some in Mexico, and across the globe. From tiny yards to public gardens, the million plus gardens add up to a network of approximately five million acres of enhanced or new pollinator habitat.

Pollinator Gardening Hot Spots, where high percentages of the local population registered gardens, include: the desert southwest, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Prescott and Flagstaff, and the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona metro area. The Smoky Mountain region, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, contributed over 35,000 gardens. These areas, along with St. Louis, Missouri and others also support high bee density and diversity. Research indicates that the impact of these small-scale pollinator gardens has added significant support to pollinator abundance and diversity.

Metro areas with the highest number of registered gardens include Atlanta, Chicago, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Philadelphia-Camden, Washington DC, and New York City.

Launched in June 2015 by the National Pollinator Garden Network (NPGN), the goal of the MPGC was to create networks of gardens to help save pollinators, which are responsible for 1 out of 3 food bites we take each day. “Together, through collaborative conservation we are restoring pollinator populations that provide the foundation of our ecosystems and our food supply.” said, Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of National Wildlife Federation. “When we save wildlife, we save ourselves”.

With 40% of all invertebrate pollinator species – particularly bees and butterflies –at risk of extinction (National Research Council, 2007), NPGN responded as the largest pollinator conservation effort to engage the horticultural and voluntary sectors in a major role —offering a hands-on way for citizens to restore and enhance pollinator habitat. Co-founding organizations: National Wildlife Federation; Pollinator Partnership; American Public Gardens Association; AmericanHort; National Gardening Association; American Seed Trade Association; National Gardening Bureau; and KidsGardening.org, led the doubling of the NPGN to over 50 conservation, garden trade, garden club, and voluntary civic and federal partners.

Nancy L. Hargroves, president, National Garden Clubs, Inc. inaugural NPGN member, stated, “Our 5000 clubs in almost every state are proud to collaborate with the NPGN. The significant increased awareness and action for pollinators was not limited to any one project, but combined, has a greater total impact on the world.”

“Our collective efforts have accomplished great things for bees, butterflies, and other pollinator species that play a critical role in our natural world,” says Val Dolcini, president of the Pollinator Partnership. “From enhancing our food supply to increasing the biodiversity of our environment, these hard-working pollinators need to be protected at all costs. By protecting their lives, we’re preserving ours.”

An impact report, released today, indicates the MPGC led to a shift in consumer awareness, and wider actions such as pro-pollinator pledges, proclamations and policies. Since the campaign launch, 92 percent of garden centers have seen an increase in demand for pollinator-friendly plants and services and 86 percent are offering more pollinator-friendly plants, services, and education. Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president of AmericanHort, applauds these efforts. “Leaders in horticulture have stepped up to meet consumer demand for pollinator friendly plants and to provide the necessary education about sustainable methods that support habitat.”

Moving Forward

The 2019 call to action is designed to build on the momentum of Challenge in two ways: 1) Expanding garden habitat by asking Americans to plant at least three different pollinator-friendly plants that bloom in three different seasons (spring, summer and fall) to help ensure a consistent food supply for pollinators. The MPGC map will stay open for new registrations, and plant/garden descriptions. 2) Track the outcomes of this movement, by encouraging everyone to participate in citizen science projects that help pollinators at https://www.scistarter.org/pollinatorgardens.

“The passion for pollinators is clearly evident. Let’s pass it on and encourage the 35 million Americans who garden with flowers, to each put in one new pollinator friendly plant per season each year. Imagine the transformation!” says Mary Phillips, National Wildlife Federation, NPGN coordinator.

For more information about the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge or to learn about what can be done to reach the next million, contact Peggy Anne Montgomery at peggyanne@gardenmediagroup.com or Anna Vecchio at VecchioA@NWF.org

2019 Funded Projects

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 11:32:06 GMT

HRI's Funded Research Projects for 2019

New Boxwood Blight Best Management Practices Released

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 12:26:07 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC and COLUMBUS, OH

A lot can change in five years, especially in terms of research. Back in 2012, the US nursery production world was still reeling from the discovery of boxwood blight the year prior. The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) quickly established a fund dedicated to boxwood blight research and a boxwood blight working group composed of industry leaders and National Plant Board (NPB) representatives. A best management practices document for nursery production was produced out of this collaboration.

Subsequent research is still in progress, but enough new information exists to warrant a revision of the best management practices released back in 2012. AmericanHort and HRI, in conjunction with the NPB, are pleased to announce that the revised, updated Boxwood Blight Best Management Practices, version 2.0, is now available online at HRIResearch.org.

Two closely related fungi, Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae, can cause boxwood blight. Currently only one, C. pseudonaviculata, has a known presence in the US. This is a good thing. Both, however, are present in the EU; so, the threat remains for C. henricotiae to come to the US. Despite being the same genus (Calonectria), these two species have some key differences, such as different responses to temperatures and fungicides.

While researchers know of only three host plants for boxwood blight, boxwood (Buxus), Pachysandra, and sweet box (Sarcococca), the economic impact is potentially quite large, with over $20 million per year in US retail sales. Impacts to landscapes are immeasurable. Boxwood blight has been confirmed in 24 states, with Illinois and Missouri being among the latest detections. There are a few states yet with significant boxwood production where the disease hasn’t been confirmed, such as Texas and Louisiana.

Since 2012, the industry has rallied behind a coalition of researchers dedicated to finding the best management strategies for this disease. Resources to support these research efforts have come from a few different sources, including directly from the industry through the Horticultural Research Institute’s (HRI) grants program, the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program administered by USDA-NFA, and from Farm Bill, Section 10007 monies administered by USDA-APHIS. Section 10007 has allocated nearly $3 million alone, all towards boxwood blight!

Early research focused on the basics of boxwood blight management, such as fungicide efficacy studies and cultivar resistance evaluations. Recent focus areas have included (but are not limited to) long distance spread of the disease, pathogen survival in soil, insect transmission, biological control agents, risk mapping and disease forecasting, temperature impacts on disease development and pathogen survival, impacts of mulch in landscapes on disease development, and the use of heat therapy in boxwood propagation.

Dr. Chuan Hong, plant pathologist at Virginia Tech and the lead researcher of key boxwood blight projects, commented, “Boxwood blight risk is mounting for horticultural production facilities, especially those near an infested landscape site, now in 24 states. This BMP update with the latest research from the Farm Bill projects was well timed and will serve individual growers and the horticulture industry as a whole very well.”

To access the latest version of the Boxwood BMPs, please visit the AmericanHort Knowledge Center . To contribute to the continued research of this disease, its impacts, and its solutions, please donate to the Horticultural Research Institute at HRIResearch.org/Donate .

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has provided over $7 million in funds since 1962 to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Providing best management practices for pest and disease management and prevention is one example of how HRI benefits the horticultural industry. Over $10 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, scholarships, or programming, visit hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

Horticultural Research Institute Releases Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 16:08:12 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC and COLUMBUS, OH —The Horticultural Research Institute, the research foundation of AmericanHort, is pleased to announce the release of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry.

BMPs are intended to inform horticultural professionals about the green industry’s impact on bee health. Through the use of BMP guidelines, horticulture can continue to play an important role in pollinator health.

In 2015, the Horticultural Research Institute recognized the need for sound research to develop best production and management practices, educate, and empower the green industry. HRI, in collaboration with AmericanHort, continues to directly fund and leverage research to refine science-based guidance on horticultural practices and protecting bee and pollinator health. As part of the broad-based Horticulture Industry Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative that includes industry and consumer outreach and the establishment of industry best practices, HRI has directly funded four important research projects, launched the Grow Wise, Bee Smart website, and joined the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge campaign.

Jon Reelhorn, HRI President, states, “Investment in research surrounding horticulture’s role in pollinator health is part of HRI’s longstanding commitment to fostering new information relevant to horticultural practices, techniques, and principles. We are pleased to have developed a set of BMPs that offer specific guidance to the industry to refine their stewardship role in bee health.”

Pollinators as a whole encompass a diverse population of thousands of different species, such as managed honey bees, wild bees, butterflies, birds, and bats. Protection of pollinators in general, especially bees, continues to be a major concern among the general public and within the green industry. Several culprits have been identified as factors contributing to managed honey bee losses, including Varroa mites, other pests/diseases of bees, loss of habitat and nutrition, and off-target effects of pesticides. Alternatively, wild, unmanaged bee populations are most greatly affected by landscape changes and habitat degradation.

HRI developed the BMPs, which cover greenhouse and nursery production, woody ornamentals, and managed landscapes, with the assistance of researchers and apiarists throughout North America. Updates to these recommendations will be made as additional research results regarding bee and pollinator health are released.

For the full Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry, visit the GrowWise, Bee Smart website. To learn more about the Horticultural Research Institute and its efforts in developing science-based recommendations for the industry, visit the HRI website or contact Jennifer Gray, HRI Administrator by email or (614) 884-1155.

New Light Shed on Bee Parasites, Pathogens

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 15:09:26 GMT

With all the discussion about honey bee health, the implication is that a wealth of information exists about what is normal or healthy for a honey bee. Sadly, there is not. Very little information exists detailing the presence of honey bee pests in the US. Finally we are getting some answers.

The National Honey Bee Disease Survey was initiated in 2009 to document honey bee pests and pathogens throughout the US in the response to concerns over declining honey bee populations and to meet import/export requirements for international trade. A report summarizing the first five years of sample collection has just been published. Researchers detailed their observations on mites, fungal pathogens, and viruses. A critical component of the survey is to also analyze pesticide residues in apiaries; however, this information was not included in this report.

During the first five years of the survey, populations of Varroa mite and Nosema spp. (a fungal pathogen of honey bees) were far greater than expected. From 2009-2014, Varroa mites were positively identified in 87 – 98% of the sampled apiaries, and their populations were surprisingly seasonal. The highest monthly Varroa mite loads were observed in August through November. Furthermore, 55-70% of all sampled apiaries had mite populations over the critical economic threshold level at the critical time right before winter. Nosema spp. incidence ranged from 42-79% of sampled apiaries during 2009-2014, and was greater in migratory colonies (than stationary colonies).

Varroa mites are closely linked to virus infections; so, it follows that researchers saw a high incidence of viral infections associated with high mite populations. Eight viruses were monitored each year. Dwarf wing virus consistently had the greatest incidence with detected levels above 80% each year, while chronic bee paralysis virus doubled annually since 2010.

There is some good news: three exotic pest problems of, Tropilaelaps mite, slow paralysis virus, and Apis cerana (Asian honey bee), have not yet been detected in the US.

Researchers at the University of Maryland and USDA lead this multiyear effort. This first summary will serve as a baseline to measure trends and patterns over time, bringing much needed information to identify drivers of poor bee health. Plus it will be useful for detection of changes and new pests. Researchers also plan to correlate colony health to in-hive pesticide residues.