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 BioWorks Bulletin
 Info To Grow                                                      February 2012
Greenhouse
In This Issue
Why Use RootShield?
Sneak Peek!
Downy Mildew Nightmares
Winter Pest Infestation Study
A Useful Tool for Pest Scouting
Quick Links

Crop Outlook 2012

  

USDA Releases New Zone Map

 

World's Worst Plant Pests 

 

Three Pests to Watch for this Season 

 

Soft Insectisides an Option in Vegetable Crops

  

Videos

 

Checking Fertilizer Injector Accuracy with Electrical Conductivity


Blog 
 Making Cents of Green Industry Economics
Ellison Chair in International Floriculture

 

Video: Why Use RootShield?

Root diseases can be devastating to plants and your operation.
See how RootShield can prevent losses and give you healthier plants.

 
Visit us at these Shows

Pest and Production Management Conference

February 16-18, 2012
Orlando, FL

 

Big Grower Executive Summit - 2012 

February 26-28, 2012

San Diego, CA
  

7th International IPM Symposium - IPM on the World Stage

 March 27-29, 2012 

Memphis, TN


BioWorks'
Randy Martin, PhD & Matt Krause, PhD present with Ray Cloyd, PhD, Ann Chase, PhD, & Michael Bledsoe, PhD:

"Integrating Biological and Conventional Pest and Disease Management Strategies in Greenhouse and Outdoor Horticulture"
 


Click HERE for past BioWorks Bulletin issues

 

Greetings!

Easter LilyHappy February, the month we celebrate Valentines Day and the special people in our lives who we love dearly. This month, show your Easter Lilies some love and apply RootShield one final time to keep those roots protected through Easter. Click here for the 2012 Easter Lily Production Schedule.
Sneak Peek...  RSPlus logo 


After 2 years, 4 months and 5 days RootShield� PLUS+ is finally EPA registered. What is the big news? Expanded root pathogen control!! For years growers have used RootShield to control a range of root pathogens including Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Thielaviopsis, and Cylindrocladium. RootShield PLUS+ contains the original beneficial fungus, Trichoderma harzianum strain T22, found in RootShield AND a second beneficial fungus, Trichoderma virens strain G41. Together these two beneficial fungi act synergistically to protect the plant's root system from pathogen attack by blocking access to the roots and by eating the pathogens.  Enhanced control of Pythium, including hot season Pythium (P. aphanidermatum), Phytophthora, Fusarium, Thielaviopsis, and Cylindrocladium, is obtained. 

 

RootShield PLUS+ Granules or RootShield PLUS+ WP prevent root rots -- they do not cure. Great to use on plugs to give them a strong start, or use on healthy plants in containers to help keep them disease-free. Once applied, the beneficial fungi in RootShield PLUS+ will continue for up to 12 weeks, protecting a plant's root system under a diversity of environmental conditions. All plants including ornamentals, nurseries, vegetables, herbs, fruits, tropicals and foliage will benefit for extended periods of time with RootShield PLUS+ growing and protecting the roots. 

 

We plan to launch RootShield PLUS+ in March, so stay tuned for more information and our official announcement!

Mild Winter Brings Downy Mildew Nightmares

By Chris Hayes, PhD, Southeast Technical Sales Managernightmare

 

The Winter of 2012 continues to be mild. Combine these conditions with a wet, cool late summer and milder than normal fall you create environmental conditions favoring Downy Mildew.

 

Guess what? Conditions confirmed. Downy Mildew arrived in the Northeast as usual in mid-September but never left. In fact, it has spread. Why? Because of a lack of frost, environmental conditions have favored Downy Mildew

Greenhouse Grower
Also see article
"Your Impatiens Might have Downy Mildew If..."

outbreaks. Downy Mildew oospores are abundant in nature. All it takes is the right weather conditions to allow these survival structures to germinate. And man can it germinate fast -- in as short as 3 hours with a relative humidity of at least 85% and air temperatures of 68�F or lower. Do these weather conditions occur in you operation?

 

Growers facing issues with Downy Mildew have options. Starting early in plugs is your best defense against Downy Mildew. Chemical fungicides (e.g. Adorn� by Valent) have shown value at controlling the problem. However, this chemical fungicide and other chemical fungicides strongly encourage the grower to rotate. What about rotating in biologicals?

 

Cease_pngCEASE� and MilStop� are biologicals that help prevent various types of leaf spots including Downy Mildew. CEASE helps weaken pathogen cell membranes; MilStop dries up pathogen cells and alters the surface pH of the foliage weakening pathogen growth. MilStop 5lb BagThey can be mixed (1 gal CEASE & 2.5 lbs MilStop in 100 gals per acre). This tank mix has shown effectiveness because CEASE causes pathogen membranes to become weakened, MilStop helps dehydrate the hyphae. Together they act as a hammer with some residual to control downy mildew and make perfect rotational partners for chemical fungicides.

 

Click for our Technical Bulletin: Tank-Mixing CEASE & MilStop

Mycotrol O and Molt-X Score High in Recent Winter Pest Infestation Study

The Cornell Vegetable Program recently completed its first full year of a project looking at the unique winter pest infestations of high tunnel winter crops.

 

Organic pesticides Mycotrol O and Molt-X showed excellent control of the aphid population.

 

Click to review the results of the study conducted by Judson Reid and Katheryn Klotzbach.

A Useful Tool for Pest Scouting

A very useful but sometimes overlooked tool for early detection and management of pest populations greenhouses are sticky cards. In this Ohio State University Extension fact sheet, Drs. Claudio Pasian and Richard Lindquist provide information to help growers better take advantage of this easy to use tool. 

 

"Sticky trap color. Traps that reflect certain wavelengths of yellow or blue are most often used. White or red traps are also effective for some insects. Most studies show that blue traps are better at capturing western flower thrips and shore flies, so if these insects are the only problems, go ahead and use blue traps. However, we suggest that yellow traps be used in a monitoring program that will include whiteflies and fungus gnats." Sticky cards
Click here for complete Sticky Trap fact sheet. 

 

BioWorks offers unique double-sided (with yellow and blue) insect monitoring sticky cards. Click here for details.

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