Higher temps bring rise in thrips
As temperatures continue to rise, thrips populations will also increase. Univ. of Conn. ext. hort. and greenhouse IPM specialist Leanne Pundt said thrips have been feeding on ivy geraniums, double impatiens, tomato transplants and weeds. Thrips damage plants and vector the tospoviruses impatiens necrotic spot virus and tomato spotted wilt virus. There is no cure for tospovirus-infected plants. Thrips are more attracted to virus-infected plants, so discard them in plastic bags to eliminate further virus spread. Use sticky cards to detect thrips before feeding damage is evident. Many growers use an action threshold of 10 thrips per card per week if a tosposvirus is not present. Pundt said adult thrips numbers on cards tend to peak every 2-3 weeks and insecticides should be applied before the peaks.

Wal-Mart to curtail store openings
At its annual shareholders meeting on June 1, Wal-Mart announced plans to reduce the number of supercenter stores it plans to open in fiscal year 2008. In Oct. 2006 the retailer announced it planned to open 265-270 stores in 2008. Its new projection is to open 190-200 stores, which will include 70 relocations and 40 expansions. About 80 of the supercenters originally scheduled to open in Jan. 2008 will open during early fiscal year 2009. The company said it plans to open 170 supercenters annually for the next 3 fiscal years.

California initiates moth eradication program
Calif. Dept. of Food and Ag. and USDA announced plans to implement treatments to eradicate light brown apple moth in Contra Costa and Napa counties. Treatments will consist of ground applications of the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis. The eradication program is beginning 1st in lightly infested areas to reduce the risk of spread outward. The moth, which has a host list of more than 250 plant species, has infested a 9-county region in the Bay Area.

Researchers evaluate switchgrass for ethanol
Low margins for ornamental crops got you depressed? Are you ready to chuck bedding plants and plant corn instead for ethanol production? Ohio St. Univ. researchers may have an alternative crop to try. Switchgrass, a native, warm-season summer perennial, looks to be a good alternative crop for ethanol production. It can produce up to 8-10 tons per acre of biomass, potentially producing 1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre, compared to 400 gallons for corn. Switchgrass is more resistant than corn to a wide variety of insects and diseases and is tolerant of poor soils, flooding and drought. However, switchgrass is more difficult to establish and reaches full yield 3 years after planting.

Worth a visit
The nursery business deserves its own action/adventure serial, "The Great Nursery Adventure: A Year in the Life of Greene Family Nursery." This month, the family faces a wind and hail storm. Only on GreenBeam.com.

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