California adds 3 counties to LBAM quarantine
California's Los Angeles, Napa and Solano counties now have to comply with the Federal Domestic Quarantine Order, issued May 2 to prevent dissemination of light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) to other parts of the U.S. The order restricts interstate movement of certain plants and plant products from 11 California counties and the entire state of Hawaii. The statewide quarantine of Hawaii is necessary because of the absence of data on the distribution of LBAM within the state. On March 16, LBAM was confirmed by USDA in Alameda County, Calif. This was the 1st time this pest was confirmed in the continental U.S.

People are not 'bugged' by organic produce
Restaurants that purchase locally grown organic produce are finding out just how fresh the vegetables are, reports the Sept. 24 issue of Newsweek. Restaurant chefs and their patrons are finding more bugs in food. Buying from organic growers, who don't use traditional pesticides, has caused an increase in the frequency of bugs making it from the farm to the restaurant and occasionally to customers' plates. Some diners are upset with finding the unwanted hitchhikers on their food. However, other customers have expressed their pleasure at knowing the produce on their plates is "really" fresh and pesticide-free.

Bandedwinged whitefly migrates earlier
Univ. of Md. Co-op. Ext. reports some growers are seeing bandedwinged whitefly (Trialeurodes abutiloneus) migrating earlier into greenhouses from surrounding ag. field crops. The whitefly is entering earlier than usual this year from weeds and field crops, including soybeans, killed by drought conditions. This usually occurs in late September to mid-October after crops and weeds dry down. Bandedwinged whitefly feeds on ornamentals, including cabbage, kale, aster and poinsettia. In previous years, it has also been found on petunia, geranium and hibiscus in spring. Univ. of Fla. entomologist Lance Osborne said bandedwinged whitefly is present in very high numbers on cole and cotton crops in Florida and Georgia now, but the silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is the main one found there.

Task force sees more Q-biotype whitefly
Joe Chamberlain of Valent USA Corp. reports that there has been a lot of activity with regards to Q-biotype whitefly detections since the Ad Hoc Whitefly Task Force issued a letter to growers this summer. Confirmed IDs have been made in 8 states and more samples are being tested. Most IDs have been on poinsettia. "Q-biotype is a manageable problem if growers use the right products at the right time," Chamberlain said. "But despite all the efforts at outreach, some will not."

Conference, trade show to focus on specialty cuts
Assoc. of Specialty Cut Flower Growers will hold its nat'l. conference and trade show Oct. 1-4 in Raleigh, N.C. The program kicks off with its popular Growers' School on Oct. 1. The school is limited to 80 participants. Other seminar topics include crops for cool greenhouses, low-impact production, perennials and field bulbs, postharvest options, employee hiring and management, and hoop house and high tunnel production. There will also be 2½-day tours to growing operations and the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Worth a visit
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