Coalition to create funding mechanism for promotion order
The Floral Marketing Funding Initiative Coalition unanimously passed a resolution agreeing to create a funding mechanism for floral marketing. A steering committee of domestic producers and importers will decide which options under a promotion order would be acceptable while yielding enough funds to effectively increase consumption of cut flowers and greens. The coalition is seeking a funding mechanism, which will be broad based and fair, to support major national promotion of fresh cut products.
U.S. could face electricity shortage
A report by the N. American Electricity Reliability Council, which oversees the N. American power grid, indicates the adequacy of N. America's electricity system will decline unless changes are made. NERC's 2006 Long-Term Reliability Assessment Report analyzes the adequacy of electricity supply and transmission reliability in N. America through 2015 and calls for actions to improve bulk power system reliability. Within the next 2-3 years inadequate electricity capacity will occur in Texas, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains. Additional resources are expected to be needed in Western Canada as soon as 2008.
Canada confirms chrysanthemum white rust
Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the presence of chrysanthemum white rust (Puccinia horiana P. Henn.) in garden mums at a floral shop in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. Traceback activities identified the source of the infected plants. This facility was placed under regulatory control and 800 plants were disposed of according to CFIA Eradication Protocol. No other commercial facilities have been identified with infected material. Retail establishments that may have received infected plants have been inspected and eradication measures taken.
Worms may help disperse weed seed
Researchers at Ohio St. Univ. are studying the role earthworms play in the collection and dispersal of weed seed. One weed in particular, giant ragweed, may benefit from the behavior of earthworms and explain why the weed has been labeled one of the most stubborn weeds in Ohio to control. OSU weed scientist Emilie Regnier found that earthworms were collecting seed around their burrows. Although earthworms will collect other weed seeds, giant ragweed seed seems to be a favorite. Regnier said about two-thirds of ragweed seeds buried by earthworms are capable of producing viable seedlings. Earthworms previously have been known to disperse small weed seeds by ingesting them and then ejecting the seeds in their casts.
Conference offers nutrition workshops
New England Greenhouse Conference, Nov. 1-3 in Worcester, Mass., will feature 2 plant nutrition workshops on Nov. 1 by Bill Argo, technical specialist at Blackmore Co. The goal of the "Understanding pH Management for Container-Grown Crops" workshop is to help minimize pH-related problems. Topics are how management factors interact to influence media pH, how to minimize the risk of low or high pH problems, monitoring pH problems and correcting out-of-range levels. The "Understanding Nutritional Management for Container-Grown Crops" workshop focuses on recognizing and minimizing common nutritional problems.
Worth a visit
Jonathan Jones, national Phytophthora ramorum project manager with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, talks about the latest management efforts. Only on GreenBeam.com.
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