Gypsy moth eradication begins in S. Oregon
Ore. Dept. of Ag. will conduct a gypsy moth eradication project in S. Oregon this month. A 336-acre site in the Jackson County town of Shady Cove will be treated with 3 applications of the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk). Early-morning applications by helicopter are scheduled 10-14 days apart, depending on weather conditions. "After finding 6 gypsy moths in a single trap in the area last summer, we began interviewing residents," ODA entomologist Barry Bai with the Insect Pest Prevention and Mgt. Program said. "One person told us they had traveled with their trailer back to Pennsylvania to visit relatives in June. When they were back there, they saw gypsy moth caterpillars crawling all over the place. As a result of their information, we found gypsy moth pupal cases and even a live egg mass on site in Shady Cove."
Rains prompt officials to ease water restrictions
Spring rains have filled lakes and reservoirs across North Carolina, leading to a widespread easing of restrictions on water use. Raleigh lifted severe water-use restrictions and residents can now water lawns and plants for the first time in months. Charlotte lifted a complete ban on lawn watering. In Durham, the city's 2 primary reservoirs are full, so officials are allowing twice-weekly lawn and plant watering. In Asheville, citizens are under loose voluntary conservation, while officials in Greensboro are mulling whether to relax mandatory rules that allowed once-a-week watering for the past 7 months. Weather officials cautioned that it might be too soon to pull back on conservation efforts. "We came very close to being in very dire straits," Nat'l. Weather Service hydrologist Mike Moneypenny told The Charlotte Observer. "Hopefully, we learned some lessons from that. Conservation is not something we can just concentrate on when we're in trouble. It's a way to keep us from getting into trouble."
Tree heartwood fights Phytophthora ramorum
USDA research found extracts of tree heartwood limits the growth of P. ramorum, the fungus that causes sudden oak death. Plant physiologist Daniel Manter exposed P. ramorum spores to compounds, wood chips and essential oils extracted from heartwood. Extracts from incense cedar, western redcedar, Alaskan yellow cedar, western juniper and Port Orford cedar destroyed the spores and inhibited fungal cell growth. Heartwood could be processed into shavings, sawdust, wood chips or liquid extracts as environmentally friendly tools against the disease.
Gladiolus rust discovered in Florida
Gladiolus rust (Uromyces transversalis) was discovered in March at a Hendry County, Fla., nursery. It's the 1st detection of gladiolus rust (GR) in Florida in 2008. GR was found in 2006 and 2007 at this same site. Fla. Dept. of Ag.'s Div. of Plant Industry and USDA-APHIS will conduct surveys to determine spread of the disease. GR primarily attacks hybrid gladiolus cultivars and could have significant impact if it became established or was transported into greenhouses or nurseries. APHIS considers GR a "plant disease of quarantine significance."
Asian longhorn beetle declared eradicated in N.J. county
State and federal officials declared a 5-year cooperative effort to rid Jersey City and Hoboken, N.J., of Asian longhorn beetle a success. "By working together aggressively, the Asian longhorn beetle has been eradicated in the Hudson County quarantine zone, a true success story of partnerships between governments and private citizens," N.J. Secretary of Ag. Charles M. Kuperus said. The beetle was discovered in Jersey City in October 2002. Surveys found 113 infested trees in the city's Newport section. N.J. Dept. of Ag. quarantined that area and the surrounding area. The 113 infested trees and 348 at-risk host trees were removed, many of which were on the property of the Lefrak Organization, a developer in the area.
Wisconsin to promote dogwood, amsonia
Wis. Nursery Assoc. announced its Plant of the Year selections: Cornus mas 'Golden Glory' (Cornelian cherry dogwood) and Amsonia 'Blue Ice' (blue star). 'Golden Glory' is a small tree or multistemmed shrub that boasts characteristics for all seasons — a showy display of bright-yellow flowers in mid to late March and glossy, dark-green foliage during summer. 'Blue Ice' is a drought-tolerant plant with lavender flowers. WNA's Plant of the Year Program was initiated to promote quality and underused plants to the public.
Discovering the world of sustainability
Calif. operation makes saving water look easy. Project: Green Industry
Worth a visit
Specialty products and attention to detail provide Schlegel Greenhouse with a successful market. Only on GreenBeamPro.com.
|
The BF-300 is your complete solution for plastic baling. This baler allows you to pull up to any location and start baling within minutes. From Ag films to drip-tape, greenhouse covers and dairy silage covers, the BF-300 bales a wide range of plastics.
Mavrik Aquaflow® Insecticide/Miticide provides immediate and long term, broad-spectrum insect control for use on all greenhouse and nursery crops. For more information contact your local distributor, call 1-800-248-7763 or visit us online at www.mavrikaquaflow.com.
Emerald Coast Growers produces superior starter plants in a variety of
cell sizes; specializing in ornamental grasses and perennial plants.
Initial Release Purple Diamond® Loropetalum, Purple Pixie ™ Loropetalum, Bigfoot™ Cleyera, Bronze Beauty™ Cleyera, LeAnn™ Cleyera, Spring Sonata™ Indian Hawthorn, Oakland™ Holly, Robin™ Holly.
|
