Still more emerald ash borer in Ohio
Ohio Dept. of Ag. enlarged its emerald ash borer quarantine for the 2nd week in a row. The pest was discovered in Anderson Township, which prompted officials to add Hamilton County to the list of regulated counties. Hamilton is the 28th county added to the quarantine, which regulates movement of ash trees and tree parts. Last week Ohio added Allen and all of Franklin County to the quarantine.
USDA treats N.Y, N.J trees for ALB
USDA will treat 98,000 trees susceptible to Asian longhorn beetle in New York and New Jersey. The trees will be treated with imidacloprid via trunk or soil injection, which has yielded positive results in the past, according to USDA officials. New York has a 132-sq.-mile ALB quarantine and New Jersey has a 25-sq.-mile quarantine. The trees are primarily in urban areas.
Novalis launches Nooks & Crannies line
The Novalis consortium of growers launched a new Plants that Work program, Nooks & Crannies. It features more than 300 plant varieties "for small spaces and special places." Each grows 12 inches high or less. They are regionally selected for optimum garden performance in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10. Plants are suitable for pathways, mixed containers, rock gardens, ponds, terraces, green roofs and patios. Selections are available for full-sun and shade applications.
New bacterium could curb plant pests
USDA researchers discovered a new bacterium toxic to gypsy moths, Colorado potato beetle and other pests. The bacterium species has been named Chromobacterium subtsugae sp. nov. The species was discovered in soil rich in decomposed hemlock leaves collected from the Catoctin Mountain region of Maryland. The beneficial microbe reduces caterpillar feeding. Gypsy moths weren't killed by the bacterium, but their weights were drastically reduced (by 40%) due to feeding inhibition.
Ethanol byproduct could control weeds
Distiller's dried grains (DDGs) are byproducts of converting corn into ethanol. Researchers have studied the use of DDGs as a surface mulch to reduce crop weeds. Results are promising. Tomatoes grown under a layer of DDGs yielded 226 pounds of fruit vs. 149 pounds for untreated plots. Some scientists speculate DDGs contain a chemical that keeps chickweed, annual rye and other weed seeds from germinating. DDGs are becoming plentiful. In the Midwest, ethanol producers generate 10 million tons of DDGs annually.
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