Spring 2012 Issue

I n d u s t r y I n f o r m a t i o n T o H e l p Y o u G r o w

Cover PhotoSalvia - Velocity

2 Spring 2012 Issue

Cheshire, CTBall Ground, GATewksbury, MAGray, MEBridgeton, NJEwing, NJAuburn, NYBrookhaven, NYSchenectady, NYMorgantown, PAKnoxville, TNRichmond, VA

Griffin Locations

General Inquires1.800.888.0054

Toll Free Order Line1.800.659.4346

All articles and material featured in this Gazette cannot be duplicated without written permission. Copyright © 2012 by Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies.

Griffin Saturday HoursMA - PA -VA BranchesJan. 28 - May 19 • 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

CT - NY - Ewing, NJ BranchesFeb. 4 - May 19 • 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

ME - Bridgeton, NJ BranchesMarch 3 - May 19 • 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

GA - TN BranchesClosed

Griffi n MA Grower ExpoAugust 15, 2012West Springfi eld, MA

Griffi n PA Grower ExpoSeptember 12, 2012Lancaster, PA

Griffi n TN Grower ExpoSeptember 26, 2012Knoxville, TN

Event DatesOFAJuly 15 -17, 2012Columbus, OH

PANTSJuly 31 - August 2, 2012Oaks, PA

Exceptional Customer Service is more than just a catch phrase for Griffi n Greenhouse Supplies, it is our Mission. Over the past couple years we have made a number of signifi cant changes to achieve this goal. The fi rst change was to update our phone system. Now we have one toll free number 1-800-888-0054 to reach all of our departments. We did this to ensure every call made to Griffi ns between 8am and 5pm, Monday thru Friday is directed to a live person. This holds true whether you are calling Customer Service, Plants,

Construction, GGSPro Technical Services or any other of our customer focused departments. When calling to place an order, you can dial 1-800-659-4346, this rings on all Customer Service phones throughout our 12 locations, allowing us to function as one company instead of an individual branch. Each Customer Service Representative is knowledgeable and has the ability to see inventory in all of our branches. They can tell you when your delivery should be arriving at your location, they can tell you what you ordered in the past and can discuss what product might be a good fi t for your business today. No matter who answers the phone, your questions can be answered and Griffi n employees can get you the information you need. More importantly, this also alleviates the need to leave a message at your local branch, hoping someone gets back to you prior to deliveries being scheduled. During our busy spring season, our very knowledgeable Outside Sales Representatives come in and help us answer the increased volume of calls. We do all this so your call is answered by a “live” person whose job it is to make sure you get what you want, when you want it. The second change was to hire and train additional Customer Service Representatives. Over the past year, we have welcomed four new CSR’s to the Griffi n team. Our Product and Program Education Manager works with our CSR’s and Sales team to educate them on programs and products so they are up to the task of answering any questions that may be asked of them. Our employees are constantly learning about new and innovative products to keep you on the cutting edge of the horticultural industry. Each week time is set aside to review Product Knowledge, and make sure all CSR’s are familiar with the products we sell. We have a tenured staff of Customer Service Representatives with over 200 years combined industry experience! Lastly, we now have a Corporate Customer Service Manager, overseeing the entire Customer Service department. We encourage you to contact us and give us any feedback that can help us be a better partner with you in growing your business.

We care about what you think, and have implemented numerous ways you can contact us.

Call in; Walk in; Click in! • Call Customer Service – speak to a live CSR• Walk into any of our 12 locations • Email us any time of the day or night – orders@griffi nmail.com • Just click on this icon on Griffi ns.com and tell us what you think!

We look forward to servicing you and providing Exceptional Customer Service. My name is Christine Layne, Corporate Customer Service Manager, and I can be reached by email anytime. Please contact me personally at clayne@griffi nmail.com or at 978-513-7023, with any issues, comments or concerns you have with Griffi n Greenhouse Supplies. I look forward to hearing from you!

Construction GGSPro Technical Servi

Technical Reference Guide - 2nd EditionOver 90 pages of detailed technical information with charts and photos.

Visit GGSPro.com or Call 888-GGSPRO-1

Each section is designed to give subject identifi cation

with a picture along with control recommendations.

In addition, we have included our very popular Insect/

Disease/Herbicide & new BCA reference charts right

in the book! These charts have Mode of Action, Active

Ingredient, REI, Application Rates and Measurement

Conversion Tables. The sections include Insects,

Diseases, Weeds, BCAs and PGRs.

View a sample on GGSPro.com

• Use it inside and outside - heavy duty pages.

• Great for IPM scouting.

• Excellent resource for all your employees!

Item # Price

98-401 $99.00 + s & h

GGSPro’s cutting edge products are designed

to help growers be more profi table by

improving quality and reducing shrinkage.

Tech Guide

Second Edition

with updated charts

and recommendations.

New for 2012

Point Of Purchase PostersPo

High-quality signage, at aff ordable prices, with NO minimums!

Available in pre-designed and custom options!

24” X 36”Item # Description 1 - 4

PP-2436PE Perennials $49.50

PP-2436PO Poinsettias $49.50

PP-2436SH Shade Annuals 49.50

PP-2436SU Sunny Annuals 49.50

PP-2436VG Vegetables 49.50

PP-2436CR Coir Pots 49.50

PP-2436HG Herb Garden $49.50

16” X 24”Item # Description 1 - 4

PP-1623PE Perennials $39.95

PP-1623PO Poinsettias 39.95

PP-1623SH Shade Annuals 39.95

PP-1623SU Sunny Annuals 39.95

PP-1623VG Vegetables 39.95

PP-1623HG Herb Garden $39.95

• 2 sided printing on Coroplast• Full color print • UV coated• Grommets for easy hanging (24x36)

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www.gr i f f ins.com 3

Energy costs continue to make headlines on an almost daily basis and for those of us burning oil to heat our greenhouses the proverbial handwriting has made it onto the wall. Today’s highest efficiency natural gas burners blow conventional oil burners out of the water given current fuel costs. Making the conversion from oil to natural gas is neither easy nor cheap. That said, when pencil hits paper the decision becomes very easy to make. This article will explain the analysis and describe the experiences of two growers who have begun con-verting their ranges in order to realize significant savings in green-house heating costs.

Apples, oranges, and back to applesIn order to compare the cost between oil and natural gas we first must make a simple conversion. Oil, a liquid, is measured in gal-lons. Natural gas, a gas, is measured in cubic feet. One hundred cubic feet of natural gas equals one therm and it is this unit, the therm, by which it is purchased and discussed. This difference between oil and natural gas makes direct com-parison like that of apples to oranges. Direct comparison, apples to apples, can be achieved if the two fuels are compared based on their BTU capacity. There are on average 140,000 BTU per gal-lon of oil and 100,000 BTU per therm of natural gas. Because a gallon of oil has more BTU power, it takes more than one therm of natural gas to equal the heat output of one gallon of oil. That conversion factor is 140,000 divided by 100,000 or 1.4. If one gal-lon of oil is burned 1.4 therms of natural gas are needed to equal the BTU output under perfectly efficient conditions.

Toggling from oil to natural gasBased on the above comparison of BTU capacity between a gallon of oil and a therm of natural gas, many fall into the trap of comparing the price directly. Let’s say the price of oil is $3.00 per gallon. Using the conversion factor of 1.4 therms of natural gas per gallon of oil, the comparable cost of natural gas would be $2.14 per therm ($3.00 divided by 1.4). So, if the price of oil is $3.00 per gallon the comparable cost of $2.14 per therm of natu-ral gas buys the same 140,000 BTU of heat. With reference to oil at $3.00 per gallon, if the cost per therm is less than $2.14 natural gas is cheaper, if it’s more than $2.14 it’s more expensive. As of this writing in Massachusetts oil is indeed in the $3.00 range while natural gas is below $1.50, a very compelling difference favoring natural gas.

Burner efficiency is keyEven though the equivalent cost of natural gas is significantly lower than oil at present, the argument strengthens further when burner efficiency is included. Dan Morrissey, manager of Griffin’s construction department, provided the following furnace effi-ciency benchmarks: the maximum efficiency of an oil furnace is 80 percent. If not tuned and serviced properly Dan told me that 77 percent is quite common.

A traditional natural gas furnace that is power vented with spark ignition while using inside air for combustion is also rated at 80 percent. The newest generation of natural gas furnace adds the advancements of separated combustion (uses outside air) and condensing technology to achieve 93 percent efficiency.

Think of the analysis this way. The best we can achieve with an oil furnace is 80 percent efficiency. That means from each gallon of oil containing 140,000 BTUs we succeed in sending 112,000 out as greenhouse heat. The rest are either not burned completely or escape through the exhaust chimney. Likewise, an older genera-tion natural gas furnace achieves similar 80 percent efficiency so the two furnaces run pretty much the same. In this comparison, if oil is $3.00 per gallon and natural gas is less than $2.14 per therm, it’s cheaper to burn natural gas. The newest generation of Modine natural gas furnace is the Effinity 93 where the 93 refers to the furnace’s efficiency. The added efficiency lies in using outside, dryer air for combustion and removing water from the process via condensation. There are two ways to compare the numbers, the most obvious that 93 is higher than 80 by 13 percentage points. In actuality, the differ-ence in increasing from 80 to 93 is even higher, 16 percent (93-80 divided by 80).

Grower conversions I visited Michael’s Greenhouse in Cheshire, Connecticut to see their conversion project. They are in the process of converting 19 free standing houses to natural gas using 310,000 BTU Modine Effinity 93 units. The accompanying picture shows the old oil fur-nace setup with oil storage tank along with the new Modine unit. Thanks to Ron Humiston at Michael’s for sharing his time. One of my greenhouses was converted this season as well. The same 310,000 BTU unit was installed in a 100 foot house to provide sufficient heat for my research activities. Lastly, a shout out to my friend Bill Swanekamp at KubePak for sharing his fuel conversion intellect for this article.

By Peter Konjoiann

Think of the analysis this way. The best we can achihievevee wiwithth aan

Grif f in Gazette Spr ing 2012 Issue4

Do you have a “wrapped and ready gift area”? Do you have theme selling areas that say “Thank You" "Get Well” ... Can customers stop for a gift plant, wrapped and ready for quick pick-up? If you are near a hospital do you advertise you have “Quick Gifts”? Do you offer gift cards? Do you have plants displayed with pot cov-ers or decorative sleeves? Do you have decorative pots you can drop a plastic pot into? Do you have plants to occupy the kids while the grownups shop? Do you have attention grabbers that will be the topic of conversations?

Do you have Holiday Specials for Patriotic selling seasons, small pots of annuals for kids’ gifts for Mom, decorated products for housewarmings, hospital visits, or get togethers?

If you sell retail, having all of the above mentioned is as easy as OPENING THE BOX!

Call your Griffi n sales representative today, or Griffi n Plant Services at 1-800-732-3509.

We’ll show you our full line of retailing programs.5www.gr i f f ins.com

By Rick Yates GGSPro Technical Services Manager

Aphids will happily feast on nearly every crop produced in the typical spring greenhouse. To add insult to injury they will attack all above ground plant parts. Not content with that, some types of aphids feed on roots or bulbs. They have this nasty habit of reproducing by giving birth to live young without the need for fertilization. As aphid nymphs settle in for their first meal they already have the next generation developing within them. If that all isn’t enough to upset your digestion, I’ll continue. When aphids sense overcrowd-ing or the need to move to another food source they give birth to winged aphids that efficiently disperse the popula-tion. Once they have spread out the “herd” they go back to progeny with no wings. The reproductive rate of aphids is temperature dependent, so that as the first warm days of spring accelerate crop growth the aphids ramp up just as fast, or faster. The Griffin technical department will get calls from distressed growers proclaiming, “They just came out of nowhere!” It seems that way, but the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t take many undetected aphids to turn into a “four alarm fire’ fueled by the warm rays of the April sun.

Aphids insert a feeding tube (stylet) into plants to extract water and nutrients from their host. This feeding can cause distorted growth and when the numbers of aphids are high enough the sugary excrement they leave behind can host unsightly black sooty mold. Aphids also transmit many eco-nomically important plant viruses such as TMV, a significant disease of crops such as calibrachoas and petunias. A wide host range and explosive reproductive capacity

make aphids tough competitors for chemical and biological con-trol programs. Scouting for early detection is very important no matter which route you choose. Start clean by removing all veg-etation from greenhouses at the end of the growing season as weeds can sustain aphids in unheated greenhouses even in surprisingly cold climates.

Effective chemical control options for aphids grouped by mode of action:

MOA 9 - Aria or EndeavorMOA 4A - Marathon*, Flagship*, Safari*, TriStar*. MOA 23 - Kontos*NC - Botanigard* or Mycotrol*MOA 7 - Enstar AQ

Pesticide resistance is a significant concern. Rotate between products from different modes of action to help reduce resistance pressure. Products followed by an aster-isk have at least some edible crops on the label. It is vital that applicators read and follow the entire pesticide label. Products other than those mentioned may be safe and effective. Consult GGSPro for help in developing a respon-sible aphid control rotation.

Biological controls can be effectively used to control aphids. Just as with a chemical program, a vigorous scouting program is required to be successful. The back-bone of many biological aphid control programs are parasitoids, Aphidius colemani and Aphidius ervi. Generally speaking the A. colemani is used for the smaller species of aphids and the A. ervi for the larger species. Griffin, through Syngenta Bioline, sells the parasitoids separately but also as a mixture since more than one species of aphids can be active in a greenhouse at one time and identification by growers can be difficult. In the GGSPro Reference Guide you will see this mixture under the trade name “Aphiline ce”. To help cope with the surge in aphid populations some growers

have utilized aphid banker plants to create Aphidius colemani pro-ducing colonies. Griffin’s Peter Armando has created a bulle-tin titled, “Aphid Banker Plants” that steps growers through cre-ating their own banker plants based on his years of hands on experience assisting grow-ers with biological control pro-grams. This bulletin is available through GGSPro along with

our “Aphid Quick Sheet” which can be found in the GGSPro Reference Guide. Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Aphidoline a) is a midge with a voracious appetite for aphids that can be useful in combating hot spots of aphid activity. Some growers are successfully using green lace-wing (Chrysoperla carnea) to control aphids, something GGSPro will be taking a closer look at for the future. It is possible to use certain aphid pesticides in concert with aphid biological control organisms to help combat hot spots. Please check with GGSPro to determine which prod-ucts can be safely used with the predators and parasitoids you are using.

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Gri f f in Gazette Spr ing 2012 Issue6

How many times have you walked through your green-house and felt the need to wear a dust mask to avoid breathing in a cloud of shore flies billowing before you? Ok, maybe you don’t have that problem in your green-house, but it’s likely you know someone who does. What you may not know is how easy it is to take back control of your greenhouse. A simple program approach of Millenium® beneficial nematode applications can keep your operation free of those nuisance shore fly clouds.

Shore Fly (Scatella stagnalis) adults and larvae cause lit-tle physical plant damage, but can leave a bad taste in your customers’ mouth from infested plant material, as well as the frass left on plant leaves. More recently, it has been found that adult shore flies may transport plant dis-eases like Pythium, Fusarium and Thielaviopsis between plants. Shore flies flourish in wet growing conditions and on algae – their food source and area of propagation.

Identifying shore fly adults and larvae is relatively easy. The adult shore fly is about a 1/8 inch long and has a black body, reddish eyes and dark wings with 5 white dots on each wing. Time from egg to adult can range from 15 to 20 days. The shore fly larvae are about ¼ inch long, yellowish-brown maggots with two forked, dark tipped breathing tubes. Larvae feed on algae, bacteria and other unicellular organisms.

Millenium Steinernema carpocapsae insect-parasitic nematodes attack and kill shore fly larvae. Once these beneficial nematodes are applied to the larvae feeding areas, they enter the larva’s body and release bacte-rium that quickly kills the larva. With no restricted entry interval (REI = 0) and no adverse effects on beneficial insects or soil microorganisms, Millenium beneficial nem-atodes are an important tool for resistance manage-ment, worker safety and environmental responsibility – all ideal components in your IPM program.

Millenium Program DetailsUse Millenium preventatively or curatively, depending on growing conditions. In either case, treat the soil or growing media and any surfaces containing algae, including walls, benches, mats, drains and floors. Start the program using the high rate of 250 million/2,750 ft². Spray at a rate of 250 million nematodes per one gallon of water injected at 1:100. Area treated per 100 gallons is 2,750 ft². The following weekly applications can be made at 250 million per two gallons of water injected at 1:100. This volume should be enough to treat two 2,750 ft² greenhouses. Spray weekly until the population declines to an acceptable level. A minimum of three applications are needed, however, additional applica-tions may be needed to maintain a low shore fly popula-tion over time.

Applications should be made in the early morning or late evening. Use blackout curtains, close vents, and switch off artificial lighting during and for at least two hours after application to minimize both UV light and heat exposure to the nematodes. Spray adjuvants, such as CapSil®, will promote improved application uniformi-ty and allow nematodes to reach the pest more effec-tively. Apply CapSil at the rate of two to eight ounces per 100 gallons. Remove all sprayer filters of 50 mesh or finer and maintain pump pressure below 300 psi to avoid damaging nematodes. Soil or growing media tempera-tures should be between 57-86 °F.

The next time you feel annoyed by those nuisance shore flies, don’t break out the mask. Remember the simple solution: Millenium beneficial nematodes. Your plants will thrive and your customers will thank you!

li ti h ld b d i th l i

By Julie Graesch - Becker Underwood nematode field development specialist

7www.gr i f f ins.com

Downy mildew can be a challenging problem in both herbaceous and woody ornamentals. Generally favoring cool, moist condi-tions, this disease can appear in the spring and early summer when environmental conditions are conducive for disease devel-opment. Recognizing early signs of downy mildew is critical to the profitability of crop production. As with any disease, prevention is the goal. By knowing which crops are most susceptible as well as environmental conditions that foster mildew, you can take steps to avoid the cost of losing an entire crop or missing a season. Disease symptomsThe symptoms of downy mildew can look slightly different depend-ing upon the host plant. Yellowish, tan, or reddish blotchy or angu-lar spots on the topside of the leaves are early disease indicators for most of the plants listed below. On impatiens, infected plants will exhibit light mottling, pale green foliage resembles a mild nutrient deficiency. In coleus, infected leaves will have angular necrotic spots and appear blighted. A velvet-like fuzzy mat devel-ops on the underside of the leaves and is best seen in the morning or when conditions are humid and moist. Using a 10X hand lens is helpful. This fuzzy mat is made up of numerous specialized spores called “sporangia” and is unique to the downy mildew fungi. The color and density of sporulation can range from white, gray or pur-ple and from heavy to light, respectively, depending on the crop. As the disease progresses, lower leaf loss is common, particularly in rose, impatiens and coleus. Severe plant stunting, leaf distortion, wilting and death occur when the downy mildew fungus invades the internal system of the plant causing a “systemic infection” that affects the entire plant. Systemic infection can occur when seed-lings or young plants become infected through developing roots. This can happen when the downy mildew fungus is on the seed or has contaminated the soil/growing medium.

Susceptible crops Downy mildew can be caused by different, but related fungi. While infections by the causal agent tends to be host specific, there are some that can infect more than one plant type and/or plants within the same family. Below is a listing of some ornamen-tals to scout closely:

Environment favoring diseaseTemperatures from 50° F to 72° F are favored by most downy mildew fungi. Higher temperatures are tolerated by the downy mildew fungi that infect rose (up to 82° F) and salvia (up to 90° F). All downy mildew fungi require high relative humidity (greater than 85%) and extended periods (six hours or more) when the leaves are wet. Only a thin layer of moisture on the foliage is needed for disease to develop.

Cultural tipsA dry, clean growing environment coupled with preventive fungicide treatments can protect susceptible crops. Look for the disease: Susceptible crops should be scouted weekly, turning leaves over to look for the distinctive mat of spores. Shipments of plants prone to downy mildew should be inspected for disease prior to placing them in the growing area. Keep the production area clean: A thick-walled survival spore (oospore) can persist in soil/growing media, wooden benches, growing mats, and plant containers. These can be a source of infection for future crops.Spores are produced on diseased plants and spread on air currents: Remove diseased plants/plant parts immediately to limit spore production and spread. Place infected plants into closed containers/bags so spores cannot spread to nearby healthy plants. Keep the growing environment dry: Keep relative humidity to a minimum. Heat and vent to reduce the time that leaves are wet. Water plants at a time of day that allows foliage to dry quickly. Consider using drip or subsurface irrigation on key crops prone to this disease.

Apply fungicides preventivelyDowny mildew is controlled best through a preventive fungicide program. Fungicides should be applied to susceptible crops every 7 to 10 days in a preventive program when environmental condi-tions are conducive for disease development. At the first disease symptom, the interval between fungicide treatments should be shortened to five days. Fortunately there are fungicide options for control of downy mildew. These include fungicides from 7 modes of action groups or FRAC (fungicide resistance action committee) groups such as: (4)Subdue MAXX®, (11)Heritage®, (40)Stature® or (40) Micora™, (3)Protect™, (33)Aliette®, (21)Segway™ and (43)Adorn® (for example). A fungicide rotational program utilizing fungicides from all the FRAC groups is important for good resis-tance management. Please follow the label instructions regard-ing use of these fungicide products.

Micora™ from Syngenta is the newest oomycete fungicide to add to this list. Micora™ contains the ingredient mandipropamid (FRAC group 40) and provides protection by inhibiting spore germination and suppressing mycelial growth and sporulation. Micora™ offers superior Lok&Flo™ technology that assures rapid rainfastness as soon as the spray has dried. It goes to work through contact protection and translaminar penetration for immediate protection from oomycete diseases such as Downy Mildew and Phytophthora foliar, crown and stem rots. Micora™ has a 4 hr reentry interval (REI) with a CAUTION signal word and is labeled for use on greenhouse and nursery ornamentals and certain vegetables transplants for resale to retail consumers. Micora™ is packaged in quarts, with use rates of 4 to 8 ounces per 100 gal-lons. Micora™ received federal registration during the 4th quarter of 2011.

Micora™ was registered by the EPA in November of 2011. Micora™ is not registered and not for sale in New York, Alaska, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, California, Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington.©2012 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions before buying or using Syngenta products. The label contains important conditions of sale, including limitations of warranty and remedy. All products may not be registered for sale or use in all states. Please check with your state or local extension service before buying or using these products. Syngenta supports a FIFRA Section 2(ee) recommendation for the use of Heritage for control of downy mildew on bedding plants caused by Plasmopara spp. Please see the Section 2(ee) recommendation to confirm that the recommendation is applicable in your state. Heritage®, Subdue MAXX®, and Micora™, Syngenta, and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Stature® is a trademark of BASF. Segway™ is a trademark of Ishihana Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. Vital® is a trademark of Phoenix Environmental Care, LLC. Aliette® is a trademark of Bayer CropScience. Adorn® is a trademark of Valent USA Corp. Protect™ is a trademark of the Cleary’s Corporation.

By Michael OleykowskiSyngenta - Ornamental Specialist

PLANT HOST CASUAL AGENTAlyssum, Iberis, Erysimum, Stock, Kale, Cabbage Peronospora parasiticaBuddleia Peronospora sordidaImpatiens Plasmopara inducensPansy, Viola Peronospora violae,

Bremiella megaspermaRose Peronospora sparsaSalvia, Lamium, Coleus Peronospora lamiiSnapdragon Peronospora antirrhiniCoreopsis, Sunflower, Gaillardia, Osteospermum, Verbena Plasmopara halstediiFoxglove, Veronica Peronospora grisea

lookout“Be on the

for

this spring”

Item No. 71-1655

Griff in Gazette Spr ing 2012 Issue8

By Joanne Lutz, GGSPro Technical Support Specialist

Leaf spots can vary in size and color and from plant to plant making it very dif-ficult to diagnose accurately. Without the aid of a micro-scope or plant diagnostic lab, it is impossible to confirm a pathogen is present and directly associated with the symptoms being displayed. Leaf spots can be caused by fungal or bacterial plant pathogens. Under ideal con-ditions fungal pathogens produce sexual or asexual spores, mycelium, or fruiting bodies that are used to identify them. Often leaf spots that appear are not caused by pathogens but insects, nutritional deficiencies, pesticide phytotoxicity, or other abiotic conditions that display similar damage (see photo

to left). Fungal pathogens are spread very easily by wind, air currents and splashing water. They also can by spread inad-vertently in contaminated soil and tools, reusing contain-ers, handling or propagat-ing infected plant tissue and in recirculated water. The most common fungal patho-gens that cause leaf spots include: Alternaria, Botrytis, Cercospora,Corynespora, Anthracnose or Colletotrichum, Phyllosticta, Septoria, and Rust.

Bacteria pathogens can pro-duce leaf spots, blights, soft rots and wilts and are often more destructive than fungal pathogens. Bacteria enter plants through the leaves, and roots and spread into the plants’ vascular system quickly. Leaf spot symptoms often have a dark greasy, water soaked appearance and may be sur-rounded by a yellow halo but not always. Microscopic observation of bacterial streaing from leaves can be used to distinguish between a bacterial and a fungal disease. To identify the bacterial pathogen, immunological bacterial test

kits (available from Agdia, Inc. and others) or a diagnostic lab is required. Bacteria are spread via splashing water, infected tools, infected cuttings, physical han-dling of diseased plants, seeds, insects, and plant parasitic nematodes. Common green-house bacterial pathogens include Erwinia, Xanthomonas, and Pseudomonas.

Fungicides and bactericides may be applied prior to disease development when conditions are forecast to favor diseases development such as prolonged cloudy wet weather. Choose a fungicide based on its mode of action, contact, translaminar or systemic properties, re-entry intervals and plant safety. The re-application interval is determined by the product label and is often expressed as a range. Use the shorter re-application interval when disease pressure is high. The GGSPro technical department is available to help select the best fungicides or bactericides for the job. The Griffin Insecticide and Fungicide Options bulletin is a great resource for comparing pesticides at a glance. Always read and follow the pesticide label.

To reduce potential infections from foliar leaf pathogens, incor-porate strict sanitation practices, avoid pruning or handling plants when wet, wear gloves and/or wash hands after han-dling diseased plants and discard diseased plants immediately to reduce spread to nearby plants. Scouting weekly is vital to detect symptoms and signs of plant diseases. Pathogens usually have an ideal temperature and humidity range for maximum disease development. Knowing this information can help you modify the greenhouse environment to decrease the risk. In general, cultural practices such as utilizing HAF fans and modifying irrigation practices to minimize leaf wetting can be counted on to reduce foliar disease risk. Last but not least, avoid excess fertility as this has been shown to make plants more susceptible to foliar diseases. Taken together, these pre-ventative cultural measures will increase the probability that fungicide applications will be successful and that less chemi-cal will be required to produce healthy crops.

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9www.gr i f f ins.com

By Virginia Brubaker, GGSPro Technical Support Specialist

FAQ’s

The winter of 2012 was great for keeping the fuel consump-tion down. But unfortunately due to the mild temperatures, it is expected this spring that we will see a rise in insect popula-tions. I predict that mealybugs will be on that list. Mealybug control is difficult for many reasons. They overwinter as eggs in a cottony sac and can live 2-3 weeks without plant hosts. Mealybugs can be found hiding in protected locations such as lips of pots and trays. Often they go undetected unless your scouts know where to look.

The overlapping generations also make control difficult. The adult female can lay up to 600 eggs during their lifecycle that can last up to 60 days. Well-established infestations are difficult to control because their bodies are covered with a waxy secretion. This substance prevents the young nymphs and eggs from being penetrated with chemical sprays. Thorough coverage and use of a surfactant is necessary when using contact insecticides. The immature crawler stage is not covered by this wax and is the most susceptible life stage. Repeated spray applications of insecticides, which may include an insect growth regulator, are often needed to manage mealybugs. Rotation among insecticides with different modes of action is helpful in delaying the development of chemical resistance.

Unfortunately mealybugs can be introduced to your operation on incoming tropical plants or veg-etative liners. Scouting incom-ing shipments of plant material is a good place to start your battle to control mealybugs. Identification begins by looking on the undersides of leaves and around leaf joints. These insects are soft-bodied and look like small balls of cotton

about 1/10 to 1/8 of an inch in size. Mealybugs are insects with piercing mouth

parts. They are often found in the plant’s axils suck-

ing the juices from leaves and stems and robbing the plants of essential nutrients. Mealybugs feed on all parts of the plant, but especially on tender new growth causing leaf wilt, dis-tortion, yellowing and even-tually leaf drop. Mealybugs can also be found in the root zone. Root mealybugs often go undetected for long periods of time until the infected plants become wilted and stunted. Routine inspections of the plant’s roots are beneficial in keeping tabs on several possible plant problems.

As mealybug populations build, a byproduct of their feeding is the production of large amounts of honeydew. This is a sticky waste product which provides idea conditions for the growth of sooty mold. The presence of ants attracted to the honeydew may also be a good indication of a mealybug infestation.

Mealybugs can be serious and persistent pests in the green-house and nursery. I would suggest that you take the time to evaluate whether mealybugs are becoming more prevalent in your operation. Prevention is your first line of defense. Avoid holding over any plants that are most susceptible to mealy-bugs and evaluate all severely infested plants and consider disposal to minimize further spread. Be a diligent scout and use chemical control as soon as possible. The following products are among the better pesticides for controlling mealybugs: foliar sprays of: Flagship, Talus, TriStar, SuffOil-X and Ultra- Pure Oil. Drench applications of Safari and Kontos can also be used. Another approach to control is using the beneficial beetle, Cryptolamus montrouzieri, (trade name: Cryptoline). Both the adult and larvae stages of this biological control agent, also known as the mealybug destroyer, feed on mealybugs. Timing of applications is very important. Consult the GGSPro Reference Guide rates and other specifics. These products may not be registered in all states.

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Gri f f in Gazette Spr ing 2012 Issue10

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