Shine in ‘09: High Performance Management to Survive Turbulent Times

Webinar Series Sponsored By
The Ellison Chair in International Floriculture and
Texas AgriLife Extension

This webinar (web-based seminar) series is designed to assist you in making better (more informed) managerial decisions in the midst of an economic downturn that is literally turning markets upside down. In this hypercompetitive market, the competitive advantages you enjoy today may vanish with breathtaking speed and frequency. Truly, in this type of environment, the things you don’t know can hurt you!

You may be saying to yourself: “I don’t have time and can’t afford to attend another meeting.” That’s the beauty of a webinar – it only takes an hour out of your day; you don’t have to spend money traveling anywhere; and you can ‘attend’ sitting in front of your own computer!

Ask yourself these questions…

· Are business profits shrinking and you’re not sure why?
· Are you uncertain how sustainability can help your business?
· Has marketing become more of a challenge?
· Has your business been impacted by the economic downturn?
· Are operating costs spiraling out of control?

If you answered yes to any of these questions; if you feel the business climate continues to deteriorate; or if you are worried about the future of your business, then you need to attend this webinar series and learn useful strategies to increase your firm’s bottom line!

March 9, 2009 -- 11:00 a.m. CST (1 hour) – Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University
Webinar 1 Topic: Action Points to Survive the Downturn – Developing and fine-tuning your downturn strategies to ensure your business will survive!

April 14, 2009 – 11:00 a.m. CST (1 hour) – Dr. Don Wilkerson, Texas AgriLife Extension
Webinar 2 Topic: Differentiating By Being Sustainable – Being proactive by developing your own sustainability code of ethics can help set you apart from the competition!

May 12, 2009 – 11:00 a.m. CST (1 hour) – Dr. Jennifer Dennis, Purdue University
Webinar Topic 3: Marketing Green! The “green” marketing strategies you need to thrive in a maturing marketplace!

So don't hesitate -- space is limited! Go to http://ellisonchair.tamu.edu/webinar.htm to register. There is no charge for the first three webinars in this series, so reserve your space today!

Meetings to address insect control on greenhouse & nursery crops

Now that it is starting to warm up, crop producers need to be thinking about how to properly manage insect pests on their crops. I have designed an integrated pest management course to help ornamental crop producers better manage insect and mite pests. The three hour course will be offered in Canton, Fort Worth, Houston, Jacksonville and McKinney (see dates below).

The meetings will cover:

• An overview of the insecticides and miticides on the market today.
• The biology of the major insect and mite pests to provide effective control.
• Developing management programs that will decrease the likelihood of pests developing tolerance to key insecticides.

Producers attending will gain a better understanding of how to successfully use the insecticides and miticides on the market today, and how they fit into an integrated pest management program.

Those attending will be eligible to earn three continuing education units, one in the integrated pest management and two in the general category, toward renewal of the their Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicators license.

Texas certified nursery and certified landscape professionals will receive three continuing education units toward recertification.

Preregistration is $25 per person and can be done online with a check, credit or debit card at http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu/. At-the-door registration will be $35, checks and cash only.

The trainings will be held at these locations and times:

• In Canton, from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Farm Bureau Building, 281 E. Hwy 243.
• In Fort Worth, from 9 a.m. to noon on March 5 in the AgriLife Extension office, Tarrant County Plaza Building, 200 Taylor Street, Suite 500. Driving directions can be found at http://tarrant-tx.tamu.edu/map.htm.
• In Houston, from 12:30.-3:30 p.m. on March 11 at the AgriLife Extension office in Harris County, 3033 Bear Creek Drive.
• In Jacksonville, from 1-4 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Woodman of the World Building, 1800 College Avenue.
• In McKinney, from 1:30- 4:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Landing at Myers Park & Event Center, 7117 County Road 166. More information can be found at http://www.co.collin.tx.us/parks/myers/MyersCC.pdf .

Maps and other information are available at the East Texas Nursery and Greenhouse IPM Program website.

For more information: Contact Scott Ludwig at 903-834-6191 or swludwig@tamu.edu

Pest Management Conference

If you are a floriculture producer you should consider attending the Society of American Florist's Pest Management Conference. This should be one of the best conference yet. Oh yea, did I mention I am biased since I am a conference co-chair along with Cristi Palmer (IR-4) and Jim Bethke (Univeristy of California Cooperative Extension).

Growers who attend the 25th Anniversary Pest Management Conference, Feb. 19-21 in San Jose, Calif. will unearth a wealth of valuable information including innovative cropprotection techniques to battle pests and diseases. More than 25 new sessions make this year's conference a can't miss. The conference is being presented by SAF in partnership with Greenhouse Grower Magazine.

Top experts in the field will share the latest research in education sessions and zero in on the latest pest and disease control techniques. Topics on the agenda include implementing sustainable and integrated pest management, increasing the effectiveness of insecticides and fungicides, dealing with treatment-resistant problems, halting invasive and emerging pests, finding better ways to diagnose diseases and training a multilingual workforce to identify and treat problems.

Tabletop exhibits give attendees a chance to check out the newest pest control products and equipment. There's also an optional field trip to local growing operations set for Thursday, Feb. 19 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can get an up close and personal look at integrated pest management growing operations in the San Jose area. Headstart Nursery, growers specializing in vegetable transplants, ornamental plugs and Cal Color Growers, which produces bedding and plant liners are just two stops on the enlightening excursion.

This year, SAF is partnering with Greenhouse Grower magazine to produce the association's annual conference. The synergy "just makes sense," says Bob West, group publisher for MeisterMedia Worldwide, which publishes Greenhouse Grower, Today's Garden Center and Ornamental Outlook magazines. "This is a very content-rich conference, and our publications reach the entire floriculture industry," he says. "Any time you bring together two groups with the expertise of SAF and Greenhouse Grower, it can only have a positive effect for the industry."

Head to www.pestconference.org for full program details and online registration. For more information, contact Laura Weaver, (800) 336-4743, lweaver@safnow.org.

Topic covered will include:
Ways to Increase Chemical Efficacy: New Techniques and Strategies
Speaker: John Erwin, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Manipulating Crop Fertilization to Enhance Pest Management
Speaker: Carlos Bogran, Ph.D., Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Re-circulating Water Without Sacrificing Crop Health
Speaker: Chuan Hong, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

Predators, Parasites and Bankers
Speaker: Lance Osborne, Ph.D., University of Florida

Neonicotinoid Insecticides: History, Properties & Pest Management Strategies
Speaker: Frank Byrne, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside

Efficacy of the Neonicotinoids As Related To Uptake
Speaker: Ron Oetting, Ph.D., University of Georgia

Best Use of Neonicotinoids for Pest Management
Speaker: James Bethke, University of California, Riverside

Strategies for Resistance Management: Thrips and Others
Speaker: Scott Ludwig, Ph.D., Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Strategies for Resistance Management: Downy Mildew and Others
Speaker: Mary Hausbeck, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Foliar Pathogen Management
Speaker: David Norman, Ph.D., University of Florida

What You Can't See,Can Hurt You!
Speaker: Mary Hausbeck, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Management Tricks for Reducing Weeds
Speaker: Cheryl Wilen, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

A History of Success: University Research Transforms Grower Practices and Profits
Speaker: Ron Oetting, Ph.D., University of Georgia

Strengthening Workforce Education When Language is a Barrier
Speakers: Carlos Bogron, Ph.D., Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Jan Hall, Paul Ecke Ranch

Invasive Pests & Pathogens: What Can We Do?
Speaker: Lin Schmale, Society of American Florists

Invasive Organisms: I've Found One, What Do I Do Now?
Speaker: Helene Wright, USDA-APHIS

Managing Invasive Pathogens: A case study with Sudden Oak Death
Speaker: Steve Tjosvold, University of California Cooperative Extension

Managing Invasive Insects
Speaker: Lance Osborne, Ph.D., University of Florida

And Just What Is Causing This Problem?
Speaker: Ann Chase, Ph.D., Chase Research Gardens

Managing the Unmanageable
Speaker: David Norman, Ph.D., University of Florida

Dealing With Viruses
Speaker: Debra Matthews, Ph.D., University of California

Rhodococcus Infections in Ornamental Plants
Speaker: Marilyn Miller, Oregon State University

So That's What That Was...and Other Surprise Diseases
Speaker: Colleen Warfield, Ph.D., University of California Cooperative Extension

New & Emerging Pests: Are Area Wide Pest Management Programs the Answer?
Speaker: Mike Parrella, Ph.D., University of California

Floriculture survey deadline approaching

Dr. Charlie Hall posted the following information on his "Making Cents" Blog.

Floriculture producers in the following states who generate $10,000 or more in gross annual sales are urged to complete the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual Floriculture Production Survey by mid-January. Surveys were mailed on Dec. 8, 2008.

The states included in the annual survey include California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington.

The survey provides the only detailed information about the production and sales of cut flowers, flowering, bedding and foliage plants, and cultivated florist greens. Without grower input, the government is left without the necessary data to gauge these crops' contribution to the nation's economy. In 2007, the combined wholesale value for the 15 states surveyed was $4.1 billion.

Growers can use the information as a benchmark to identify state and national trends. Government policymakers use the data at the state and national levels to appropriate resources. Reliable data is also crucial to obtaining research funding, government support and ensuring the industry receives its fair share of limited funding. Ten major floriculture organizations have endorsed this effort and their presidents have signed the letter accompanying the survey.

If you have received one of the surveys, please take the time to complete it if you have not already done so. Producers who fail to return a completed questionnaire by Jan. 20 will be contacted by telephone or in person to complete the survey.

Overture Registered for Thrips and Caterpillars

Overture 35 WP Insecticide is a new class of insecticide marketed by Valent Professional Products that is active against thrips and caterpillars. This new insecticide contains the active ingredient pyridalyl. This product has an unknown mode of action. Overture is a contact insecticide that is applied as a foliar spray.

Overture is only registered as a greenhouse product. Hopefully, Valent will be able to obtain a registration that will allow Overture to be used outdoors.

Control of thrips is often not seen for 7 to 14 days after treatment. With the recent concern regarding western flower thrips resistance to Conserve, Overture can be a valuable component of a rotation program. Overture should be considered most effective when used as a preventative treatment or as a rotation product. Overture will be an excellent product to use in rotation with Conserve, Pylon and other thrips insecticides.

I have conduced a number of trial evaluating Overture. The results varied slightly depending on the western flower thrips population I was evaluating. However, in all the trials, Overture resulted in a decrease in thrips population. When tested against a western flower thrips population that was resistant to Conserve, the Overture treatments resulted in thrips control after 14 days.

Overture has provided excellent control of chilli thrips. It’s also effective in controlling many lepidopterous larvae, including azalea caterpillar, cabbage looper, tobacco budworm and many more.

For more information on efficacy trials conducted with Overture and other insecticides against chilli thrips, gladiolus thrips, weeping fig thrips and western flower thrips check out a report recently published by the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program. This report can be found at http://ir4.rutgers.edu/ornamental/summaryreports/thripsdatasummary2008.pdf
This report summarizes 26 experiments in which 38 different active ingredients were evaluated.

Sherman Clem Receives Distinguished Achievement Award

Sherman Clem has been recognized by the Southern Chapter of the Horticultural Inspection Society with its Distinguished Achievement Award. If you ever have been lucky enough to have Sherman as your Department of Agriculture inspector, you will agree that this is a well deserved award.

Sherman Clem is a Senior Inspector for the Texas Department of Agriculture and is the lead inspector for the Smith County/Tyler rose industry and the point of contact agency wide on rose related issues. More recently he has taken on the task of lead inspector to control the flow of regulated articled into the state of Texas.

In choosing a Distinguished Achievement Award winner, the Horticultural Inspection Society considers an individual's performance to HISSC and/or the state where employed; recognition from peers in the plant industry; ability to work harmoniously with other inspectors and solve problems on plant protection issues; and the promotion of high standards and sharing of expertise with fellow employees and members of the HISSC.

The inspector who nominated Sherman noted that he has "demonstrated extraordinary customer service to the nursery industry" throughout his 34-plus year career.

Congratulation Sherman!

Temporary Meeting Registration Problem

If you have tried to register online for the East Texas Nursery and Greenhouse Conference this week and have been unable to get though to the site you have discovered that the site is down. The Conference Services' website has been down since at least Monday. They have been working to get the site back up. At this time they hope to have the site back up by the end of the day Thursday (10/16/08). However, that is an estimation.

Conference Services is taking phone registrations at 979-845-2604. You can still mail in your registration form with a check.

I am sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Help Wanted - Extension Assistant

The East Texas Nursery and Greenhouse IPM Program in Overton, TX has a full time position open for an Extension Assistant to conduct research and demonstration projects related to greenhouse and nursery pest management. Duties include: applying pesticides, keeping detailed records of procedures and data, record and analyze data, conduct statistical analyses and prepare reports for inclusion in scientific and technical publications using computers and relevant software. Maintain plants and insects for research in greenhouses and outdoor nurseries. Assist with preparing fact sheets, web pages, and brochures. Aid in organizing and conducting meetings, workshops, field days and other educational activities. More information is available at http://greatjobs.tamu.edu. The NOV number for the position is 03778. For more information contact me at 903-834-6191 or swludwig@tamu.edu.

Dr. Kevin Ong Named Director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory

Dr. Kevin Ong, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service plant pathologist, has been named director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.

Ong replaces the laboratory’s founder, Dr. Larry Barnes, who retired at the end of August, said Dr. David Appel, associate department head in plant pathology and microbiology at Texas A&M University.

“We were lucky to have Larry here to establish such a good diagnostic clinic, and we were lucky to have had Kevin here to take over,” Appel said.

Ong will oversee this nationally acclaimed laboratory in College Station that has provided diagnostic services for the state since 1981, Appel said.

The laboratory is responsible for providing AgriLife Extension education efforts in diseases of greenhouse crops, nursery crops, landscape ornamental plants and indoor plants, he said. Biosecurity issues also have been added to the clinic’s list of responsibilities.

“Larry left big shoes to fill,” Ong said, “but I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

Prior to his new appointment, Ong spent six years as an AgriLife Extension urban plant pathologist at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1993 from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in biology in 1997 from Temple University and a doctorate degree in plant pathology in 2001 from Clemson University.

“Kevin has a terrific personality to work with our clientele,” Appel said. “And he’s got a very strong background in plant pathology.

“We just felt there was nobody better anywhere in the country that would be able to step in and live up to the standards that have been set out there,” he said.

Colleagues around the state will applaud Ong’s appointment as they celebrate Barnes’ fine career, Appel said.

Barnes, who earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M in 1983, spent 27 years overseeing the diagnostic laboratory.

“He consolidated all of the diagnostic efforts into one lab and built it up from scratch to become one of the premier diagnostic labs in the country,” Appel said. “It is recognized as such by his peers.”

Barnes also is recognized as the best ornamental plant pathologist in the state, Appel said. He has done a great deal of applied research on disease control involving several ornamentals. He has the respect of professionals in the nursery industry and hundreds of volunteer Master Gardeners who he helped train over the years.

Always modest, Barnes is quick to point out that the laboratory was the vision of his former supervisor, Dr. Wendell Horne, Appel said.

“But I’m not sure that even Wendell ever dreamed that it would become one of the biggest and busiest diagnostic labs in the country,” he said.

Story by Mike Jackson

Insecticide resistance threatens thrips pest management

Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) are difficult to control. Their secluded behavior protects them from many insecticides; eggs are inserted into plant tissue, the larvae feed in tight, protected areas, such as flower buds or growth terminals, the pupal stages occur in the soil-media, and the adults feed within protected areas. Thrips may eventually come into contact with insecticides when the right spray equipment and application interval are used. However, chemical control may not be effective when there is insecticide resistance in the population. In response to high levels of resistance recently found in vegetable fields in Florida, Dow AgroSciences has suspended the sale and use of products containing spinosad in Broward County and a portion of Palm Beach County, FL.

This drastic and unprecedented action taken by Dow AgroSciences in Florida is yet another ‘red flag’ indicating the importance and possible consequences of insecticide resistance. We should all view this as an opportunity to take a closer look at our pest control toolbox and make sure it includes sound insecticide resistance management practices, to avoid similar problems in Texas. The good new is that so far, most Texas growers have thrips populations that are still susceptible to spinosad (Conserve®). Earlier this year, I monitored western flower thrips for their tolerance to spinosad. Most of the greenhouse locations sampled did not have large thrips populations. Since these growers primarily use Conserve®, the low populations suggest good efficacy in most cases. However, I did detect very high tolerance levels (immunity) to Conserve at one Texas location. Since then this particular grower has agreed to completely stop using Conserve for at least 6 months.

The most important thing we can do to avoid pesticide resistance is to properly rotate pesticides based on their mode of action. Rotation is essential for all pesticides groups: herbicides, fungicides, bactericides and insecticides. The first evidence of resistance is usually reduced efficacy against the target pest even when the pesticide was properly applied at the recommended rate. If you suspect a pest population is developing tolerance to a particular chemical, continued use or increasing the rate of the product will only accelerate the rate of resistance selection, eventually leading to complete control failure.

To avoid resistance to spinosad, do not make more than two consecutive applications of Conserve®. If additional treatments are needed, rotate with products with different mode of action for at least two subsequent applications. There are a number of effective products available for thrips control. The list includes (but is not limited to) those products containing abamectin, Beauveria bassiana, chlorfenapyr, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, fenoxycarb, methiocarb, novaluron, pyridalyl and tau-fluvalinate.

If you suspect insecticide resistance or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.