LISA A TEWKSBURY & RICHARD A. CASAGRANDE, UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
RECIPIENTS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL ENDOWMENT GRANT FOR 2006
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The lily leaf beetle, Lilioceris lilii, first reported in the U.S. in 1992, has spread throughout New England, New York, and northeastern Canada. Without natural enemies, this exotic insect is eliminating native and cultivated lilies from its range.
The lily leaf beetle (LLB) is controlled by six parasitoids in Europe. After evaluating biology and host specificity of three European parasitoids, Tetrastichus setifer, Lemophagus errabundus, and Diaparsis jucunda, we obtained USDA approval for field releases of all three in New England.
Tetrastichus setifer is now established in four New England states, and is substantially impacting the lily leaf beetle population. We seek ot monitor the spread of T. setifer throughout New England, and make additional releases of L. errabundus, and D. jucunda to achieve establishment of these parisitoids in New England.
DR. LEONARD PERRY, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
RECIPIENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL ENDOWMENT GRANT FOR 2003
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Leonard Perry, from the University of Vermont Plant and Soil Science Department, is the recipient of this year’s grant award from the Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund was established by the NH Plant Growers’ Association in 1997, through broad-based, grass roots, fund raising efforts.
Dr. Perry’s project entitled “Effect of Soil Moisture on Overwintering of Perennials” will receive a $1,950 grant award. Several herbaceous perennials, representing plants with various moisture requirements and growth habits, will be tested for the effect of soil moisture in the months preceding freezing during overwintering.
Perennials are a large part of plant production and sales for many in the green industry; therefore, overwintering is a key concern among northern growers. Several factors that affect survival including cold, temperature fluctuations, and acclimatization have been studied, but the effect of media moisture has yet to be examined in a controlled and scientific manner as outlined in this research proposal. Field soil moisture levels will also be collected in order to relate field production and landscape survival to results from this research using container-grown perennials.
The project is planned for the 2004 growing season, with controlled freezing of pots to occur in Winter 2004-2005. The study will continue for a second year if warranted by results and if funding is available. Results will be disseminated to industry professionals via written publications and possibly presentations at industry meetings.
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DOUGLAS COX, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
RECIPIENT OF THE 2002 GRANT AWARD
The New Hampshire Horticulture Endowment Committee is pleased to announce the 2002 Grant Awards.
Douglas Cox, from the University of Massachusetts Plant and Soil Sciences Department, is the recipient of this year's grant award from the Endowment fund. The Endowment was established by the New Hampshire Plant Growers' Association in 1997 through broad-based, grass roots, fund-raising efforts.
Dr. Cox's project entitled "Response of Different Petunia Types to Bonzai Applied to the Growth Medium by Several Methods" will receive a $2,150.00 grant award. This project will compare several methods of applying Bonzai, a plant growth regulator (PGR), to petunias, plants whose quality can be enhanced by a PGR application to keep them compact when grown in small containers.
The objective of this project is to compare the response of different types of petunias grown in small pots to several levels of Bonzi applied in a single surface drench or subirrigation treatment versus repeated applications by surface drench or subirrigation. The aim is to provide an applied research basis and specific recommendations for New England growers who wish to try applying PGRs while irrigating plants.
The technique of applying plant growth regulators in irrigation water by subirrigation or by other watering methods has not been widely researched despite the existence of permissive labeling. Limited work on application of plant growth regulators by subirrigation suggests that this method promotes greater uniformity of plant response and, since significantly less active ingredient is required, a savings in chemical costs. As plant growth regulators could be combined with repetitive tasks of watering and fertilizing, there could be a savings in labor as well.
The project is planned to last at least two bedding plant seasons. The 2003 season will be funded by the NHPGA's Endowment grant. Results will be disseminated to industry professionals via written publications and presentations at industry meetings.
PROFESSOR SUSAN S. HAN
RECIPIENT OF THE 2001 GRANT AWARD
Dr. Susan S. Han, an Associate Professor with the University of Massachusetts Plant and Soil Sciences Department, was the recipient of the 2001 NH Horticulture Endowment fund.
Dr. Han's project entitled "Evaluation of a Simple and Inexpensive Device for Measuring Ethylene Gas in the Greenhouse" received $2,024.
Currently, testing for ethylene in a greenhouse involves the gas chromatograph, an expensive and time consuming process. Analysis can cost several hundred dollars per sample and take a few days, a time period during which the entire crop may be destroyed.
Dr. Han's project uses an inexpensive, commercially available device to measure ethylene levels in custom-built chambers and compares the results with those of a typical gas chromatograph in the laboratory.
If the simple, inexpensive devise is accurate and dependable, it could provide growers with a practical and useful way to check for ethylene and thus, greatly reduce the risk of losing an entire crop due to ethylene gas. In addition, the gas chromatograph process takes a few days, a time period during which the entire crop could be destroyed. The inexpensive device can give much quicker results.
As many growers are not even aware they are having an ethylene problem, results from this project could have far-reaching effects for the green industry in New England. Ethylene pollution in greenhouses results from improperly installed heaters as well as inefficient and defective units. Despite precautions growers take by maintaining and inspecting heaters regularly, ethylene pollution is not uncommon, especially in the New England region as heaters are heavily depended upon for growing crops in the winter.
Results of this research will be disseminated to the green industry via written publications and presentations at industry meetings.
DR. CATHERINE NEAL
RECIPIENT OF 2000 GRANT AWARD
Dr. Catherine Neal was the recipient of The New Hampshire Horticulture Endowment Committee in 2000. Dr. Neal is the Extension Specialist in Ornamental Horticulture for UNH Cooperative Extension.
Dr. Neal's project entitled "Production Systems for Small Trees in New Hampshire" received $2,150 from the NH Horticulture Endowment fund. The objective of the project was to investigate alternative production systems for small trees which could be adopted for use in both wholesale and retail nurseries in New England.
Alternative production systems for trees have been developed through research and adopted by producers in other parts of the country. Systems such as pot-in-pot, above ground system, bag-in-pot, and bag-in-wire basket offer the following advantages over field production:
Root zone temperature moderation
Reduced labor and handling, easier harvesting
Product availability all season
Reduced shipping weight (compared to B&B)
Easier for retailer to keep attractive and healthy
Eliminates blow-over and need for support
Easier for the consumer to handle than a B&B plant
In this project, two tree species were grown during 2001 in five production systems: conventional field production, conventional container production, bag-in-pot or bag-in-wire basket, pot-in-pot, above ground. While three of these systems (pot-in-pot, bag-in-pot, and above-ground system) have been proven to reduce blow-over and moderate root-zone temperatures in the South, they had not been trialed in New England where soil and climatic factors may impact their usefulness.
Growth measurements and root zone temperatures were recorded and analyzed to determine the effect of each production system on growth rate and plant quality. At the end of the second growing season, root sampling was done to determine treatment and temperature effects on root growth.
Results are available to nursery owners and growers via written publications and presentations at industry meetings.
DR. PAUL FISHER, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
RECIPIENT OF 1999 NEW HAMPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL ENDOWMENT GRANT
Dr. Paul Fisher, from the University of New Hampshire Plant Biology Department, was the recipient of the first grant ever awarded from the New Hampshire Horticulture Endowment fund.
Dr. Fisher's project was entitled "Quantifying winter temperatures and survival under different covers for overwintering perennials in containers" received $1,500 from the fund. As overwintering is a major limiting factor in plant production for northern growers of containerized perennials, Dr. Fisher's project should be of interest to many New Hampshire producers.
Data were collected on media temperatures and plant survival under different protective coverings for perennial plants over wintered in containers. In addition to collecting these observational data, a prototype model was designed to predict soil temperatures given ambient air temperature, light, and wind speed. This helped generalize test results under one set of conditions to predict soil temperatures in different locations and winter climates.
