Floriculture Greenhouse Update

It's that time of year when Oriental bittersweet berries are in abundant supply and show up as wreaths, swags and in other decorative crafts for sale at roadside stands and other retail outlets. This is just a reminder that bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is considered an invasive plant along with purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus) and many others. Connecticut has 96 plants on the official state list that are invasive or potentially invasive and 81 of those are banned. Massachusetts has 140 plants identified as either noxious and/or invasive that are banned. In MA a few woody ornamentals have an extension until January 1, 2009. When choosing plants to grow and sell and when using plant material for crafts, obtain a list of prohibited plants from your state Department of Agriculture. Noxious and/or invasive plants are prohibited from being sold, traded, purchased and distributed. Invasive plants, as defined by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Group, are "plants that have spread into native or minimally managed plant systems in Massachusetts. These plants cause economic or environmental harm by developing self-sustaining populations and becoming dominant and/or disruptive to those systems." For a list of prohibited plants in Massachusetts and Connecticut and for more information, see the websites below.

USDA National Invasive Species Information Center:  Massachusetts   Connecticut  (Other States)

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources - Massachusetts Prohibited Plants

Massachusetts Nursery Landscape Association (Includes alternative plants)

Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group

Purple Loosestrife Biological Control Projects Massachusetts: Massachusetts Wetlands Restoration Program's Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Project  

Connecticut: Beetle Farmers Project http://www.hort.uconn.edu:80/ipm/general/biocntrl/beetlefarm/beetlfarmmain.htm

Tina Smith, University of Massachusetts Extension Donna Ellis, University of Connecticut Extension

Growers are reminded to keep an eye out for symptoms of Chrysanthemum White Rust (CWR). Symptoms are quite distinctive. Look for raised pink or white waxy pustules on the undersides of the leaf. Chlorotic spots develop on the upper leaf surface that may become sunkin and necrotic. Severly infected leaves dry up and persist on the stems.  Photos of Chrysanthemum White Rust, 2, 3.

CWR has recently been detected in Connecticut (which was confirmed by both state and APHIS inspectors) at both wholesale growers and retail operations. If you do see this disease, because it is a quarantine-significant disease, you will need to inform the CT based USDA office in Wallingford and Experiment Station officials in New Haven, who will supervise the eradication and treatment procedures. Experiment Station officials (203-974-8474), Plant Diagnostic Laboratory (203-974-8601) and the USDA APHIS (203-269-4277).

Massachusetts growers should contact the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources through the Pest Reporting Form or call the Pest Hotline (617-626-1779).

For more information, which includes cultivars that were infected last year, see the message: Chrysanthemum White Rust (posted October 1, 2007)

Information on CWR Eradication Protocol established by the USDA APHIS-PPQ is available on the following website. Eradication details are on page 5. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cwr/downloads/cwrplan.pdf

Leanne Pundt, University of Connecticut Tina Smith, University of Massachusetts

The following information was posted on the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project website. Chrysanthemum White Rust was diagnosed in several states in New England last year. This provides a lot of good information and photos. Note that the powerpoint presentation is best for those with high-speed connection.Tina Smith, University of Massachusetts

The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) and the Society of American Florists (SAF) recently released an excellent Powerpoint presentation for growers and sellers concerned about Chrysanthemum White Rust (Puccinia horiana, "CWR"). CWR is a rust fungus that is able to infect twelve different chrysanthemum species, including pot mums, cut mums and garden mums. It can cause serious economic damage, and is currently considered a pathogen of quarantine significance in both the USA and Canada.

Over the past thirty years, there have been several outbreaks of CWR across North America, including in Massachusetts, but these local outbreaks have always been eradicated. The threat remains, however, and it is extremely important to detect this pathogen early in order to minimize economic losses.

If you grow or sell mums, please take a few moments to view the Powerpoint presentation to learn how to recognize the symptoms of Chrysanthemum White Rust infection. Early detection, and a rapid response if CWR is found, are two important steps in preventing the establishment of this pathogen.

Because this is a pathogen of quarantine significance, anyone who detects the presence of CWR is required to inform the USDA, state or county officials. If you think you see signs of Chrysanthemum White Rust, you can let the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources know through our Pest Reporting form, or call our Pest Hotline (617-626-1779).

Jennifer Forman Orth, Ph.D. Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project

Chrysanthemum white rust (Puccinia horiana) was confirmed for the first time in Connecticut on September 12, 2007 in Fairfield and Hartford Counties. Infected plants were found in nurseries and garden centers during visual inspections by Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station staff. The disease was confirmed by Sharon Douglas from the Experiment Station and a USDA APHIS PPQ laboratory. As of October 16, 2007, plants that have tested positive for chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) include several 'Gretchen'™ cultivars ('Bold', 'Flashy', and 'Sunny'), as well as the cultivars 'Dark Veria'™ 'Debonair',™ 'Ashley',™ 'Vicki',™ 'Okra',™ 'Cesaro',™ and 'Flamingo Pink'™ , 'Gold Finch Yellow' , 'Canelli' and 'Galatino' that are not in the 'Gretchen'™ series. In addition, cultivars not specified tested positive in a wide range of colors and types (some of which were grass-mum combination pots). Although CWR has occasionally been reported in the U.S. and Canada, all previous outbreaks were successfully eradicated. CWR is a regulated pest of quarantine significance, and steps are being taken by state and federal regulators to remove and destroy infected plants from the two confirmed sites in compliance with the CWR Eradication Protocol established by the USDA APHIS-PPQ. Additional inspections are underway at nurseries and garden centers in Connecticut.

Chrysanthemum white rust infects 12 species of chrysanthemum, including garden mums, pot mums, and Nippon daisies. The disease was first found in Japan and China more than 100 years ago, and has since become established in Europe, South America, Central America, Africa, Australia and parts of Asia. Infected plants may not show any symptoms during hot or dry conditions but when the weather turns cool and wet, symptoms develop. Symptoms of CWR on infected plants are quite distinctive and include raised pink or white, waxy pustules on the underside of the leaf. Chlorotic spots develop on the upper leaf surface that may become sunken and necrotic. Severely infected leaves dry up and persist on the stems. Severe outbreaks of CWR may result in total crop loss.

Additional information is available via the following links:

USDA - APHIS - Plant Health, Plant Protection and Quarantine

USDA, ARS Systemic Botany and Mycology Laboratory

British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries

Photos: Chrysanthemum White Rust, 2, 3

Sharon M. Douglas, Ph.D. Plant Pathologist Head, Department of Plant Pathology & Ecology The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Donna Ellis Extension Educator and State Survey Coordinator, USDA APHIS Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program University of Connecticut

Chrysanthemum white rust (Puccinia horiana) is a serious fungal disease of chrysanthemum. White rust can spread quickly in greenhouse and nursery environments causing severe crop losses in a crop of hardy mums.

The symptoms of chrysanthemum white rust are very distinct. Light green to yellow spots up to 5mm in diameter appear on the upper surface of the leaf. These spots become brown and necrotic with age. Raised beige to pink pustules form on the underside of leaves beneath the spots. Pustules become white with age. Pustules are most common on young leaves and flower bracts but may form on any green tissue or the petals. Symptoms usually occur during cool, wet weather.

The disease is brought in on infected plant materials. Infected plants may look normal until correct environmental conditions encourage symptom development. Hot and dry weather may delay onset of symptoms for up to eight weeks. Fungicide applications may suppress disease development. CWR can also be spread to uninfected plants on contaminated soil, litter, dead leaves, gardening equipment, clothes, shoes, and hands. The fungus only grows and reproduces on susceptible host plants.

For more information online:Chrysanthemum White Rust

You can also do a Google Search using the words chrysanthemum white rust

Paul Lopes

Revised information concerning the Worker Protection Standard online!

As of September 2005 a revised edition of the EPA How to Comply With the Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides:  What Employers Need to Know is available online.

Take a minute to review the site and consider book-marking the web site for future reference.

The following link will get you access to the document: http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/htc.html

Paul Lopes

As growers order goods for the upcoming growing season, they are asking about how to comply with container labeling regulations read about in the trade magazines. The law requires that plants offered for retail sale show specific information. There have been laws in place for many years regulating the labeling on consumer goods. The purpose of the law is to assist consumers in comparing similar products by using uniform and consistent price and quantity information on the product package, or in advertising and signage. This law applies only to retail sales of products to consumers and not to transactions between wholesale suppliers and retailers. Retailers, though, through the normal course of business, may seek assistance from suppliers in providing the required information.

Summary of information needed to comply:

Declaration of Identity:  the common or Latin name of the plant or simply a generic term for the plant material, i.e."mixed annuals"

Declaration of Net Content:  an accurate weight content of the container measure or count. This includes the volume or weight of cells. Measures such as quart and gallon are permissible. However, all measures must be in English and Metric.

Declaration of Responsibility:   the identity and location of the vendor, distributor or retailer who is responsible for compliance with the Uniform Weights and Measure standards. The required information may be provided now by signage or by pot labels.

Link to 8 page publication, "Industry Guide to Marketing Container Plants" (PDF) which contains a complete explanation of the industry guidelines with examples of plant labels.

Tina Smith