Potyvirus in Korean radish

This sample came in before the winter break from a grower who specializes in Asian vegetables. A bag full of Korean radishes (also known as tae baek)- white & green very large (~6 inches long and ~3 inches diameter) radishes. This sample presented with leaf curling and dark flecks in the root tissue. Never having encountered a Korean radish before, I had to research the seed catalogs online to see if the green shoulders were normal (they are). The sample was in the cooler for too long and the foliage was beginning to deteriorate, so no picture but symptoms were similar to those caused by viruses.

Possibilities: virus or abiotic (herbicide, nutrient deficiency).

Tests done: CMV (ImmunoStrip assay from Agdia), POTY (elisa assay from Agdia)

Results: (-)CMV, (+)Potyvirus

8/28 Food Production Workshop-Greenhouse, Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Saturday August 28, 9am-4pm  

Location: Johnson & Wales University, classroom COB90 located in the College of Business building at 1900 Olive St in Denver

Workshop Description

•Introduction to small-scale and community greenhouse, hydroponics and aquaponic systems

•Greenhouse designs suitable for Colorado

•Passive solar season extension techniques

•Water quality testing information

•Fish selection, health and maintenance

•Plants to grow in aquaponics

•In addition, aquaponics system construction will be included so you can see how to build a personal-sized system.

•You will leave the workshop with information, plans and resources for building scalable greenhouse, hydroponics & aquaponics systems.

*optional trip to The GrowHaus to see their aquaponics system*

Meals: Light snacks provided, lunch is on your own.

Cost:  $40 for the entire day; check or cash accepted on-site

Still time to sign up: CNGA Insect, Disease and Soils Workshop

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Little Valley Wholesale Nursery, Brighton, Colo.
Each session costs $25 per person or $50 all day

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Morning session: Diseases and Insects
A general course for identifying pest problems in the nursery and greenhouse and will be
followed by a pest identification lab. Course instructor is Brooke Edmunds, Ph.D. from CSU Adams County Extension

1 a.m. to 4 p.m. Afternoon session: Soils
Nurseryman and USDA/ARS Woody Plant Germplasm Committee Representative for the
Southwest, Michael Melendrez, will provide the basics on prepping soils, basic soil properties, and what your new hires need to be prepared for as the season begins. He will discuss plant nutrition and soil fertility providing information to the modern green thinker.


Register with the CNGA. Send attendee names to info@coloradonga.org or call 303-758-6672 or 888-758-6672

In case you missed it: Greenhouse Virus Presentation

This presentation was part of the Dec '09 Front Range Greenhouse IPM workshop: Viruses Affecting Production. I'm hoping to get a narrated version up but it won't be for a few weeks.
Enjoy and as always contact me if you need more information!

Common Greenhouse Viruses

View more presentations from bedmunds.

New Diagnostic Reporting System

As of March 1^st, the Adams County Plant Diagnostic Clinic is using a new method to communicate with our clients. We have always been anonymously reporting our plant sample results to the National Plant Diagnostic System and now the software has been revised. The upgrade is designed to communicate diagnostic information pertaining to your sample submissions back to you more efficiently. Preliminary and final diagnostic reports as well as billing invoices can now be sent directly to your email address. Ultimately the system is designed to deliver written diagnostic information into your hands within 24 hours of sample receipt and keep you informed the duration of the diagnostic procedure. Naturally with every new database, some bugs will need to be worked out before the system proves to function at its full potential. Hopefully this transition will flow smoothly with very few malfunctions or delays.

During receipt of the new diagnostic emails, we hope to receive input from our clients regarding the quality and efficiency of the diagnostic reports and billing invoices. We welcome feedback regarding the new email system during this transition period. And as always, if you prefer phone calls or paper mail over email just let us know!

Upcoming Greenhouse Grower webinar

Benchmarking: How Effectively Is Your Team Performing? Join us for a free webinar on March 23 Space is limited. Reserve your webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/210704024 Paul Thomas Charlie Hall Get a better handle on your bottom line profitability from the University of Georgia's Paul Thomas and Texas A&M's Charlie Hall in the latest installment in the Greenhouse Grower webinar series. One of the most difficult aspects of running a business is assessing the effectiveness of employees. There are many ways to do this, and each has social and economic consequences. In this webinar, Employee And Management Assessment, Paul and Charlie will present several techniques to evaluate individual and team performance, set performance benchmarks based on your company's situation, and establish the economic parameters to allow you to make fact-based personnel and task-staffing decisions. The establishment of supervisory team performance and upper management performance benchmarks will also be discussed. Even if you are a very small company, it is useful to know how well the boss is really doing. This 4-part series, Using Benchmarking To Track Your Recovery Performance, is designed to help you make more informed managerial decisions in the aftermath of an economic downturn that literally turned markets upside down. Title: Employee and Management Assessment Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

It's not too late: CO Agriculture Big & Small Conference

The Colorado Agriculture Big & Small Conference is this week! Thursday and Friday with a special Small Acreage day on Saturday!

Don't miss my presentation on "Managing Diseases in Hoophouses & Greenhouses" Friday at 10am!

This is THE conference for sustainable agriculture in the state. View the full program here.

This year the conference is being held in Adams County, so if you want a tour of the Greenhouse and Nursery Plant Diagnostic Lab, I would be happy to show you!

In case you missed ProGreen 2010...

Here is a link to the talk that Keith Funk (Gard'n-Wise Distributors, Inc.) and I gave on diseases of annuals and houseplants. Geared toward garden centers, there are photos of the most common diseases and management options.

Diseases Of Houseplants And Annuals

View more presentations from bedmunds.

Local produce tops on national chef's survey!

Check out this post from a colleague in North Carolina: Results of the 2010 national chefs survey!
It's looking good for Colorado greenhouse growers interested in producing for local markets!

Japanese Beetle Quarantine in place Jan. 2010

For a summary of the new Colorado quarantine against Japanese Beetle, please click here. This quarantine affects the following plants and plant products brought into Colorado from states that are under quarantine:
Sod
Soil, compost, and manure
All rooted plants in containers or with root balls greater than 12 inches in diameter
All ornamental grasses and sedges
Bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes of ornamental plants (these are exempt when free of soil)

If you bring these items in as a nursery, landscaper, other business or even a private citizen you are required to follow the guidelines of the quarantine language. Make sure to request the full quarantine language from the CDA as it provides details of what is required.

Rule changes approved for the CO Nursery Act

Two rules changes to the CO Nursery act have been approved. These rules increase the state registration fee by $10 and require keeping records of plants brought in from out of state. If you're a nursery owner, please take note and check out the details.

CSU Speciality Crops Program Request for Proposals

Great opportunity for small growers in Colorado! If you want to brainstorm project ideas-feel free to call or email: Brooke Edmunds, 303-637-8016 brooke.edmunds @ colostate.edu

--------

Grower Research and Education Grants Available!

The Specialty Crops Program at Colorado State University is accepting applications for grower research and education grants for the 2010 production season. The application deadline is Dec. 15.

The request for proposals is intended for research, demonstration, and/or education projects addressing specialty crops production, processing, and marketing issues faced by small farmers, beginning farmers or socially disadvantaged farmers in Colorado.

These classifications are defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as:

· Small farmers receive at least 50 percent of their income from the farm, and have gross farm sales of less than $250,000 per year.

· Beginning farmers are individuals who have not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 years. The 10-year requirement applies to all operators of the farm or ranch.

· Socially disadvantaged farmers are farmers or ranchers who are members of a socially disadvantaged group. A "socially disadvantaged group" is a group whose members have been subject to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.

Producers and groups of producers interested in conducting research, demonstration, and/or education projects related to specialty crop production, processing, or marketing are encouraged to apply.

For a downloadable program description and application form of the Grower Research and Education Grant Program, please visit http://www.specialtycrops.colostate.edu, contact Frank Stonaker at (970) 491-7068 or apply by writing to:

Specialty Crops Program RFP
1173 Campus Delivery
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1173

Upcoming Greenhouse Workshop

Front Range Greenhouse IPM Workshop:
Viruses Affecting Production

Two locations:

Dec. 3rd 9-12pm: Gulley Greenhouse & Garden Center
6029 S. Shields, Fort Collins
OR
Dec. 8th, 9-12pm: Center Greenhouse, 1550 E. 73rd Ave, Denver

Who should attend: Greenhouse growers and pest management staff

Topics to be covered :

Identifying and managing common viruses affecting production stock in greenhouses

Presented by Brooke Edmunds, Ph.D.; Regional Specialist, Colorado State University Extension

How to identify and manage the most common viruses that affect production stock including TMV, INSV, TSWV, and CMV. There will be plenty of time to answer questions!

Virus testing: The why, when, and how of virus testing

Why is clean stock important to your operation? How do I submit plant samples for virus testing to the Plant Diagnostic Lab in Adams County? There will also be a hands-on opportunity to practice using Agdia ImmunoStrip® to test in-house.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture Phytosanitary Program: What you need to know

Presented by Laura Pottorff, M.S.; Nursery, Seed and Phytosanitary Program Manager, Colorado Department of Agriculture

Laura will outline the CDA phytosanitary certificate and inspection process.

Cost : $20/person to cover supplies and a light breakfast ($25 if not a member of CNGA)

***You must preregister!***

To register: e-mail brooke.edmunds@colostate.edu or call 303/637-8016

The Pour-Through Extraction Procedure: A Nutrient Management Technique for Nurseries

As part of your quality control and fertilization program, nurseries should regularly check the pH and EC (electrical conductivity) of stock grown in pots. Knowing these numbers helps you diagnose the level and availability of nutrients to the plants. You can save money by fertilizing as needed rather than on set schedule.

NCSU has just released a new publication which outlines the steps of the Pour-Through Extraction Method (opens as a pdf) to measure soil EC and pH. This technique is easy to learn and should be part of your regular routine.

Need help learning the method? Would you like an on-site demonstration of how to properly use ec/pH meters or pens? If so, please contact me and I would be happy to arrange a visit to your nursery.
My office phone 303/637-8016 or email brooke.edmunds@colostate.edu

Chrysanthemum white rust webinar

The Society of American Florists is hosting a free 30 minute webinar on chrysanthemum white rust. Learn to identify the signs and symptoms of white rust and how to protect your mum crop.
The webinar is offered on August 11th, 13th, and 18th at 10am and 2pm (EST). For more information and to register, click here.

Online Plant Propagation Course

Cornell University is offering an online plant propagation course this fall (it runs Sept 21-Nov 14). Along with online instruction, they will send you a complete kit for practicing propagation at home-including seeds and live cuttings! The cost is $350 and all the details can be found here.

Would you like to see CSU offer a distance education course in plant propagation?
	Yes
	No
pollcode.com free polls

If you are interested in other types of distance or online classes, please leave a comment or send me an email!

CSU Speciality Crops Field Day Aug 17th

2009

CSU – Specialty Crops program

Rocky Mountain Small Organic Farm Project

Field Day

August 17, 2009

1:00 – 4:00 pm

Topics: Small scale organic vegetable production systems for Colorado producers.

High tunnels:

• Tomato, pepper, cucumber cultivar trials.
• Winter greens production.
• Hay bale culture of strawberries.
• Challenges of growing blueberries in Colorado.

Field production:

• Cultivar demonstrations and evaluations. This year many of the cultivars being evaluated are from Colorado seed producers. Including melons, tomatoes, peppers, and a wide variety of cole crops and root crops.
• Hops cultivar evaluations.
• Comparisons of flame, solarization, and conventional tillage for control of field bind weed and Canada thistle.
• Comparison of paper, bio-degradable plastic, and plastic mulch.
• Drip tape – to re-use or replace?
• Preliminary results of rolling rye/hairy vetch cover crop for no till production.
• Annual forage crops in rotation with vegetables.
• The CSU CSA

Speakers: Dr. Frank Stonaker, program director.

Dr. Amanda Broz, perennial weed management trials.

Ali Hamm, Organic hops research update

Dan Goldhamer, Annual forage crops in rotation with vegetables update

Horton Nash, Jeff Arnold, Julie Zavage, Sarah Figgins, Steve Cochenour (student interns)

Location: Horticulture Field Research Center, Ft. Collins

Directions: Exit to east at the I-25 at the Mountain Vista exit (#271), proceed east across frontage road and enter the 2^nd driveway on the north side.

The address is 4300 E. County Rd. 51, Ft. Collins.

Sponsors: Colorado Department of Agriculture, Aurora Organic Dairy, , Sunshine Paper Co.

Registration: On site registration will be held immediately before the program. This is a free event.

Please indicate if you plan to attend the event by e-mail or telephone by August 10.

E-mail response to Frank.Stonaker@colostate.edu

Telephone response to 970-491-7068.

New book available-Diseases of Herbaceous Perennials

There is a new book available through APS Press titled 'Diseases of Herbaceous Perennials'. The authors are all plant pathologists and include Mark Gleason (Iowa State University), Margery Daughtrey (Cornell University), Ann Chase (Chase Horticultural Research), Gary Moorman (Penn State University) and Darren Mueller (Iowa State University).
The book is full of over 700 color photos and would be a wonderful reference text for growers of perennials (as well as garden centers, horticulturists and Master Gardeners).
You are welcome to stop by the Adams County Extension office and do some browsing before deciding to buy. We also have an extensive resource library for diagnosing plant diseases and insect problems that are available for growers to utilize. Please call ahead to make sure that we're in the office!

Contact info is on the sidebar------>

May 2009 Samples Received in Diagnostic Lab

Host -> Problem Diagnosis

Pepper transplants -> Fusarium wilt
Pepper transplants ->Pythium root rot
Pepper transplants (organic) ->Rhizoctonia root rot
Smooth Sumac ->Fusarium Root Rot (suspected)
Sweet Woodruff ->Downy Mildew
Tomatillo transplants->Bacterial Leaf Spot (Xanthomonas sp suspected)
Tomato -> Nutrient imbalance (suspected)
Tomato transplants -> phytotoxicity (suspected)
Various perennials -> Iron deficiency symptoms due to water issues

Information on new rainwater collection law in CO

There is a new law coming into effect on July 1, 2009 which regulates the use of rain barrels to collect precipitation running off roofs. There has been some confusion as how exactly the water can be used. The Colorado Division of Water Resources has put together a pdf document outlining the new rules.
In short: Here are the criteria, all of which must be met, for using rainwater:
1. The property on which the collection takes place is residential property, and
2. The landowner uses a well, or is legally entitled to a well, for the water supply, and
3. The well is permitted for domestic uses according to Section 37-92-602, C.R.S., (generally, this means the permit number will be five or six digits with no “-F” suffix at the end), and
4. There is no water supply available in the area from a municipality or water district, and
5. The rainwater is collected only from the roof, and
6. The water is used only for those uses that are allowed by, and identified on, the well permit.
Check the full pdf for all the details!

Basically, if your well isn't permitted for use in watering a greenhouse or hoophouse-you can't use the collected rainwater for this purpose. And you will need to submit an application for rainwater collection! If you use municipal water, then you're out of luck too, as this only applies to residential properties serviced exclusively by a well. Please contact the Colorado Division of Water Resources for all the nitty-gritty details!