Author Archives: Rita Weerdenburg

Linking research to knowledge transfer

lights inside a greenhouse

With over 20 years of research and extension services dedicated to helping both floriculture greenhouse growers and nursery producers to address their many production issues, the University of Guelph’s Dr. Youbin Zheng is well-known to growers in the ornamental horticulture sector. With a focus on plant production in controlled environments, over the years, Dr. Zheng’s research has addressed a broad and diverse range of production issues on behalf of growers across Canada.

If there can be a single common theme to describe Dr. Zheng’s many varied research initiatives, it would be best described as a quest to find sustainable, environmentally acceptable solutions to tackle present-day production issues. On behalf of the outdoor nursery plant sector, Dr. Zheng’s work has dealt with a diversity of issues, ranging from best fertilization practices to water quality improvement and irrigation practices. On behalf of the floriculture greenhouse sector, past projects have focused on growing media, fertilization, and irrigation technologies, with his current attention turning to the challenges associated with the recent trend to LED lighting, in addition to rootzone management strategies.

According to Dr. Zheng, just as important as the need for ongoing research to meet current production challenges is the ability to successfully transfer research knowledge to individual growers within a time frame that is appropriate for them. It is a task, he says, that begins with awareness, and he sees it as a responsibility of himself and the University of Guelph research team to use a broad range of measures to create that awareness.

man

Dr. Youbin Zheng
University of Guelph

two plants in pots

Campanula stock plants grown under static LED vs dynamic LEDs (Right).

“There are many variables that will determine a grower’s need or decision to implement new production practices based on research results. Sometimes, research will result in recommendations such as modifications to fertilization practices, that are easy to adopt immediately. But often, our research results may necessitate complex or expensive upgrades which a grower is not able to implement immediately.”

It is Dr. Zheng’s quest to make growers aware that their first step to adopting new or improved techniques to their growing operations can be as simple as a call to himself. He is quick to point out that he is only a part of a larger knowledge base, and it is his role to coordinate that knowledge base for the purpose of effective knowledge transfer.

“Researchers don’t just conduct research projects, they are part of a complex information network,” says Dr. Zheng. “Besides our own research projects, we have the opportunity to attend international science conferences, providing us with access to the latest in scientific theories and research findings which all become part of our knowledge base.

“Also, an equally important component of most research projects is the opportunity to train what is known in the trade as HQPs, or highly qualified personnel. After graduation, many of these people are employed by the industry or perhaps other research institutions, but they almost always tend to stay in touch with the University. They too become important contributors to our knowledge base.”

Although a variety of venues are available to researchers to disseminate research results, Dr. Zheng notes that face-to-face opportunities are generally the most effective. He is almost always on the agenda of the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, and over the years has addressed the nursery grower sector at provincial association conferences across the country. He does not find it unusual to receive phone calls up to five years later, with conversations starting with a query such as “Remember that talk about water quality you gave at the BC CanWest conference a few years ago?” “That’s usually all it takes for me to be able to forward to them the research information they’re looking for,” says Dr. Zheng. “Conducting research is a relatively straightforward process that ideally results in a new set of data within a predetermined time frame. It is not nearly as easy to define or predict how and when there will be uptake of those results by growers.”

Dr. Zheng’s current research project “Use of LEDs to improve ornamental crop production” which is specifically designed to work in close consultation with the floriculture sector typifies his research philosophy.

For more than 10 years, greenhouse growers have been transitioning away from High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting in favour of LED lighting. While this new technology has proven to be both economical and environmentally friendly, the real motivation for this transition, according to Dr. Zheng, has been the substantial crop production benefits of LED lighting. The transition to LED lighting has been well-supported by the international research community, but there continue to be many knowledge gaps which have limited the widespread uptake of this technology by greenhouse growers.

Once gaps are identified, research typically starts at the University’s facilities where basic parameters can be established. They are then tested at the commercial greenhouse level, first on a trial basis and eventually expanded throughout the entire production facility.

According to Dr. Zheng, the real benefit of LED lighting is the ability to control the available colour spectrum. Simply stated, different plant species respond differently to various light regimens at certain stages of their growing cycle, so the question becomes, how do you use the light spectrum most effectively to meet their specific needs and growing requirements. As an example, different combinations of blue and red light will have an impact of photosynthesis and overall plant height. This variability is why we see such an abundance of LED lighting research around the world. It is also why final results and implementation will vary from grower to grower.

grow lights

Growth chamber used to test plants response to different LED light spectra.

“The objectives of our lighting project are clearly stated and straightforward. They include the impact of light quality on seed germination and performance and understanding how light quality can be manipulated to optimize cutting uniformity of stock plants. But there is a great deal of variability from grower to grower. Our real measure of success as a research team is having available reliable data which we can then help growers to adapt to their own specific growing operation.”

At the conclusion of his current research project, Dr. Zheng will add the following outcomes to his already extensive knowledge base on behalf of ornamental greenhouse growers:

  • Knowledge on whether we can, and how to use light to improve seed germination and seedling propagation for various ornamental crops in controlled environments.
  • Recommendations on lighting recipes for growing stock plants for the purposes of improving quality of cuttings and ease of harvesting.
  • Provide guidance on under what circumstances current commonly used HPS lamps can be replaced by LEDs to save energy and improve plant performance in greenhouse ornamental production.
  • Recommendations on how to use lower intensity, end of day light quality treatments to control morphology and flowering in ornamentals.
  • Knowledge on whether we can, and how to use pre-finishing light treatments for improving plant robustness during shipping and at retail environments.

The project Use of LEDs to improve ornamental crop production is part of the “Accelerating Green Plant Innovation for Environmental and Economic Benefit” Cluster and is funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA-ACHO), private sector companies, and the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

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Registered pesticides for nursery use poster now available in English

The Quebec Institute for the Development of Ornamental Horticulture “Institut québécois du développement de l’horticulture ornementale (IQDHO)” has recently developed a tool to support nursery and garden growers, horticulturists in municipal green spaces, and ornamental horticulture advisers in their choice of phytosanitary treatments. Available free of charge on the Agri-Réseau website, the “Registered pesticides approved in ornamental nurseries” poster collects information on plant protection products in nurseries (perennials, shrubs, and ornamental trees). It presents a wealth of useful information on each product (active ingredient, health risk index, environmental risk index, re-entry time, etc.), their effectiveness on the various crop pests, and their impacts on auxiliary fauna.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS ENGLISH POSTER

Vineland welcomes inaugural members in new urban greening initiative

Industry-wide urban horticulture consortium open for membership

A new public-private research consortium to address common urban landscape challenges is now open for membership. Landscape Ontario, the province’s leading horticultural trades association, joins as an inaugural member alongside Walker Industries, a trailblazer in working with communities to build a sustainable future.

The consortium is spearheaded by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland), which has led urban horticulture research through its Greening the Landscape program for the past decade.

“Vineland has a strong history of working with partners across the country to support the development and growth of Canada’s urban landscapes and we are excited to welcome Landscape Ontario and Walker Industries as members of this new consortium,” says Ian Potter, Vineland’s President and CEO. “The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of available and accessible urban greenspace and we expect this to figure prominently in future urban planning and design.”

The consortium will lead urban greening research by setting research priorities that reflect industry needs and support its economic success. Consortium members will also have access to a range of other benefits, from training and skills development opportunities to innovative data, network connections and emerging knowledge.

“This is a unique opportunity for stakeholders across the industry to get in on the ground floor of an initiative that will shape the future of urban greening research and innovation across Canada,” says Tony DiGiovanni, Executive Director of Landscape Ontario. “We look forward to working with new members on a coordinated approach that will yield benefit for the entire value chain.”

“We are excited to be involved in this unique research consortium,” says Geordie Walker, President of Walker Industries. “We are dedicated to environmental sustainability and innovation which is why this collaboration makes sense. Green infrastructure is an integral component of sustainable communities and can help protect the environment and human health while providing other social and economic benefits,” he adds. “We look forward to working together to develop and grow Canada’s urban landscapes.”

Various levels of consortium membership are available to the range of stakeholders along the urban tree value chain, including municipalities, conservation authorities, provincial government, non-governmental organizations, suppliers, nurseries, landscape professionals, architects, professional associations, developers and consultants

Membership information is available through darby.mcgrath@vinelandresearch.com.

Mechanized application of auxiliaries in large-scale ornamental plant greenhouses

inside a greenhouse

By: Émilie Lemaire, Agr, M.Sc., Project Manager, IQDHO

Beneficial organisms have been used for several years to control pests in ornamental crops grown in small-area greenhouses. However, the use of this pest management approach in large-scale operations is limited by the time it takes to spread predators manually onto the crops. To accelerate this process, mechanical application tools that blow biological control agents onto the crop are now available to Quebec growers. Until recently, it had not been verified whether these tools injured or even caused the death of the predators. To verify these possibilities, the IQDHO has launched a project to evaluate three devices: the Koppert’s Mini-Airbug blower, the Makita DUB182Z blower/vacuum adapted by Plant Products to spread predatory mites, and the “Entobot” drone from Canopée initially developed to release trichogramma (small parasitic wasps) on corn fields and forests.

During the first year of the project, testing took place on a warehouse floor. Preliminary tests with the drone have shown that significant adjustments will be required before using this device to spread predatory mites in greenhouses, so this technique was withdrawn from the project.

Neoseiulus cucumeris, a predatory mite marketed in a vermiculite carrier, was chosen as the test auxiliary. This species, which is most used to suppress thrips in a wide variety of greenhouse ornamental crops, is widely employed in vegetable crops. Experiments demonstrated that the two types of mechanical applicators tested would not significantly affect the viability of predators spread on a flat surface, regardless of the distance at which they are sprayed. In the second year of the project, predator viability was evaluated after an application on geraniums, gerberas and impatiens in large commercial greenhouses. The results obtained under these production conditions showed that the Mini-Airbug and the Makita Predator Blower did not induce higher mortality than a manual spreading. A summary economic analysis showed that the purchase of the Mini-Airbug or Makita blower can quickly pay for itself, as the spreading time can be reduced by up to 85% with these devices compared to manual spreading. These results will have a great impact on the adoption of biological control by companies producing ornamental plants in large greenhouses, thereby reducing the use of insecticides and the associated risks.

“This project was carried out as part of component 4 of the program Prime-Vert—Appui au développement et au transfert de connaissances en agroenvironnement with financial assistance from the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation through the Stratégie phytosanitaire québécoise en agriculture 2011—2021.”

For more details, see the final project report:

https://www.iqdho.com/images/stories/projets/IQDH-1-17-1868%20-%20Rapport%20final%202020%20VF.pdf

Link to the project summary sheet:

https://www.iqdho.com/images/stories/projets/IQDH-1-17-1868%20Fiche%20synthse%20VF.pdf

The IQDHO would like to thank the many contributors to this project: Anatis Bioprotection, Plant Products, Canopée, Koppert, La Ferme Grover Inc., Willy Haeck et fils Inc., Serres et Jardins Girouard Inc. and the ITA in Saint-Hyacinthe.

Makita Predator Blower

Mini-Airbug

Quebec

Understanding how temperatures within plants affect their growth

plants inside a greenhouse

A Canadian research project the first of its kind in the world

In much the same way as a greenhouse can trap the sun’s energy, many plant shapes and structures are also able to capture solar energy. Air temperatures inside open bowl or parabolic-shaped flowers, for instance, such as poppy, buttercup or anemone can be several degrees higher than the ambient air temperature. The pubescence of willow catkins and similar plants can trap heat. And air temperatures inside enclosed flowers such as snap dragons can be as much as seven degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding air temperature.

There is documentation to support the fact that these phenomena as related to floral structures have been observed as early as the 18th century. More recently, advances in technology have also shown that hollow plant stems also create a greenhouse effect, resulting in increased temperatures inside these stems. While there has been significant research on how ambient temperatures impact plant growth, there is little known about temperature variations caused by plant shape, and especially within hollow stems and other structures can impact plant development.

The research project “Temperatures within horticultural plants: Stems and flowers, explaining rapid growth,” by Dr. Peter Kevan (University of Guelph) and Masters’ graduate student Charlotte Coates, is studying how the micro-thermic regimes in floral stems and flowers may lead to practical applications in culture, aesthetics, and possibly even disease and pest control.

According to Dr. Kevan this is a very specialized area of research and the first of its kind in the world. “We understand the greenhouse effect in broad terms, but there is not a lot of information on micro impacts. The greenhouse is a large model, but even in such protected environments there is an incomplete ability to control many aspects of the environment.” It is suggested by Dr. Kevan and his team that the inter-relationships between the many factors at the macro-level (greenhouse) can be refined to apply at the within-plant micro level as they actually impact plant, growth maturation, reproduction and health.

Simply stated, says Dr. Kevan, a micro thermic regime is what is available in a very small space (micro = small, thermic = warmth or temperature and regime = environment). Focusing on the greenhouse floriculture sector, this research project is studying the impact of temperature variations caused by the micro-greenhouse effect inside hollow stems and other plant parts of both indoor and outdoor plants.

“We were fortunate that the original design of this project included both greenhouse and outdoor production,” noted Charlotte, explaining that the research team were able to continue their work in 2020 and into 2021 in the outdoor environment with some extra COVID protections in place.

peter kevan

Dr. Peter Kevan

University of Guelph

Charoltte Coates

Masters’ graduate student

Figure 1. Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) flower, top image taken using Forward Looking Infrared Camera that shows a thermal image of the surface temperature of the flower. The scale bar indicates what temperature (°C) each colour in the image matches to.

In the outdoor environment, various squash plant varieties as well as some native plants such as milkweed are good candidates to produce extensive data which can be further analyzed to determine the impact of both temperature and light on plant stem growth and seed development, with results to be translated to indoor production.  This outdoor research work is mostly conducted on private lands with the support and interest of co-operator growers in the areas of Guelph, Cambridge, KW, Peterborough and as distant as the Laurentians in Quebec.

Regrettably, some of the preliminary work which was conducted at the UofG greenhouses was lost as COVID access restrictions prevented the team from being able to monitor or maintain their initial research trials. Regardless, Dr. Kevan is confident that the remaining two years of the research project will nonetheless produce some interesting and ultimately useful results.

Although perhaps not overly sophisticated by today’s standards, it is largely due to the specialized high-tech equipment available to the research team that makes it possible to consider this project’s objectives and design.

Figure 2A. Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) grown at Van Geest Brothers Greenhouse in Grimsby, ON, with dataloggers recording the ambient air temperature and stem temperature. The study plot contained Gerbera plants with varying degrees of hollowness, and the results showed that hollow Gerbera stems reached more extreme temperatures, both hotter and colder, than the solid stemmed Gerbera.

Figure 2B. Gerbera –  Prestige variety with fine wire thermocouple inserted into the stem recording the internal stem temperature, and one secured to the outside of the stem to record air temperature.

Thermocouples — temperature probes made from a pair of very fine wires, are used to measure the internal temperature of plant stems, in flowers and fruits. Battery powered datalogging hand-held units are able to monitor up to eight plants per unit for up to a week at a time. In the outdoor environment, radiation shields eliminate the impact of radiant heat from the sun, so that internal temperatures can be accurately compared to ambient temperatures.

Solar radiation meters are used to collect data on the incident amount of radiation. Spectrometers characterize the type of light that is present. Connected to a computer, they can produce a graph of the visible light spectrum and how much of each wavelength of light is present both outside and inside the plants’ hollow structures.

Thermal cameras are used to accurately measure plant surface temperature. “Thermal cameras have become an important tool for many greenhouse growers,” notes Charlotte, “but the less expensive models used by growers do not always provide completely accurate data.  One of the objectives of this project has been to provide growers with data they can use to better interpret their own thermal camera readings.”

Designed to be of benefit to commercial floriculture greenhouse growers, with an initial focus on high value gerbera production, research trials are currently underway thanks to the generous cooperation of a Grimsby, Ont.-based greenhouse grower. Additionally, there is an expectation that the research results will also be of considerable interest to the edible horticulture sector. Some preliminary but not yet documented observations on the impact of temperature variations inside hollow plant parts have been noted in greenhouse grown bell peppers in a cooperator operated greenhouse in Kingsville, Ont.

Figure 3A & 3B. Various colours of snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) growing in the experimental greenhouse at the University of Guelph. Temperatures within the enclosed petals of the flowers are up to 4.5 ˚C warmer than ambient air.

The team’s work in the outdoor environment has also pointed to a tie-in to research work underway to preserve the pollinator populations, noted Charlotte. Floral temperatures influence pollinator behaviour, as well as floral humidity, presentation, fertilization and seed production. Using micrometeorological techniques in various part of plants allows for deeper insight into how temperature affects pollinator and plant relationships. This is especially important to consider for phenology, as plants and pollinators are dependent on each other to be there simultaneously. Thus, it is understandable that temperature regimes affect pollinating systems in concert with one another rather than on plants and pollinators separately.

Kevan writes: “I am grateful to COHA for their support of a project that I know many people may consider to be a little outside the norm, but I believe the findings of this and follow-up research work will put Canada on the map. Already we have garnered interest from the science community around the world, including U.S., Russia, Australia, Europe and India.”

Figure 4 (top or left): Infrared image of Gerbera flowers from Van Geest Brothers Greenhouse. Average surface temperature of flowers: 22.5 C, the average surface temperature of stems: 20.7 C, and average surface temperature of leaves: 20.1 C. (Right or bottom): Colour image of the study flowers.

This project is part of the “Accelerating Green Plant Innovation for Environmental and Economic Benefit” Cluster and is funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA-ACHO), private sector companies, and the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

Related LInks

International Journal of Biometeorology
(2018)
Short communication: thermal regimes in hollow stems of herbaceous plants—concepts and models
Peter G. Kevan1 & Patrícia Nunes-Silva1 & Rangarajan Sudarsan2

Bulletin of the North-Eastern Scientific Center, Russia
(2019)
Temperatures within flowers & stems: Possible roles in plant reproduction in the north
Peter G. Kevan1, Evgeniy A. Tikhmenev2, Patricia Nunes-Silva1

OPEN ACCESS GOVERNMENT, University of Guelph
(2019)
How plants regulate their body temperatures: Implications for climate change science & policy
Peter G. Kevan, University Professor Emeritus at the School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph

www.researchoutreach.org
(2019)
Secrets of the Stalk: Regulating plant temperature from the inside out
Dr. Peter Kevan

Annals of Botany
(2019)
The thermal ecology of flowers
Casper J. van der Kooi1,*, , Peter G. Kevan2 and Matthew H. Koski3,
1Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands, 2School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada and 3Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Thermochimica Acta
(2020)
In situ calibration of an uncooled thermal camera for the accurate quantification of flower and stem surface temperatures
Ryan A.E. Byerlay a,*, Charlotte Coates a, Amir A. Aliabadi b, Peter G. Kevan a
a School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada b School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Polar Biology
(2020)
Heat accumulation in hollow Arctic flowers: possible microgreenhouse effects in syncalyces of campions (Silene spp. (Caryophyllaceae)) and zygomorphic sympetalous corollas of louseworts (Pedicularis spp. (Orobanchaceae))
Peter G. Kevan1

Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada
(December 2020)
Warm & Comfortable within Hollow Stems, Leaf-mines and Galls: Little known habitats for Entomologists & Botanists to explore
Peter G. Kevan1, Charlotte Coates1, Patricia Nunes Silva2, & Marla Larson1
1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, 2 Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia, Escola Politécnica, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo, Brazil, 93022-750.

YouTube video by Scientia Global
Exploring Micrometeorology in Plants

Irrigation efficiency in nurseries: towards a more sustainable approach

irrigated plants inside a hoophouse
Optimal irrigation for model species. Laval University Nursery.
pic of a man
Dr. Charles Goulet

Aided by an abundance of research, nursery container production has matured significantly over the years, resulting in ever-increasing categories and size ranges of plants grown in containers.  While we have also seen corresponding improvements in irrigation technologies in that same timeframe however, the complexity of containerized nursery production means that nursery growers in Canada continue to rely on inefficient overhead irrigation practices.

The constant movement of pots, necessitated by a multitude of factors ranging from decreased inventory during the sales season to winter storage requirements, adds to the already higher costs associated with more efficient drip irrigation technologies. Additionally, the lack of automation typically available for overhead systems means that watering decisions are based primarily on timed irrigation intervals and visual clues to plan irrigation scheduling. The result can be either under or over watering, both of which can have detrimental impacts on plant growth and quality. More recently, reliable access to water has also become problematic for many growers, making water conservation an increasingly important priority.

A research project currently underway by Laval University’s Dr. Charles Goulet entitled Irrigation efficiency in nurseries: towards a more sustainable approach, will offer nursery growers the ability to optimize their irrigation practices by delivering the right amount of water at the right time and to the right plant. This project is part of the “Accelerating Green Plant Innovation for Environmental and Economic Benefit” Cluster and is funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA-ACHO), private sector companies, and the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

This current project continues work started by Dr. Goulet under the Growing Forward 2 (2013 – 2018) Cluster program which focused on the use of wireless tensiometers to measure the water available to the plant, thereby allowing for precise irrigation scheduling based on plant needs. This high-tech wireless web-based technology was paired with drip irrigation systems, with or without capillary mats. Both water use and plant growth were measured to determine the impact of each strategy. The researchers were able to conclude that precision irrigation has the potential to significantly reduce water use in nursery plant production as wireless tensiometers provide reliable data to guide irrigation scheduling decisions. Additionally, wireless technology provides considerable operational flexibility by providing the grower with easy access to data.

irrigation at a nursery
Optimal irrigation with automation at the commercial nursery site.

A plant’s water needs can vary widely from species to species, however monitoring the individual needs of each species with tensiometers would be both complicated and expensive. As a result, finding plants with similar watering requirements which can be grouped or clustered in the nursery environment became an important component of this phase one research project. To facilitate the decision-making process on watering practices, such as frequency and volume of water, a series of reference plants representing a good diversity of watering requirements, was determined. As well as being an essential part of the research process, reference plants facilitate the ability for clustering plants according to their very specific cultural requirements.

Initial research was conducted at the University’s production facilities, which incorporates the use of wind tunnels to mitigate as much as possible the impacts of weather events such as rain, temperature and wind, to the research data.  However, as the project was eventually moved to a commercial nursery setting, it became necessary to make several modifications to the project’s overall design. The use of wireless tensiometers provided reliable data to the nursery and the research teams, but the challenges associated with weather factors, especially wind or the knowledge of a pending rain event, ultimately pointed to the option of adopting a hybrid approach to irrigation scheduling.  Ultimately, the final decision to irrigate was made by the nursery’s production team, guided by data provided by the tensiometers.

plants in post with tubes in them
Clustering experiment at Laval University Nursery.

The data collected and lessons learned from the first phase of this research project have largely dictated the design and objectives of the current phase. According to Dr. Goulet, “Due to cost factors, nursery growers will find it necessary to use overhead irrigation systems, but there is a need for precision irrigation management that will allow growers to make the most of their existing systems. To be truly efficient in terms of water use, the different irrigation strategies need to be expanded to meet the requirements of the species and the climate.”

The first objective of the current project is to improve irrigation management in the nursery setting through the use of wireless tensiometers. Specifically, the research will seek to optimize the use of tensiometers to support the practice of clustering. The research will also evaluate how the amount and frequency of watering can influence plant growth. Using several species with very diverse watering requirements, in combination with different irrigation management strategies, (eg: comparing different volumes of water and different irrigation intervals) will help researchers to determine water use and the impact on plant growth. More precise data will be obtained in the first two years by conducting the experiment at the Laval University research facilities and the data obtained will be used to determine irrigation strategies when the research is transferred to a commercial nursery setting.

field grown plants in pots
Soil tension measurement at the commercial nursery site.

Research will also continue into expanding the use of clustering practices. In order to best meet the very diverse watering needs of the very wide range of species that make up the inventory of most growers, the number of reference species will be increased. According to Dr. Goulet, “The clustering process is not as simple as it seems, as the factors that impact overall plant growth include factors such as frequency of watering as well as amount of water applied with each irrigation event. Clustering is not as straightforward as determining plant species with high, medium and low water requirements.”

It will be the objective of the project to increase the list of reference species from the current 10 to a total of 15 species, and the corresponding clustering recommendations will be increased from 50 to 100 species. To ensure accurate data, this component of the research project will use the wind tunnel facilities at Laval University to mitigate the impacts of natural weather events.

shrubs growing in pots in an nursery
Optimal irrigation for clustering species. This photo shows the irrigation mats which were used in the Cluster 2 project; they are not a part of the current project.

To truly live up to its potential, precision irrigation must be supported by a solid automation process. Over the past few years, many models have been developed that integrate various technologies to optimize the irrigation process and the third objective of this project will determine the most useful parameters to automate irrigation in the commercial nursery setting. The research team will evaluate if irrigation controlled by evapotranspiration measurements will provide similar results to irrigation controlled by the new generation of wireless tensiometers, as well as the potential to integrate these technologies.

Again looking at the need to provide practical recommendations for use in the commercial nursery setting, the research will evaluate the various parameters which could be added to the automation process with data obtained from external weather sites, including daily rain forecast, wind speed (to delay a planned irrigation event if the wind is too strong) and evapotranspiration predictions. The ultimate goal is to provide growers with various options depending on their existing systems and their resources to acquire new irrigation technologies.

Weather station
Weather station for irrigation automation.

Update on research to study role of non-natives as pollinators

bee on a plant

by Famke Alberts, Sarah Jandricic, Rodger Tschanz and Dr. Al Sullivan

In collaboration with Landscape Ontario, OMAFRA and University of Guelph researchers have conducted a research trial on the attractiveness of different plant species attractive to Ontario pollinators and specifically to determine if there is a role for non-native plants in the pollinator landscape.  

Over the course of a three-year study, researchers and technicians have examined 10 exotic plant species typically grown by the greenhouse floriculture industry in Ontario and have directly compared these to 10 species of native plant cultivars or “nativars.”

Earlier studies at the University of Guelph (2016 and 2018) were conducted using individual plant species in test strips, but increased facilities made available at Landscape Ontario in 2020 allowed for the planting of entire beds, with the intent of better replicating a typical homeowner garden.

outdoor test garden
2020 trial set up at the Landscape Ontario offices. Plots of exotic ornamentals only (foreground) were compared to plots of native plants (background; with sunflowers). There were 4 plots per plant category (native or exotic) in a randomized design.

Preliminary plant selection was based on those varieties that showed promise as a pollinator in earlier studies at the trial gardens located at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, with factors such as height, seasonality, colour and flower type considered for the final selection. Ornamental species were planted at densities based on the mature size of each plant variety.

Students surveyed the plots for 30 minutes at a time and counted the pollinators that came to visit, making note of the plants that were preferred. Pollinators were counted only if they landed on a flower and stayed to gather nectar or pollen.  Site visits were conducted on days with suitably sunny weather conditions. Overall, students logged over 70 hours of observation time.

Data collected in 2020 revealed that garden plots consisting entirely of native plants attracted slightly more pollinators overall, but this difference was not significant. On average, in a garden plot measuring 2m x 4m, a homeowner could expect to observe around 58 pollinators per hour in an all-native plant garden, versus 48 pollinators per hour in an all-exotic garden.

A look at the data reveals the inaccuracy of the commonly accepted premise that native plants are generally the better choice for pollinators. As noted in the table below, both native and exotic plants included species preferred by pollinators. For example, Coreopsis received over 900 pollinator visits in our 2020 trial, but other native plant species such as Phlox and Guara were not very attractive to pollinators (at least those found in Ontario), with fewer than 90 total pollinator visits each.

bar graph
Pollinator visits broken down by pollinator guild (or group). Blue bars indicate native plant species; orange bars, exotic plant species. Plant species that received the most visits by any one pollinator guild are listed.

In both plant categories (native or exotic), plant species with the highest total numbers of pollinator visits tended to attract mostly managed honeybees, native bee species, or both. Although bees tend to be a homeowner’s preferred pollinator, they are not the only contributor to a successful pollinator garden. To play a bigger role in helping all pollinators that have few food sources in urban areas, pollinator gardens should also support as many different groups (or “guilds”) of pollinators as possible. For example, Argyranthemum did not attract many bees in the 2020 trial, however, they did draw higher numbers of both hover flies and pollinating beetles than the other plants tested, making them an important contender as part of a garden that supports both an abundance and diversity of pollinators

Taken together, our data suggests that the best pollinator gardens would likely make use of a mix of species of both native and exotic plants. This list of stand out performers is compiled from the species and cultivars tested in our three years of research. Although far from exhaustive, this list is a good starting reference for anyone wishing to customize their gardens with a mix of pollinator-friendly, exotic and native annuals and perennials.

As a note of caution, the data also shows that plant variety can have an impact on pollinator attractiveness. Changes to the aesthetics of a plant species during breeding can also change plant attributes that are attractive to pollinators, such as volatiles, amount of pollen or nectar, or the colour the insect sees. This information is not new, as previous publications have shown that pollinator attractiveness can vary between varieties by as much as 10 times. This may partially explain why some of our plant choices that should have been successful didn’t perform well (e.g. nativars such as Guara lindheimeri “Variegata Rose”, Phlox paniculata “Purple Improved”, Penstemon digitalis “Dakota Burgundy” and Heuchera villosa “Pinot Noir”).

To overcome these issues, landscapers and garden centres can make specific cultivar recommendations to their clients, such as the ones included here.  But another solution is just to recommend that homeowners should plant as many pollinator friendly plants as possible — native and exotic — to hedge their bets.

Urban Tree Value Chain Research Priority Setting Workshop

Report on the Findings now available

The increasing demand for nature-based climate solutions represents a significant opportunity for the entire urban tree value-chain, including nursery producers, landscape contractors and municipalities. This growing demand has, however, pointed to a critical gap in identifying and executing the research required to address the many environmental challenges that affect the long-term health of urban forests.

On February 9 2021, Vineland hosted a virtual research priority setting workshop for the Urban Tree Value Chain supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s ‘Canadian Agriculture Strategic Priority Program’. The workshop was facilitated by James Allen from Creative Huddle and attended by participants from across the Canadian urban tree value chain.

The 50 participants in attendance for the virtual workshop included people from various actor groups including nursery producers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, landscape designers, municipalities, nursery-landscape associations, as well as representatives of Vineland’s project team. The purpose of the workshop was to bring together actors across the value chain to identify research priorities for the near and long-term future and engage in a productive discussion on how the newly proposed Greening the Landscape Research Consortium model can function in such a way as to effectively tackle the diverse priorities identified by the workshop participants.

The three top research priorities identified through the workshop process included:

  1. Tree maintenance during establishment
  2. Soil standards for tree establishment
  3. Nursery soil health and root management

A copy of the Urban Tree Value Chain Priority Setting Workshop can be downloaded from this link or by visiting the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre website: www.vinelandresearch.com

Using drones to help sod farmers

Author: Annie Christine Boucher, M. Sc, Project Manager, IQDHO

For several years now, drone technology has been gaining in popularity and has been developing in many areas, i.e., rescue missions, air sampling, detection of health indicators in crowds (such as coughs or fevers). In agriculture, drones are used to improve productivity, either to identify less productive areas into the fields or to take aerial photos, to generate levelling plans, spread beneficial insects, etc., among other things.

The IQDHO, in collaboration with GEOGRID (a geomatics and drone mapping company) and the Centre de géomatique du Québec, carried out a project on the potential use of drones to monitor pests in sod farming.

Sod farms cultivate sod over large areas in the field. These crops, which are not mechanically weeded, require applications of herbicides and other pesticides to control weeds and pests, respectively.

Motorized vehicles access must be limited, except for mowing. The passage of heavy machinery over the crop is known to cause enough soil compaction that adversely affect sod growth and harvesting. In this context, the use of drones could be justified to identify problems and areas where treatments are needed.

This two-year project helped optimize flight parameters for the detection of weeds and the plant pathogen causing turf rust. Visual imagery (pictures taken with natural colours) was determined to be better suited to achieve this than vegetation indices derived from multispectral imagery (image processing method that allows the estimation of certain vegetation parameters). Rust, the main disease found in sod farms, could be identified at 60 m of height at least. However, on pictures, it was not possible to differentiate between rust and drought areas. Regarding weeds, it was found that their spectral similarity with sod species made them difficult to identify. The flying height required to identify broadleaf weeds was below 60 m, and 20 m or less for grasses. However, weed identification proved to be quite a challenge, depending on the height, weed species and crop stage.

In conclusion, the cost associated with pest problems identification on sod farms using drones is relatively high as these devices must fly at a relatively low altitude. However, this technology is constantly evolving, and improvements to the various sensors could possibly make it possible to achieve this objective while reducing the flight time required. In addition, the use of drone technology coupled with robotics could be very interesting to reduce the use of pesticides. More to come…

overhead shot of a farmers field
Orthomosaic of a patch of grass. (Source: GEOGRID)

A copy of the full report (French only) is available for download here.

YouTube video:  Évaluation de l’utilisation de drones comme méthode de surveillance phytosanitaire en gazonnières

This project was made possible thanks to financial assistance from the 2013–2018 Prime-Vert program, subcomponent 3.2, from the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ).