Each winter, the COHA team of researchers present their latest research project results via a full-day webinar event. Updates for each of the 10 research projects funded under Agriculture and AgriFood Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience program are now available on the COHA Connections website. Click on the Research tab above or here to view the Power Point presentations or to watch the recorded webinars.
Surface Water Quality Management in Ornamental Horticulture
Webinar Recording now available.
If you were unable to attend the Surface Water Quality Management webinars, hosted by Dr. Jeanine West, or would like the opportunity to review the wealth of information presented by Dr. West during this informative webinar, it is now available for on-line viewing.
To view the Power Point presentation, click here.
Watch the recorded webinar below:
By: Annie Christine Boucher, M. Sc., Project manager, IQDHO
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 “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.
A need of the sector
This tool fills a need for centralized information for the choice of pesticides to promote the use of integrated pest management for the control of diseases and pests in ornamental nurseries. Indeed, relevant information on the subject exists but is fragmented into different sources. In addition, advisers and stakeholders in ornamental nurseries have noted the effectiveness of the various products used in Quebec for several years. Thus, the data presented comes from an exhaustive literature review of current knowledge in the field.
Effectiveness on crop pests and toxicity on beneficial organisms
The poster designed by IQDHO is intended to be a simple and effective tool that collects information about the effect of commonly used products on the commonly grown plant species of Quebec nurseries while ensuring their effectiveness for the targeted problems (diseases and pests). This information is presented in the sheet using an effectiveness rating (numerical scale from 0 to 3) and a toxicity rating (no or little toxic, moderately toxic, and high toxicity). A total of 39 insecticides, 29 fungicides, and beneficial nematodes are presented. Twelve major pests, as well as 11 diseases of interest, were selected. A selection of seven beneficial insects was made from among pollinators, predators, and parasitoids. Thus, the poster will allow stakeholders in the field to ensure the effectiveness of the product chosen while considering the sensitivity of beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators, and parasitoids. Adopting such phytosanitary practices could thus help reduce the number of pesticide applications required, help maintain populations of beneficial organisms, and potentially lower production costs.
The poster was created by IQDHO in collaboration with the ornamental nursery RAP under part 4 of the 2013-2018 Prime-Vert program and received financial assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the ” Food (MAPAQ) through the Quebec Phytosanitary Strategy in Agriculture 2011-2021.
For more information on this subject, we invite you to contact Annie Christine Boucher, M. Sc., Project Manager, IQDHO (acboucher@iqdho.com)
Nursery growers have implemented a variety of solutions, with varying degrees of success, to reduce the excessive biological growth usually found in recycled water irrigation ponds. This growth is responsible for the clogging of intake filters and subsequently, expensive maintenance costs. With little in the way of research or scientific data to support alternative methodologies and no clear standards of practice for effective pond management, there is a critical need in the sector for reliable information on affordable and sustainable solutions to improve water quality.
Several projects focusing on water quality are currently being funded through the COHA research cluster. Minimizing horticultural impacts on surface water quality to encourage re-use through enhanced pond management is one of these projects being led by Dr. Jeanine West of PhytoServ. With an end goal of helping growers to manage their irrigation costs through environmentally appropriate and sustainable improved pond management strategies, this project is part of the Cluster Project and is funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA-ACHO) and by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program
According to Dr. West, “Almost all nursery growers use recycled water and it is inevitable that they experience issues related to excessive growth of aquatic weeds, algae and cyanobacteria, also known as blue green algae, especially in the warmer summer months. This research project will focus on investigating new methods of controlling the flow of nutrients and especially phosphorous into ponds, and to study various in-pond treatments to improve overall water quality.”
The research project has been designed to take into consideration the requirements of three very diverse audiences. The general public’s increasing concern for the environment is further reinforced by the aesthetics and risks of algae and cyanobacteria in our ponds and lakes. Various ministries across Canada, at both the provincial and federal levels now have in place application and discharge regulations to control the excessive use of nutrients, especially phosphorous and nitrates. And farmers have a need for effective and sustainable pond management strategies that will help them to meet environmental regulations while at the same time mitigating the costly impacts from clogged irrigation systems.
The first phase of the project, completed in 2019 with considerable input from a Technical Advisory Committee, was to design, construct and test a reliable experimental design which would allow for effective comparisons of various water quality treatments. “Arriving at a suitable project design was no easy task,” explains Dr. West, “as it needed to be bigger than a bench scale design, but we had physical and budgetary constraints to consider as well.”
A total of five nursery locations across Ontario were selected as research sites and each one brings unique site challenges and therefore opportunities to the project. “As we’ve come to expect, each of the participating nurseries have been very cooperative in helping us to install the various on-land or in-pond structures necessary for this project,” notes Dr. West adding that several nursery sites have assisted in the installation of media beds to study the impacts of pre-pond treatments.
With a stated objective of employing a systematic evaluation and comparison of various pond management tools, the project devised by Dr. West and her research team consists of up to five mesocosms (in-pond enclosures, or test cells) at each test location. Each mesocosm has a volume of 1-2 m3 (depending on the pond depth), is framed with PVC tubing to allow for flotation, as it was important that water be able to flow around the sides and bottom of each cell. The wall material eventually chosen by the advisory team is a plastic material commonly used as a wind barrier. “Our technical advisory team struggled with the concept of permeability and its ultimate impact on project results. We ultimately determined that the most accurate data would be realized by a limited exchange of water between the mesocosm and the pond water.”
At each site, the project is designed to test up to five mesocosms including a control, and up to four of the following treatments: submerged aquatic macrophytes, aeration through mechanical bubblers, a phosphorus-binding media, vegetative shade through the use of duckweed, and mechanical shading through the use of shade cloth.
At one farm, the research team has also installed a series of PhytoLinks™, or floating planted islands which, similar to constructed wetlands, are specifically engineered to improve water quality. The PhytoLinks™ were installed in channels within a narrow pond, with one channel empty (control), one with two PhytoLinks™, and one with two PhytoLinks™ and a suspended material that serves as a surface for growth of periphyton, a complex microorganism population known to assist in nutrient uptake.
Any research project conducted in outdoor environments is subject to many unpredictable variables and Dr. West and her team have encountered the usual challenges. With several of the research sites being located far from reliable electrical sources, Dr. West found herself becoming an expert in the design and installation of small solar systems to power an aerator.
An exceptionally hot summer in 2020 resulted in excessive water use, impacting the water depth in some ponds. And of course, this year the team found themselves dealing with the ultimate disruptor – the unforeseen impacts of a global pandemic.
As most of the work planned for 2020 has been outdoors and in low-contact environments, Dr. West and her team have been able to successfully mitigate potential impacts of the impacts of Covid19. Working with collaborator Dr. Ann Huber, the team was fortunate to be able employ qualified family members as technicians, making it possible to comply with Covid19 workplace guidelines.
The limited water testing conducted in 2019 was mostly to validate the research design and system installations. Actual water sampling to record and analyze the effectiveness of each treatment, is being conducted throughout 2020 and 2021. A YSI meter or sonde-type multi probe is used to test and record various parameters such as temperature, pH levels, dissolved oxygen levels, chlorophyll a and phycocyanin levels, turbidity and conductivity. Further water and sediment samples are sent to A&L Canada Laboratories to test for nutrient and chemical levels. Grab samples of algae, aquatic plants, and cyanobacteria are collected regularly and diagnosed by Dr. Ann Huber of the Soil Resource Group to look for other trends and indicators of pond health. Some of the most revealing results to date are the inadequacy of water quality indicators in some of the traditional measurements, and the need to explore a range of parameters and testing approaches to truly get a picture of overall pond health.
Confirms Dr. West, “We will share our results with the industry at the end of the season, but with the caveat that there are too many variables at play in any single year, in particular seasonal weather conditions and changes in production practices, to make those results conclusive. Even the two full years of testing we will be able to conduct as part of this project will not be sufficient to provide definitive results but will hopefully point us in the right direction. Ideally, we should be looking at an analysis after five years of testing; hopefully we will be able to extend our experiment past the time restrictions of this research project.”
Staying ahead of the curve: Today’s Research, Tomorrow’s Successes
Staying competitive in today’s complex business environment requires continual improvements to your horticultural business at all levels of management and production. The cooperatively funded COHA science cluster research programs are an important first step to finding solutions to industry-identified research priorities, but research is only truly successful when project findings are successfully communicated and transferred to the industry.
Beginning this winter, COHA’s research team will bridge the knowledge gap through a series of webinars of specific interest to the ornamental sector. These webinars are designed to bring you practical information to help you make informed decisions on how research results can be applied to your business.
January 11, 2021
11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (EST)
Is Turfgrass Fertilization Threatening Our Water Bodies?
Guillaume Grégoire, Ph.D., Université Laval
Co-hosted by Landscape Ontario IPM Symposium and Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA)
Turfgrass plays an important role in urban and residential landscapes, providing functional, recreational and aesthetic benefits. However, in the last few years, there has been increasing concerns about the potential negative impacts of intensive turfgrass management on the environment, specifically on water quality. Although turfgrass increases soil water infiltration and contaminants retention, the application of fertilizers on turf can lead to nutrient losses through volatilization, runoff and leaching. This session will present results from two different research projects conducted by our team in the last few years, during which we monitored nutrient losses in leachate and runoff following different fertilization strategies applied to turfgrass.
Your registration fee of $50 also provides you with access to the complete IPM Symposium line-up.
January 26, 2021
10:00 a.m. (PST) / 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Surface Water Quality Management in Ornamental Horticulture
Dr. Jeanine West, Phytoserv
Dealing appropriately with water issues is arguably one of the most important concerns facing today’s horticultural sector. There are numerous regulations at municipal, provincial and federal levels that govern access to water as well as the implications associated with leachates of run-off water. Growers have responded by constructing elaborate pond and water recycling systems but are now challenged to maintain the quality of water in their pond systems required to keep their modern irrigation systems operable. In this webinar Dr. Jeanine West will share water quality management strategies based on her expertise and preliminary research findings. Time will be allocated for Q&A.
To view the Power Point presentation, click here.
Webinar Recording now available:
March 2, 2021
10:00 a.m. (PST) / 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Changing production practices for better pest control in greenhouse ornamentals
Dr. Rose Buitenhuis, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
Control of greenhouse floriculture pests uses a systems approach, combining biological control and plant resistance with the manipulation of environmental and crop production practices. Studies suggest that high fertilizer levels stimulate pest reproduction by providing them with more organic nitrogen, present in plant tissues. Based on the results of our most recent research, this webinar will explore improved production practices in potted chrysanthemum and gerbera crops to see if plant nutrition can be optimized as part of an integrated pest management strategy in these crops.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has received a $20,000 grant through the BC Agri-Innovation program to develop and verify a DNA profiling strategy for hydrangeas, to accurately identify varieties to ensure consistency and to support the development and registration of new varieties. With additional funding support from Van Belle Nurseries (Abbotsford, BC) this project will be led by Dr. Paul Adams, the lead of KPU’s new Applied Genomics Centre, which is exclusively focused on the genomics and metabolomics needs of Canada’s agricultural sector.
The governments of Canada and British Columbia are supporting 14 new projects with more than $2.4 million through the Canada-British Columbia Agri-Innovation Program to help create opportunities in the provinces agricultural and technology sectors.
A current project into onion thrips is a perfect example of Vineland’s relationship with OMAFRA and the University of Guelph in action. Thrips is a pest affecting a wide range of ornamental plants causing widespread damage that renders plants unsaleable.
Flower growers had always believed that western flower thrips was their dominant thrips species, but it was OMAFRA’s Sarah Jandricic, PhD who discovered a case of mistaken identity and determined the real culprit as onion thrips. She brought her discovery to Vineland’s attention and together with Rose Buitenhuis, PhD and U of G entomologist Cynthia Scott-Dupree, PhD developed a research project to address the issue.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Vineland is on the cusp of an exciting new chapter in its long-standing urban greening work. A value chain-wide consortium is being established to help address common urban landscape challenges and will be accompanied by new infrastructure on the Vineland campus dedicated to greening Canada’s landscapes.
“This new initiative is about addressing research gaps that are common across the whole stakeholder spectrum and being able to identify and trial solutions in real world landscapes that will have widespread benefits,” says Darby McGrath, Vineland’s Senior Research Scientist in Environmental Horticulture. The economic impacts of failed urban plantings are considerable and a coordinated approach to horticulture research will help increase the competitiveness of the nursery landscape sector in a multitude of ways.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Two new beauties are slated to be added to Vineland’s growing 49th Parallel Collection of bred-in-Canada garden and landscape roses. Aurora Borealis™ will be officially released in 2021 and the first yellow rose in the collection, Yukon Sun™ will become available in 2023.
Both of the new releases fulfill Vineland’s key priorities for the program: roses that can be planted virtually anywhere in Canada that are cold hardy and highly black spot resistant. They were developed in collaboration with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association which has rights to varieties from the discontinued Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada hardy rose breeding program.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATIONRootSmart™ propagation trays: not just for trees.
Featuring an innovative wall-less, bottom-less design, Vineland’s RootSmart™ tray has been shown to improve the quality of root systems during propagation. Although earlier research
focused on tree root systems to reduce defects and improve longevity of trees, ongoing studies have shown how RootSmart™ can be used for other woody perennials to help with labour savings and production efficiencies.
Next 49th Parallel rose to be released in spring 2021
The Aurora Borealis™ rose, the third addition to Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection of roses, is scheduled for release in the spring of 2021.
Featuring a dramatic sunset-pink flower and dark glossy green foliage, this low-maintenance rose measures one-metre in height with a one-metre spread and features black spot resistance and winter hardiness across Canada.
With fond boyhood memories of fresh lemonade enjoyed in the heat of Indian summers, hobby breeder M.P.M Nair was determined to have his own supply of fresh lemons in his newly chosen home of Saskatoon, SK. Although he considered Saskatoon’s Zone 2 hardiness rating to be of nominal concern, Nair realized his primary challenge would be to overcome the very low light conditions faced by his target audience of home hobby or “windowsill” growers. He recalled a lemon plant that thrived in the lower light conditions of a banana plantation and so, permit in hand, he arranged to bring back some rooted cuttings to Canada. So began a four decades long quest to breed a lemon cultivar adapted to northern indoor low light environments.
Said Nair of his ambitious breeding endeavour, “I have learned that citrus breeding is a game of chance and the variability of the fruit quality can be the worst possible outcome most of the time. Occasionally you get lucky and get some good fruiting plants.”
In total, 79 plants with various types of fruits from six different crosses were developed, although many were discarded due to poor quality of fruits and growth habits. Some dwarf plants refused to mature and some have not bloomed even after 20 years. Nearly 20 mostly seedless fruiting trees have been selected and observation of growth traits and fruit quality is ongoing. As a reward for his patience, Nair notes that some of the fruits have turned out to be better than the parents in many ways.
Ultimately, if life doesn’t give you lemons, you can indeed make your own. The main ingredient it seems, is merely an abundance of patience.
Nair is continuing to develop many other Low Light Tolerant plants (LLT Plants®) including vegetables and dwarf fruit crops for the year round indoor home windowsill environment.
The answer to this question is currently the focus of a Cluster 3 research project funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA-ACHO) and the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnerships AgriScience programs. A current research update from University of Guelph’s Dr. Barry Shelp and his research team of Skye Duncan Stephens, Edward J. Flaherty and William MacDonald can be found in the October 2020 edition of Greenhouse Canada.
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