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Industry workshop outlining current trends in the edible ornamentals category. Online consumer survey examining which edible ornamentals (in containers) Canadian gardeners are most interested in.
Rapid and standard 3M Petrifilm methods were compared (Aerobic Plate Count for bacteria (AC), Rapid Yeast and Mold (RYM), and E.coli and Total Coliform (Ec/TC)), as well as diluents and incubation times and temperatures. Other methods tested included LaMotte BioPaddles, Biosan SaniCheck YM, ColiTag and AgDia strips to select the ‘best’ method for on-site monitoring. Periodically, samples were submitted for DNA Multiscan analysis for plant pathogens to obtain correlations between this method and the 3M TY&M method being used as an ‘indicator’ test for the presence and level of fungal plant pathogen populations. A 2 year data base of water quality over different production systems, seasons and treatment systems was developed. Grower protocols for sampling and monitoring methods were developed and refined in cooperation with growers and their designated personnel. Training of owner/growers and/or designated personnel was carried out at each participating operation. The in-house data generated was compared to the on-going monitoring program in order to assess the practicality of the methods in-house and get feedback from the individual cooperators.
This project was intended to provide guidance on innovative water treatment technologies for the horticulture sector in Ontario. The scope of the project included: installation of 2 portable hybrid treatment systems (HTS) to test the operational parameters needed to treat (i.e. clean) floriculture greenhouse and nursery wastewater so that it can be either safely discharged to the environment, or rendered suitable for re-use within the operation, installation of 2 permanent hybrid treatment systems (HTS), one at a container nursery and one at a flower greenhouse, using information obtained from the pilot systems as well as previous studies, and development of a Guidance Document for growers to help them make informed decisions regarding water management and treatment options. The Hybrid Treatment System represents a flexible tool for water treatment, particularly in situations where there is a desire to recirculate or discharge very clean water. Removal rates in each of the selected media are dependent on temperature, flow rate (hydraulic retention time), and nutrient concentration. Temperature is particularly important for the woodchip cells, since these are primarily a biological treatment. For optimum performance these systems need to be designed on the basis of projected daily water volumes, concentrations for treatment, and expected temperatures over the entire production period. While these systems do require a significant footprint outdoors, they can be tailored to match the volumes and fluctuations of a particular operation. And in many cases, the surface of the treatment can be used as a production area, but machine traffic should be avoided. It is highly recommended that growers conduct a self-assessment of the farm prior to choosing a water management solution.
This project demonstrated the differences in leachate (direct pot runoff) from outdoor container production from a range of fertilizers (formulation, rate) in both overhead and drip irrigation systems. Both hydrangea and chrysanthemum crops were examined, with sites across Southern Ontario (primarily in the Leamington-London region that drains into the western basin of Lake Erie, and the Niagara peninsula). Comparisons of key nutrients (especially phosphorus and nitrogen) were made, in addition to overall plant growth parameters, costing comparisons (CRF vs. WSF), and after-sales plant performance. The goal of the project was to provide benchmarking and guidance on improved nutrient and fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) for outdoor floriculture production in Ontario.
L’altise à tête rouge, Systena frontalis (Coléoptères, Chrysomélidés) est le ravageur le plus problématique dans les productions ornementales en pépinière au Québec. Elle occasionne de fortes pertes économiques (pertes de plantes et coûts de contrôle) et requiert des pulvérisations fréquentes. Les objectifs du projet étaient 1) Améliorer le modèle prévisionnel de l’altise à tête rouge (modèle de degrés-jours développé par l’IQDHO) et rendre ce modèle disponible dans le logiciel CIPRA et le site Internet d’Agrométéo Québec (www.agrometeo.org) et 2) Confirmer et identifier des repères phénologiques de plantes associés à l’arrivée des altises à tête rouge dans les pépinières. Ces deux outils de surveillance pourront être proposés aux producteurs pour leur permettre d’anticiper l’arrivée des altises à tête rouge et de mieux cibler leurs traitements phytosanitaires et peut-être même de réduire les quantités d’insecticides appliquées.
Un chancre est une plaie qui se forme sur les branches ou les troncs, lorsqu’un agent pathogène (champignons ou bactéries) infecte et colonise les tissus cambiaux, ou lorsque des facteurs abiotiques (ex : le froid) endommagent les tissus ligneux. En pépinière ornementales les chancres entrainent assurément des pertes. L’objectif général du projet était d’optimiser le dépistage des chancres sur les espèces ligneuses ornementales produites en pépinière 1) En repérant et identifiant les chancres (en laboratoire) et leur hôte 2) En documentant visuellement les chancres 3) En décrivant les symptômes 4) En présentant les identifications lors d’une activité de démonstration pour ultimement permettre aux producteurs et aux intervenants de mieux les reconnaître et ainsi cibler les meilleures interventions à effectuer.
A comprehensive survey of plant pathogen populations (measured by DNA Multiscans) in irrigation water leachate and/or runoff from the range of Ontario flower and vegetable greenhouses and container nurseries was conducted to help assess the level of risk involved in operations switching to recirculating systems. The ability of several bioremediation technologies to remove plant pathogens from recycled irrigation water (e.g. constructed wetlands, woodchip biofilters) was evaluated as well as the effectiveness of current plant pathogen disinfection systems.
Five technologies were evaluated for their effectiveness at removing nutrients, non-nutrient components, and plant pathogens from irrigation runoff or leachate: a full scale constructed wetland system recently installed at a container nursery, and four pilot scale systems constructed at flower greenhouse: two denitrification woodchip bioreactors combined with phosphorus removal units, Phytolinks™ (floating wetlands), IrrigroTM irrigation system, and an engineered hollow fibre filter system (Zeeweed)Evaluation of innovative water treatment technologies for reuse of nutrient solutions in the horticulture industry
An in-field evaluation of the ability of 12 established denitrification woodchip bioreactors and constructed wetlands to remove plant pathogens and/or human enteric pathogen indicator organisms from horticultural and agricultural wastewaters and runoff was conducted. Removal effectiveness was correlated with parameters affecting performance (e.g. media, residence time, temperature, oxygen, pH, depth). The information supports the design of on-site systems that will consistently remove plant and enteric pathogens as well as nutrients from agricultural runoff and wastewaters in order to facilitate its reuse and/or protect surface and ground water resources from contamination
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