Field Production – COHA-ACHO Connections

Greening Canada’s highways: expanding nursery and landscape market opportunities

Based on earlier research results which pointed to the negative impact of compacted urban soils, this research project was designed to improve tree survivability in highway and urban environments. After five years of research and four years of direct testing, deep ripping and the addition of organic matter has been proven as a method of remediation of urban soils to ensure the long-term survival of trees. Based on several sites sampled throughout Ontario and Alberta, a soil remediation calculator was developed that estimates the amount of organic amendment required to bring the soil bulk density below root limiting thresholds for trees

Evaluation of novel materials in post harvest storage of bare root nursery stock

A literature review on post harvest treatments of nursery stock has identified a significant lack of fundamental information about root storage and basic plant physiology. A set of small-scale experiments was undertaken to answer some of these basic questions and lay the groundwork for a future larger project.

Water treatment technologies

A literature review was conducted and interviews with growers and water treatment companies to assemble information on available technologies. An interactive website will provide growers with an on-line decision process for choosing appropriate technology for their own operation.

Temperatures within horticultural plants: Stems and Flowers- explaining rapid growth

Investigate biological and applied characteristics of the temperature relations within flowers and within plant stems through interdisciplinary research in micrometeorology, plant anatomy, pigmentation, microscopic morphology, growth rates, floral maturation and sexual reproduction.

Développement de moyens d’intervention pour inhiber et contrôler la production de cônes dans la production d’arbre de Noël – Projet no. 16-4-20

La présence de cônes femelles dans les arbres de Noël est fortement dommageable pour la rentabilité de cette production. Les frais encourus pour éliminer manuellement les cônes sont très élevés. Quatre régulateurs de croissance ont été comparés à un témoin traité à l’eau. Les produits commerciaux étaient : Apogee, MaxCel, Fruitone, Bonzi, appliqués en pulvérisation foliaire et par injection dans le tronc. Les données supplémentaires recueillies au cours de ce projet n’ont pas permis d’identifier un régulateur de croissance permettant d’inhiber le développement des cônes femelles sur Abies fraseri cultivé en champ. Des travaux supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour mettre au point la méthode, notamment en ce qui concerne le moment de l’application, la dose du produit et la méthode d’application.

Consumer preferences for hardy landscape roses

Consumer preferences for landscape roses. Online surveys and in-person evaluations.

General summaries from plant consumer research

Plant consumer trends

Made in Canada! Local biocontrol agents to take up the challenge.

Development of water treatment best management practices for the greenhouse and nursery industries on Ontario; hybrid treatment systems

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.

Développement d’une méthode de dépistage pour le tétranyque de l’épinette dans les cèdres ornementaux en champs

L’objectif général du projet était de développer une méthode de dépistage du tétranyque de l’épinette (Oligonychus unungui) utilisable par les producteurs et les conseillers, en comparant les courbes de population obtenues avec une méthode de dépistage simple (battage) et une méthode de dépistage plus exhaustive (« mite brushing machine » ou brosse à acariens). La brosse à acarien a été utilisée pour déloger les tétranyques de l’épinette encore présents sur les rameaux de cèdre (thuyas) après le battage. Un autre objectif du projet a consisté à identifier les principaux ennemis naturels du tétranyque de l’épinette et à caractériser l’entomofaune présente dans la production de cèdres ornementaux en champs.