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Biocontrols, aphids and mildews among PAS talks

November 11, 2013  By Dave Harrison


Nov. 11, 2013, Abbotsford, B.C. – Biocontrol strategies, aphid threats
and mildew challenges are the major themes being tackled during a
half-day ornamentals program at the Pacific Agriculture Show on Jan. 31,
2014.

Nov. 11, 2013, Abbotsford, B.C. – Biocontrol strategies, aphid threats and mildew challenges are the major themes being tackled during a half-day ornamentals program at the Pacific Agriculture Show on Jan. 31, 2014.

PAS will be held at the Tradex Exhibition Centre at the Abbotsford Airport from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.

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Sponsoring the ornamentals program are Koppert Canada, the Lower Mainland Hort Improvement Association, United Flower Growers, Flowers Canada Growers,  the government of British Columbia, the government of Canada, Growing Forward 2, and Greenhouse Canada.

FCG executive director Dean Shoemaker will introduce the program and the sponsors at 1 p.m.

How to Get it Right: the Top 10 Reasons why your Biocontrol Approach Didn’t Work, by Brian Spencer of Applied Bio-nomics.

Spencer is also president of Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers and has played a considerable role in the development and adoption of biocontrols in the Canadian ornamental industries. He will focus on the use of biocontrol systems and the most common mistakes growers make when using biocontrol agents.

Research Activities at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
, by Rose Buitenhuis, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

The presentation will highlight research conducted on managing pests through the introduction of predatory mites (including A. swirskii), the use of banker plants in greenhouse pest management and cutting dips to reduce the risk of importing pests on vegetative cuttings.

Aphids 101 – Everything You Didn’t Know You Need to Know About Aphids, by Dave Gillespie, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Agassiz.

Aphids attack many of the commonly grown floriculture crops, and can be extremely difficult to manage. However, not every aphid is equal. Being able to identify the aphid, and knowing a lot about their biology are keys to running successful management programs against these important pests. Gillespie will review the identification of the key aphid species in floriculture crops, their biology and life history. The presentation will conclude with a summary of the various approaches that could be drawn on to develop a management program for aphids.

New Tools and Advances to Battle the Mildews, by Mary Hausbeck, Michigan State University.

Powdery and downy mildews are increasingly challenging to control for ornamental growers. With new host diseases being encountered, growers need to be vigilant and have a discerning eye to identify and control these diseases in a timely manner. This presentation will provide a summary of new and emerging tools to identify and control powdery and downy mildews.


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