A recent story in GrowerTalks magazine describes efforts by both growers of chrysanthemums and florists to convince the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to lift the quarantine on plants infected by Chrysanthemum White Rust (Puccinia horiana, “CWR”). The concerned groups, which include the Society of American Florists (SAF), the American Nursery and [...]
Late blight, a destructive disease caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a pathogen of tomato and potato plants that has recently been found in several states in the Northeast, including Maine, New York and Pennsylvania. The late blight has been identified on tomato transplants sold in big box stores and other garden centers under the brand [...]
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is reporting that a new strain of Plum Pox Virus (PPV, Potyvirus) was discovered during the 2008 surveys for this pathogen in Canada. The strain, PPV-rec, had previously been found only in Europe. The discovery was made on plum rootstocks with grafted apricot, peach and plum branches, by an [...]
Chrysanthemum white rust (Puccinia horiana, “CWR”), a serious fungal disease of chrysanthemums, has been discovered in Massachusetts. Infected plants were found at nurseries and at retail locations, with diagnoses confirmed by plant pathologists from USDA APHIS-PPQ. This pathogen can spread quickly in greenhouse and nursery environments, causing severe crop losses.
Over the last 25 years, localized [...]
Plum pox virus (PPV) has been discovered once again in New York, this time in Wayne County. This marks the third year in a row that the virus, which can impact plum, peach, apricot and other stone fruits, has been found in that state. State agricultural officials have places a one mile quarantine zone around [...]
The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) and the Society of American Florists (SAF) recently released an excellent Powerpoint presentation for growers and sellers concerned about Chrysanthemum White Rust (Puccinia horiana, “CWR”). CWR is a rust fungus that is able to infect twelve different chrysanthemum species, including pot mums, cut mums and garden mums. It [...]
Since Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum, also known as Ramorum Blight) was first seen in California back in 1995, the wide host range of this pathogen has had the nursery industry on high alert. Now Oregon State University has put together an online training course aimed at teaching nursery growers about P. ramorum and other [...]
The April Pest Alert for Gladiolus Rust (Uromyces transversalis) has been updated to reflect information about the recent discovery of this fungal pathogen on gladiolus plants in Minnesota (check out a map of the US distribution here, courtesy of the National Agricultural Pest Information System). Until this past April, the only US records for this [...]
On March 10, 2008, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services identified a suspected infection of gladiolus rust (Uromyces transversalis) on the leaves of gladiolus plants at a cut flower production farm in Hendry County, Florida.
Gladiolus rust primarily attacks hybrid cultivars of gladiolus grown for cut flower production, and if uncontrolled, can lead [...]
A brand new fact sheet on Plum Pox Virus (Potyviridae sp.) has been added to our Fact Sheet page. Thanks to everyone who offered constructive criticism on the earlier drafts, and to the photographers who kindly gave permission for their photos to be used for our outreach efforts.
Plum Pox Virus (PPV) has not yet been [...]
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