Plant molecular geneticists discover, and begin to crack, the epigenetic code

When plants sense environmental challenges such as drought or extended periods of extreme temperatures, they instinctively reprogram their genetic material to survive and even thrive. The chemical code that triggers those changes can be deciphered and then duplicated to breed more vigorous, productive,…

Hanging baskets watered by an innovative system

“With our patented water-by-weight system, growers can have their hanging baskets each watered according to their individual needs. The system weighs each basket and delivers the perfect amount of water,” explains Len Logsdon, an engineer and partner at Control Dekk who focuses on the design and…

Fewer hydrangeas, more plants 'useful to nature' due to dry weather

Dutch garden classics such as petunias, hydrangeas, and pansies are not made for above-average sunny and dry summers. This is what Frans van Oostveen, plant specialist at the…

"Get ahead of Thrips and Whitefly using a range of EPFs"

Thrips and whiteflies can be a major challenge to growers as their numbers can quickly balloon, causing significant crop losses in their wake. "By using Lecatech WP and…

Agave: The new drought-tolerant California crop?

Agriculture in California faces an uncertain future as drought, wildfires and other climate extremes become more commonplace in the West. But a fledgling industry focused on growing and distilling agave plants, which are used to produce tequila and mezcal in Mexico, could be California’s answer to…

University of Florida greenhouse training online courses

Train your staff to make better crop management decisions by learning in depth aspects of plant nutrition management. Nutrient Management Level 2 (Advanced) is the third course of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This course is…

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Powering plant growth with solar instead of photosynthesis more efficient?

We have a lot to thank photosynthesis for. This process is also right at the beginning of everything we eat. Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to grow, and then humans either eat those plants directly or after they have become part of an animal, mushroom, or anything else we like to munch…

University of Florida surpasses $1 billion in research spending for the first time in 2022

University of Florida faculty surpassed $1 billion in research spending for the first time in 2022, developing treatments for diseases, new agricultural products, engineering solutions, and countless other advancements. With $1.076 billion in research expenditures, UF joins an exclusive group of about 15…

Improving lighting recipes for potted plants

Sustainability is becoming a key concept in greenhouse horticulture as growers seek to reduce energy consumption while achieving better yields. Wageningen University in the Netherlands joined forces with Hungary-based lighting provider Food Autonomy to deliver the best lighting conditions for pot…

Application of fertilizer machine system for Chinese greenhouses

Kingpeng recently installed fertilizer machines in several multi-span greenhouses in China.  Thins fertilizer irrigation unit was specially designed to control either indoor or outdoor sprinkler, fogging, or drip irrigation systems without recirculation, involving substrate or other growing media. The irrigation…

How plants are cooling greenhouses during the heatwave

Temperatures are soaring above 40C across Europe. In the Netherlands, growers are experiencing particularly hot summer weather. Today, the 19th of July, the temperature can rise to over 39 degrees in the south of the country and will be 35 to 38 degrees in many other places, making it even hotter than on…

Taking control of water on the nursery using H2Gro

As the UK swelters in the midst of a heatwave, now is the perfect time to take back some control over water management on the nursery with H2Gro – says ICL area technical sales manager, Steve Chapman. Marking the launch of its new water management website, ICL is giving away 1litre sample bottles of…

Seed to harvest and beyond

Written by Gardyn’s Head of Plant Health and Nutrition & Food Scientist, Lindsay Springer  In the heart of Bethesda, Maryland lies an oasis of Gardyns in an unassuming office space. Inside, a wave of floral aromas, the cheery glow of LEDs, and an entire wall of plants soothes your senses…what is this place? Welcome to The Hyve, Gardyn’s…

State Fair of Texas photo

Texan urban farms donates one million servings

Big Tex Urban Farms, a signature program of the State Fair of Texas, donated one million servings of fresh produce to the local community. Since the goal was announced in 2018, the Fair has made that goal a reality in less than four years. They have donated 1,000,000 produce servings to the South Dallas…

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Thallium accumulation and distribution in Silene latifolia grown in hydroponics

Purpose Thallium (Tl) is one of the most toxic elements known, and its contamination is an emerging environmental issue associated with base metal (zinc-lead) mining wastes. This study investigated the nature of Tl tolerance and accumulation in Silene latifolia, which has so far only been reported from…

Terra Nova Nurseries releases new digital/print product catalog for 2022-2023

Terra Nova Nurseries released today the 2022-2023 edition of its plant catalog, celebrating three decades of breeding innovations, creative solutions, and ground-breaking research and discoveries for worldwide horticulture. The new catalog is now live on Terra Nova’s website and will be distributed in…

Photo by Abigail Leichman

Turning an arid desert into an unexpected breadbasket

“The average summer day is 40-plus degrees Celsius, and at night the temperature drops only 10 degrees,” says Abigail Leichman Kitron, who also has a family farm in central Arava. Agriculture is not easy in this strip of the Negev Desert, stretching down Israel’s eastern border from the Dead Sea to…

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India: Project to cultivate vegetables and flowers for Onam launched

The Alappuzha municipality has launched ‘ponnonathottam’ (Onam garden), a project to produce vegetables and flowers for Onam. As part of it, the civic body will grow a wide variety of vegetables and marigolds on vacant lots and schools. The civic body launched the project by planting vegetable and flower…

Photo by Carol Lollis

A divine harvest: New Hadley farmstand under the watchful eye of experienced worker

As a child in Mexico, Lesvia Perez accompanied her Guatemalan-born mother on trips back to her native land, where together they sold corn and other Mexican produce at the market. Twenty years later, after achieving U.S. citizenship and raising two sons, now 19 and 14, with her husband Baldomero, himself…

Four Star’s new 2023 plants & programs guide is available

Four Star Greenhouse’s 2023 Plants & Programs digital guide has all the products you want and the information you’ll need for your growing season. You’ll find new Proven Winners varieties, eye-catching bundled combinations, details on our updated Complete Package Program, and more. The guide features a…

KUBO presents ‘KUBO 75 years’

Two years ago, family business KUBO celebrated its 75-year jubilee. To commemorate the occasion, the company has produced a beautiful book about the history of KUBO up till now. A book full of stories, anecdotes and photos, portraying the ‘Kubans’ themselves (as the KUBO employees are called), clients, suppliers and others…

'The opportunity to invest in LED lighting has never been this attractive'

Signify will help Topline Gerbera transition to full LED lighting this autumn. By doing so the company from Tuil in the Netherlands can drastically reduce their energy usage and produce better quality gerberas. The company selected the Philips GreenPower toplighting force, which will give them 55% more…

Ball State celebrates expansion of orchid greenhouse

Costa Rican plants. Beehive cubbies. A chocolate tree and an eastern box turtle. Much like the tropical banana plant that now touches the conservatory ceiling,  Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse is growing. Ribbon-cutting ceremonyIt was standing room only on June 17 in the new Environmental Education…

Ontario: 3 secrets of irrigation water taking permits revealed

Do you supplement your Ontario greenhouse irrigation water supply with well, canal, or lake water in the summer months? If so, you need a Permit to Take Water. 1. If you irrigate from any water source in Ontario, you need a Permit To Take Water (PTTW) from the Ministry of Environment Conservation and…

Sensors warn grower in case of water shortage

In the future, German pot plant growers will receive a notification on their PC, smartphone, or tablet when the pot plants need water. That signal comes from sensors in the pots in combination with artificial intelligence. The warning system is one of the results of the 'Nursery Stock Growing Support…

A new way to grow concept launched to optimize growth and maximize energy savings

Eef Zwinkels is Royal Brinkman’s technical account manager and the person to contact if you need advice or have questions about humidity or moisture problems in the greenhouse. This interview was conducted with Zwinkels about DryGair’s ‘A New Way to Grow’ concept. What is ‘a new way to trow’?“’A New Way…

Photo: Sarah Cooper

UK: Pandemic helped local plant grower to flourish

Over the last five years, Da Barn has become one of Shetland’s premier suppliers of local plants after opening in 2017.One of Hillswick’s hidden gems, the company operates a number of polytunnels located from an exposed position but sheltered by a barn. Husband and wife team James and Carol Titcomb set…

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Flower farmers hope to grow interest in Irish blooms

Flower farmers from around Ireland are urging consumers to seek locally grown flowers and foliage instead of imported blooms. The call comes as the Flower Farmers of Ireland organization, representing over 80 Irish growers, prepares to celebrate Irish Flower Week, which gets underway tomorrow. Citing a…

Two Utah farms produce kitchen staples with less water

When the owners of R&A Hydroponics first began cleaning their greenhouse, Ron Murphy thought it would alert the local authorities. “I swear I thought the cops were coming,” he chuckled. “When we opened the door, it just smelled like, you know, marijuana.” Ron, 59, and Anita Murphy, 58, bought their fully…

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Effects of antibiotics on waterhyacint's performance and physiology

Antibiotics can be absorbed by aquatic plants, but they seriously affect the health of aquatic plants and threaten the steady state of the aquatic ecosystem. The phytoremediation performance and physiology of floating macrophyte (Eichhornia crassipes) under antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) hydroponic…

New setup of Novelty Contest at Plantarium|Groen-Direkt

Everything will revolve around garden plants at the Plantarium|Groen-Direkt trade fair. For two days the focus will be on the products of growers and breeders. Such a fair would not be complete without a novelty contest. It has now been decided to organise this contest differently, to make it meet the…

Sue Tostenson

Perham High School greenhouse is back on-site and in full bloom

The idea for an improved Perham High School greenhouse was planted about a year ago, and now, that idea's in full bloom. The recently-relocated and upgraded greenhouse saw its first successful growing season this past spring semester. The high school has long had a greenhouse for students to learn and…

"Coating slows down vegetative growth in Santini Chyrsanthemum'

Chrysanthemums are a light-loving crop that can be sensitive to too much heat. Advisor Paul de Veld explains the choice of coatings and the sector’s trends. Paul de Veld is a Senior Consultant at Delphy and specializes in chrysanthemums. One of his customers grows the compact Santini variant, which has…

"FlowerTrials event is the floriculture center of the world"

During the Dutch Flower Trials, more than 60 breeders have opened their doors simultaneously to customers and other interested parties coming from all over the world. These visitors often come from far away and traditionally take tours around the greenhouses, marveling at the latest botanical miracles…

Floriculture research alliance

Greenhouse sensors for improved climate control

Daniel Crawford, an Agricultural and Biological Engineering B.S. student at the University of Florida, is researching climate sensors for propagation greenhouses. Production of seedlings, cuttings, and tissue culture transplants requires precise control of light, temperature, humidity, and mist…

"Growers can save up to 45% in energy compared with previous models"

The new Multifan Greenhouse Fan is Vostermans latest one. “It’s one of the most energy-efficient greenhouse fans on the market, ‘ according to Twan Venner of Vostermans. “The fan has a new design, improved motor, and improved motor-impeller combination. This means you can save up to 45% in energy…

New insect netting system expands ventilation capacity

Holland Gaas has developed a new insect netting system that facilitates the proper inflow and outflow of air in a greenhouse. The system allows for a significantly better ventilation capacity than traditional systems. Thanks to the OPTI VENT SYSTEM, vents can be opened up to 8% wider, while the convex…

Improving the growing with LED

The benefits of using supplemental light for the propagation and production of greenhouse ornamental, vegetable, and cannabis crops have been well documented by university researchers and commercial growers.  Michigan State University horticulture professor Erik Runkle, along with his colleague Roberto Lopez, have done a considerable…

Grow tent kits with LED lighting help us grow flowers and food at home

Active Grow, a horticultural lighting manufacturer, announces the launch of two new 3-Tier LED Walden Grow Tent Kits: The Flowers and Fruits High-Intensity Kit and The Vegetables and Greens High-Intensity Kit. These innovative and easy-to-use systems allow growers of all experience levels to grow…

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution

Identification of new stock Matthiola incana

Garden stock [Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br.] is a commercially important horticultural crop thanks to its ornamental effect. Different stock cultivars vary in color and shape. An especially flowered phenotype is an essential index for evaluating its commercial value because double-flowered individuals…

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Floriculture helps Indian farms increase income

Indian agriculture is witnessing a gradual change and the trend of the last few decades shows diversification from field crops toward horticultural crops. In terms of increasing farmers’ income, diversification towards flower cultivation results in higher profit per unit area than most of the field crops…

India: Retired banker has 1,000 plants of 400 varieties in his house

In congested Shahganj, the house of a retired banker has become a point of attraction for local residents and foreign tourists from countries such as Germany, Japan, and Bangladesh. Former State Bank of India employee Chandrashekar Sharma calls his 300-year-old residence a “greenhouse” as it is home to…

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Development and characterization of 20 genomic SSR markers of Weigela

Weigela (Caprifoliaceae) is a genus of ornamental plants popular for its phenotypic variation and hardiness, that includes species hybridized to produce the commercially available cultivars. Despite its popularity, limited genetic resources exist for the genus. Twenty genomic simple sequence repeat…

Automated drones could scare birds off fields

In the future, cameras could spot blackbirds feeding on grapes in a vineyard and launch drones to drive off birds, then return to watch for the next invading flock. All…

"We have a clear mission: lighting the way to a better tomorrow"

"Significant changes in sustainable agriculture need to be made as population numbers rise, putting pressure on global food security. Precision farming is emerging as a sustainable alternative, and indoor farms that rely on artificial lighting have mushroomed globally in recent years", says Keith Thomas…

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Longtime Long Island orchid grower receives coveted conditional cannabis license

Riverhead-based Peconic Growers LLC was awarded one of the few and highly sought-after adult-use conditional cannabis licenses by the Cannabis Control Board of the state of New York. Riverhead-based Peconic Growers LLC was awarded one of the few and highly sought-after adult-use conditional cannabis…

Analysis on the biological basis of stamen abortion during the second flowering of Magnolia × soulangeana ‘Changchun’

Key message Stamen degeneration and meiosis failure during the second flowering of ‘Changchun’ were mainly attributed to the coordinated regulation of hormone metabolism,…

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Pigeon Family Farm named Benton county farm family of the year

Jim and Michelle Pigeon did not plan on winning County Farm Family of the Year but that is what happened in early May.  County Farm Family of the Year is the first award in the process to win Arkansas Farm Family of the Year. The Pigeons won County Farm Family of the Year for Benton County, according to a…

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India: Chakkittappara farmers to take up medicinal plant cultivation on about 608,000 sq meters

State Medicinal Plants Board, Chakkittappara panchayat to promote farming; herbs to be collected by Oushadi.The State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB) in association with the Chakkittappara panchayat is gearing up to promote the cultivation of medicinal herbs on about 150 acres of land with the support of…

Benjamin Walliser, TU Wien

The biochemical base of flower color in Bidens ferulifolia

Bidens ferulifolia is a yellow flowering plant originating from Mexico, which is increasingly popular as an ornamental plant. In the past few years, new color combinations ranging from pure yellow over yellow-red, white-red, pure white, and purple have emerged on the market. Analyzed 16 Bidens…

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India: protected cultivation of Lilium cut flower in the non traditional regions

Cut flowers have a lot of potential for commercial cultivation and marketing. The demand for exotic cut flowers is growing day by day. Among cut flowers, Lilium occupies an important place and is counted among the ten major cut flowers in the international floriculture industry. With the increase in…