© Marilyn Gould | Dreamstime.com

US: Bee-impersonating flies show pollinator potential

An observational study in Western Washington found that out of more than 2,400 pollinator visits to flowers at urban and rural farms about 35% were made by flies -- most of which were the black-and-yellow-striped syrphid flies, also called hoverflies. For a few plants, including peas, kale and lilies,…

AU: Grower survey underway to gather insights on biosecurity incursions

A new grower survey is underway to gather insights and information on how to best manage biosecurity incursions. Conducted by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland (NGIQ), this telephone survey will ask participants to comment on biosecurity incursions…

Hot topics discussed at PanAmerican Seed FlowerTalk

On June 15 and June 16, PanAmerican Seed organized FlowerTalk where they shared information for young plant growers and finished growers in two separate webinars in which not only new products have been announced, but also technical and hot topics have been discussed. Curious? Below, the full webinars as…

Growers (re)discover the sunlight spectrum

It is (almost) dark in the herb and lettuce cultivation at Urban Agrotech and on the bottom layer in the lettuce cultivation at From Boer, yet the sun still often shines. This is possible because an exact replica of sunlight is hanging inside in the form of a light fixture made by the manufacturer…

Study on the effect of daily light integral, ethephon, and node position of impatiens hybrida plants

Herbaceous stock plant production and cutting harvest methods affect the performance of cuttings harvested from those stock plants. Specifically, the effect of daily light…

NL: Dutch growers caught illegally discharging

In the Nieuwland-Noordland polder near 's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands, two growers were caught illegally discharging last week. Both growers were fined.  The polder Nieuwland-Noordland…

Dreamstime.com

Study on the role of plant growth regulators in flower crops

Plant growth regulators are an enormously important agent in the integration of developmental activities. Environmental factors often exert inductive effects by evoking changes in hormones in metabolism and distribution within the plant. Apart from it, they also regulate the expression of the intrinsic…

NL: "The auction clock is doing its job"

The weather recently took a turn which caused summer temperatures. Many (outdoor) flowers were in bloom and ready to be harvested. Normally, the flowers supplied in May only slowly start to bloom at the beginning of June. This resulted in an increase in supply and a decline in auction prices. Roses,…

New data collection technique for automated scouting

This week, Royal Brinkman and ADI have confirmed their collaboration to bring a new data collection technique for integrated crop protection to the market. Central to this is the use of a camera system mounted on the spray boom. This cooperation gives growers access to a new tool for detecting crop…

US: Flowers offer outstanding and affordable curb charm life

When the mayor asked a friend in the nursery industry how to improve the image of a small but growing city, the answer was “plant flowers.” This may seem obvious to anyone in the greenhouse industry who is in a position to benefit from this beautification effort. However, when searching the internet for…

Air-based mechanical stimulation controls plant height

Mechanical stimulation to produce stable and high-quality crops under greenhouse conditions is a promising alternative to chemical growth retardants. However, plant tissue…

'Where’s everyone gone? Don’t leave it too late to automate'

Unlike many of our European counterparts, the UK has been slow to automate. But a perfect storm of Brexit and Covid-19 is set to fast-track our robotics revolution. Here, David Jahn, Director of Brillopak, explains how 2021 is poised to become the year that robotic arms finally replace human hands at…

Effect of nutrient solution pH on the growth, yield and quality of wild flowers in floating hydroponic system

Given the important medicinal and nutritional value of wild edible greens, in the last few years, there is an increasing interest in their domestication and commercial exploitation. However, information concerning their adaptation to environmental conditions and their response to modern agricultural…

US (MI): Grower reduces labor with Philips LED toplighting

Kalamazoo Specialty Plants (KSP) propagates hundreds of varieties of bedding annuals and perennials, and more than one million herbs under 700,000 square feet of greenhouses. They sell liners to independent garden centers (IGC), and finished plants through their own local retail operation.Customer…

Canadian farmers deserve huge credit for these unparalleled results

Every year for the past 32 years, Cleanfarms has calculated the rolling three-year average recycling rate of agricultural pesticide and fertilizer containers that are 23L and smaller. The great news is that the 2020 recycling rate just calculated shows another major surge in recycling these containers…

Glamorous Lisianthus wedding inspiration

After the success of the autumn campaign, this time Lisianthus shows itself as a heart-warming Wedding flower. Great timing, because in view of the forthcoming easing of restrictions, a catch-up of weddings is to be expected next autumn and in 2022. Lisianthus wants to be part of this with the campaign…

Study: raw and fermented alfalfa brown juice changes germination and development of French marigold

Organic and ecological farming programs require new and efficient biostimulants with beneficial properties for the sustainable and safe production of seedlings and ornamental plants. The team examined the effect of non-fermented and lacto-fermented alfalfa brown juice (BJ) on seed germination and the…

Study on first genome-edited poinsettias: targeted mutagenesis of flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase using CRISPR/Cas9 results in color shift

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a remarkably promising tool for targeted gene mutagenesis and becoming ever more popular for the modification of ornamental plants. This study performed the knockout of flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H) with the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in the red flowering poinsettia (Euphorbia…

India: indoor flower farming guide & different methods of cultivation

Indoor flower farming is also called floriculture, a branch of horticulture concerned with flowering plants. Floriculture crops include house plants, bedding plants, cut greens, and cut flowers. Floriculture is a fast-emerging venture on the world scenario growing at a modest annual rate of about 8-10%.…

Committee criticises UK government’s ’last minute approach’ to finalising overseas workers' recruitment scheme

With the 2021 fruit and vegetable season already underway, a cross-party committee has criticised the UK government’s ’last minute approach’ to finalising of its recruitment…

New, ‘broad’ type of resistance against insects found in plants

Researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and KeyGene in the Netherlands and Umeå University in Sweden have discovered that a resistance gene in thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) that is active against the green peach aphid also affects several other aphids and some whiteflies. That is…

Flower power daily

New knock out rose introduced in petite size

Big news in the rose world: Knock Out roses, those reblooming, disease-resistant flowers that Will Radler created in 2000, now come in what Star Roses and Plants are calling, “the petite Knock Out rose.” This is the first-ever miniature rose of its kind created after years of research and development.  Unlike…

FLUENCE by OSRAM

Webinar: lighting's role in plant propagation

Greenhouse growers and indoor farmers have long explored the application of on-site young plant production. As LED technology has evolved, greenhouse growers have adopted vertical farming techniques for young plant production, ultimately saving space and producing higher-quality plants before…

Study on immune function of small chloroplasts in the epidermal cells of plants

It is said that 10 to 15% of the world's agricultural production loss is caused by diseases. And since 70-80% of this plant disease is caused by filamentous fungi, protecting crops from filamentous fungi is an important issue in effectively feeding the world population. In order for pathogenic fungi to…

China: Fossils provide new insights into origin of flowering plants

Flowering plants dominate most terrestrial ecosystems, providing the bulk of human food. However, their origin has been a mystery since the earliest days of evolutionary thought.  Angiosperm flowers are hugely diverse. The key to clarifying the origin of flowers and how angiosperms might be related to other…

Tozer Seeds

How to get the best results from Biofumigation

All brassicas contain organic compounds called glucosinolates to a varying degree. In the right conditions some of these glucosinolates produce active compounds which are useful in the suppression of pathogens and weeds. The incorporation of these active compounds into the soil is the process of…

Farmroad.io

The problem with handheld moisture meters for plants

While the popularity of handheld moisture meters for plants shows no signs of abating, there are some significant disadvantages for growers using this tool. Handheld soil moisture and substrate moisture meters are a staple of every greenhouse grower’s toolkit. Most growers own one or have owned one at…

Studies on year-round flower production in pot chrysanthemum

The effect of controlled photoperiod and growth retardants on duration of flowering and flower size of cultivars Áparajita'and 'Ragini'of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x…

Evaluate the growing and flowering characteristics of Impatiens hawkeri

To meet the high demand of the consumer market for ornamental plants, various techniques are used to increase production and flowers quality, through growth regulators. Despite all the benefits arising from the use of regulators, it is essential to establish concentrations that meet the purpose of their…

Disinfectant chamber expedites produce arrivals, reducing clearance delays

Logistics have been severely impacted by the pandemic and the domino effect of multiple port delays has been a disaster for many companies involved in the supply chain of fresh produce. In order to continue shipping fresh produce overseas, Australia-based SRE Innovation found a solution that plays a key…

"Vegetative traits can predict flowering quality in Phalaenopsis orchids"

Phalaenopsis is an economically important horticultural ornamental, but its growth is slow and costly. The vegetative cultivation phase is long and required to ensure sufficient plant size. This is needed to develop high-quality flowering plants. Researchers from the Wageningen University studied the…

Researchers demonstrate how a group of hormones affects the growth of plant roots

The effect of the brassinosteroid hormone on plant root growth was demonstrated by the Belgian biologist ESKTM. Research shows that influence levels of these hormones affect…

Five tips on extra phosphorus for flowering (and other myths)

Dr. Paul Fisher from the University of Florida IFAS Extension presents Five Tips on Extra Phosphorus for Flowering (and Other Myths) in a new YouTube video. Fisher discusses research on how much phosphorus you really need for crops such as transplants, flowers, blueberries, and cannabis. Many growers and…

"Free online video education series tailored to all levels of perennial production"

Darwin Perennials, a North American breeder of vegetative perennials, is thrilled to announce the launch of the summer’s most comprehensive perennial training opportunity:…

Photo by Ian Diack

UK: Beginning of the end for industry use of peat?

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published two action plans, both announcing changes likely to have a significant impact on the industry over the next decade. The launch of the England Peat Action Plan includes provisions to ban the sales of peat compost to gardeners…

Source: http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/3/454669.shtm

China: Research reveals the molecular mechanism of protein modification regulating plant flowering

Recently, the Forage Breeding and Cultivation Innovation team from the Beijing Institute of Animal Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences revealed the molecular mechanism of protein modification to regulate the flowering of plants, providing an important scientific basis for regulating…

Eco-friendly plant canopies and urban furniture provide high-tech plantscaping

At first glance, a startup working to battle climate change through its series of high-tech plant canopies would seem to have little in common with a 155-year-old global automotive fastener supplier. But in the case of France’s Urban Canopee and supplier ARaymond, the pair was able to find common ground.…

NASA

Mexico experiencing one of the most widespread and intense droughts in decades

NASA published a statement in which it explains the drought situation in Mexico and ensures that the country is experiencing one of the most widespread and intense in decades. According to the space agency, 85% of the territory is facing these conditions, which has affected the drinking water resources…

A plant growth promoting rhizobacteria that improves water stress tolerance in greenhouse ornamentals

Water stress decreases the health and quality of horticulture crops by inhibiting photosynthesis, transpiration, and nutrient uptake. Application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can increase the growth, stress tolerance, and overall quality of field and greenhouse grown crops subjected to…

Grower support visit in Limpopo, South Africa

The first season of AtlasBlue ‘FCM12-045’ blueberries at Fall Creek South Africa are thriving on the producers’ farms. Dane Castle, one of the Grower Support and Sales Representatives, recently paid a visit to the Doornfontein and Tebogo farms in the most northern province of the country, Limpopo. He had…

NL: Westland Horti Tours restarts guided tours through the greenhouses

Westland Horti Tours has started giving tours of the Westland greenhouses again. This was not possible for a while due to the corona measures, but recently the first tours of this year took place again. Two students from ArtEZ University of the Arts with an interest in water management were given a tour…

Robot builders continue to take steps

The Network Smart Horticulture saw the light in 2018. Since then, the robot builders have been committed to accelerating innovation in horticulture. Almost thirty companies have already joined. Now they want to take the next steps. That is why on 11 May an online meeting was held under the leadership of…

Are the fungi we have now the same as they were in the past?

Introducing fungi to the greenhouse is generally not something growers are excited to do but can prove to be pretty useful and educational, which is why it is one of the things Jantinke-Hofland-Zijlstra wants to help growers achieve. The consultant researcher started her own company on the 4th of January…

'Finding the ethical flower'

Much has been said about the importance of ethically and sustainably consuming food and textiles, but what about flowers? They are, after all, an agricultural product (and a labor- and…

The road to hands-free cultivation of greenhouse crops

Lack of both manpower and knowledge about cultivation are forcing horticulturalists to consider hands-free and robotic cultivation of crops. However, they'll have to work…

"Carts? There's Formula 1 technology in there"

When Bas Lagerwerf became director at Berg Hortimotive in 2007, he was surprised that it was often about the greenhouse, but much less often about the suppliers, who nevertheless play a vital role in the greenhouse. That had to be done differently - products and services had to be more prominent. An…

Ready-to-use bioreactor brings tissue culture back home

Over the years, tissue culture has moved abroad due to rising labour costs. However, if it is up to ViVi Green Innovators, this will soon be history. Thanks to their automation of tissue culture through the use of bioreactors, growers are able to save on labour, while still guaranteeing hygienic…

Study on induced autopolyploidy—a promising approach for enhanced biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites

Induced polyploidy serves as an efficient approach in extricating the genetic potential of cells. During polyploidization, multiple sets of chromosomes are derived from the same organism resulting in the development of an autopolyploid. Alterations owing to artificially induced polyploidy levels…

Planting seeds of personal development: the story of Smile Farms

It’s planting time, and Tyler is keen to get started. The garden beds are prepped and ready, the weather is perfect, and Tyler concentrates on his task of carefully dropping seeds in the earth. “He’s the most stellar seeder in the world,” says Rob Melnick, who supervises Tyler and other adults who have…

As all components are more expensive, so is your greenhouse

As a result from global madness on the commodity market, the price of greenhouses and greenhouse utilities has gone through the roof. "For anything but iron ore, the prices are sky-high," says Annie van der Riet with Dutch horticultural organisation AVAG. Greenhouse builders and horticultural technology…

NASA spinoff BIOS launches next-generation grow lights

NASA spinoff BIOS announced its next generation of DLC-certified LED Grow Lights. Like any of the BIOS fixtures, Icarus is created with the grower in mind. "With higher efficacy, great uniformity and long-term performance, BIOS Icarus fixtures provide everything a grower needs to ensure successful…

Study: Eight generations of native seed cultivation reduces plant fitness relative to the wild progenitor population

Native seed for restoration is in high demand, but widespread habitat degradation will likely prevent enough seed from being sustainably harvested from wild populations to…

Greensboro

Central Carolina Dahlia Society is the newest dahlia group in the area

Dahlia growers go to great lengths to procure a diverse selection of tubers and blooms. Many dahlia growers in the Piedmont Triad are members of Carolinas Dahlia Society, which is based in the Linville area. Carolinas Dahlia Society serves all of North Carolina and South Carolina, which is a lot of real…

"AngelaWeb precision nutrition software just got better"

ICL’s nutrition program AngelaWeb has been updated and is now faster and more user-friendly than before, while also featuring recommendations for the new generation Osmocote 5. “At a time when growers are looking to optimize crop performance, while improving labour and nutrient efficiency, precision…

Myths surrounding ‘white light’ – Do you need ‘white’ light to grow better crops?

Light is perhaps the most important consideration for optimizing plant growth in a greenhouse or vertical farm. There are several myths surrounding the specific light spectra used for growing crops and, more specifically, the use of white, green, or broad-spectrum light. This article is the second in a…

Bees thrive where it's hot: unique biodiversity hotspot located in North America

The United States-Mexico border traverses through large expanses of unspoiled land in North America, including a newly discovered worldwide hotspot of bee diversity.…

The importance of continuous high dissolved oxygen levels in irrigation water

Oxygen is essential for healthy plant development. Although plants generate oxygen as a by-product during photosynthesis, they require oxygen for energy production during the night. Also, the roots of a plant require oxygen for proper development, and bacteria in the rhizosphere use oxygen to transfer…

NVWA

Tomato bronze in chrysanthemum is also a danger to tomato and pepper cultivation

Inspectors from the NVWA occasionally find the tomato bronze spot virus (TSWV) in chrysanthemum. People share photos of what that looks like on Twitter. Contamination means a nuisance for the grower, because the crop is severely damaged. It is important for growers to keep thrips down as a vector of the…

Spotlight on Research: Get to know your plants through ionomics

Living beings need elements to develop properly. The study of ionomics measures and analyses the element accumulations in living organisms to determine which mineral nutrients are required and not required for growth. Associate Professor Toshihiro Watanabe from Hokkaido University’s Research Faculty of…

AU: researchers make grow endangered native orchid

Researchers from Kings Park and Botanic Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria have made a major conservation breakthrough by growing one of Australia’s most beautiful and endangered native orchids, the Queen of Sheba (Theylmitra variegata).  The Queen of Sheba is a native orchid that only grows wild…

Mycorrhizal Applications introduces two new products for Christmas tree cultivation

Mycorrhizal Applications has launched two unique new products for the Christmas tree industry. MycoApply Injector Ecto mycorrhizal inoculant is ideal for Christmas tree…

"Six times screened and each time the water quality was perfectly under control".

No less than six times last year the Roam Technology team checked Piet Vijverberg's water system and each time it appeared that the water quality in terms of living moulds was perfectly under control. Partly because of this, the company won the Huwa-San Water Quality Cup 2020 in the ornamental plant…

First Dutch nursery gets GlobalG.A.P. via alternative route

Henk Kwakernaak has a plant nursery in the Netherlands. He's the first ornamental plant grower to be GlobalG.A.P. certified via GreenlinQdata. Henk received this accreditation by registering with GreenlinQdata. Control Union certified him. The GlobalG.A.P. environmental certificate is an alternative to…

Heat induced flower deformation in New Guinea Impatiens

It’s important to review some key production guidelines to ensure you produce the highest quality NGI crop this season. As a day-neutral plant, once lateral branches appear plants will become reproductive and will flower under any day length. Some growers will apply ethephon at 250 ppm (ie. Collate or…

Dreamstime.com

Study on diversity and selection of the continuous-flowering gene in rose

Blooming seasonality is an important trait in ornamental plants and was selected by humans. Wild roses flower only in spring whereas most cultivated modern roses can flower continuously. This trait is explained by a mutation of a floral repressor gene, RoKSN, a TFL1 homologue. In this work, the team…

Spreading the knowledge of organic cultivation

The demand for organic products increased significantly over the last decade. Hishtil, one of the leading producers of organic rooted\unrooted cuttings of herbs, has seen this trend developing as they are involved in it from scratch. They started to grow a selection of their assortment organically 10 to…

NL: Flower Record Crocuses and Narcissus Jetfire make spring last longer

It took its good time this year, but spring has finally sprung in the Netherlands. At our offices in Tholen, however, it arrived a couple of weeks early. These photos are clear proof of that. And, spring is lasting a little longer too. "These are Flower Record Crocuses and Narcissus Jetfire," says Jaap-Jan…

NL: Gerberas in the spotlight

April is 'the month of the gerbera' and this year trade, florist and consumer can't ignore this flower. Last weekend, both the exporter and the consumer were extensively treated to flowers, a promotion that is part of the big April campaign of Coloured by Gerbera: "Gerbera always surprises". Exporters and consumers in the spotlightMore…

What is the ideal supply maturity for cyclamen?

In response to a growers' question about the VBN supply maturity for cyclamen, Peter Rodenrijs on behalf of Royal FloraHolland asked the national Cyclamen committee to issue an advice. Reasons for the change are: The wish for sale is to supply the plants (slightly) more mature;Genetics have improved over…

"A complete brandable growing system"

T.O. Plastics has just launched a new product set: a 1-quart, brandable square pot with tag slots, and a companion carry tray. Expanding the trusted square pot product line to add convenient and durable branding opportunities comes the 450 square pot with tag slots (product #700162C) and corresponding…

Gipmans Planten operates large ozone disinfectant

Gipmans Planten in Venlo, the Netherlands, is a family business that is involved in the cultivation of vegetable plants and herbs. In order to shield the young plant material from viruses, bacteria, and fungi to the maximum, one consciously chooses to disinfect the water in the last stage before it…

Image: Courtesy Arafat Oshim & Al Maruf, 2020

System of farming on floating hyacinth mats offers climate resilience

A traditional farming method that has been around for hundreds of years in Bangladesh could help people to adapt to the thoroughly modern threat of climate change, a new study suggests.  Floating gardens—systems created from a substrate of live water hyacinths that are hemmed together into rafts, and planted…

Induced autopolyploidy: promising approach for enhanced biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites

Induced polyploidy serves as an efficient approach in extricating genetic potential of cells. During polyploidization, multiple sets of chromosomes are derived from the same…

Begonia and Vinca sensitivity to Paclobutrazol Drenches

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) can be successfully used to control growth or induce lateral branching of many bedding plant species, but some may be ‘sensitive’ to the PGR active ingredient. This Alert demonstrates PGR sensitivity for fibrous begonia and vinca where an accidental paclobutrazol drench…

Desch Plantpak presents Colour Your Story, autumn/winter 2021-2022

Desch Plantpak presents the latest edition of Colour Your Story, the number one colourful inspiration magazine where you can find, among other things, the latest trends, innovations, developments in the field of sustainability, and an interview with Dr Joachim Christiani, Managing Director of Cyclos HTP.…

PGR drenches for growth control

Trying to control the growth of all your different spring crops can be a challenge. With so much diversity in our greenhouses, heads can spin trying to keep all the requirements for different species and cultivars straight, and plant growth regulator (PGR) strategies are no different. There are a number of methods for applying…

© Hana Richterova | Dreamstime.com

Study on the effect of different drying methods on Korean mint flower

Edible flowers have been used in the food and beverage industries because of their high nutritional value, flavor, and scent. For the storage of edible flowers used in these industries, drying is a necessity to store the materials more easily and prevent the damage of metabolites in the flowers. However,…

Typification of Camellia sasanqua (Theaceae)

Camellia sasanqua Thunb. (Murray 1784: 632; Theaceae), an endemic species to Japan, is a popular ornamental plant globally (Ming 2000). More than 1200 cultivars of this species have been registered for horticulture (Wang et al. 2019). Meanwhile, C. sasanqua holds considerable economic value because its…

Study on flower production of Gerbera plants depending on substrate composition and fertigation level

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) appears a promising strategy for supporting crop protection, increasing yield and quality, and promoting environmental safety through a decrease in chemical use. However, very few NTP applications on containerized crops are reported under operational growing conditions and in…

AAS presents price-winning Rudbeckia

Widely known as black-eyed Susan, this North American native can be found growing as a wildflower in fields and along roadsides throughout the country. These reliable plants shine in the garden with an abundance of brightly colored flowers reflecting the brilliant yellows and oranges of the summer sun.…

Vertical farming rising in traditional cultivations

'Where in recent years vertical farming enthusiasts have perhaps been mainly qualified as hipsters with a rather expensive hobby, this new branch of horticultural sport is steadily on the rise and traditional growers are also finding their way to the multi-layer installations.' They see opportunities in…

Cleaner turf production with biobased biodegradable nets

Turf producers use underground nets to support grass growth. Removing the nets from fully-grown turf is difficult, so the material often remains in the soil, causing pollution. Wageningen Food & Biobased Research and their industrial partners came up with a solution in a TKI project: a net made of…

Study on risk of Chrysantemum flower supply chain in Indonesia

The distribution of chrysanthemum flowers from Bandungan District to consumers in the city can be at risk of damage. This study aims to determine the risk sources and types in the chrysanthemum supply chain; analyze risk probability and impact risk as well as risk capacity management among the…