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Project Leaders: Jana Lamboy, NYS IPM
Program, Geneva
Nellie Call, Flower Fields, Elba
Cooperators: Margery Daughtrey and
Maria Tobiasz, Long Island Horticultural
Research and Education Center, Riverhead
Karen Hall, Erie County CCE, East
Aurora
Art Harrington, Harrington's Greenhouses, Elba
Roxanne McCoy, Lilies of the Field, West Falls
Deborah Kwasniewski, Taylor Greenhouse,
Portland
Type of Grant: Demonstration and
Implementation, Ornamentals
Use of microbials and active composts
Cultural methods, sanitation
Project Location: Ontario, Genesee, Erie,
Chautauqua, and Suffolk
Results will be useful across NY,
the Northeast, and nationally
Abstract: Nearly
all cut flower and bedding plant growers plant zinnias. Many growers observe
losses in crop quality due to leaf spot diseases. This project entailed seed
treatment trials to study source of inoculum and efficacy trials of disease
suppressive microbials and compost in greenhouses and cut flower fields. Clorox
at 20% for 20 minutes reduced viable bacteria on seeds to zero; hot water treatments
52°C for 20 minutes reduced the presence of fungi. Both treatments affected
seed germination rate, but at an acceptable level. The cut flower growers observed
an increase in plant quality when seeds were grown in BioComp compost instead
of standard peat/lite mixes. Disease suppression was observed with the variety
Ruffles treated with the microbial inoculants Mycostop, RootShield, and SoilGard.
The results in identifying effective seed treatments and disease suppressive
inoculants are very promising, but need to be repeated before making firm conclusions.
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