GH - September 2019

Getting your diagnosis right

Save time and money by ID-ing the right pest. Plus: the tipping point for whitefly control.

By Dr. Sarah Jandricic

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Issues 10 Digitally managing your pest control Technology Issues 11 Container feeds organic movement

Predatory Mites 26 How best to handle, store and apply

Exploring Blockchain 46 Where does ag fit in?

CGC Preview 55 Speakers, exhibitors and highlights

Pesticide Safety 76 Is worker safety part of your program?

Inside View 78 Prevention: Back to basics

Canadian Greenhouse Conference looks back on 40 years. Page 6 of the CGC preview.

Beneficial food frenzy

A supplemented diet keeps greenhouse predators at the ready.

BY DR. ROSELYNE LABBÉ

Steer clear of this virus Strategies for staying vigilant against CGMMV.

The trouble with plastic There’s a growing focus on alternative packaging, but do they work?

BY GRETA CHIU

BY LILIAN SCHAER

Growing together for the long run

“Your issue looks good,” says my friend and editor of PrintAction magazine, Alyssa Dalton. Being squeamish about bugs, she was rather appalled by the sheer number of images showing predatory mites, mite food and whiteflies in this IPM-themed issue. Nevertheless, she put on a brave face and shouldered on through the headlines, callouts and captions. Out of respect for her personal time, I spared her from the bodies of text. My other colleague Ellen Cools, also lent a hand.

I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for either of them. There’s trust.

The same collegiality exists in the horticultural industry, if not more. Colleagues become acquaintances, who turn into close friends. Before you know it, decades have passed, your respective offspring have grown and you find yourselves discussing possibilities for retirement. And one of the best byproducts from decades of interaction? Collaboration.

While conducting interviews for the 40th anniversary feature of the Canadian Greenhouse Conference (see page 6 of the CGC preview section), each

workers in 17 countries what they thought made for good work collaborations. 13.9 per cent of respondents said ease of communication with their colleagues; 12 per cent said it had to do with trust; 11.2 per cent felt that sharing common goals was important, and 11 per cent needed to get along with their colleagues. It seems that most, if not all of those reasons hinge on the quality of interactions.

In this day and age when speed seems to take priority and time equates to money, is it enough to simply fire off emails and texts every so often?

Mina Chang, CEO and president of NGO, Linking the World International, doesn’t seem to think so. In her 2015 Forbes article, she writes “...this prioritization of speed over face time grossly underestimates the power of human interaction and the importance of face-to-face communication.” Chang spent the first year of her job travelling from Haiti to the Philippines and in between, meeting with her teams on the ground. “These face-to-face interactions built trust, understanding, and a real sense of a shared mission,

Is it enough to simply fire off emails and texts every so often?

member of the trade show committee emphasized the connections made and the ideas shared at the event every year. And it isn’t just one person who benefits – the entire industry does.

Luckily, a visionary group of individuals saw the need to amalgamate multiple local meetings forty years ago, paving the way for the CGC to grow into what it is today. The CGC was, and continues to be a catalyst for valuable interactions between growers, suppliers and researchers.

A 2018 global survey conducted by Slack, an American company behind the popular team collaboration app of the same name, asked nearly 7,000

and this has made all the difference in the world.”

With trust brings effective collaboration and the economic benefits that come with it. A 2015 Conference Board of Canada report showed that companies who searched collaboratively for access to better technology performed 30 per cent above average. Those who collaborated to improve sales performed 35 per cent above average.

This collegial and collaborative environment has clearly served the existing greenhouse sector well. The hope is that new crops under cover will do the same.

Flowers Canada raises over $15K for research

With support from many sponsors, volunteers and staff, Flowers Canada (Ontario) raised over $15,000 for floriculture research—the most money ever raised in the tournament’s 47-year history.

Over 122 players registered to play at the Peninsula Lakes Golf Course in Fenwick, Ontario.

As part of the evening’s festivities, FCO held its annual awards ceremony honouring two individuals

who have made extraordinary contributions to Ontario’s floriculture sector.

FCO’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Bob Martin, owner and operator of Martin Farms Ltd. Andy Hendriks of Hendriks Greenhouses received the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award.

For details, visit greenhousecanada.com

ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD AT NEW BLOOMS

Greenhouse ornamental growers from BC, Saskatchewan and all over Alberta made their way to western Canada’s new varieties trials in Sturgeon County, Alta. “People didn’t want to leave the greenhouse!” says event co-organizer and owner of Deb’s Greenhouses, Debbie Foisy, illustrating the high level of engagement and interaction among attendees.

With over 300 new varieties spread out over 7,500 square feet

of space, growers were engaged and enthused, even after long hours of driving, says event co-organizer and owner of High Q Greenhouses, Michiel Verheul.

The one-day showcase introduced new and improved varieties from multiple breeders, with side-by-side container trials grown by High Q Greenhouses. Attendees were also asked to pick their top favourites.

The SunStanding Jazzy series rose to the top of the rankings with

Food immigration pilot announced

The federal government is launching a three-year economic immigration pilot to attract and retain experienced, non-seasonal workers by providing them with an opportunity to become permanent residents.

Under the pilot, eligible occupations in the greenhouse and mushroom industry are harvesting labourer, general farm worker, and farm supervisor and all are for year-round production. To be eligible for the pilot, candidates must have 12 months of full-time, non-seasonal Canadian work experience in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in an eligible occupation; a Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in English or French; an education at high school level or greater (Canadian equivalency); an indeterminate job offer for full-time, non-seasonal work in Canada, outside of Quebec, at or above the prevailing wage. Applications will open in 2020.

Source: AAFC

its “new and exciting variegated foliage on fully sun-tolerant hybrid impatiens,” reports Floraldaily. “Other top picks included the new Main Street Beale Street Coleus from Dümmen Orange and the Tall, Dark and Handsome geraniums from PlantHaven International.”

As to what’s in store for next year, Foisy says they would love to see more tropicals and hints at some exciting new varieties on the

market that they hope to showcase next year.

To commemorate the event, a special drink was concocted by Berg, garnished with Plant Haven’s floral varieties. The name and recipe for the drink will be included in Plant Haven’s cocktail couture book in 2020, and revealed at New Blooms next year.

Save the date. Next year’s New Blooms will take place on July 16, 2020.

For more photos, visit greenhousecanada.com.

BY THE NUMBERS

Source: CAHRC, 2019 report

2,800 unfilled jobs in 2014 costed the industry

~$100M in losses

Floriculture felt the brunt of the impact at $71.6M

1,900 fewer Canadians will be available to work 28% of the workforce is foreign at seasonal peak

7,500 more jobs need to be filled by 2025

Big vigor for big pots

Supertunia Raspberry Rush Petunia

Lush plants are covered with raspberry pink and white-patterned blooms. Flowers early and lasts all season without deadheading. Great heat and humidity tolerance. Part sun to sun, with a vigour rating of 3. 15-30 cm tall, 46-61 cm wide. provenwinners.com

Cyclamen Indiaka

A totally unique bicolour cyclamen, the Indiaka series has greater heat resistance with intense colouring. The contrast between the petals’ white base and its vibrant colour at the tip of the flower makes a stunning show. In a cool climate, the intensity of the Indiaka varieties’ white-colour contrast depends on the temperature: the colder it is, the more intense the colour contrast. Four colours are available – salmon, rose, bright purple or magenta. cyclamen.com

With a compact habit and dense flower canopy, this interspecific dianthus creates tidy packs and pots. Excellent basal branching ensures strong vigour and longevity in the garden. IQ is quick to produce and requires fewer PGRs than many others varieties on the market. 15-25 cm tall, 20-30 cm wide. syngenta owers-us.com

Bright & Shiny ‘Radapshin’

Similar in habit and overall performance to ‘Shining Moment,’ the dark green and glossy foliage provides an excellent contrast to the bright blooms. It has performed well on its own roots, and

Portulaca Pazzaz Apricot

Create mounds of striking, heat-tolerant colour with the Portulaca Pazzaz series. This early blooming, moderate trailing series fills gallons, baskets and large containers – perfect for 12-15 cm hanging baskets and for ground cover. Pazzaz Apricot has a luminous orangeapricot flower with a unique ring pattern in the center of the bloom. danzigeronline.com

has displayed excellent disease resistance for the type on both coasts. Slight scent. Hardy to Zone 5. Bushy habit. Reaches up to 1.5 m in height. starrosesandplants.com

Tianshan Seven-Son Flower

While bred in France, this new cultivar is named after the mountain range in China where the species is native. Clusters of fragrant, creamy-white flowers appear in late summer, with each whorl containing seven flowers. The blooms are followed in autumn by unusual purplish-red

Main Street Beale Street Coleus

Main Street Beale Street coleus from Dümmen Orange is the first true red coleus in the series. A landscaper favorite, Main Street is bred for reliable uniformity across the series and strong colour retention, even under the highest light conditions. Late-season flowering allows the colorful foliage to remain center-stage throughout the growing season. With a diverse colour assortment, Main Street offers plenty of versatile options for standalone or combination applications in sun or shade. dummenorange.com

fruits. Compact habit is unique, growing only 20-30cm tall, 13-18cm spread. This small plant is well branched and forms a rounded, upright shrub or small tree with dark green shiny foliage that turns yellow in late fall. Use in foundation plantings or as an informal hedge. bailynurseries.com

Dianthus IQ

BUSINESS ISSUES

BOB WIGGINS | redbudsaas.com

Digitally integrating your pest management approach

Pest management is a critical part of any commercial greenhouse. Despite its importance, tracking its delivery and progress can still be a challenge.

When growers work to implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program, the effectiveness of the applications can often be compromised due to a lack of communication between growers and IPM staff. Common examples of this include times when the grow team practises plant management strategies such as trimming, de-leafing, and thinning right after the IPM team has applied beneficial insects, or when one team applies chemical treatments right after the other has applied beneficial bugs. This lack of communication leads to economic loss as the IPM treatments are rendered ineffective.

Although most growers would agree that regular plant inspection and scouting is a best practice, it is sometimes reduced to a side project due to time constraints, or the need to react to emergencies.

retires or moves on to another employer, the data often leaves with them. Spreadsheets generally do not make information broadly available to a team.

There are modern software products that can help organize and track pest management programs. But despite its proven effectiveness, there can sometimes be resistance. Personnel may chafe at having to learn a new program, or the need to regularly record data. Resistance to change is a natural human instinct, but if an organization wants the benefits of making data-driven decisions, data needs to be maintained in an easy and intuitive way.

Modern software allows scouts to record counts and observations directly into the software on tablets or phones. Notes and pictures of what was observed can be input directly into the database.

In addition to pest scouting, software can also improve the process of applying controls, including the tracking of individual applications, affected

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Modern software could help streamline a greenhouse’s IPM program through easy record-keeping, shared access among different team members and data analysis.

However, investing time in this practice rewards the operation with better data, which can be used to reduce expensive control product applications, keep everyone on the same page, and—most importantly—produce better, more consistent harvest results.

Many growers use spreadsheets to track their pest management program, which is certainly better than nothing. Unfortunately, spreadsheet record keeping creates a cycle where the scout identifies an issue and tells the grower. The grower then has to remember the issue until they are back with their spreadsheet to input the information. Important data can be recorded incorrectly or lost in this process.

Maintaining spreadsheets is not the best use of a grower’s time and also makes the grower a silo of information. When the person with the spreadsheet

plants, and application methods and rates. It can then create a record that can be viewed as a graph to judge the cost-effectiveness of the pest management program, and serve as a permanent record to comply with government regulations. All parties involved are privy to treatment plan schedules, helping to coordinate plant maintenance.

As greenhouse IPM programs become increasingly sophisticated, keeping and making use of physical binders of information or spreadsheets grows increasingly difficult. Greenhouse software is one way to help streamline IPM processes, assisting the grower in making smarter decisions, reducing costs and ultimately leading to a better crop.

Bob Wiggins is CEO of RedBud SoftWare, Inc., www.redbudsaas.com.

Purpose-built container feeds organic movement

Greenhouse growers looking to enter the organic market may be interested to find that, among a list of requirements, substrate volume is mandated as well.

To meet Canada’s organic standards, containerized, staked greenhouse crops such as tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers and eggplants must be grown in containers at least 30 cm in height, with

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This horticultural supplier has designed a new container that satisfies the substrate volume requirements of the Canadian organic standards.

minimum soil volumes of 60 L/m2

“Organic agriculture is based on soil and the organic principles are requesting that you ‘mimic’ nature,” explains Nicole Boudreau of the Organic Federation of Canada, “so, imposing a minimal soil requirement ensures that the plants are provided nutrients made available through the maintenance of soil fertility.”

One of the main challenges that growers faced was finding a container that would satisfy these requirements. Growers were using containers that were too large or too small, and they would have to drill drainage holes or make other amendments, says Shawn Mallen, manager of hydroponics and manufacturing at A.M.A. Horticulture.

“Some organic growers are on the trough system that run the length of the greenhouse,” adds Rick

Bradt, managing director of A.M.A. Horticulture. “But the trough is more difficult to fill…[and] because it’s a fixed structure in the greenhouse, it’s very labour-intensive to empty.” There’s also a good chance that the structure holding the trough will be damaged and will need to be replaced or repaired.

With their growers’ needs in mind, the horticultural supplier built a solution that not only met the requirements, but kept inputs costs low.

“It had to have the proper drainage, the right height, [and] had to fit on existing troughs that the growers had, so it’s less capital expenditure for them,” Mallen explains. “For somebody wanting to grow on the ground, we put some legs on it so it would still drain and they would have the ability to collect it.”

The A.M.A. 60 Growing Container has already been put to commercial use by two Leamington-based vegetable greenhouses over the past two seasons. Both operations are now looking to expand their organic acreage using the container.

“If you’re in a trough system that’s 300 feet long and you get a root problem or soil problem, then potentially you risk that whole row being affected,” Rick points out. It’s easier to clean these [containers] individually than to clean an entire 300-foot row and make sure you disinfected it properly so there’s no carryover of pathogens.”

For gutter-style growers considering organic production, the container offers a more flexible option without needing to rebuild gutters or build a new greenhouse, says A.M.A. managing director, Connie Bradt. “If they find out in two to three years that the market has changed, they still have their greenhouse to go back to a traditional style of growing.”

Designed with growers in mind, the heavy-duty container has notches for ease of stacking and nesting, and it comes in a standard white colour to keep young roots cool. Unlike most other systems, the container is estimated to last between five to 10 years, depending on use.

With the ever rising demand for organic produce and heightened awareness around food security, it’s no surprise that field crops traditionally grown outdoors are starting to move into indoors systems. “We built [the container] for an organic crop, but knowing that more and more field crops are going to be moving into the greenhouse in the future, it is something that can be modified for that,” Connie says.

Creating a standing army of biological control agents

BY DR. ROSELYNE LABBÉ

For greenhouse operators, managing crop pests can be both time-consuming and costly, with expenses ranging from thousands to millions of dollars annually. In particular, the need to apply specialist biocontrol agents on a regular basis just to manage a couple of targeted pest species has growers yearning for more cost-effective alternatives. For this reason, generalist predatory biological control agents have recently gained popularity as they offer a means of controlling a wide assortment of pests.

Remarkably, these agents can also sustain their populations by consuming other non-pest food types, meaning that these predators can be applied even before a pest prey is present on the crop. Having an active and well-fed population of beneficial bugs offers a better, preventative way to

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protect crops from threats of invading arthropod pests. Consequently, recent research has focused on identifying supplemental, alternative food types that can be used to achieve earlier and more durable crop protection by generalist predatory bugs.

A STANDING ARMY OF CANADIAN BUGS

To date, research and application of supplemental foods for improving generalist predator crop establishment has mostly focused on European crops and biocontrol species. However, for researchers and growers in Canada, it is very important to be able to distinguish the relative values of these food types to predators commonly used here. As a result, recent studies led by a research group at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Harrow Research

Ephestia eggs (left) could help maintain populations of generalist predators such as Orius (right).

PHOTO CREDIT: AAFC

PHOTO

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and Development Centre have shed light on how native North American generalist predators respond to various supplemental food sources.

AAFC researchers began to investigate the value of supplemental foods for two native biocontrol agents – Orius insidiosus, which is considered an important agent for the suppression of thrips on a variety of crops, and Dicyphus hesperus which is recognized as an excellent predator of whiteflies on tomatoes and other crops.

In these trials, three different supplemental food types were tested for whether they improved the fates of predator populations. These foods include the eggs of the Ephestia flour moth, decapsulated cysts of the Artemia brine shrimp, as well as Typha cattail pollen. Combinations of these different food types were also assessed including a diet consisting of one part Ephestia eggs to five parts Artemia cysts.

DICYPHUS

For the Dicyphus predator, a combined diet of Ephestia eggs and Artemia cysts improved the survival of its immature stages most significantly, with 83 per cent more predators making it to adulthood relative to unfed predators in lab trials.

Compared to Dicyphus that fed only on whiteflies in the greenhouse, predator levels were more than seven times higher when fed Ephestia eggs, making them much less vulnerable to a population crash common to underfed predators. However, the costs of using Ephestia eggs on a larger scale can be quite high due to

technical challenges in producing them.

With this in mind, Artemia cysts offer particular value in commercial settings. In Europe, Artemia cysts cost approximately three per cent of the price of pure Ephestia eggs. Compared to Ephestia eggs, Artemia cysts have been shown to contain equal or higher levels of protein, but three times less fatty acid content. Combining this relatively inexpensive food source with Ephestia eggs also improved Dicyphus establishment by over four times in this study, relative to predators that were only offered whiteflies as a food source. Thus, while Ephestia eggs are very nutritious, it may be more practical to include Artemia cysts in the predator’s food source over the entirety of a greenhouse crop.

ORIUS

In the case of Orius predators, this species performed well on both Ephestia eggs and pollen, especially in lab trials where these foods led to an 80 per cent improvement in survival for predators. In the greenhouse,

the Ephestia egg and pollen combination also offered a 3.2 fold increase in predator population size relative to predators fed with thrips only. Overall however, Orius predators did not benefit as much from supplemental foods in the greenhouse relative to Dicyphus predators.

Interestingly, despite that pollen is known to be nutritious to many predator species, applying this food onto crops can be tricky. Because thrips are attracted to pollen, applying this tool can backfire when thrips populations are already very high. As with its use for improving predatory mite population growth, generally only when strong predator populations are already well established would such a food type help improve the overall balance of predators and pests. Therefore, when pest densities are high and predator numbers are low, using supplemental foods other than pollen may provide a better overall result.

FROM EUROPE TO CANADA

Currently, supplemental foods are slowly

Supplemental foods tested include Ephestia eggs, Artemia cysts and Typha pollen (pictured from left to right).

RIGHT

Nymph stages are pictured here of Dicyphus (left) and Orius (right).

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Bayer is dedicated to the research and development of the products that keep your crops and business blooming.

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From studies in the lab, a combined diet of Ephestia and Artemia best improved survival rates to adulthood for Dicyphus, while Ephestia alone was best for Orius. From greenhouse trials, supplementing with Ephestia alone boosted Dicyphus numbers the most, while supplementing with Ephestia + pollen produced the best results for Orius.

becoming commercially available to growers in Canada with pollen and Ephestia eggs readily available from a number of companies. However there is still some work to be done towards making Artemia cysts available to local distributors. With this said, once available, these foods can be applied to the crop in a number of ways. These include the direct broadcast of supplemental foods onto crops with blowers, or the application of Artemia ribbon rolls, which follow the direction of rows and are placed just below the growing plant tip where they

will be readily accessible to predators. Ephestia eggs are also available on cardboard hanging cards much like those that are commonly used for the distribution of whitefly parasitoids. These two last types of distribution systems also prevent wasting supplemental foods that tend to fall to the ground where they are out of a foliar predator’s reach.

Overall, such new tools can both promote improved predator establishment and distribution on a crop, potentially translating into considerable savings for growers applying biocontrol agents in

Canada. Growers looking to try out this new technique should reach out to their local biocontrol supplier or provincial extension specialist for more information.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was collaboratively funded through the Agri-Innovation Program project P-029 by Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers and AAFC.

Roselyne Labbé, PhD, is a research scientist in greenhouse entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. She can be reached at roselyne.labbe@canada.ca.

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NARROWING DOWN your pesky pest problems

Insect and disease issues can be hard to diagnose correctly. These tips can help you save time and money by arriving at the culprit sooner.

BY DR. SARAH JANDRICIC

We all know what they say about assumptions. When diagnosing crops with little tolerance for damage, it’s important not to let preconceived notions lead you down the wrong path. Here are some common mistakes to avoid making when diagnosing insect and disease issues in ornamentals.

1. NOT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

There are some important questions to ask yourself before you start to narrow down the possible offenders. These questions let you look at the issue objectively and pick the best fit from production guides or extension web pages, rather than subconsciously making your problem “fit” the description. Additionally, having this information handy speeds up the process if you turn to a consultant or specialist for further help.

• Which crop? Does it affect multiple crops in one area? Or just a specific cultivar? More than one crop or variety suggests a widespread problem like flying insects, or an airborne disease with a wide host range (e.g. powdery mildew, Botrytis). A single variety affected amongst an otherwise healthy crop often points to greater susceptibility to a virus or phytotoxicity.

• When did it start? Some diseases are likely to follow environmental events (e.g. Botrytis outbreaks after a wet, cloudy period). Similarly, damage from certain insects can show up around the same time each year (e.g. damage on poinsettia from Lewis mites in October). But damage that appears “overnight” can point to something other than insects or disease.

themselves will also give you more clues. Some pests prefer new growth (e.g. broad mite), while certain diseases girdle branches, causing wilt on one side of the plant (e.g. Botrytis stem blight).

• What have you changed? Growers are often hesitant to admit that changes in their production practices could cause damage, but we see this more often than you think. Shade curtains not closed fast enough on a sunny day, changes in media that affect water needs, and use of a pesticide on a new variety can all result in leaf burn that looks like insect or disease damage. Before you jump to conclusions about pests, make a list of changes made since the crop was last grown, and note how these could have impacted the crop.

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Uniform damage throughout the crop and on leaves of all ages within the plant suggests an abiotic problem. Here, phytotoxicity is pictured and not a disease.

• How is the damage distributed? Clumps of damage within a crop could suggest slow-moving insects (e.g. mites, aphids, onion thrips) or diseases spread through contact (bacterial leaf spots). Random, patchy distributions can suggest a slow-developing disease that started on injured cuttings (e.g. Fusarium wilt). Patterns within the plants

An issue that presents with an even distribution throughout the crop or affects a high percentage of plants (i.e. >60%), almost always ends up being an abiotic issue (i.e. nutritional, environmental or phytotoxicity) rather than biotic (e.g. insect, disease).

PHOTO: OMAFRA

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2. NOT TAKING DIAGNOSTICS FAR ENOUGH

Though many foliar diseases (e.g. powdery mildew, downy mildew, common viruses) can be diagnosed with a hand lens, a guide book, and some experience, anyone who tells you they can positively ID a root rot based on symptoms alone might also try to sell you a bridge before they leave your greenhouse.

For example, Phytophthora crown rot cannot be positively distinguished from Pythium aphanidermatum injury in poinsettia. Both cause similar-looking root issues that can extend up the lower stem. Suspected root diseases should always be confirmed with lab DNA analyses. Since not all fungi that show up on DNA reports may be pathogenic to ornamentals, do some research or have a consultant interpret the results to know what’s worth targeting with management tactics.

Similarly, it’s important to know exactly what insect you’re facing, especially if you’re suddenly having trouble controlling it. Recently, some Ontario growers thought their biocontrol programs for Western flower thrips were failing. Once the outbreak was properly identified as onion thrips (Thrips tabaci), the appropriate management tactics could be used. OMAFRA and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre are developing easy-to-use grower identification keys for key pests such as thrips, aphids and mites to make on-farm identification easier.

3. IGNORING TEST RESULTS

I’ve seen it more than once: a grower struggling with widespread damage and a

negative DNA report from a lab, insisting it has to be disease. This reaction is understandable; diseases can be fixable— unlike many other production issues. But it’s important to keep emotion out of it and follow the evidence.

The chances of molecular tools, like a DNA multiscan analysis, sending back a false negative from a good sample of symptomatic tissue is low. This is true even after treatment (e.g. chemical fungicides) since molecular techniques detect the presence of both live and dead DNA.

One way to help ensure that your lab test is accurate (or at least more convincing) is to send multiple plants so the lab can pick the ‘“best” sample. You can also see if the lab can grow a sample

LEFT

Is this Pythium, Fusarium or another disease? Many pathogens that cause root rots have similar symptoms.

of the suspected disease on bacterial- or fungal-specific media. This can act as a confirmation for the DNA results: if nothing grows from the sample when given its favourite food, there was never likely a disease there in the first place.

If you’ve followed these steps and your pathogen tests are still negative, then it’s time to investigate production issues that might have led to injury. Environmental problems are more common than you think. For example, cut flower greenhouses kept too hot can see weakened, hollow stems that mimic bacterial infections. Certain pesticides can have delayed or unexpected phytotoxicity, especially when applied as a drench or on open flowers. Even PGRs can damage a crop, if applied using a boom that’s left dripping over a part of the crop, for example. Look back through your spray and temperature records to help match up the time period when damage appeared.

4. NOT HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS

Let’s be honest: it’s hard to see many key insect characteristics (e.g. antennal length in aphids) with only a 10-15X hand lens. Signs of disease (hyphae, spores) are even harder. One of the best tools for fast, accurate, in-house diagnostics is a microscope.

Buying a microscope might sound intimidating, but for less than $500, you can find one that will get the job done for

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Example of a pictoral key that can help growers identify pest species on their own farms. This key can be found on ONFloriculture.wordpress.com and GreenhouseIPM.org.

Ocelli grey; 2 pairs of major hairs on the bottom of the pronotum; Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci)

Ocelli red; 1 pair of distinctly longer hairs on the bottom of the pronotum; usually only found on tropicals: Chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis)

years to come. Look for these features:

• Maximum magnification of at least 45X. To determine this, take the highest number on the adjustable magnification dial (e.g. 4.5) and multiply it by the magnification of the eyepiece (usually 10X) given in the description.

• A light source. Most microscopes have this built in, but you’ll want to make sure it’s got both a top and bottom light source to aid with different views.

• Make sure it’s binocular (has two eye pieces) and is forward mounted (the eyepieces are on the same side as the stage). Other designs are very frustrating to use.

• A good USB camera of at least 16 megapixels is a bonus – this way you can share images internally or send them to a consultant or specialist for faster diagnosis. With these tips in mind, along with your notes made each time you encounter a specific issue (and what resolved it), diagnosing and eventually preventing pests and diseases will become easier with time.

TIMELY TIP: ASSESSING WHITEFLY PRESSURE IN POINSETTIA

If you started out using biological control for whitefly in your poinsettia crop this year, you’ve now reached a crucial tipping point. Based on the size of your Bemisia whitefly population in mid-late September, your populations could end up being too high by November to effectively bring under control. Ultimately, this could affect sales.

So, do you keep going, and hope for the best? Or switch horses mid-stream, and start using chemicals?

The first step is to assess your whitefly pressure. For those of you regularly implementing biocontrol for Bemisia in poinsettia, hopefully you’ve already figured out that monitoring is your best friend when it comes to making sure your program is working.

If you’re not already doing it, now is the time to regularly collect presence-absence data of whitefly in your crop. Recording presence-absence data, instead of counting the number of whiteflies per plant, makes the process much faster, but still informs decisions.

To do this, pick up 15 to 20 plants

per bench on at least 50 per cent of the benches in your compartment. Hold the plants above your head so you can see the undersides of as many leaves as possible, then score the whole plant as “with whitefly” or “no whitefly.” Any stage of whitefly, including nymphs, pupae or adults, counts as “with whitefly.” Eggs, unfortunately, are too small to see without a hand lens. Plants with high whitefly numbers (e.g. densely populated leaves, or quite a few infested leaves per plant) should also be noted, as should the variety. You should also flag these plants, as they can indicate the efficacy of control tactics going forward. Once this is done, add up the number of infested plants and divide this by the total number of plants you sampled. (You can do this for each compartment or each variety you grow, since varieties can attract whitefly differently). Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage of infested plants.

For example, if 20 plants were sampled per bench in a compartment with 30 benches, and a total of 55 plants were found with whitefly, then the % infestation rate for that compartment would be: (55/ (20×30))x100 = 9.2%. This technique is quick but can give you a picture of the

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whitefly pressure across your whole farm.

Once you’ve calculated the per cent infestation, the next question is, how much is too much? Although there’s no strict cut-off, growers and consultants who’ve been in the business for 20+ years have developed a general rule of thumb when it comes to whitefly:

• If fewer than 20% of your pots are infested mid-September, you can likely continue with your biocontrol strategy. But keep monitoring!

• If more than 20% of your pots are infested, this is a bad sign in mid-September. It may be time to switch to chemical controls.

If you’re riding close to the 20% line in September, then you’ll likely want to keep monitoring your crop closely. Pockets of higher infestation can likely be dealt with by releases of Delphastus , which can help clean up whitefly with releases as late as October. Generally, you’re aiming to keep the population level under 20% of pots infested by November 1. At these levels, that close to sale, whitefly likely won’t be a noticeable issue to customers, as long as those 20% aren’t densely populated.

If you’ve already surpassed the 20% point, and it’s not just a handful of whiteflies per plant, and the issue is in your major variety (not just relegated to a few benches of colours), then you may want to think about insecticide applications to bring the number of

whitefly nymphs down. Otherwise, whitefly levels come November could be unmanageable.

With the exception of 2018 (where no registered pesticides worked in Canada), success has been seen in the last few years using the following chemicals to manage whitefly nymphs:

• Distance (pyriproxyfen; IRAC Group 7)

• Kontos (spirotetramat; IRAC Group 23)

• Beleaf (flonicamid; IRAC group 9C): Note that this chemical may cause phytotoxicity in poinsettia if applied more than 1x per crop as a drench

In the July issue of Grower Talks magazine, researchers at the University

of Maryland also indicated that Ventigra (afidopyropen, IRAC Group 9D) could be an effective curative option for Bemisia whitefly, and is a new registration in Canada.

However, most growers know that there’s a caveat to this (there’s always a caveat…). If there has been heavy pesticide use on the producer’s end, then these chemicals may not end up controlling Bemisia whitefly due to resistance (or cross-resistance) issues. Essentially, we are playing a game of Russian roulette each season when it comes to Bemisia being able to detoxify all of our available chemical tools, especially if dealing with the Mediterranean species of Bemisia (also known as the Q-type). So, it’s important to evaluate your whitefly numbers closely before deciding to switch to chemicals, as they may not be as effective as in previous years. Once you spray (even as a drench), it could be hard to go back to biocontrol due to pesticide residues.

This timely tip on white ies was rst seen on ONFloriculture.wordpress.com.

Sarah Jandricic, PhD, is the greenhouse oriculture IPM specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. She can be reached at sarah.jandricic@ontario.ca.

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Decision making for whitefly control in poinsettia depends on presenceabsence data. Particular dates of concern are mid-September and early November.

RIGHT

PHOTO: OMAFRA

Making the most of your predatory mites

Particular species need to be handled, stored and applied differently to optimize efficacy.

BY DR. ABIDA NASREEN

Mites don’t have the best reputation when it comes to the general public but growers pay thousands of dollars every year to get them into their greenhouses. In fact, most of the greenhouse crops grown in Canada are produced with the help of these very small organisms.

Mites are animals of the order Acarina and can be either pests or predators in the greenhouse. There are several varieties of predatory mites, each with their own preferred food sources. Life cycles are similar to many insect pests, starting with the egg stage, the larval period, the nymph stages and finally the adult. All life stages are predatory, except for the egg stage.

These tiny bugs might be small but they are voracious. They eat a variety of plant-consuming mites and insects. In the absence of prey, predatory mites are able to sustain their populations by eating pollen or nectar, which makes them great as a preventative measure on crops. Predatory mites were one of the first beneficial insects to be commercially produced for the greenhouse industry. They have attracted a lot of attention due to their role in the biological control of small arthropods.

Pesticide resistance in many insect pests have further boosted their importance in crop pest management, and growers are turning to predatory mites as permanent solutions.

SPECIALISTS VS GENERALISTS

Commercially available predatory mites can be categorized as specialist or generalist predators. Specialist predators are used for targeting specific pests in the greenhouse, while generalists are used as a preventative method against a variety of different pests. Different species of mites prefer different environments in order to work optimally. For example, some work best on smooth leaf surfaces while others are better on hairier plants. Obviously, one mite will not fit in all situations, and having a good understanding of different types of mites and their behaviours is important to establishing a successful IPM program.

Generalist predatory mites are more effective when pest populations are low and more dispersed. Phytoseiid and Laelapid mites fall into this category of generalist predatory mites. Phytoseiids like to stay on plant surfaces, while Laelapids prefer to

stay in the soil. Commonly used Phytoseiid mites are Neoseiulus californicus, Neoseiulus cucumeris, and Amblyseius swirskii. For Laelapids, commonly used species include Hypoaspis aculeifer and Hypoaspis miles (Stratiolaelaps scimitus). When applied augmentatively, these predatory mites commonly stay and breed in good numbers because they utilize a variety of food sources, feeding on pollen, fungal spores, and plant exudates. Some are able to feed, develop, and reproduce on these plant materials as well. However, Phytoseiids have mostly been used to control pests like spider mites and thrips, while Laelapids are used to control

fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae, springtails, strawberry root weevils, cactus root weevils and other soil-dwelling pests. Specialist predatory mites work best as a curative method when pest infestation is just beginning. They should not be used as a preventative measure because specialist mites need specific prey to feed on or else they will starve and die, wasting money and time. A commonly used specialist mite is Phytoseiulus persimilis, which can only feed on two-spotted spider mites (TSSM, Tetranychus urticae). Specialist predatory mites generally reproduce faster, have better search abilities and can lower the pest prey population more quickly. Greater plant density, kairomones (chemicals emitted by the mite-infested plants) and webbing of TSSM all enhance the predacious ability of P. persimilis. One thing to note is that this predatory mite cannot be shipped with any food sources since it only feeds on twospotted spider mite, thus it will starve if stored for too long. P. persimilis should be put out on the crops as soon as it is received to optimize its performance.

HANDLE WITH CARE

Proper care and handling are critical for predatory mites. If not handled properly, it is very easy to kill most of them in a short amount of time. It’s best to distribute mites the moment you receive them, but if you must store them, they should stay in a highhumidity environment (60 to 80% RH), in 25 to 27°C temperatures and with the boxes open to allow for ventilation. These are living, breathing things after all. Never keep them in your office if you don’t know the humidity levels there. Mites can tolerate changes in temperature, but will deteriorate quickly if the relative humidity is lower than 60%, especially if mites are packed in plastic bottles and slow release sachets. Papercraft tubes work a bit better at lower humidity levels. If the mite is P. persimilis, keep them at high RH levels of 60 to 80% and low temperatures of 17 to 14°C, These conditions will keep them sluggish until they are released.

HOW TO APPLY PREDATORY MITES

Application of predatory mites is an important step to getting consistently high populations. There are three common ways to release these predators onto the crop.

The first is the sprinkling method. Predatory mites are packed with a medium (usually vermiculite, bran, or woodchips) in a plastic or a papercraft tube and are sprinkled on the crop with a dispenser. Mites will be dispensed by greenhouse workers while

walking through the rows or passing by the growing benches.

The second method is by slow-release sachets, which are water-resistant paper bags sealed from all sides, creating the perfect environment for mites to breed and dispense overtime into the crops. Sachets work very well as a preventative measure since they can maintain a population of mites for a long period of time. However, the placement of the sachet is very important – it can reduce the life span of the sachet from six weeks to maximum one or two weeks. This is a huge waste of money. When placing the sachets on your crop, avoid places that are hit by direct sunlight, are highly ventilated, or have low humidity. It is also very important that the sachet touches the plant so that the mites being dispensed are on the plant right away. When using sachets, do not poke another hole to dispense the mites faster, as this will ruin the microenvironment inside the sachet.

The third is the broadcasting method. In some situations, people prefer to use modified leaf blowers to spread predatory mites, and Amblyseius species in particular.

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Sprinkling is a common way of applying predatory mites in a greenhouse crop.

This method is mostly used when the application of sachets or sprinkling do not seem cost-effective. Mites are mixed with a vermiculite carrier when broadcasted, as the vermiculite makes for greater ease of application and consistency compared to bran. However, note that broadcasting may hamper proper distribution, leaving a good number of mites on the ground. Quality is also affected due to high

air pressure. Proper monitoring of the number and survival of mites on the plants is necessary.

P. persimilis is not available in sachet form because it feeds only on TSSM and not bran mites. Therefore, it can only be applied by sprinkling or broadcasting.

Abida Nasreen, PhD, is director of research and development at GrowLiv Ltd., www.growliv.com.

PHOTO: GROWLIV

Leave the cucumber virus at the door

Proper clean-up and removal are key to keeping CGMMV at bay.

BY GRETA CHIU

It’s been almost five years since the cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) was first reported in Greenhouse Canada, but that doesn’t mean growers should be any less vigilant.

CGMMV is very stable, says Dr. John Zhang, director of the greenhouse research and production complex at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

“Its particles can remain infectious without the leading host for several months in crop residues, soils – even on some surfaces off the crop or on the ground. It’s quite a tough plant pathogen to be dealing with.”

Like other tobamoviruses, CGMMV can survive on stored seed for years, but that isn’t its main form of transmission.

“It’s quite easily spread mechanically,” says Zhang. Compared to the tomato pepino mosaic virus (PepMV), CGMMV has a much higher infectivity rate and can be contracted on contact.

“It is very contagious.” Citing research from other

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studies, Zhang says CGMMV has been shown to spread between cucumber plants through their handling, contact with infected leaves, wounds made from cutting tools and contact with farming equipment. Chewing insects such as the cucumber leaf beetle (Raphidopalpa fevicollis) or pollinators such as the honeybee (Apis mellifera) have also been implicated.

Also unlike PepMV, this cucumber virus doesn’t seem to require particularly favourable weather or extra cloudy and humid conditions to thrive.

“The growing conditions for the cucumber crop are almost perfect for the virus itself,” Zhang explains. Compared to other greenhouse crops such as tomatoes and peppers, cucumber’s faster growth rates help to propagate and spread the virus more quickly.

DIAGNOSIS ISN’T DIFFICULT

For most viruses, the growing point of the plant,

The virus causes mottling, blistering and distortion of the cucumber plant, especially young, fresh leaves as higher nutrient levels make them more susceptible.

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which contains the youngest and freshest leaves, will be most susceptible due to the higher levels of nutrients, says Zhang. At early stages of infection, the cucumber plants will continue to grow and bear fruit. But as the virus becomes more severe, the cucumber fruit will start to show symptoms and become unmarketable. The plant itself will eventually stop growing altogether or show severe distortion. “It’s ugly,” he says.

As the name implies, the virus causes mottling, blistering and distortion of the cucumber plant. “You’ll see small bubbles on the leaf surfaces, especially on those young, fresh leaves,” describes Zhang, “and colours become a little bit darker than the neighbouring areas.” A mosaic pattern may eventually show up on the fruit as well, with spots of light yellow and dark green. “The fruit either become pointy or curl,” he adds.

Greenhouse cucumber growers should make sure that they purchase seed and/or seedlings that have been certified virus-free. “Disease-free seed and seedlings are the first line of defence against disease invasion,” says Zhang, who recommends that seedlings be treated or tested from the place of propagation to prevent potential introduction of the virus into the greenhouse.

“The CGMMV ImmunoStrip is an on-site tool [that can] quickly detect all strains of CGMMV in foliar tissues of melon, watermelon, squash, cucumber, and pumpkin,” notes Zhang. “Simply follow the instructions in the product package, put the leaf samples in the buffer solution, grind them and then insert the test strip in the solution for a few minutes.” A control band will be present, and if the sample tests positive for CGMMV, a marker band will appear. Otherwise, the absence of a marker band indicates a negative result.

Infection of a cucumber seedling will lead to more severe consequences.

It’s an easy and simple test that requires no equipment or expertise to run. “Results are obtained in as little as a few minutes, making them perfect for use in the field or greenhouse,” he says. Furthermore, the ImmunoStrip is specific to CGMMV and does not cross-react with other viruses that may infect cucurbits.

TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION

According to Alberta Agriculture’s CGMMV factsheet, infection of a cucumber seedling will lead to more severe consequences for plant growth and fruit production compared to infection at later growth stages. If symptoms are found and the test proves positive, roguing soon after transplanting is encouraged to prevent the spread of the virus, but it’s not enough to remove just the plants with symptoms.

“Removal of any infected plants can be very tricky,” says Zhang. “When you first see the symptoms, that means the pathogen has already been in the plant for a certain period of time.” Any neighbouring plants that do not show visible symptoms will likely have contracted the pathogen already. For plants in their later stages, Zhang says he would likely lean towards letting the crop go to harvest and maximize their production, making the decision on a case-by-case basis.

Fast

Self

Low

Long

The virus’ stability and persistence means that subsequent cucumber crops can be easily affected. When removing plants, Zhang says growers need to take every precaution, follow every sanitary procedure and avoid contamination of the surroundings. In addition to minimizing contact with infected plants, Alberta Agriculture’s factsheet also suggests removing weeds and volunteer plants, as well as treating crops with foliar inputs to prevent the spread of pests that can mechanically carry and transfer the

disease. Crop debris should be cleared from commonly overlooked areas such as screens, vents, pipes and bench legs, before the debris is covered, buried or burned.

Proper clean-up and removal of all plant residues is one of the key steps to preventing CGMMV. Sometimes there is fruit under the ground cover, stems at the ends of the rows or missed seeds starting to germinate again, Zhang points out.

“Those types of things should be removed, as they can act as reservoirs for the virus.”

All tools and surfaces should be washed and disinfected, including tarps, flats and pots, irrigation lines and drippers, floors and walkways, as well as tables and fixtures in the header house. If the greenhouse isn’t first thoroughly cleaned with detergent or cleaning solution to remove dirt, dust, soil, crop residues or pests, the effectiveness of disinfectants like Virkon will be greatly reduced – no matter the concentration used, cautions Zhang.

Because it’s an oxidant, exposure to air can lessen Virkon’s effectiveness. The loss of its dark pink colour is usually a good indicator of this, with Zhang noting that they prepare fresh Virkon solutions almost daily.

A 2% Virkon solution is recommended for the entire greenhouse just prior to a new crop. During cucumber production, labcoats and clothing should be sprayed with 2.1% trisodiumphosphate.

A 1% Virkon solution should be used to disinfect hands and gloves, hand tools, as well as carts and scissor lifts. Walkways, cucumber storage areas, packing lines and corridors should be disinfected with a 2% Virkon solution at least once per week.

In a follow-up study by Alberta Agriculture, this time led by Dr. Walid Ellouz, the team found that the combination of cleaning with a pressure washer and foaming twice with an alkaline sanitizer reduced CGMMV contamination by up to 99 per cent on greenhouse surfaces. Because disinfectants can be inactivated by organic matter, the report stresses the importance of removing debris and other organics prior to beginning the disinfection process.

Alberta Agriculture’s study also tested a number of alternative sanitizers and disinfectants on different surface materials in the greenhouse. SaniDate 5.0, Strip-It and KleenGrow were evaluated on plastic, wood, metal and concrete. While none of the treatments were able to eliminate CGMMV entirely, some combinations were able to reach CGMMV levels that rivalled those of 1% Virkon-treated surfaces, including a combination of Strip-It + KleenGrow on all surfaces, as well as SaniDate on metal and wood surfaces.

For more clean-up and sanitation procedures, contact your local greenhouse extension of ce or read Alberta Agriculture’s factsheet (https://open.alberta.ca/ dataset/256-635-1).

COIR’S EFFECTS ON GROWING MEDIUM pH AND EC

Coco coir is the term given to a range of natural products manufactured from coconut husks that are used in horticultural applications. Although sometimes referred to as ‘coco peat’, coir is not peat at all and it is incorrect to call it by this name. Coir is the by-product of the coconut processing industry in which coconut husks are processed to extract the fibers for various industries. Coconut husks go through a shredding process, by which the longer fibers are separated into a range of particle sizes, depending on the intended application. The left-over mixture of small fibers and dust is sold ‘as is’ and used for horticultural purposes.

Coconut trees grow naturally in brine water and highly saline environments; therefore, the coconut husks accumulate various salts. Before it can be used for horticultural crops, it should be washed with fresh water to leach salts built up in the coconut husks or washed with a buffer solution of calcium nitrate to leach salts and include a nitrogen source. The process not only reduces the electrical conductivity (EC) of coir but also helps to lower its pH.

TYPES OF COIR: From the coconut husks, coir pith (also known as coir dust) and coir chips (chunks) are primarily used for growing media whereas coir fiber typically is not. Coir pith is generally combined with Sphagnum peat moss and aggregates to produce various growing media for seed germination to general purpose growing. Coir pith is used in PRO-MIX® products, such as PRO-MIX® PG Organik for organic seed starting, PRO-MIX® YP BIOSTIMULANT for young plant production and PRO-MIX® MP MYCORRHIZAE™ Organik for organic transplant production.

Coir chips (chunks) provide unique properties when used in growing media, in that these chips hold water within the particle but also provide aeration, water movement and dimensional stability within the growing medium. PRO-MIX® HPCC and PRO-MIX® CC40 are made with coir chunks and these products are suitable for potted crops ranging from flowering, foliage, perennials and some nursery crops.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF COIR: Coir’s effect on a soilless growing media will vary depending on its source, how it was processed, and the percent of coir used in the formulation of the growing medium. The porous and granular structure of coir has similar physical properties to Sphagnum peat moss in that it has high total porosity and even higher available water holding capacity compared to Sphagnum peat moss. Coir has been shown to hold up to nine times its weight in water. Growing medium that contains a base of coir fiber and Sphagnum peat moss can help in rooting and germination.

Some of the properties that make coir a suitable amendment for combining with Sphagnum peat moss for growing media include:

• Excellent wetting and re-wetting capability. Coir does not have a waxy cuticle to repel water like Sphagnum peat moss, so it does not require a wetting agent. In fact, long term crops may not require a maintenance application of wetting agent.

Pictured is the fiber that is extracted from coconut husks that is used for many industries. Source: Premier Tech Horticulture.

Shown are three most common products removed from the coir husk that are used for various industries including coir pith and coir chips used for growing media. Source: Premier Tech Horticulture.

Coir pith is used in the manufacturing of growing media. Source: Premier Tech Horticulture.

COIR FIBRE COIR CHIPS COIR PITH

• Growing medium with coir does not shrink from the container walls upon drying, so water does not channel down the sides when dry growing medium is irrigated.

• Coir has a high lignin to cellulose ratio and is more resistant to physical breakdown when handled and processed through horticultural equipment for filling flats and pots. It also has less shrinkage in growing containers over the life of the crop which is important for long-term crops.

• Coir provides high air and water holding capacity within the container.

• It has a slightly acidic to neutral pH range, so it does not require limestone for pH adjustment. The pH of coir ranges from 6.0 – 6.8, as compared to sphagnum peat moss which pH ranges between 3.5 – 4.8.

GROWING PRACTICES TO ADJUST FOR COIR’S EFFECTS ON pH AND EC:

The addition of coir to soilless growing medium may require some adjustment and monitoring of your crop production and cultural management practices. Depending upon the percentage of coir in the growing medium, the following may need to be considered:

• Water quality: Know your water quality. Due to the initial pH range of coir, the starting pH of a coir-based growing medium can be higher than the desirable range of 5.5-6.2. Overtime coir will contribute to rising growing medium pH, especially if the water source used has a high alkalinity and/or potentially basic fertilizers are used. Monitor the pH of the growing medium so adjustments can be made to avoid pH climb that may reduce micronutrient uptake by the plants.

• Adjust watering practices: Peat-coir-perlite growing media will hold more water than peat-perlite growing media. In addition, the surface of a coir-based growing medium will dry more rapidly than the root zone compared to a peat-based growing medium. Using the color of the surface of the growing medium as an indication of when to water works for peat-based growing medium but is less effective for a coir-based growing medium. Growers must be attentive to not over water crops in a peat-coir growing medium. This characteristic of the surface drying out quickly will often leads to crop growth issues from overwatering, especially in cool climates, high humidity or cloudy conditions.

• Nutritional balance: Coconut husks naturally have high levels of potassium (K), chloride (Cl) and sodium (Na). Although producers of horticultural grade coir products wash/rinse the coir to remove these and other compounds, they may still be high enough in growing medium to elevate the EC reading. With potentially higher levels of K, Cl and Na in a coir-based growing medium, measures should be taken to provide adequate levels of Ca and Mg for proper nutrient balance for crops.

• Initial fertilization rates may need to be adjusted upward when going from a peat-based growing medium to a peat-coir based growing medium to assure the optimal levels of nutrients for optimum plant heath.

The addition of coir to a soilless growing medium can be beneficial in many ways. But as with any change to a different growing medium, the grower needs to be aware of potential impacts and ways to mitigate those impacts to get the best results for crop production. For more information about peat-coir based growing media, contact Premier Tech Horticulture.

Troy Buechel Horticulture Specialist

Ed Bloodnick Director of Grower Services

Fresh produce industry takes steps away from plastic

Desire for less plastic puts a growing focus on alternative packaging.

BY LILIAN SCHAER

The global movement around reducing plastic use is gaining momentum. Public awareness of the problem continues to grow as consumers become more focused on sustainability and the environment.

Governments and companies around the world are starting to take action, moving towards what is being called the “circular economy” where waste is reused instead of disposed of.

Among the most prominent actions so far is one from the European Union (EU). Earlier this year, the EU parliament approved a new law banning single-use plastic items including cutlery, plates, straws, and various products made from expanded polystyrene and oxo-degradable plastics (which fragment into smaller pieces and stay in the environment).

It’s the approach Canada will look to, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who in June announced the federal government’s intent to ban single-use plastics in Canada and hold companies responsible for plastic waste. Details are limited to date as to what that will mean and how it will be rolled out, but it’s a clear signal that it won’t be

business as usual moving forward.

Canada has also joined 20 other countries in adopting the Ocean Plastics Charter, which includes commitments to achieving significant reduction and recyclable goals by 2030 and 2040. Last November, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment approved the Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste for keeping all plastics out of the environment.

Individual companies are making their own commitments to sustainable packaging and plastic use reduction, too.

Walmart’s goal, for example, is to have 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or industrially compostable packaging in its massive private label program by 2025.

Plastics and the waste from their use are particularly visible in produce supply chains, where ever-more intricate global logistics networks coupled with demand for shelf life have increased the need for packaging that keeps produce fresh and unblemished on its sometimes long trek from field to plate.

The direction towards reduced plastic isn’t a sur-

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Moving from a clamshell with a hinged plastic lid to one that uses a plastic film seal is one change the greenhouse sector has already made to reduce plastic use.

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Wrapping a greenhouse cucumber in plastic film increases its sellable shelf life from around three days to 15 to 17 days.

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prise, according to Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) general manager Joe Sbrocchi. He says it’s been on the radar of the greenhouse sector for awhile, and they’ve already made changes to reduce the amount of plastic used in produce packaging. One example is moving from a clamshell with a hinged plastic lid to one that uses a plastic film seal.

“That was a massive investment in the industry; every marketer has the capability to do top-seal now and that has reduced plastic use from 18 to 25 per cent,” he says.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) has set up a plastics packaging working group this spring to address plastic use in the sector, establish what’s already being done by the industry, and develop a plan to reduce the environmental impact of plastics without compromising food quality and safety.

Twenty-three CPMA member companies are part of the working group, including OGVG.

“We’ve joined with CPMA and a group of diverse companies to ensure we are addressing this very important issue from the perspective of logic and common sense, as well as cost, too. From the outset, we are working on a thorough understanding of where things lie today – we don’t know what we don’t know,” Sbrocchi says. “We also need to look at where we can take things into the future, but also where we have to make trade-offs if you move to less packaging. For example, shrink will go up substantially if you sell everything in bulk again. Because produce is usually the first thing you see when you walk into most retail stores, you may think it generates a lot of plastic waste, which is not the case. The percentage of landfill waste that produce packaging generates is miniscule.”

The transition from bulk to plastic packaged produce has helped reduce food waste in the supply chain and lengthen product shelf-life. For example, wrapping a greenhouse cucumber in plastic film increases its sellable shelf life from around three days to 15 to 17 days – that’s because it limits how the product breathes and keeps it hydrated, he says.

Plastic packaging has also let marketers do a better job of presenting their produce, preserving quality throughout the supply chain and creating better levels of food safety.

A former retailer himself, Sbrocchi believes that cost and convenience are the two biggest barriers to widespread adoption of environmentally friendly alternatives.

“There is technology today that most greenhouse producers could put snacking tomatoes into a truly backyard-compostable package, but it will cost five to seven times what a rigid plastic container costs,” he says, adding that uptake would expand only if use was mandated, driving economies of scale, and nobody would be disadvantaged at the same time. “Currently, I’m not sure consumers are willing to pay for it and neither are retailers.”

As for convenience, Sbrocchi notes that “A lot of fresh produce goes home with the consumer cut up or processed,” and how consumers might react to the erosion of convenience is still unknown.

According to Dr. Keith Warriner, professor and food safety expert from the University of Guelph, moving away from plastic consumer packaging would have mostly indirect food safety impacts. Reduced functionality of compostable or biodegradable packaging is more of a concern, he says, as moisture from the produce could be absorbed by packaging, causing it to weaken and produce to spoil.

“I think the lack of integrity of the natural packaging could be an issue as it can fracture,” Warriner says. “And convenience foods like microwaveable potatoes for example – you couldn’t do that with compostable or biodegradable containers.” Furthermore, biodegradable materials can potentially support the growth

of microbes and lead to shorter shelf life, he says.

Despite industry concerns, demand for more environmentally friendly packaging is growing – and innovation is steadily improving the performance and functionality of those alternatives.

Canadian packaging supplier CKF Inc. is the largest thermo-form molded fibre manufacturer in the world, servicing both food service and produce sectors and known in particular as the producer of Royal Chinet disposable plates.

Six years ago, the fourth-generation family business jumped on the sustainable packaging trend, buying molded pulp packaging producer Earthcycle and moving production from Malaysia to Nova Scotia.

“Since 2013, sales have increased substantially every year – the demand is there,” says Shannon Boase, director of new market development and former owner of Earthcycle. “The Earthcycle brand has two main segments, food service and produce – and produce is seeing stronger growth.”

She acknowledges that CKF’s molded fibre products come with a higher price tag, largely due to scale and a difference in raw materials. Conventional plastic is petroleum-based with long-standing economies of scale, whereas molded pulp uses a blend of virgin and recycled wood sources and is not as widely used.

Recognizing that molded fibre isn’t the appropriate packaging substrate for all types of produce, their R&D is targeted at very specific sectors. Mushrooms is one example – large-scale commercial trials in the UK have shown that their product actually offers longer shelf life; berries and tomatoes, where it matches that of conventional packaging, is another.

In mini cucumbers, CKF has replicated and modified the tra-

ditional black foam tray in molded pulp, and has been receiving positive feedback from growers using the product. Strong niche segments are cucumbers, soft fruit, tomatoes, mushrooms and organic produce.

“We work closely with market sectors where we know our material adds value. Causing food waste defeats the purpose; we turn away business if it doesn’t fit for us,” she says. “I think people assume molded fibre won’t hold up and in some cases it won’t – it won’t overtake plastic everywhere.”

CKF’s innovations are also turning heads. At this year’s Fruit Logistica, a leading global trade show for the produce industry held annually in Berlin, CKF’s top-sealable, compostable, recyclable strawberry punnet won a bronze innovation award. The pack is made with a blend of hardwood fibres and post-industrial recycled corrugate material. According to Boase, it is the first large-scale commercial roll-out of a top-sealable container made of molded fibre.

And it’s likely to be the first of many, as the company is continuing its investments into new designs and new machinery and expanding beyond its leading market in North America into Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific.

Regardless of what type of packaging is used, Sbrocchi believes there’s also an onus on the government to ensure there is infrastructure in place so waste can be recycled, re-used or otherwise properly disposed of.

“Cucumber plastic wrap is recyclable and can be made to be biodegradable, but [it’s] not accepted by most municipalities, for example,” he says. “We have to look at creating an enclosed loop and the systems have to be there to support that.”

TECH OPINION: Blockchain in agriculture

With food recalls and consumer distrust of food origins, can this trust protocol power a new era of smarter food safety?

BY SHUBH SINGH

Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the father of medicine, once said “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” This timeless wisdom encourages consumers to cut back on processed foods and revert to whole food diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. But to get to this point, consumers must be able to trust their food.

Consumer demands for ‘clean labels’ extends beyond simply knowing what ingredients go into foods—it is demanding transparency across the entire journey of food from farm to fork. The trouble of trust in our food systems is not limited to consumers, as businesses must also cooperate and establish a trusted chain of buyers and sellers to achieve food safety, efficiency and accountability.

WHAT IS TRUST ANYWAY?

Trust can be thought of as a bank account. Each positive transaction is like a deposit that builds consumer confidence, goodwill and loyalty. However, all it takes is one bad experience that serves as a withdrawal, clearing the accounts of all the goodwill that a brand has built with customers, or a business has built with trade partners. Trust is what is broken when a foodborne illness is transmitted from inside a food production, manufacturing or processing facility and into the consumer’s kitchen or fridge. Consumer confidence can change quickly, and holding onto it depends upon the entire supply chain to work in perfect harmony.

BLOCKCHAIN: A DIGITAL INSTITUTION OF TRUST

Blockchain, or Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), maintains a record, or a ledger of transactions in a distributed format across buyers and sellers (called ‘nodes’). In other words, there is no central database kept by any one party, enabling the transfer of assets or information between buyers and sellers without going through a third-party intermediary. Without a central authority involved, it is a true peer-to-peer network where information is validated by computers on the network using mathematical algorithms. Thinking of it as an operating system for transactions, it has

the potential to vastly reduce the cost and complexity of doing business. Because of how blockchain is built, transactions are visible and allow for consensus, the origin of each block on the blockchain can be identified, and once created, the blocks cannot be altered. This promotes transparency and trust.

THE STATE OF FOOD SAFETY

Globally, one out of 10 people get sick from contaminated food and more than 400,000 people die from foodborne illnesses each year (WHO, 2019). Since 2002, food recalls have more than doubled (NY Times, 2016), yet the capabilities of current traceability systems struggle to respond swiftly and with targeted actions to today’s global food supply chain challenges.

While consumer health and safety are the primary concern, it is also important to identify the specific source of contamination along with its distribution and retail routes to market. Understandably, retailers tend to quickly pull product from their shelves when an outbreak occurs, choosing to err on the

1 of out

10 people get sick from contaminated food

side of caution, but the economic impact is felt by all growers of that crop. As noted by Peter Patterson, blockchain leader for IBM Canada, blockchain has the potential to not only improve consumer safety but to also substantiate the safety of a grower’s product, which otherwise might be swept up in a mass recall.

HOW DID WE GET TO NOW?

As a society we have begun to demand more and more when it comes to our food. We want the freshest foods, available year-round, at reasonable prices, delivered to our doorstep. This growing desire for speed, access, and convenience has

caused supply chains to morph from once serving up food from “around the corner” to “around the world,” making them increasingly complex, interconnected, and dependent upon several intermediaries— all of which have made it more difficult to track and trace food back to their origins. A network with real traceability is imperative for consumers to trust what they are buying.

In times of recalls, retailers must be able to pull any food with the potential to carry bacteria and pathogens that can

cause foodborne illnesses. A study by Ohio State University estimated that the annual cost of food-borne illnesses tops $55.5 billion in the United States alone. Coupled with the fact that food fraud is estimated to cost the global food trade around $40 billion annually, there is a need for improvement in food safety standards and controls.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Some point to regulatory bodies like the FDA and CFIA who set the standards

on what the term “safe food” can mean and what it should mean. The FDA has acknowledged the growing concerns surrounding food safety and the fact that, despite our systems being “pretty safe,” incidents such as the E. coli outbreak in November of 2018 still occur.

What is blockchain?

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The crux of the problem is that many players in the food system utilize a largely paper-based system of taking one step back to identify the source and one step forward to identify where the food has gone. These systems are a far cry from what is possible.

Blockchains are shared databases or ledgers of information about transactions and events.

A blockchain consists of blocks, and like individual pages of a ledger, each block contains the data or transaction, what’s known as its hash value (a unique cryptographic value of characters and numbers assigned by a computational algorithm), the hash of the previous block to link the blocks in order, and a timestamp.

How does blockchain apply to agriculture?

Some suggest that a blockchain is like a Google document where multiple authors can contribute. Blockchain is a bit more complex than that, but its inherent transparency and security, among other unique characteristics, make it an attractive technology for tracing food from production to delivery, enabling tagging, storing and tracking anything of value.

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With the proliferation of mobile devices, cloud computing, sensors, and DLT technology, a permanent and tamperproof blockchain can enhance traceability by providing a single source of truth in a fruit’s journey to determine whether it is deemed safe to consume and identify who is at risk across the supply chain. As such, The FDA has committed to exploring artificial intelligence, machine learning, the internet of things and DLT to create more digital, traceable and safer systems.

DIGITIZATION OF FOOD SYSTEMS

In Canada, the CFIA is undergoing a twoyear initiative involving collaborations with industry to test practical applications of DLT in information sharing, supply

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Brian Kowaluk, a member of CFIA’s Data Analytics and Modelling team, says “The larger trend here is the digitization of the food system. In Canada, we have a strong food safety system and traceability requirements, but we are always trying to enhance that system by working with all players—industry, governments and consumers—to safeguard the food we eat. Our goal is to maintain food safety, thus we are exploring ways [in which] technologies such as blockchain can be used to link systems, reduce administrative burden, and minimize the cost of compliance. There are many promising benefits of instituting blockchain technology beyond food safety which may be a bigger driver to implement these systems.”

A COMMON LANGUAGE

“Blockchain is not a specific software, it is a methodology for sharing data between trading partners,” says Ed Treacy, vice-president of supply chain efficiencies for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and an official advisor of IBM’s Food Trust. Treacy leads the PMA’s Blockchain Task Force, a group of industry practitioners that examines different ways in which the technology is being used across different firms.

“It’s a hot topic, kind of like the dot. com buzz of the 90’s. Many players are building and testing blockchains as we speak, but what is important is that we as an industry develop a common language for communication.”

GS1 (Global Standards One), the notfor-profit organization that develops and maintains global business communications standards such as the GTIN barcode, has also been working to educate and advocate to advance discussions around blockchain data standardization.

PUTTING BLOCKCHAIN TO USE

IBM’s Food Trust is one of the first in-production solutions using blockchain. Since 2016, Walmart and IBM have worked together to envision a fully transparent food system. In 2018, Walmart made waves when it notified its leafy greens suppliers that their products must be on the blockchain within one year’s time.

The IBM Food Trust provides authorized users with immediate access to food supply chain data, from farm to store and ultimately the consumer. The complete history and current location of any individual food item, as well as accompany-

ing information such as certifications, test data and temperature data, are readily available in seconds once uploaded onto the blockchain.

Onboarding onto IBM Food Trust requires uploading data about your product’s lifecycle, including information on harvesting, manufacturing and transportation, but there is no need to have an intimate understanding of blockchain.

The platform collects data already in use and with industry standards. By simplifying the requirements for participation, IBM expects adoption to grow organically ahead of any possible regulatory or retail mandate. By sharing supply chain data on a permissioned basis, IBM also expects several commercial benefits to help drive adoption, such as lowered costs of administration, higher consumer confidence, and better inventory management.

PREPARE FOR A REVOLUTION

The process of transforming produce into data on a blockchain does not happen on its own. Currently, it requires human intervention for data entry. However, integrated automation solutions for packaging and labels have become the vehicle with which products are digitized, tagged, stored and tracked along the supply chain. Today this is happening via Price Look Up (PLU) labels using the GS1 GTIN Standard, but soon, fruit stickers using QR Data Matrix will be the bridge connecting physical products and digital identities. Packaging and labels will become increasingly important in verifying the integrity and authenticity of a given product.

Blockchain is expected to do for transactions what the internet did for information. Market movers such as Walmart, with the help of the IBM Food Trust, have embraced the technology and made blockchain part of their supplier network.

Deployed correctly, blockchain technology has the potential to enhance efficiency, transparency and traceability across the food system. Members of the industry are working to further investigate the possibilities, understand how it can support supply chain imperatives, and address the technological, regulatory, and operational implications of adopting an entirely new paradigm.

Shubh Singh leads business development at Accu-Label International, and is a member of the PMA’s Blockchain Task Force, Product Identi cation Group, and Sustainability Committee. Shubhs@accu-label.com

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ENGAGE ENVISION EVOLVE

OCTOBER 9&10 2019

NIAGARA FALLS SCOTIABANK CONVENTION CENTRE

ROOT ZONE MANAGEMENT

Keep Calm & Irrigate On!

CANNABIS PRODUCTION

Pest Management Panel

FORWARD THINKING

A Brand New Landscape for Innovation

FLORICULTURE

2019 Canadian All-Stars

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

2019 CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE

By Glenna Cairnie Marketing and Events Coordinator, Canadian Greenhouse Conference

We are celebrating our 40th anniversary! Forty years is quite a legacy and the Canadian Greenhouse Conference is proud to continue to support the greenhouse industry with an event that educates and inspires. Over the years, the conference has witnessed incredible changes in operation size, crops, regulations, production techniques, pest management, technology and consumer preferences. The CGC continues to adapt to such changes in order to best meet the needs of the Canadian grower. This could not be accomplished without solid support from industry partners and growers. The CGC relies on participation and input from business and government representatives, growers, educators and researchers in the planning and delivery of each conference. Thank you to all for making the Canadian Greenhouse Conference an important part of your business and the greater grower community.

ENGAGE. ENVISION. EVOLVE.

Looking back with appreciation is meaningful, however, moving forward is critical. This industry is not standing still and neither is the Canadian Greenhouse Conference. The CGC is committed in its mission to equip growers with the tools necessary for success in this ever-changing, technically advanced industry. No doubt, technology and science hold the answers – but it will be people with imagination, creativity and a willingness to collaborate that lead the charge. To engage, envision and evolve.

Celebrate with us. There are special events planned, giveaways and a brand-new event to close the show. This year’s conference hosts the largest tradeshow to date. The Syngenta Food Court has been moved to add booth space and every space is sold!

As always, the 2019 speaker program brings together an impressive list of speakers covering timely issues related to a variety of crops grown in a controlled environment. The complete program with presentation summaries and speaker biographies is posted on our website. Take a look and start planning your itinerary! Highlights of the upcoming show are outlined here.

ORNAMENTAL PRODUCTION

The

For over half a century, horticultural crop production in North America has relied on peat and perlite as the primary components in soilless growing mixes. Recent trends have turned to other materials impacting both plant growth and grower protocols. Two sessions are devoted to root zone management in new substrates. Brian Jackson (North Carolina State University), speaks to substrate trends and how they a ect crop management. Michelle Jones (Ohio State University), Ryan Dickson (University of Arkansas) and Anissa Poleatewich (University of New Hampshire) address nutrients, irrigation and biocontrol as they relate to growing media.

Daily Light Integral (DLI) is an incredibly useful measurement for managing light in your greenhouse. “Many plant growth, yield and flowering responses are tightly linked with the DLI and knowing your DLI allows growers to provide supplemental lighting when it will be most e ective,” states Jim Faust (Clemson University). Chevonne Dayboll (OMAFRA) will begin the session with a description of di erent lighting units and their value to production schedules. Faust’s Wednesday afternoon talk will further explain the concept of DLI and how to measure and interpret your measurements, so you can adjust your light management strategy to optimize plant growth and productivity.

An age-old question is whether growers should worry about how their plants hold up at retail or if it is the retailer’s problem? With pay-per-scan becoming an industry standard, growers need to do all they can to ensure plants survive the journey to their new home. Michelle Jones (Ohio State University) shares research demonstrating how biostimulants can be an important tool for growers to improve post-harvest stress tolerance and retail shelf life. Stan Vander Waal (Rainbow Greenhouses) provides a grower perspective and valuable insight.

Which varieties are flourishing in Canadian gardens? Does new mean better or is there something to be said for the reliability of timetested cultivars? Find out from three top breeders which plants make the Canadian All-Star Team.

Hear how the new impatiens Imara and Beacon fared in their season debut. Don’t miss popular horticulturalist and author, Allan Armitage, as he advocates for “solution gardening”.

Next Generation Growing (NGG) refers to a form of controlled environment production that emphasizes plantcentered decision making. This concept has been developed by scientists at Wageningen University and has been applied by many growers in Europe. Marco de Groot (Kairos Flori Consult) has been part of NGG development and will outline the basics of this new approach. Highly regarded local grower, Albert Grimm (Je ery’s Greenhouses, ON) will focus on humidity control and how this can be applied in Canadian greenhouses to optimize production, quality and pest control.

CANNABIS PRODUCTION

Lighting is one of the most critical aspects of growing cannabis. Increasingly, LEDs are the lighting choice for indoor and greenhouse cultivation to save energy and e ectively manage production. Choosing the right LEDs requires knowing what spectrum is best for di erent growing environments. Melanie Yelton (LumiGrow) will discuss the advantages of defined spectrum versus broad-spectrum LEDs. In addition, data will be presented on the e ectiveness of using of smart light sensors to optimize electricity usage while maximizing crop performance. Issues of light and odour prevail in communities where cannabis operations are located close to residential properties. OMAFRA Specialist, Vicki Hilborn, will present technologies and approaches available to cannabis producers to control light and odour.

Suzanne Wainwright (Buglady Consulting) is joined by Judy Colley from Plant Products and Kevin Cullem from Koppert to discuss IPM strategies to combat pest and disease issues in cannabis production.

ORNAMENTAL INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

By necessity, there is always something new in pest management. The bio versus chemical debate continues, complicated by changes in regulations and pests. Discover the latest in crop protection approaches and “back-pocket” solutions for when the first round of treatments doesn’t work. “Buglady”, Suzanne Wainwright is joined by IPM experts Ron Valentin (BioWorks), Roselyne Labbé (AAFC) and Graeme Murphy (bioLogical Control Solutions).

BUSINESS AND MARKETING

Author, consultant and sought-after speaker, Tom Shay (Profits Plus Solutions) draws on his extensive experience to assist retail business owners and managers with the day-today operation of their businesses, marketing and strategy. Shay has developed a niche for garden centres and he is keen to help small businesses increase their profits and build for the future in his first presentation “Strategies to Win”. “Advanced Professional Selling Skills” is for those who aspire to have a sta with sales skills second to none. Shay explains nuances of the true sales professional with an emphasis on fine points such as word selection, what questions to ask, how to ask those questions, and even posture that can substantially increase sales.

VEGETABLE PRODUCTION AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT

A greenhouse climate is a delicate balancing act. Heating, climate control and crop management need to be adjusted to optimize crop production under various lighting sources and placements. AAFC research scientist, Xiuming Hao, shares a new strategy which allows for injury-free production of greenhouse tomatoes with 24-hour lighting. Advances in LED technology over the past few decades have brought about the ability to fine-tune lighting systems for plant production in controlled environments. The ability to produce wavelength specific LED-luminaries has allowed us to examine the e ects of spectral quality on photosynthesis, C-partitioning, and export rates of photo-assimilates during production. Jason Lanoue (University of Guelph) will explain these findings and their implication for the future design of LEDs. Andrew Lee (Grodan) will cover current thought processes when it comes to irrigation strategies relative to light and how Grodan’s e-Gro platform will assist growers with data driven steering of WC and EC.

Novel approaches to manage both insects and disease of greenhouse vegetables round out Wednesday’s program. AAFC’s Geneviève Marchand states, “It is crucial to monitor the e cacy of registered pesticides over time, given the potential for resistance to develop in pathogen populations.” To raise awareness and bring attention to this issue, Marchand will present results from two recent research projects. Roselyne Labbé (AAFC) will cover the use of food supplements for improving biocontrol in European greenhouses, and Kirsten Leiss (Wageningen University) will encourage growers to work with a plant’s natural defense system and resilience as a viable alternative to chemical control.

SMALL FRUIT PRODUCTION

Indoor fruit production continues to flourish as Canadian shoppers support locally grown produce and seek year-round supply. Eric Boot from BVB Substrates and Marc van Gennip (Genson) will talk about production methods used by Dutch growers. David Gadoury (Cornell University) reports on the use of UV light to kill pathogens.

GARDEN CENTRES

Retailers, this is your opportunity to find inspiration for the 2020 season. Proven Winners Director of Marketing, Marshall Dirks looks to the future and how the consumer will shape the industry. Ignite your passion for perennials with Magda Pawlowska (Willowbrook Nurseries) and learn how Alice d’Entremont (Ouest-Ville Perennials) has created a unique gardening destination on the tip of Nova Scotia.

Part inspiration, part information, you will not want to miss eminent horticulturalist Allan Armitage, who has his fingers in the dirt and on the pulse of gardening as he talks about our relationship with plants and the role of garden centres in nourishing that relationship.

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

ORGANIC PRODUCTION

Organic growers will find excellent information in this session from three speakers who are all well-known in this field. Peace Tree Farms owner, Lloyd Traven, and Michael Short (Eco Habitat Agri-Services) will cover pest control issues while Norm Hansen (Erieview Acres) will take on the challenge of explaining increasingly complex regulations for growers selling domestically and into the USA.

WATER

Water management in the greenhouse and its fate afterwards are of great concern. You will learn the impact of leach water in the environment as well as determine whether your production facility can meet the requirements for zero o -site leach.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Horticulture’s adoption of technology is changing how greenhouses and their labour-force work. New technology will be naturally integrated into presentations throughout the CGC program but in addition, you will find two sessions that focus on innovation, artificial intelligence and automation. James Sulecki, Meister Media’s Chief Content O cer and Head of Precision Initiative, will inspire with an overview of innovations that are poised to transform your operation. Ed Treacy (PMA), Quade Digweed (AAFC Harrow) and Brian Hendel (Splice Digital) will each speak on di erent aspects of the crucial issue of data management. Stan Vander Waal explains how he prioritizes his automation decisions. Lastly, you won’t want to miss what Kenneth Tran from Microsoft Research has to say about promising applications for AI in greenhouse operations.

RESEARCH UPDATES

Don’t miss the ever-popular Research Updates session scheduled for Thursday morning updating growers on ongoing and new research out of the University of Guelph, Wilfred Laurier University, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre and Flowers Canada (Ontario).

THERE’S MORE!

The CGC is about more than exhibits and programming – it is about PEOPLE! The Canadian Greenhouse Conference’s casual, friendly atmosphere will allow you to build a network of resources with internationally renowned speakers, researchers, retailers and allied trades. Where there are people, there will also be fun, and the CGC has the events you need to make your show experience extra enjoyable. The popular conference bus tour which takes place on the 8th of October is a unique opportunity to tour some of Essex county’s premier vegetable and flower growing facilities. Don’t miss Happy Hour on Wednesday afternoon where food, drink and music create an ideal end to the first day of the conference. Enjoy dinner at The Gathering on Wednesday evening where we will dine on

the brink of the falls in the newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant. The CGC is pleased to announce a new networking event. “Last Call” will take place on Thursday afternoon as sessions let out. Sponsored by Signify, this will be one last opportunity to relax and engage with colleagues before returning to your greenhouses ready to implement what you have learned over the last 3 days.

Register in advance to take advantage of discount pricing. Complete conference information is available at www.CanadianGreenhouseConference.com

2019 Canadian Greenhouse Conference: Your Canadian resource for the business of growing.

RESEARCH UPDATES

10-minute presentations update growers with progress reports and outcomes of current research.

The varied topics will interest and inform while providing an excellent overview of what is happening in the industry.

Which is More E ective to Promote Flowering: Red or Blue light?

Yun Kong, University of Guelph, ON

Impact of Nutrient Supply on Cannabis Yield & Quality

Brendon Yep, University of Guelph, ON

Made in Canada! New Biocontrol Agents to Take up the Challenge

Michael Brownbridge, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, ON

Finding the Perfect Light Spectra & Intensity for Vegetative Cannabis Propagation

Melissa Moher, University of Guelph, ON

Native vs Non-Native: Do pollinators care?

Laura Vanderlingen, University of Guelph, ON

Optimizing Kalanchoe Root and Shoot Development Under LED Lighting

Amilah Rasool, University of Guelph, ON

Thresholds for Hydrogen Peroxide Use Within Irrigation Systems

Mitchell Eicher-Sodo, Wilfred Laurier University, ON

You Are What You Eat: Lean and Mean Plants in IPM

Rose Buitenhuis, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, ON

Dehumidification Technology in GreenhousesWhat We’ve Learned So Far

Jeanine West, Flowers Canada (Ontario)

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

TOP TIER

EVOLVING CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS

After four decades, three venues and countless talks from world-class speakers, the Canadian Greenhouse Conference remains the place to be for growers of all crops under cover.

By Greta Chiu

What first began as an idea to consolidate many small, local meetings scattered across Ontario has grown into so much more.

“One month in Peterborough, the next in Brantford, then the next in Leamington—there seemed to be a lot of time spent organizing meetings in di erent locations,” recounts Dr. Theo Blom, former greenhouse floriculture extension specialist and research scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and retired faculty member at the University of Guelph.

As ideas of creating a more centralized meeting spot began to take shape, horticultural suppliers were also in search of a common venue where the industry could gather and show their latest o erings.

“On the OMAF side, John Hughes already had organized grower meetings in Guelph,” says Blom. With a little extra space, and in cooperation with members of the allied trades and the University of Guelph’s horticultural department, Hughes’ venue eventually accommodated a trade fair portion as well, setting the stage for the first annual Canadian Greenhouse Conference (CGC) in 1979.

Landing in all the right places

When the CGC first started, the organizers were all volunteers, juggling their daytime workload with conference duties. Key instigators were members of BPI (Bedding Plants Incorporated), OMAF, allied trades, the University of Guelph’s horticulture department, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers

and Flowers Canada (Ontario).

But as the conference grew in size, organizers realized they needed full-time help to have the logistics done, the bills paid and the marketing deployed. That’s when conference coordinators Donna and Bob Cobbledick were hired, one after another, in 1987 and 1999.

“The original CGC was held in the University Centre at the University of Guelph with the trade show and talks held in the single building,” says Shalin Khosla who was involved in the first CGC as a graduate student. Now the OMAFRA greenhouse vegetable specialist, he has since spoken at the CGC and serves as a key member of the CGC trade show and executive committees, organizing the vegetable speakers program and bus tour.

“It was quite popular,” Khosla continues, describing the first CGC, “and over the years expanded to include temporary greenhouses between the University Centre and the Engineering Building and eventually was moved to the hockey arenas and the gym.”

But after 22 years at the university, demands on parking and facilities became less manageable as the conference outgrew the venue. In 2001, the CGC made the decision to move into Toronto’s International Centre—without losing attendees as organizers had originally feared.

It was a lot easier to set up, Blom says of the venue. No outdoor greenhouses needed to be built, but at the same time, there were no restaurants or services near the venue where attendees could gather for meals or socialize beyond conference walls. The building didn’t quite convey the right character for the show either.

Members of the 2019 CGC tradeshow committee (not all are pictured)

Over time, organizers noted a decline in the number of exhibitors. As CGC executive coordinator Carol Pupo remembers it, the Cobbledicks were instrumental in moving the conference to Niagara Falls when its convention centre first opened in 2011, a year after Pupo succeeded Donna Cobbledick’s role. Bob retired soon after, welcoming Glenna Cairnie as the new marketing and events coordinator.

The move to Niagara was the biggest change for the CGC in its 40-year history, says Blom.

Andrew Morse couldn’t agree more. Now executive director of Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. and a member of the CGC trade show and executive committees, Morse first attended the CGC in Toronto as a graduate student. Looking back, he sees how moving to Niagara was an opportunity for growth.

“The quality of services is far better, it’s closer to the producers—it’s a much easier sell for people to come attend the show,” he says, citing examples such as o ering free parking, having co ee and sandwiches during set-up periods, easing the booth-cleaning process and addressing exhibitor concerns—small details that make a big di erence. “A lot of trade shows don’t make it easy to attend.”

Growing with the industry

Along with former OMAF greenhouse floriculture specialist Wayne Brown, Blom is one of the longest-serving members on the CGC trade show and executive committees. But when he first became involved with the conference in 1979, the greenhouse vegetable industry was in turmoil.

“There was an oil crisis, prices were going through the roof, [and] we had a big snow storm in Leamington. Everybody said this was the end of the greenhouse vegetable industry,” Blom says. “Guess what? 10 years later, it started to pick up again. Double poly greenhouses started to become popular and [the industry] has been expanding since.”

As the sector continued to grow, so did the CGC’s educational programming, addressing new vegetable crops like peppers and seedless cucumbers, novel potted flowering varieties, as well as new production technologies in computerized control, IPM and substrates, among others. Changes seem to happen in the industry about every five to 10 years, and the CGC’s programming has continuously evolved and stayed in

step, each influencing the other.

Chevonne Dayboll, OMAFRA greenhouse floriculture specialist and member of the CGC trade show committee, describes the conference as being “bigger and bolder” than it was before. “It has branched out from focusing solely on ornamentals and vegetables to including resources for new and emerging greenhouse crops, such as berries and cannabis,” she says. Organic production and vertical farming have also been trending over the past three to four years.

From her position as OGVG’s science coordinator and a member of the CGC trade show and executive committees, Niki Bennett can’t help but notice the rise in participation from greenhouse vegetable operations. There’s particular interest in physical technologies common to greenhouse floriculture, such as water treatment, lighting and climate control. Participation from nurseries and allied sectors have also climbed over the years, seeking to make use of similar practices and technological solutions to ease related issues.

Crossing the global frontier

“It’s not as Ontario-centric as it once was,” Morse observes, “with attendees coming from western and eastern Canada, as well as from the U.S.”

For greenhouse vegetable growers, Bennett says there aren’t many other shows that are comparable on the production side, especially in North America. While growers of larger operations may make the trek to the Netherlands, there are smaller crop protection workshops scattered around greenhouse-rich regions of North America, but they tend to be segregated by crop. The CGC has them all in one space.

Blom, however, reveals a little known fact. Back when the CGC was held at the University of Guelph, there was much research being done on supplemental lighting by Dr. Jim Tsujita, he says. HPS lighting was first developed for cut roses in Ontario, and consequently drew a number of curious European visitors.

Now, it seems that the conference’s reach has once again crossed overseas. “We’re seeing an increased number of exhibitors from Europe, particularly from the Netherlands,” says Pupo, crediting the vast geographic reach of online news outlets such as HortiDaily.

A place in the information age 40 years ago, meetings were essential.

Without books available on topics such as bedding plant production or cut flower production, growers had to convene somewhere for this information.

Fast forward a few decades and books are seemingly on their way out—at least in their physical form. “Information has become much more available all over the world,” says Blom, referring to the advent of the internet, the ease of global travel and social media.

“When people started here, they were basically pioneering certain crops,” he continues. But now, when people spot something new or di erent, they can use the internet to find out who’s involved in di erent parts of the globe, and get in touch right away with other producers. “It’s a lot more direct than it used to be.”

The value of the conference then, stems from gaining curated, unbiased information, and many times straight from the primary source.

There’s a continued need to understand the basics in order to gauge whether new information makes sense for a grower’s operations, Blom explains. For instance, a grower looking to adopt new LED technology may need to first understand di erent aspects of horticultural lighting, such as light quality, intensity and so forth, before asking the right questions and having meaningful conversations with a supplier.

With the newest technology on the trade show floor, and the latest in greenhouse knowledge delivered by conference speakers, these ingredients create the perfect environment for sparking new ideas. The set-up allows attendees to meet the speakers and exhibitors, says Khosla, while at the same time, growers can exchange ideas and develop partnerships that are not only helpful to the individual attendees, but to the greenhouse sector as a whole. “I believe it will continue to remain the Canadian destination for the greenhouse sector to learn, exchange ideas, and develop long-lasting relationships.”

Unwavering values

Unlike some larger trade shows, the CGC isn’t looking to generate revenue for itself. “Our purpose was to get the information to the growers and the people involved in the industry,” says Blom. The conference has clearly continued to uphold those values, keeping the event entry fee relatively low, such that operations of all sizes can attend.

If you look at how much it costs to put on the conference compared to what attendees pay, says Blom, the

ratios are completely out of proportion. For a typical horticultural trade show, admission costs between $200 to $400. Meanwhile, the cost to attend the CGC is on the order of $85 for two days—a very high value for the attendee.

The show is financially successful, say both Pupo and Cairnie, but what others may not realize is that any surplus revenue is reinvested into research and education to further support the industry. They estimate that well over one million dollars have been awarded in the form of research and educational grants to notfor-profit organizations on topics related to flowers, vegetables, and more recently, on soft fruit and cannabis.

As with every trade show and conference, socializing and catching up are essential, particularly for those separated over long distances—but there’s something di erent about the CGC.

“We are big enough to matter, small enough to care,” says Cairnie. “The vibe of the CGC is so collegial, warm and inviting.” For their part, Pupo and Cairnie ensure that speakers, exhibitors and attendees are given one-on-one attention. Even the décor is no exception.

For over 30 years, Grace Dekker has been the lead designer in decorating the CGC venues, often reflecting popular trends and colours that year, says Pupo. “The investment in décor is second to none.”

For Dayboll, the conference brings all the resources for the Canadian greenhouse sector under one roof. Whether it’s gaining new information, receiving research updates, networking with suppliers or making new contacts, it’s an event well worth attending. “Our reputation for a great speaker program and a wide variety of exhibitors will help the conference to grow and continue to be a place where innovative ideas are shared in the future.”

“Not many farms will be willing to step away during the season,” says Morse, but the CGC helps them find more opportunities for their businesses. As to why the CGC seems to hold a special place among the Canadian industry, Morse sums it up quite nicely. Current research, current trends, close to home and reduced barriers to entry. “It’s all synergistic.”

Thank you to CGC trade show and executive committee member Rodger Tschanz for sending decades of photos, and to Carol Pupo, Glenna Cairnie and Dave Harrison for theirs. Some were sampled from past issues of Greenhouse Canada and Canadian Florist.

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

SCHEDULE | W EDN ESDAY, OCT 9 TH — MORNING SESSIONS

WED. 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM

Current & Future Trends in Substrates

Brian Jackson North Carolina State University

From the Ground Up: How Soilless Substrate Can A ect Biocontrol E cacy

Anissa Poleatewich University of New Hampshire

Water Management in Wood Fiber Substrates

Brian Jackson North Carolina State University

Sponsored by:

9:30 AM

Strategies to Win

Tom Shay Profits Plus Solutions, St. Petersburg, FL

Sponsored by:

11:00 AM Performance Reports: Imara & Beacon

Sean Valk, PanAmerican Seed & Mike Murgiano, Syngenta Flowers

A report on the inaugural season of these two game-changing varieties.

Reducing Waste in Potted Plants in the Supply Chain

Karen Koefoed Petersen & Merete Edelenbos

Aarhus University, Denmark

Using Biostimulants to Improve the Post-Harvest Quality of Potted Plants

Michelle Jones Ohio State University

Looking Good; Steps to Successful Post-Harvest Results

Stan Vander Waal

Rainbow Greenhouses, Chilliwack, BC

2019 All-Stars – Top Performing Plants in Canadian Gardens

Marshall Dirks Proven Winners

Mike Murgiano Syngenta Flowers

Jim Kennedy Ball Seed

Solution Gardening: Varieties that do more than just look good

Allan M. Armitage Athens, GA

Latest Development in Lighting Greenhouse Vegetables

Xiuming Hao AAFC Harrow, ON

E ects of Wavelength

Specific Lighting & CO2 Concentration on Primary Gas Exchange & Carbon Export in Tomato

Jason Lanoue

University of Guelph, ON

Irrigation Strategies in Relation to Light

Andrew Lee

The Grodan Group, UK

CONFERENCE

ACCOMMODATION

Reserve your room at one of two conference hotels located across the street from the SCCN. Conference room rates include hot breakfast and complimentary wifi. Visit our website for complete information. CanadianGreenhouseConference.com

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

SCHEDULE | WEDNESDAY, OCT 9TH — AFTERNOON SESSIONS

WED.

2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM

Keep Calm & Irrigate On!

Managing Water Quality for Greenhouse Crops – Part 1

Ryan Dickson

University of Arkansas

Improving Growth & Nutrient Use with Beneficial Microorganisms in Substrates

Michelle Jones Ohio State University

Keep Calm & Irrigate On!

Managing Water Quality for Greenhouse Crops – Part 2

Ryan Dickson

University of Arkansas

Sponsored by:

Using Lighting Units to Optimize Production

Chevonne Dayboll OMAFRA, Vineland

Turning Photons into Food: The Value of Supplemental Light in Greenhouses

Bruce Bugbee University of Utah

How to Use Daily Light Sums

Jim Faust Clemson University, SC

Sponsored by:

A Brand New Landscape for Innovation

James Sulecki

Meister Media Worldwide, Willoughby, OH

Balancing Act: Prioritizing Your Automation Investments

Stan Vander Waal

Rainbow Greenhouses, Chilliwack, BC

Blockchain: How Will It A ect the Fresh Produce Industry?

Ed Treacy

Produce Marketing Association, Newark, DE

Fert-Irrigation of Soft-Fruit in Substrate

Eric Boot BVB Substrates, NL

Suppression of Diseases & Pests Through Applications of UV Light

David Gadoury Cornell University, NY

European Strawberry Production Systems

Marc van Gennip Genson Quality Plants, NL

Sponsored by:

What’s New in Vegetable Disease Control

Geneviève Marchand AAFC Harrow, ON

Food Supplements to Enhance Biocontrol

Agent Activities

Roselyne Labbé AAFC Harrow, ON

Plant Resilience in the Greenhouse

Kirsten Leiss Wageningen University, NL

Sponsored by:

Trade Show Open 9 am – 4 pm | Great food options on-site | Happy Hour 4 pm – 6 pm

Titles and speakers subject to change. Visit CanadianGreenhouseConference.com for up-to-date information.

HAPPY HOUR

Wednesday at 4 pm on the trade show floor.

Relax and enjoy the renowned CGC Happy Hour. This popular event provides the ideal social atmosphere to meet old friends and make new industry connections. Fresh Ontario produce is featured in complimentary canapés. Wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase.

THE GATHERING

Wednesday, October 9, 6:30 pm

Table Rock House Restaurant

Great food – great company – great fun!

Enjoy dinner with clients, friends and colleagues on the brink of the Horseshoe Falls.

$85 per person

Advance purchase only

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

SCHEDULE | THURSDAY, OCT 10TH — MORNING SESSIONS

Time

THURS. 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM

Using Pesticides & Bios Together… or Not

Ron Valentin

BioWorks Inc.

A New Predatory Mite for Greenhouse Crop Protection

Roselyne Labbé

AAFC Harrow, ON

When Biocontrol Doesn’t Work

Graeme Murphy bioLogical Control Solutions, Welland, ON

B-List Bios

Suzanne Wainwright

Buglady Consulting, Slatington, PA

Trends for 2019 & Beyond –How the Consumer Will Change our Industry

Marshall Dirks

Proven Winners

Perennial Flower Power

Magda Pawlowska

Willowbrook Nurseries, Fenwick, ON

Find Your Niche & Grow With It!

Alice d’Entremont

Ouest-Ville Perennials, West Pubnico, NS

10-minute presentations update growers with progress reports & outcomes of current research.

The varied topics will interest & inform while providing an excellent overview of what is happening in the industry.

Turn to page 4 of this CGC preview section for details.

Sponsored by:

Water Management & Fertility

Phil Johnson The Grodan Group

Smart Lighting in Greenhouse Cannabis Production to Increase Quality & Quantity

Melanie Yelton LumiGrow

Options to Control Light & Odour from Cannabis Production

Vicki Hilborn OMAFRA, Guelph

Sponsored by:

AI for Greenhouses: Opportunities & Challenges

Kenneth Tran Microsoft Research, Redmond, WA

Preparing for AI: Data Collection & Management

Quade Digweed, AAFC Harrow, ON

Navigating Data Contracts

Brian Hendel

Splice Digital, Windsor, ON

Registration opens: 8:30 am

Trade Show hours: 9 am – 4 pm

SCHEDULE | THURSDAY, OCT 10TH — AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Time

THURS. 2:00 PM TO 3:30 AM

Basics & Uniformity of Greenhouse

Climate

Marco de Groot

Kairos Flori Consult, NL

Plant-Centred Greenhouse Climate

Albert Grimm

Jeffery’s Greenhouses, St. Catherine’s, ON

Experiences with New Technology & Basics of Humidity Control

Marco de Groot

Kairos Flori Consult, NL

Sponsored by:

This Thing We Call Horticulture, Through One Man’s Eyes

Allan M. Armitage Athens, GA

Advanced Professional Selling Skills

Tom Shay

Profits Plus Solutions, St. Petersburg, FL

Sponsored by:

Non-Chemical Control of Downy Mildew on Basil Lloyd Traven Peace Tree Farms, Kintnersville, PA

Canadian Greenhouse Organics – Why the Regulations?

Norm Hansen

Erieview Acres Inc., Kingsville, ON

Creating Sustainable Pest Control in Organic Crops

Mike Short Eco Habitat Agri Services, Grimsby, ON

Sponsored by:

A panel of pest management experts discuss the latest approaches to IPM in cannabis production.

Suzanne Wainwright Buglady Consulting

Judy Colley Plant Products

Kevin Cullum Koppert

Sponsored by:

Investigating Nutrient & Trace Element Dynamics in Greenhouse Water Retention Ponds

Christopher Weisener

University of Windsor, ON

Industry Pesticide Stewardship Standard

Russel Hurst CropLife Canada

Ontario’s Growing Indoor Agriculture Sector & Impacts on the Electricity Grid. Vicki Gagnon & Tom Agaard Independent Electricity System Operator

Sponsored by:

PRE-REGISTER ONLINE

by September 28th and SAVE time & money.

$85 – Wed. & Thurs. – Speaker program and trade show

$65 – Single Day (Wed. OR Thurs.) –Speaker program and trade show

$25 – Wed. OR Thurs. – Trade show ONLY

REGISTER AT THE DOOR*

$125 – Wed. & Thurs. – Speaker program and trade show

$95 – Single Day (Wed. OR Thurs.) –Speaker program and trade show

$35 – Single Day – Trade show ONLY

$30 – Students (with ID) –Speaker program and trade show

*Pricing includes HST

CONFERENCE BUS TOUR

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8

Hosted by OMAFRA specialists, the CGC bus tour o ers a unique opportunity to tour some of Essex County’s leading greenhouse operations. Valuable insight combined with good fun.

Visit our website for more information.

$325 + hst pp (Includes hotel stay)

$175 + hst pp (Local option)

Advance purchase only

Niagara bus leaves from the Marriott-on-the-Falls hotel 2 pm, Monday, October 7. Pre-registration is required. Tour sells out. Don’t delay, register today!

CGC 2019 EXHIBITORS

2G Energy

2 Grow / URC

360 Energy

AAB International

Abell Pest Control

AB Energy Canada Ltd.

Advanced Motion & Controls

Ag Energy Co-operative Ltd.

AgroLux Lighting Inc.

Agrozone International Inc.

A&L Canada Labs

ALink Computer Solutions Inc.

Allstate Garden Supply

Altisol Isolatie BV

A.M.A. Hydroponics

A.M.A. Horticulture

Anatis Bioprotection

Anderson Injectors

Aquamatsystem

Aquatrols

Argus Control Systems Ltd.

Armtec

A-ROO Company

ASB Greenworld Ltd.

Axis Vegetable Seeds

Ball Horticultural Co.

Bamboo Supply Co.

Barbados Liaison Service

BASF | Nunhems

Bayer

Beaver Plastics

Beekenkamp Plants BV

Beijing Sangreen

Belchim Crop Protection

Bellpark Horticulture (Visser NA)

Bellwyck Horticolor

Ben Berg Farm & Industrial Equip.

Beneficial Insectary

Berger

Berkvens Greenhouse Mobility

Biobest Canada Ltd.

BioSafe Systems

BioWorks Inc.

BlueLab Corporation Ltd.

Bradford Greenhouses

Braingrid

Cancoil Thermal Corp

Cee Green

Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Coir Canada

Colonial Florists Ltd.

Concept Plastics

CP Industries Ltd.

Crown Lift Trucks

Cumberland Energy Authority

Damatex Control Systems Inc.

DeCloet Greenhouse Mftg. Ltd

Deco Wraps

DeRuiter Seeds

Dool International BV

Dramm Corporation

Dubois Agrinovation Inc.

Dümmen Orange

Durward Jones Barkwell & Co.

Dutch Lighting Innovations

East Jordan Plastics Inc.

Echohive Inc.

Elm USA

Enbridge Gas Distribution

Enertec Engineering

Environmental Monitoring Systems

Enza Zaden Canada Inc.

ErfGoed

ET Grow

Express Seed Company

EZ Grow Farms

Farm Credit Canada

Finder Components

FloPak

Floremara

Flowers Canada Growers

Flowers Canada (Ontario)

Fluence by Osram

ForemostCo Inc.

FormFlex Canada Inc.

C. Frensch Ltd.

Gabcor Inc.

George de Groot Laser Grading

Georgia-Pacific Corrugated

GGS Structures Inc.

Global Horticultural Inc.

Grant Thornton LLP

Greenhouse Canada Magazine

Greenex

Greenstar Plant Products

Gro-Bark (Ontario) Ltd.

Grodan Inc.

GrowLiv Ltd.

GrowZorb Technologies Inc.

Grundfos

Gryphon Automation

Hamill Agriculture Processing Sol’ns

Harnois Greenhouses

Havecon North America Inc.

Hawthorne Gardening Group (Scotts)

Heliospectra AB

Hempsense Inc.

HerkuPlast Intl.

HG (Heartnut Grove Inc.)

Hillverda Florist

HJS Wholesale Ltd.

Hoogendoorn America Inc.

Hort Americas

Horta-Craft Limited

Hortidaily

Hort Protect Insurance

Hortus Supplies

Hoskin Scientific

Houweling-Dutch Plantin

Hub International Ontario Limited

Huplaso

Hydrofarm Commercial Sol’ns

HydroGardens Ltd.

Illumitex Inc.

INNIO Jenbacher

Iron Earth

Javo U.S.A. Inc.

J.H. Hydroponic Systems

Ji y Products of America

Jolly Farmer Products Inc.

JV Energy Solutions Inc.

JVK

Kams Growers Supply Inc.

Keepsake Plants

KOAT BV

KoenPack Canada Inc.

K-Motion

Kooljet

Koppert Canada Limited

Lambert Peat Moss Inc.

LI-COR Biosciences

Lock Drives Inc.

Looije Agro Technics

LumiGrow

Mabre Canada

Machinerie S.B. Inc.

MAD Greenhouse Products

Mardenkro North America

Marsh Canada

Martin Energy Group Services LLC

Master Plant-Prod Inc. (MPPI)

Maximum H20

Megaphoton Inc.

Messersmith Manufacturing Inc.

Meteor Horticultural Systems

Micro Grow Grshe Systems

Millenniumsoils Coir

MineARC Systems

M-J Tech

Moleaer

Mycorrhizal Applications

Natural Insect Control

Neudor NA

Niagara College - Ghs. Tech. Program

Niagara Conveyor Systems

Niagrow Systems Inc.

N.M. Bartlett Inc. | Provide Agro

North Creek Nurseries

Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Ontario Flower Growers

Ont Min. of Ag, Food & Rural A airs

Ont Soil Crop Improvement Assoc.

Oreon

Organics 4 Greens

Pace Chemicals

Paridon Horticultural

Paul Boers Ltd. | Prins Greenhouses

PB Tec

Perlite Canada

Plantlogic LLC

Plantech Control Systems Inc.

Plant Products Inc.

PLS Insoles Inc.

Pottery Extravaganza (Canada) Inc.

Premier Tech Horticulture

Priva North America

Proax Technologies

Profile Products

Prominent Fluid Controls Inc.

P.V.P. Industries

Quick Plug Canada

RBC

Realty Executives On The Bay Inc.

Reliable Controls

Riceland Foods Inc.

Ridder

Ridgeview Landscape Products

M. K. Rittenhouse

R Z H Canada Ltd.

Saint-Gobain Cultilene

SGS Agri-Food Laboratories

Signify

Silamol

Sinclair Systems International

Sobkowich Greenhouses Ltd

Sodrox Chemicals Ltd.

Soliculture

South Essex Fabricating

SPD Sales Ltd.

Spectrim Label & Equipment

Stokes Seeds Ltd.

Succulents Unlimited

Sun Gro Horticulture

Sun Parlour Grower Supply

Sustane Natural Fertilizer

Ludvig Svensson Inc.

Syngenta Flowers

Taks Handling Systems B.V.

TD Canada Trust

Terrafibre (Biocomposites Group)

Teris

The Growcer

The Grower / OVFGA

The HC Companies Canada

Theriault & Hachey Peat Moss Ltd.

Therm-O-Rock East Inc.

Triple Green Products

Thrive Agritech

T.O. Plastics

University of Guelph Ag & Food Lab

University of Guelph, Employer Serv

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Vineland Research Centre

Verhoef Electric Inc.

VRE Systems

Vulcan

Weishaupt Corporation

Wellmaster Carts

Westbrook Systems Ltd.

Westland Ghs. Equip. / Supplies Inc.

Whittemore Co.

Willowbrook Nurseries

Workplace Safety & Prevention

Wouda Horticultural

Zwart Systems

2019 CGC SPEAKER BIOS

The 2019 speaker program brings an impressive list of guest speakers, covering issues that apply to a wide range of crops under cover.

By Glenna Cairnie Marketing and Events Coordinator, Canadian Greenhouse Conference

ALLAN ARMITAGE

Professor of Horticulture, University of Georgia

Emeritus Professor of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Dr. A. Armitage is a wellknown speaker, author and researcher in the horticultural community. He holds degrees from McGill University, University of Guelph, and Michigan State University. A popular contributor to Greenhouse Grower magazine he has never repeated a column in 30 years. He has been honoured with countless awards and his two latest books “It’s Not Just About The Hat” (2015) and “Of Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots” (2017) have been unanimously praised and have become best sellers in the horticulture market.

ERIC BOOT

BVB Substrates, NL

Eric was one of the driving forces behind the development of substrate growing systems for strawberries in the 1980s. After graduating in 1990 as a horticultural engineer he began working on a large berry farm in Switzerland where he was responsible for the introduction of high tech soft fruit growing systems; he then moved to BVB Substrates. Eric is the initiator and one of the leading organisers of the Dutch Strawberry Day and the International Soft Fruit Conference that is held in the Netherlands each year in January. He now runs his own business, Lemon & Fraise BV although his core business still is the guidance of BVB Substrates customers. His international experience enables him to design the best production strategies for every situation. Because of his experience as a grower, he is always looking for practical solutions, taking into account the possibilities and limitations of local circumstances.

MICHAEL BROWNBRIDGE

Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, ON Dr. Michael Brownbridge received his Ph.D. from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK and has worked in biological control for over 25 years. His work has taken

him to positions in Israel, Kenya, the USA and New Zealand prior to joining Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Canada as Research Director of Horticultural Production Systems in July 2009.

He still has a passion for biological control and the use of natural enemies in commercial production systems, and is fortunate to lead a diverse research team and an industry-focused portfolio of projects on integrated crop management systems in greenhouse, field, nursery and landscape crops.

BRUCE BUGBEE

Utah State University

Bruce Bugbee is a Professor at Utah State University where he teaches graduate courses in plant nutrition, plant physiology, and environmental instrumentation. He is well-known for his work with NASA to determine potential crop yield and is currently funded by NASA to study food production on Mars. In 2011 he was awarded the Governors Medal for Science from the State of Utah. Three years ago he summarized everything he knows in a 15-minute TEDx talk titled, “Turning Water into Food.” He founded Apogee Instruments in 1996 and ran the company out of his garage for the next eight years. Apogee now employees 32 people.

ROSE BUITENHUIS

Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, ON Dr. Rose Buitenhuis is Research Scientist Biological Control at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre since 2010. She is responsible for the development and implementation of biological control technologies for management of arthropod pests, supporting sustainable crop management practices for ornamental and production horticulture. Rose received her MSc in Biology at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands in 1997, and her PhD in Entomology at Laval University, Québec in 2003. She worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Harrow (2004-2007) and at the University of Guelph (2007-2009) on biological and

cultural control of western flower thrips in greenhouse flower crops. Current projects in greenhouse ornamentals and vegetables address the whole spectrum of IPM—from plant resistance, environmental factors and biological control strategies—and how to integrate pest management strategies in the production system.

JUDY COLLEY

Plant Products, ON Judy discovered biologicals in the early 80’s and was hooked. This curiosity fueled her career as she worked for the Niagara Parks Commission for 20 years in the Floral Show Houses and Butterfly Conservatory. Judy has been an instructor at Niagara College and Niagara Parks School of Horticulture for 15 years. Since 2011, she has been an IPM Specialist with Plant Products.

KEVIN CULLUM

Koppert Biological Systems

Kevin Cullum is the Canadian Technical Manager for Koppert Biological Systems (www.koppert.ca), a global leader in biological control of pests and diseases. Kevin’s 31 years in the Canadian greenhouse industry spans multiple grower and consultation roles in cannabis, greenhouse vegetable and ornamental crops. First becoming involved in the cannabis industry in the 1990’s working with growers supplying Canada’s first Compassion Club’s, Kevin went on to work as a Cultivation Writer for Cannabis Culture magazine into the early 2000’s. For the past 13 years, he has lead Koppert’s team of Technical Consultants providing biological control solutions to cannabis, vegetable and flower producers throughout Canada.

CHEVONNE DAYBOLL

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, Vineland

Dr. Chevonne Dayboll is the Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural A airs (OMAFRA). Chevonne works to connect growers with up-to-date information on floriculture

crop production, nutrition and related issues. She is involved in a wide variety of collaborative research and demonstration projects across the greenhouse sector.

MARCO DE GROOT

Kairos Flori Consult, NL

Since 1989, Marco de Groot has been an independent crop consultant for cut flowers specializing in Gerbera, Alstroemeria and seed grown crops like Lisianthus, Matthiola and Snaps. He has travelled extensively for his work and has experience in di erent climate zones such as (Western and Eastern) Europe, Mediterranean countries, Japan, California and Canada. De Groot has been part of Next Generation Growing (NGG) development in collaboration with Wageningen University and growers.

ALICE D’ENTREMONT

Ouest-Ville Perennials, NS

An alumnus of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College from the Landscape Horticulture program, Alice is a plant geek and passionate about growing and collecting beauties and unusual perennials. She owns and operates a small retail garden center in South West Nova Scotia and always strives to educate, explore and discover new ways of sharing the wonderful world of gardening. Alice serves on the board of directors for the Nova Scotia Greenhouse Growers Association and the Yarmouth Co. Federation of Agriculture, but also finds time to enjoy the seaside in her kayak.

RYAN DICKSON

University of Arkansas

Dr. Ryan Dickson earned his PhD in Horticulture at the University of Florida specializing in pH and nutrient management for floriculture and edible greenhouse crops. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Greenhouse and Controlled-Environment Agriculture at the University of Arkansas and previously was an Extension Professor of Floriculture at the University of New Hampshire. Prior to working in academia, Dr. Dickson was a commercial grower and head propagator for a Top 100 Greenhouse Operation in the United States. Dr. Dickson’s research focuses on nutrient and pH management, growing substrates, irrigation water quality, and new crop development for hydroponics and soilless culture. New program areas include soilless production of novel fruiting crops and industrial hemp. He also teaches Greenhouse Management and Hydroponic Soilless Food Crop Production each fall and spring to university students and to

industry professionals online. Dr. Dickson enjoys working with both academics and industry professionals, please don’t hesitate to email if you have questions (ryand@uark.edu).

QUADE DIGWEED

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow, ON Quade Digweed is an engineering intern (EIT) working with the greenhouse research team at the Harrow Research and Development Center focused on greenhouse energy e ciency, climate control, year-round vegetable production, and vertical farming. Areas of research currently include remote and northern food production facilities, wireless sensor arrays, energy modelling, spectroradiometry, and thermal imaging. His current projects are focused on the development of new sensors to aid in the detection of internal fruit rot of peppers, mapping the greenhouse microclimate in three dimensions using an Arduino sensor network, and the development of a northern plant production system, in collaboration with the National Research Council, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Arctic Research Foundation.

MARSHALL DIRKS

Proven Winners

As director of marketing and public relations, Dirks combines his 25+ years of horticultural experience and marketing skills to create awareness of the Proven Winners brand, including developing and maintaining a consistent, recognizable image for Proven Winners. Marshall manages Proven Winners’ consumer advertising, trade collateral and marketing materials, the consumer and industry websites in addition to social media platforms, and Proven Winners’ national public relations e orts.

Prior to joining Proven Winners in February 2000, Dirks worked as a product manager for 7 years at Ball Seed Company where he was responsible for handling multiple lines of vegetative product, including Proven Winners. He gained hands-on nursery experience by working as a greenhouse/nursery assistant while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in management from Northern Illinois University.

Marshall is well-known throughout the floriculture industry as an expert on “trends.” In his role at Proven Winners, he is constantly watching trends in his e orts to solve problems for and keep focus on the consumer.

MITCHELL EICHER-SODO

Wilfred Laurier University, ON

Mitchell Eicher-Sodo is a former graduate student at Wilfred Laurier University who studied the e ects of hydrogen peroxide on the growth of greenhouse vegetable crops. After completing an undergraduate degree in biology, Mitchell worked for OMAFRA researching western flower thrips and at a vegetable greenhouse growing organic microgreens. Furthering his education with an MSc has allowed him to pursue a passion in food production and research methods to improve irrigation water quality. In his spare time, Mitchell enjoys camping, fishing and all things outdoors.

JAMES FAUST

Clemson University, SC

Jim Faust is an Associate Professor at Clemson University in South Carolina. His research focuses on solving production-related problems for commercial growers. He has been doing research on plant responses to light, specifically daily light integrals (DLI), for three decades and helped to develop the instrumentation used to measure DLI which has allowed this concept to be widely accepted by horticulturists across North America.

VICKI GAGNON

Independent Electricity System Operator, ON Vicki Gagnon is the Business Advisor for the Public Sector at the Independent Electricity System Operator. She has been with the IESO for 14 years. She works with sector-based organizations and Energy Managers across the province to help customers actively manage their energy, enhance the energy e ciency of their facilities and facilitate participation in Save on Energy programs.

Vicki is a Director on the Board of Clean Air Partners, Fostering Sustainable Cities in Ontario, and Our Energy Guelph.

DAVID GADOURY

Cornell University, NY

David M. Gadoury is a plant pathologist at Cornell University’s agricultural experiment station in Geneva, NY: Cornell AgriTech. He is an epidemiologist with over 34 years of experience in managing diseases of grapes, strawberries and apples. He is a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society and leads a multi-institutional and international collaboration on Light and Plant Health (www.LightAndPlantHealth.org).

ALBERT GRIMM

Jeffery’s Greenhouses, ON

Albert Grimm has spent his career growing plants and managing greenhouse production with a large variety of floriculture and vegetable crops. He is very passionate about promoting plant science and professional horticulture. In his spare time, he enjoys teaching the next generation of growers and leaders in the local greenhouse industry. Albert is working as head grower for Je ery’s Greenhouses in St Catharines.

XIUMING HAO

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow, ON

Dr. Xiuming Hao is a senior research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Harrow Research and Development Centre in Harrow, Ontario. He holds a PhD in plant physiology from the University of Guelph and an MSc in computer control systems from Wayne State University. Dr. Hao has been involved in greenhouse research at the research centre since 1995. The focus of his research program is on greenhouse environmental physiology and energy conservation. In the last 17 years, he has conducted numerous projects on greenhouse crop management, climate control, and energy conservation, including highwire cucumber production systems, new greenhouse insulation technology, heat placement in greenhouse vegetable production on raised-troughs, and dynamic temperature, CO2, humidity and fertigation control strategies, and new greenhouse cover materials. Dr. Hao has led the AAFC national research project on dynamic plant-based environment control to improve energy use e ciency in greenhouse vegetable production. He has conducted extensive research and is leading the national AAFC lighting projects on greenhouse vegetables to improve light and energy use e ciencies in year-round greenhouse vegetable production with the use of high-pressure sodium lamps, LEDs and other new light sources.

NORM HANSEN

Erieview Acres Inc.

Norm Hansen is a cum laude graduate of Ohio State University, and a graduate of the University of Windsor. He has spent his years since graduating teaching, growing cut flowers, and most recently, growing organic greenhouse vegetables. He is the Director of Research and Development for Erieview Acres and likes to pontificate about the

benefits of organics. Erieview Acres is the premier Leamington area grower of certified organic greenhouse vegetables; currently growing in 19 acres of greenhouses at 3 locations. Erieview Acres has collaborated with the Harrow Research Centre, the Vineland Research Center, the University of Guelph, and the University of Windsor on various research projects and is passionate about growing organic vegetables.

BRIAN HENDEL

Splice Digital Inc., ON Brian is a 14-year veteran of architecting and executing large digital projects for companies like Atari, Puma, Western Digital and Philips and has formal education in Information Technology and Computer Science from both University of Windsor (honors) and St. Clair College (Dean’s list). He is currently engaged in architecting artificial intelligent solutions, providing value through the practical application of AI in medium to large businesses.

VICKI HILBORN

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, Guelph

Vicki Hilborn is a Professional Engineer working as the Engineering Program Coordinator for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural A airs (OMAFRA). Her role involves leading the 30 engineers and environmental specialists within OMAFRA’s Innovation, Engineering and Program Delivery unit who are located across Ontario. She also coordinates OMAFRA programs addressing nuisance concerns related to farming, farm equipment safety, reducing the risk of barn fires, updates to the farm building code and reducing the impact of agriculture on the Great Lakes. Previously, Vicki was the North American Microbiology Manager for PlanET Biogas Solution, who constructs and supports farm-scale anaerobic digesters. She graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Applied Science from the University of Guelph.

RUSSEL HURST

CropLife Canada

Russel Hurst is Vice President, Sustainability & Stewardship with CropLife Canada, the national trade association representing the plant science industry whose members develop, manufacture and distribute crop protection and plant biotechnology products. His

main responsibilities include providing strategic direction and management of the industry’s suite of national stewardship initiatives ranging from product discovery through safe use to ultimate disposal, as well as joint appoints as Executive Director of the Agrichemical Warehousing Standards Association and CleanFARMS the industry’s stewardship organization where he is responsible for overseeing waste management and disposal operations.

Russel was raised on a beef and cash crop farm in southwestern Ontario where it still remains active in the family business. He holds an MBA in agriculture business as well as a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Guelph and a MSc in Crop Science from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining CropLife Canada, he has worked in several progressing roles in agronomy, grain sales and management with several farmer owned ag-retail co-operatives in both Canada and the United States.

BRIAN JACKSON

North Carolina State University

Dr. Brian E. Jackson is an Associate Professor and Director of the Horticultural Substrates Laboratory at NC State University. Brian has studied and researched horticultural substrates (professional and retail/ consumer products) since 2003 with a primary emphasis on the engineering, development and utilization of woodbased materials in potting soils.

PHIL JOHNSON

Grodan Group

Phil Johnson has a BSc Honours Degree in Horticulture from the UK, where he specialised in greenhouse crop production. Phil worked as a tomato grower for Humber VHB for 7 years before joining Grodan in 2003. In his time at Grodan, Phil has provided technical advice to growers in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and across North America and spoken at industry conferences on several occasions. Phil is currently the Business Support Manager for Grodan in North America, responsible for coordinating crop technical advice for Grodan customers across all crops.

MICHELLE JONES

Ohio State University

Dr. Michelle Jones studied Agricultural Biochemistry at Iowa State University for her BSc and received her PhD in Horticulture with an emphasis in molecular physiology from Purdue University in 1997. She was on the faculty at Colorado State

University and moved to Ohio State University in 2001. She is currently a Professor in the Horticulture and Crop Science Department and serves as the D.C. Kiplinger Endowed Floriculture Chair. She works with the Greenhouse Industry as a Floriculture Extension Specialist and conducts research in Horticultural Crop improvement. Her current research focuses on the use of beneficial bacteria to improve biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in floriculture crops.

JIM KENNEDY

Ball Seed Company

Jim is focused on growers’ success. He works with the Ball Seed national sales team to build impactful programs utilizing seed, cuttings, plugs, and liners from world class suppliers from around the world. Jim grew up in a family greenhouse business in New York State and has experience working with many aspects of the horticultural supply chain.

YUN KONG

University of Guelph

Dr. Yun Kong is a postdoctoral research associate working in Dr. Youbin Zheng’s lab at the University of Guelph. He has many years’ experience in horticulture, especially in greenhouse production. His research interests include environmental physiology of greenhouse plants and greenhouse environment adjustment technologies. In the past decade, he has focused his research on the interaction between light environment and horticultural plant.

ROSELYNE LABBÉ

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow, ON Dr. Roselyne Labbé is a Research Scientist in greenhouse entomology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Harrow Research and Development Centre, where she leads a grower-driven research program aimed at improving the value and sustainability of Canadian greenhouse pest management. Recent and current work in her lab includes exploring the use of supplemental foods for enhancing and prolonging biocontrol agent establishment, optimizing the greenhouse light environment and identifying and developing new biocontrol agents for the suppression of existing and emerging greenhouse crop pests in Canada.

JASON LANOUE

University of Guelph/ Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Jason Lanoue is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Guelph

in the department of Plant Agriculture. Jason also completed both his master’s degree and undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph. Jason’s research focuses on the primary CO2 and H2O gas exchanges of tomato plants when exposed to wavelength specific lighting. Specifically, he is interested in the process of photo-assimilate translocation from a source leaf to sink tissue. Jason’s current interests are focused around the physiological and genetic e ects of wavelength specific lighting on the carbon export pathway within tomatoes. This research has implications in the manufacturing of lighting fixtures to optimize greenhouse tomato production. Jason is also part of the research a liate program with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) where he works closely with Dr. Xiuming Hao. At AAFC, Jason’s primary focus is investigating the potential of continuous lighting and the interaction with spectral quality as a strategy for tomato production.

ANDREW LEE

Grodan Group

Andy joined Grodan in 2000 as a crop consultant and became Technical Manager in 2014. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and grower events. He has published numerous research reports as well crop technical articles, which have appeared in horticultural trade magazines throughout the world. Andy’s unique position allows him to stay close to leading-edge developments in Europe. In 2009 Andy founded and still chairs the “Green Expert Platform” – a knowledge exchange forum for internationally recognized greenhouse crop consultants and industry specialists. Since 2017 Andy has been helping Grodan shape its vision for data driven Precision Growing.

KIRSTEN LEISS

Wageningen University & Research, Business Unit

Horticuture

Kirsten holds degrees from the University of Bonn, Germany, Imperial College London, UK, University of Fribourg, Switzerland and University of Leiden, the Netherlands, from where she was Head of Applied Research on herbivore resistance. She has developed and implemented research strategies on host-plant resistance with a focus on the investigation of secondary metabolites in vegetables, ornamentals and wild plants. Currently, Kirsten is working as a senior researcher in plant health focusing on plant resilience, the natural ability of plants to defend themselves. She is looking at the mechanisms of

plant resilience and how these can be implemented into agricultural practices to increase plant defense of susceptible vegetables and ornamentals. Next to plant resilience the use of UV-C for control of biotrophic fungi such as powdery mildew is another important subject of her research.

GENEVIÈVE MARCHAND

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow, ON Following a B.Sc. in Agronomy, specialized in Plant Science (2002), Geneviève obtained a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Université Laval in 2008, working on the genetic control of the mode of action of biocontrol agent Pseudozyma flocculosa in the lab of Dr. Richard Bélanger. This microbial biocontrol agent targeted powdery mildew on greenhouse crops. During her post-doctoral fellowship at Health Canada in 2012-2013, she contributed to the development of a microfluidic detection system for food-borne pathogens. Geneviève has been with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on a permanent basis since 2014, and has previously worked at the Pest Management Centre and the Ottawa Research and Development Centre. Since December 2016, she has been leading a research program on the pathology of greenhouse vegetables and other horticultural crops at the Harrow Research and Development Centre in Southwestern Ontario. Her research program focuses on methods for detection and control of plant pathogens, with a focus on integrated pest management (IPM).

MELISSA MOHER

University of Guelph, ON Melissa Moher is a MSc candidate working in Dr. Youbin Zheng’s lab at the University of Guelph. She is working to determine optimal lighting regimes for cannabis production in sole-source environments. Moher is passionate about contributing to cannabis research and is helping educate others by assisting with the development of an OpenEd cannabis production course at the University of Guelph.

MIKE MURGIANO

Syngenta

Flowers

Mike Murgiano is the Senior Product Manager and Global Lead Product Manager for the flower seed assortment at Syngenta Flowers, where he leads cross-functional teams focused on global product development and product marketing for the North American

market. In this capacity, he has been responsible for the launch of hundreds of new bedding plant varieties focused on improving grower e ciency and the retail and consumer gardening experience. He has over 30 years of experience in the global bedding and pot plant business, having worked in various roles in the Netherlands and North America, including Global Asset Manager, Product Manager, Marketing Communication Manager and Technical Representative. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science/Ornamental Horticulture from Cornell University where he also studied Agricultural Economics and Business Management/Marketing. He has also completed executive education programs in marketing and agribusiness at INSEAD – Fontainebleau, France and the Purdue University Center for Agricultural Business.

GRAEME MURPHY

bioLogical Control Solutions, Welland, ON Graeme completed his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and his Masters in Agricultural Science in Melbourne, Australia and worked for 8 years with the Victorian State Government in Australia, initially as an entomologist with the Department of Agriculture, and for 2 years as a Research Scientist with the Department of Natural Resources. In 1988, he moved to Canada and from then until the end of 2014, he worked as the Greenhouse Floriculture IPM Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

MAGDA PAWLOWSKA

Willowbrook Nurseries, ON Magda’s passion for flower power began when she started working at a local garden center while attending the University of Windsor back in the early 2000s. She credits Maria Pap (Flora Gardens) for providing her an unforgettable start to learning, appreciating and celebrating plants. Once finished her education, she began working for amazing growers who supported a career where she could combine her love of flower power and her sales skills to create success for both growers and end customers. “Plants make people happy—we are lucky to be part of this blooming industry.”

ANISSA POLEATEWICH

University of New Hampshire

Dr. Poleatewich is a plant pathologist at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Poleatewich joined

UNH in January of 2017 and previously worked as a Research Scientist at Vineland Research & Innovation Centre from 2011-2017. Dr. Poleatewich received an MS and PhD in Plant Pathology from Penn State University where she studied biological control strategies for managing weeds and diseases of tree fruit. Dr. Poleatewich’s current research focuses on the use of sanitation, beneficial microbes, and plant resistance to manage disease in several horticultural crops including greenhouse flowers, greenhouse vegetables, strawberries, quinoa, and tree fruit. Her research explores the interactions between microbial biopesticides, plants, and the environment to identify best practices for integrated pest management

AMILAH RASOOL

University of Guelph, ON Amilah Rasool is a Msc. Environmental Science Candidate from the Controlled Environment System Research Facility (CESRF) at the University of Guelph. After graduating from the Environmental Science program specializing in Environment and Resource Management at the University of Guelph, Amilah was accepted to begin graduate studies at the CESRF in 2018. Her lab is known for their Space and Advanced Life Support Agriculture (SALSA) program which looks at plant production for longterm life support in future Moon and Mars exploration missions. The program includes terrestrial forays into controlled environment agriculture (CEA), vertical farming, cannabis production optimization and LED lighting integration into plant production systems. Her research focuses on optimizing ornamental clonal propagation using targeted LED lighting spectra geared to improve root and shoot development for commercial greenhouse growers. She is also investigating the relationship between plant hormone auxin and its interaction with targeted spectrum LED lighting and the subsequent impact it has on adventitious root growth.

TOM SHAY

Profits Plus Solutions, FL

Tom Shay is a fourthgeneration small business owner and manager. He has authored twelve books on small business management and has been published extensively in national and international trade publications. Shay’s experiences provide him with the knowledge and background to present ideas to assist owners, managers and sta with daily operation of their business. He writes and speaks on proven and time-tested

ideas on the topics of customer loyalty, business management, marketing , strategy, employee development and financial control. Tom has earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) distinction, an honour that has been earned by fewer than 8 percent of speakers worldwide.

MICHAEL SHORT

Eco Habitat Agri Services, ON Mike founded Eco Habitat Agri Services over 20 years ago to provide sustainable pest management solutions for the greenhouse, nursery and organic crop sectors in Ontario. With an interest in the reduction of pesticide use, Mike has developed unique sustainable pest reduction techniques and programs that have helped his client base achieve cost e ective pest control while providing a healthy and safe environment to work in. Educated at the University of the Fraser Valley in Horticulture and Integrated Pest Management, Mike has served in numerous advisory roles and lent his expertise to various industry-led initiatives over the years. Translating current research findings into practical information for growers and drawing on field observations to inspire new research ideas, Mike has established himself as a leader in knowledge mobilization in the horticulture sector.

JAMES SULECKI

Meister Media Worldwide

Jim Sulecki , a 30-plusyear veteran of agricultural journalism, leads all content for Meister Media Worldwide’s 12 major brands across print, digital and event platforms. He also heads the company’s cross-market strategic initiative in the rapidly growing area of precision agriculture. As the executive content lead, he maximizes the company’s editorial strength while developing new sources of content to serve the agricultural market’s growing demand for quality, round-theclock intelligence. He earned his B.A. in English (Summa Cum Laude, University Honors) from Cleveland State University.

KENNETH TRAN

Microsoft Research, WA

Kenneth Tran is a Principal Research Engineer in the Reinforcement Learning Group, Microsoft Research. His research expertise and experience includes Reinforcement Learning, Deep Learning, Optimization, and Distributed Computing. At Microsoft, he led the research and development for strategic AI projects such as Deep Reinforcement Learning

for Real-World Problems, Computer Vision API for Cognitive Services and Autonomous Greenhouses. His team recently won the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge. It was the It was the only AI team that beat humans – in this case Dutch growers – with 17% higher net profit.

Kenneth received his Ph.D. in Computational & Applied Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin.

LLOYD TRAVEN

Peace Tree Farms, PA

Friends and fellow horticulturalists have called Lloyd a ‘mad scientist’ and ‘plant geek’ due to his passion for growing quality plants matched only by his commitment to using advanced technology combined with sustainable and organic growing techniques.

Lloyd graduated summa cum laude from Delaware Valley College of Science & Agriculture in 1979 and attended Cornell University Graduate School in floriculture and ornamental horticulture. In the 1980’s Lloyd worked in market research and special projects at Ball Seed Company developing Spark Plug, pelleted seed products and worked on the Genesis Seed project.

Lloyd and Candy purchased the Peace Tree Farm property in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1983. They have grown Peace Tree Farm from ‘the little greenhouses up on the hill’ to an established and respected operation among international horticulture. Lloyd is a technology guru and advocate for small growers, being among the first to successfully invest in sophisticated environmental control systems for their operation. He conducts seminars and makes presentations at growing industry conferences and conventions. As an author, Lloyd has contributed to GMPro Magazine, OFA Bulletin, Greenhouse Product News, Greenhouse Grower, and GrowerTalks. He is a member of the Council of Advisors for GMPro Magazine and Greenhouse Product News.

ED TREACY Produce Marketing Association,

DE

With more than 35 years of senior management experience in logistics and supply chain management, Treacy has spent the last 9 years as PMA’s expert in developing supply chain practices to lead the produce and floral industries forward. He is leading PMA’s e orts to inspire the industry to implement sustainable business practices.

A citizen of Canada, the U.S. and Ireland, Treacy has spent his career working with

major Canadian retail chains, including Loblaw Companies Ltd., Shoppers Drug Mart and Sobeys Inc., where he was the Senior Vice President of Logistics and Engineering.

Treacy monitors and forecasts trends related to supply chain e ciencies and sustainability, designs related products, services and educational events for PMA members. He serves as sta lead to the industry-wide Produce Traceability Initiative and leads all data and standards initiatives for PMA, is a board member of the International Federation for Produce Standards, a member of the coordinating council for the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC), a member of the Global Food Traceability Center Advisory Council and an advisor to the IBM Food Trust network.

Treacy has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Toronto, and Professional Engineer and Professional Logistician designations.

RON VALENTIN

BioWorks Inc., NY

Ronald Valentin was born in the heart of the greenhouse industry in the Netherlands. His family owned a greenhouse operation and his father started using biological control in 1971. At a very young age Ronald developed an interest for the “bugs” and as a teenager he was managing and producing the biological control agents for the family greenhouse operation. After finishing his education in crop protection management, biochemistry and vegetable production at State Secondary College of Agriculture in De Lier, the Netherlands, he embarked on a career in biological control in 1986. After working in biological control technical support in the Netherlands and several other European countries, he came to Canada for his first visit in 1996. After traveling to Canada once every 6 to 7 weeks in 1996 and 1997 he immigrated to Canada in December 1997. In March 2004 he became a Canadian Citizen. Over the years Ronald has worked with many growers to set up sustainable and e ective pest management programs with as a focus to use BCA’s as a first line of defense. He also has trained and managed technical support teams in Europe, Canada and the USA. Ronald is currently Director of Technical Business, BCA at BioWorks, out of Victor, NY. Ronald is very passionate about making an IPM and biological control approach work for each and every grower as well as reducing the use of pesticides for the better of the environment and the future.

SEAN VALK

PanAmerican Seed

Born into the ornamental greenhouse business, Sean was an integral part of his family’s wholesale greenhouse operation in Grimsby, Ontario. The business focused on the production of spring annuals and holiday potted plants from propagation to finished production and product from the farm was shipped across North America. After receiving his degree in Horticultural Science and Business from the University of Guelph in 1995, Sean came back to the family business where he served as Vice President until the operation was sold in 2005.  Sean then took his knowledge of plants and plant production to an agricultural chemical company where he worked as a technical sales representative across Canada for the next 5 years. In 2010, Sean joined one of the largest wholesale breeders of hybrid flower seed in the world, where he held various positions in Canada and the US ranging from Product Management, Sales and Marketing. Last year Sean joined PanAmerican Seed as their Global Sales Director responsible for the sales and distribution of PanAmerican’s leading seed genetics through distribution partners across the world.

MARC VAN GENNIP

Genson Quality Plants, NL Marc, together with his three brothers and two external shareholders, owns the Gensen Group, a top international supplier of soft fruit plants for the professional grower. He is responsible for the sales of berry plants as well as sourcing new markets, varieties and products.

STAN VANDER WAAL

Rainbow Greenhouses, BC

Stan is known for his direct and solutionsbased approach working collaboratively and progressively always believing there is a better way. He is the founder of Rainbow Greenhouses Inc. a 35-year-old family business. The company focuses on indoor/outdoor flowers for the mass market and employs up to 600 people at peak; 250 full time, 150 seasonal workers, and over 200 people work on the merchandising team. Stan has a diverse background in agriculture, which includes hogs and dairy, grains and forages while his core business remains in flowers. Stan is an active advocate for agriculture, serving on many boards, and also past chair of The United Flower Growers Cooperative as well as the current chair of the British Columbia Agriculture Council. He works

collaboratively with farm and business organizations, lobbying governments with initiatives to benefit agriculture. He uses his role to empower farmers to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture while communicating with the public and with government to raise the profile of balanced sustainable agriculture. On a personal level, Stan grew up as the oldest in a farm family of 10 where he was taught responsibility, integrity and performance. He holds to the Christian values under which he grew up and acknowledges God’s providence and direction in all things. Stan and his wife Wilma have been blessed with 5 children and now 6 grandchildren.

LAUREN VANDERLINGEN

University of Guelph/ Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Lauren started her academic career in 2014 at the University of Guelph, with specializations in Ecology and International Development. Most recently, Lauren graduated from the Ecosystem Management Technology program at Sir Sandford Fleming College (2019). Lauren has practical experience working as a labourer in a greenhouse nursery, as well as government experience as a Student Inspector at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Lauren gained valuable research experience in 2018-19, working as a greenhouse research assistant for the University of Guelph and OMAFRA. She was colead on a project examining pollinator preference and abundance on native vs. non-native plants, the findings of which were published in Greenhouse Canada magazine. Lauren hopes to use a combination of her past education and experience with her passion for the environment, plants, and people to create a happier, healthier future.

SUZANNE WAINWRIGHT-EVANS

Buglady Consulting, PA

Suzanne WainwrightEvans, a graduate of the University of Florida has been working in the horticulture industry for more than 28 years. She holds degrees in both Entomology and Environmental Horticulture. Her focus has been on biological control and using pesticides properly. She has worked throughout the United States and internationally consulting to greenhouses, nurseries, theme parks and gardens. She is the owner of Buglady Consulting, now in business for 18 years.

CHRISTOPHER WEISENER

University of Windsor, ON Dr. Christopher Weisener is a Professor at the University of Windsor, Ontario. He is an established multidisciplinary researcher at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) and is recognized for his contributions in the field of environmental geomicrobiology throughout the world. His research programs link multidisciplinary themes (i.e. microbiology, geochemistry and molecular ecology) within applied and fundamental research frameworks for habitat restoration. He specializes in developing cutting-edge science which correlates contaminant stress with microbial community function in both terrestrial and aquatic systems.  In particular, his group focuses on the, mobility, cycling, and bioavailability of nutrients (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorous) and toxic metals in soils/ aqueous sediments under fluctuating redox conditions. This information can be used to design sustainable solutions for waste and water management and ecosystem services.

JEANINE WEST

PhytoServ

Dr. Jeanine West, owner of consulting firm PhytoServ, is focused on supporting farmers in the horticulture sector. With expertise in limnology and plant physiology, and with practical field experience, Jeanine’s mandate is to work with farm owners to minimize their environmental impact in the areas of water and nutrient management as well as mitigating phytosanitary and invasive species’ risk. Jeanine is currently on contract with Landscape Ontario and Flowers Canada, providing direct farmer support and maintaining an active research program.

MELANIE YELTON

LumiGrow, CA

Dr. Yelton leads the horticultural lighting industry forward in discovering new ways to optimize crop production and elicit desirable plant characteristics through the use of LEDs. Dr. Yelton o ers her experience bringing horticultural best practices to large-scale commercial cannabis production, both for indoor and greenhouse applications. Melanie is one of the industry’s leading experts in using light spectrum to achieve precision in terpene and cannabinoid production and has used these advanced spectral strategies to improve consistency of new cannabis products.

Prior to joining LumiGrow, Melanie served as a research scientist and lecturer at Stanford University. Melanie completed her postdoctoral training at Stanford as a National Institutes of Health Fellow studying plant receptors and signaling. She earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California, Davis, where her work focused on plant pathogens. She holds an M.S. in the biochemistry of photosynthesis from the University of South Carolina, Columbia and a B.S. in biology from Virginia Tech. The recipient of numerous academic awards and accolades, Melanie holds a patent for her work involving filamentous fungus. Earlier in her career, she served as Director of Sequencing at the Stanford DNA Sequence and Technology Center, a division of the Human Genome Project.

BRENDON YEP

University of Guelph, ON Brandon Yep has 3 years of commercial cannabis production experience and is currently a Master of Science candidate at the University of Guelph studying the use of aquaponics (using fish waste as fertilizer) to cultivate cannabis plants. By working with Dr. Youbin Zheng and cannabis industry experts, Brandon aims to improve sustainable horticulture techniques, such as aquaponics, to help reduce the environmental impact of the cannabis industry. Brandon has recently published a peer-reviewed scientific paper on aquaponics and is both the course developer and instructor of the Cannabis Production course o ered through the University of Guelph’s Open Ed Program.

HOW SAFE IS YOUR pesticide program?

While chemical pesticides may be used on a less frequent basis, worker safety should still be an essential part to any greenhouse IPM program.

BY TJ GARCHA

The control of pests is essential for greenhouse growers. Most implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program, incorporating both biological and chemical pesticide use.

In truth, any product, biological or chemical, applied to a crop to control a pest is called a pesticide.

Using biological pesticides – the introduction of predatory insects (“good bugs”) to eliminate the pests (“bad bugs”) – reduces health and safety risks for greenhouse workers.

In the case of chemical pesticides, worker safety is a critical part of a greenhouse’s pest management program. Measures must be taken to address hazards and protect worker health and safety whenever and wherever a worker handles or works near chemical pesticides. This is crucial for enclosed environments like greenhouses, because there is less natural air circulation and ventilation which can result in increased and prolonged exposure.

There is a common perception that chemical pesticides only kill pests and do not harm humans. This is false. AgSafe works with growers to help them understand the real dangers and ensure that worker safety is part of their operating pest management program.

KNOW THE RISKS OF EXPOSURE

There are three main ways that a chemical, no matter how diluted, can enter the body – absorption through skin, inhalation or ingestion.

Many workers don’t think that they have to take precautions or wear protection until they begin spraying the mixture. In fact, the risk of exposure begins as soon as the container is opened and the mixing process begins. Chemical pesticides are at their most toxic when in concentrated form.

Personal care is extremely important when working with chemicals. Do not be complacent about washing hands and exposed skin after applying chemical pesticides, even if you are only taking a break. Always wash your hands before you eat or drink anything.

Transfer of chemicals from clothing is common. Keep the clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as Tyvek suits and gloves worn during application, separate from non-work clothes and clean immediately after use. Do not wear contaminated clothes home at the end of the day or you could risk exposing your family or others to the chemicals.

ABOVE

Pesticide re-entry signs indicate when workers can return to the workspace following chemical pesticide application.

FOLLOW THE HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS

Following the hierarchy of controls is always best. This system was established to minimize exposure to health hazards, where each step is listed in decreasing order of effectiveness. The process can be adapted to meet the needs of a specific situation:

1. Elimination, the first step in the hierarchy, is usually not a viable option when implementing an integrated pest management system.

2. Substituting the product can be an effective option. Check with your supplier to see if there is an alternative pesticide that is safer or if an option exists for biological control.

3. Engineering controls can support other control methods. For greenhouses, include sufficient ventilation during and after chemical pesticide application.

4. Administrative controls address when, where, and for how long the application will occur. You can restrict the duration of application, remove other workers from close proximity to spraying, and post safety data sheets (SDS) that identify the chemical, toxicological properties and

treatment measures. Enforcing pesticide re-entry intervals (REIs) helps determine when workers can return to the greenhouse after chemical pesticide applications, avoiding any exposure to residues left behind. No one may enter the environment until the required time has lapsed. Recommended REIs are on the container label and should appear on your SDS. Pesticides must not be kept in areas where food is prepared or stored. Store chemical pesticides in a secure, cool, dry, ventilated facility or shed far away from barns, houses, and other work areas.

5. PPE is the most commonly used control method – rubber gloves, respirators, chemical-resistant body protection such as Tyvek body suits, and eye protection. Greenhouse workers should familiarize themselves with SDS for specific safety precautions that address the hazards of pesticide absorption, inhalation and ingestion.

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST

Staying on top of the latest products, their uses and alternatives is important to maintaining an effective IPM program. Make a practice of the following:

• Always review container labels and follow mixing instructions for chemical pesticides, and never mix with expired product, other chemicals or agents to extend coverage.

• Research the safest and best pesticide for your purpose.

• Communicate with your local agricultural associations about product updates and suppliers. Associations are a good resource for the latest product research, such as the BC Greenhouse Growers’ Association.

• Utilize local safety resources like AgSafeBC.

• Utilize online regulatory resources – In B.C. you can contact WorkSafeBC.

TJ Garcha is the senior safety advisor at AgSafe, the health and safety association for agricultural employers in British Columbia. The role of AgSafe safety advisors and consultants is to provide workplace safety education and advice, helping achieve longterm safety goals.

CANADA

CLASSIFIED RATES: Minimum order $75.00 or 84¢ per word, word ads must be pre-paid. CLASSIFIED DISPLAYS: $72.00 per column inch, or $5.14 per agate line. GENERAL INFORMATION: Payment must accompany order. Copy required by the 1st of the month preceding publication. All advertising copy subject to the approval of the publisher. Send order and remittance to: Classified Dept., Greenhouse Canada, P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5

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08/1t/pd

Greenhouse Operations Manager

Become part of a growing team of experts. One of the largest vegetable producers in North America is looking for a fulltime operations manager for their modern hydroponic greenhouse facility near London, Ontario.

If you are a well-organized individual with great time management skills and the ability to multi task in a fluent environment you belong on our team.

Duties include: labour planning and management, interfacing with our grower and management team, operating our labour management software system and setup and deploying machinery and equipment. We are looking for a computer savvy strong team player and self starter.

We offer a fun team-based work environment, benefits and a very competitive compensation package.

GARY JONES | Gary.Jones@kpu.ca

Going back to basics

Much has been reported recently about the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), and not without good reason, given the wide range of host species (including greenhouse pepper and common weed species), ease of transmission (hands, tools, clothing, visitors, packaging and even bees and birds), serious effects on yield (up to 70 per cent in some reports1), and current lack of tomato cultivar resistance. Not forgetting how similar the symptoms appear to other (now common) tomato viruses such as pepino mosaic (PepMV), tobacco mosaic (TMV) and tomato mosaic (ToMV) and the problem that lab testing can give false positives for pepino.2 ToBRFV and these other viruses are all part of the same tobamovirus group after all. These can all remain stable outside of the host plant material, so another characteristic is the virus’ long-lasting persistence. And did we mention that it’s been found in many countries around the world: Israel, Jordan, Germany, Italy, Mexico, US (California)?

Enough of the review. What to do about it?

Once a pest or disease is established locally, management through containment is always the control strategy, but for a new problem that we don’t yet have, prevention is most definitely the order of the day. With some cases now confirmed in Canada,3 growers everywhere are being urged to ‘start clean, stay clean’, as the adage goes. Clean and disinfect like you’ve never done before. Use new everything, from reliable sources only. Don’t share. Close your doors. Be mindful of contract

Clean and disinfect like you’ve never done before.

workers who may be moving between different greenhouse businesses. You know, it seems that a ‘new’ virus like ToBRFV might provide the most robust ‘buy local’ trade policy that any politician could ever dream of. Remember, “once the virus is introduced in an area, potential control measures are very limited and rely mainly on elimination of infected plants and strict hygiene measures.”4

Moving ahead. As usual in such situations, seed companies will be accelerating their breeding efforts to provide cultivar resistance to ToBRFV. But that is not yet a reality, so in the meanwhile growers, packhouses and everyone who visits greenhouses need to do what they can in-house to reduce the risk. We all know that greenhouse horticulture is

very much a global industry. The nature of the beast is such that we’re in the frame for assisting the easy spread of insects, diseases, plants and even vertebrates, pretty much anywhere. When these become pests causing economic loss to producers, we often label them as ‘alien’ or ‘invasive’ species, and do our best to eradicate them. Quite rightly so, and many thanks are due to our diligent folks at provincial ministries of agriculture, CFIA and USDA for helping us in these battles. While it’s not of much comfort, if you ever have the misfortune to be subject to an eradication order of a notifiable pest, remember that you’re taking one for the greater good. And playing Devil’s Advocate for a moment, if you’re interested in an alternative view on invasive species and the bigger picture of another side of the biodiversity discussion, take a read of Ken Thompson’s book “Where Do Camels Belong?”5

It won’t help you in your daily battle against ToBRFV, but it will put the whole topic of introduced species in a bigger picture context. Occasionally for a treat, my wife and I will wander down to our favourite local coffee shop for a weekend breakfast. My ‘usual’ is their ‘BackTo-Basics’. Eggs on toast if you’re wondering, but with their most excellent fresh-baked sour cherry bread and eggs from local family farms. When it comes to pest management, sometimes it takes a sharp nudge from something like ToBRFV to prompt us all to keep our management practices in tip-top shape and grounded in the ‘Back-toBasics’.

1. Salem, N., et al. (2016) Archives of Virology 161:503-506; reported in Seminis Agronomic Spotlight (2019)

2. Ontario Greenhouse Growers newsletter.

3. Greenhouse Canada online, 2019

4. Ag. & Hort. Development Board, UK: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/ tomato-brown-rugose-fruit-virus

5. Thompson, Ken (2014) “Where do Camels Belong?” Greystone Books Ltd, Vancouver. pp. 262.

Gary Jones is co-chair of horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley, BC. He sits on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary. Jones@kpu.ca.

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The best of both worlds: inside and out

Westbrook Greenhouse Systems began when Bill Vermeer, a grower himself, couldn’t find the product he wanted on the market — so he made his own.

We still operate under that mindset today. Your growing needs are unique. It’s our job to work with you to nd what suits you best.

We understand every part of this business, from commercial growers to nurseries to retail outlets, and we begin by listening.

We want to hear about your ideal growing environment. Give us a call at 1-855-945-0806 or visit us online at westbrooksystems.com.