GH - September 2021 by annexbusinessmedia

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September 2021 Vol.41, Issue 8

Researchers test out bee-vectored Beauveria bassiana in greenhouse strawberries. | 12

Diversity and inclusion

Research updates on

Top picks for 2021/2022

Going clean and green

Managing pests in public

New realities: Are they here to stay?

Are you tired of hearing about COVID yet, or is it slowly becoming the norm, much like the seasonal ﬂu?

As I put the ﬁnishing touches on this issue, mainstream media reports that we’re in the midst of a fourth wave. But having visited the Sawaya Garden Trials at their new location in Waterford, Ont. in July, and spoken with Michiel Verheul and Debbie Foisy on the annual New Blooms and New Blooms road show in Alberta and Saskatchewan, I’m cautiously hopeful for the near future. It’s nice to catch up and see some friendly faces among ﬂoriferous blooms.

“It was so much fun,” says Foisy, owner of Deb’s Greenhouse. “Last year, everyone was more reserved because of COVID, but this year it felt normal again. It was great.”

“Some came from far away. A three- to four-hour drive to get to this event was not unusual,” adds Verheul.

Readers can expect more coverage on these two events over the next few months, in print and online at greenhousecanada.com.

needed rain, about three-quarters of an inch on Monday, which is a nice respite, but another heat wave is looming for the weekend [and] into next week.” In other words, some of the new annual highlights in this issue are really tough.

For the New Blooms shows, some of the plant material simply did not survive the heat. “They cooked,” says Verheul. Particularly some of the begonias.

To keep greenhouse workers safe amid the rising heat, AgSafe BC provided us with some key pointers, including the use of ventilation, shade cloths, and fans and misting where possible. What’s good for your plant will likely be good for people.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to this year’s Canadian Greenhouse Conference running Oct 6-7 (see show preview on pages 35-47). Show organizers have really embraced the virtual platform, expanding the speakers’ program to up to ﬁve concurrent sessions. No more running over to the next hall or standing awkwardly at the

“Everyone’s exhausted after a busy spring but are feeling good...”

While speaking with Duayne Friesen of Ball Seed in early August, he says, “I’ve been out on the road a lot talking to customers about this year and for next year. Everyone’s exhausted after a busy spring but all are feeling good about the industry and its growth.” Another good sign for the sector.

What hasn’t been so great is the weather in Western Canada. It’s been hotter and drier in than ever before with temperatures hitting over 40 degrees Celsius in some parts. Friesen’s neck of the woods saw consistent stretches of 33 to 35 degrees Celsius. “We got some much

door. Many of this issue’s features tie into the show’s program – either by chance or on purpose. Have a look and be sure to have questions ready for the speaker when the time comes.

If you’re on the West coast and looking for some human interaction, CanWest has rebranded. Now known as Grow West Coast, their show will be running Sept 15-16 and held outdoors along with workshops and educational sessions.

For those growing fall mums in Ontario, organizer Melhem Sawaya will be holding an open house Sept.15 speciﬁcally for this crop.

Westmoreland/Topline Farms has announced a 25-acre expansion at their Flavor Fresh Farms greenhouse in Leamington, Ont.

Flavor Fresh began production in June this year, using their 25-acre facility built in phase 1. They will transition into the second phase of their expansion plan out of a total of four phases.

The new build will give the company 50 acres to work with, with plenty of room for future growth.

Nature Fresh Farms has joined the University of Windsor in a $160k project to determine the impact of long-haul electric vehicles on Ontario’s electric grid. They will create an archetypal routing network by determining the most frequently traveled routes, then overlay the electric grid to help determine how it will perform when managing a ﬂeet of electric trucks.

“We were given the

opportunity to work closely on this project and offer our operations as a case study to see how we can ﬁnd feasible alternatives, not only for Nature Fresh Farms or even for companies in agriculture, but for every industry that relies on the transportation of their goods,” says Peter Quiring, owner of Nature Fresh Farms.

The battery-operated trucks will look, haul, and perform similarly

Westmoreland/Topline Farms focuses on providing locally grown produce to retailers throughout the winter months. The new greenhouse will include supplemental lighting, using high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps for production 365 days of the year. For the ﬁrst year, Flavor Fresh will produce Long English Cucumbers, with plans to add several varieties of tomatoes in the future.

Source: Westmoreland

BFG Supply has acquired Canadian greenhouse manufacturer DeCloet Greenhouse Manufacturing Ltd. Headquartered in Burton, Ohio, greenhouse supplier BFG was founded in 1972. BFG distributes a range of products across the green industry segments including professional horticulture, lawn & garden, hydroponic, and controlled environment agriculture.

DeCloet, headquartered in Simcoe, Ont., was founded in 1986 and has served customers for close to 35 years. The company ships greenhouse structures to customers throughout the United States and Canada.

According to BFG, DeCloet will continue to operate under its own brand. Existing customers will be able to access BFG products.

Source: BFG Supply

to diesel trucks but with zero emissions. Drawing power from the electric grid, the trucks would not only be able to sustainably deliver goods but also allow the transfer of electrons back to the grid at strategic locations and times.

The project is spearheaded by Dr. Rupp Carriveau, director of the Environmental Energy Institute, and his associate Dr. Hanna Maoh, of the Cross

Border Institute.

Nature Fresh will share data from its operations, including shipping schedules, power use, and utility costs, providing data that will determine the strengths and weaknesses of converting its ﬂeet to electric vehicles. This information will help to examine the opportunities for electric trucks in the greenhouse industry.

Source: Nature Fresh Farms

BY THE NUMBERS

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For those looking for a refresher on integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in ﬂoriculture crops, you’re in luck.

Hosted by Dr. Sarah Jandricic, greenhouse ﬂoriculture IPM specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and Mike Short, director of EcoHabitat AgriServices, an IPM consulting company in Southern Ontario, the duo has adapted their annual six-hour, in-person training workshops into nine videos for online consumption – free of charge.

Although the 30- to 40-minute educational videos mainly target beginner/novice growers as well as IPM practitioners in greenhouse ﬂoriculture,

Jandricic notes that growers of all levels and experience will beneﬁt from them. With tips, tools and resources noted throughout, she says the resources can also be useful for “expert-level IPM practitioners and employees who want to brush up on their knowledge.”

The videos will cover a range of topics, including the most commonly employed IPM techniques, identifying insect pests in floriculture crops, the basics of biocontrol, and successful IPM programs used in Canadian floriculture greenhouses. Specific videos also target common problematic pests such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and mites .

Access the training videos at ONﬂoriculture.com

Infarm and Sobeys Inc. have announced a new agreement that will expand to four more provinces by 2023.

As part of the deal, Infarm will construct new Infarm Growing Centres – growth, production and distribution hubs with high-capacity vertical farms – at sites in Calgary, Halifax and Winnipeg. For Hamilton, Ont., they plan to host the largest Infarm Growing Centre in North America with a growing capacity of 37,000 sq.ft.

This builds on the success of a partnership launched in 2020 – the ﬁrst of a national scope between a Canadian retailer and a vertical

farming company – to offer locally grown, Infarm produce to Sobeys Inc. consumers Canada-wide. Their in-store smart-farming modules have been rolled out at select grocers, allowing consumers to buy fresh produce harvested instore.

With existing Infarm Growing Centres in Vancouver and Victoria/ Vancouver Island, the agreement allows the company to increase production volume in Canada more than seven-fold. The deal comes in response to the increasing demand by retailers, including Sobeys, Safeway and Thrifty Food for fresh Infarm produce, and

will supply more than 1,000 stores in the retailer’s network alone.

With 97 employees on the ground today, Infarm’s Canadian team will grow by more than 50 per cent to 160 by the end of the year, working from locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

Infarm says their growing centres integrate farming units that can each save up to 10 million litres of water per year compared to soil-based agriculture for similar crops, while producing the equivalent of up to 100,000 sq.ft. of land. In line with the company’s goal of utilizing 100 per cent

renewable or greencertified energy, 90 per cent of electricity used throughout the Infarm network will be from green-certified sources by September 2021. Over the next five years, Canadian consumers can expect to select from a range of new Infarm produce including tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, mushrooms, convenient cut salads and even potted plants. This adds to the already available offerings of herbs, leafy greens and microgreens. By 2025, Infarm plans to scale up to 100 growing centres with a growing capacity of 3 million sq.ft.

Source: Infarm

DIVERSITY, EQUITY and Inclusion in Greenhouses

MBY JANELLE ABELA

any sectors are committing to changes within organizational culture, by implementing diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. With these changes occurring across all industries, it is critical that the agricultural sector highlights areas of improvement – especially given the invaluable role that the foreign temporary workers program has played since the 1960s.

What is diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is a three-step transformational process that supports our change toward more welcoming, collaborative, and productive social and working environments.

Diversity is the ‘who’ and ‘what’ –the unique backgrounds, personalities, experiences, beliefs, etc., that make us who we are. Examples such as race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, ability, and many other attributes of personal identity are what is used to classify diversity.

Equity is the ‘how’ – the act of being fair or impartial, and it is the means to get to the next step: inclusion.

Inclusion is being respected and appreciated – one must feel that they are not just a statistical representation. Essentially, DE&I is recognizing, responding to, and valuing the diversity within your organization.

Transforming organizational culture

organizations see higher proﬁts, better decision making, faster problem solving, morale increase, and more.

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion starts within the organization, through a top-down approach. As senior level individuals within organizations become proﬁcient with inclusive practices, they will not only emulate these practices through their transformational approaches, but they will be able to support the rest of the organization in the creation of a stronger culture. Then, larger scale approaches can be enacted, including continued training, policy changes, and responsive hiring practices. During this process of transformation, it is important that organizations bring in or consult professionals to collaborate on their journey and to ensure that their strategies are effective, efﬁcient and up to date.

Already, the greenhouse industry sees signiﬁcant diversity with migrant workers coming to Canada from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Southeast Asia and more. International labour programs are an essential resource for growers in supplementing the local supply of workers, as the interest in agriculture as a career choice continues to decline domestically.

With the growth of agriculture in Canada, we will start to see more competition in hiring, making it critical to improve organizational culture and become a desired employer to attract potential employees, including local talent. But diversity goes beyond where workers originate from, it is responsive to a larger change that creates a more positive environment to work within, supporting the growth of the organization. Inclusive

Supporting foreign workers

For years, public opinion has raised issues around the treatment of migrant workers in the agricultural sector. These concerns were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as farms strove to respond to the basic and cultural needs of migrant workers amid uncertain health protocols. There are limited government resources regarding the care of migrant workers in Canada, placing the onus and responsibility on greenhouse operators – at which point DE&I practices become a moral response.

Incorporating DE&I into the agricultural sector ranges from simple acts, such as the proper pronunciation of a name, to larger transformations, such as incorporating culturally responsive food programs. There are many components in between that greenhouse operators also must address, including diversity, equity and inclusion guidelines, policies, and procedures, continued professional development for domestic and migrant employees, and language training. Transformative practices such as these compound into recognition of the diverse populations working within agriculture and invite the celebration of these diversities by enacting change.

Janelle Abela is the founder of Diverse Solutions Strategy Firm and a business advisor for WEtech Alliance. Do you have questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion? Connect via email at janelle@diversesolutions.ca

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Flight of the beneﬁcial microbes in greenhouse strawberries

Known as apivectoring, researchers explore this bee-mediated method for thrips management.

BY DR. PETER KEVAN, DR. ROSELYNE

LABBÉ,

AND CHARLOTTE COATES

In recent years, greenhouse vegetable growers in Canada have had the beneﬁt of combining managed pollination with the vectoring of biological control agents against pests and diseases – a bee-mediated technology known as apivectoring.

The technology improves both crop yield and quality, as proven for tomato and bell pepper production. It has also recently been adapted for soft and tender fruit protection against pathogens such as grey mold (Botrytis cinerea) in Europe, Colombia, Kenya and the U.S. So, when greenhouse-grown strawberries are attacked by pests, notably by the western ﬂower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), it makes sense to exploit the hundreds of trips made by Bombus impatiens bumblebees, not only to improve strawberry crop yield, but to also distribute biological control products.

This technology was originally developed in Ontario and adapted for greenhouse application through collaborations between the University of

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Guelph, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Harrow Research and Development Centre (HRDC) and Ontario growers. Since then, a number of companies have also contributed to making it available to commercial producers around the world, including Biobest, BVT, and others.

One of the interests in this research has been to provide information required for label expansion of biocontrol agent products already registered with the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) using this new dispensing mechanism. In Canada, apivectoring is currently registered for use with Botanigard 22 WP (Beauveria bassiana strain GHA). As a pollinatorvectored mycoinsecticide, it’s registered for use against whiteﬂies, thrips and aphids in greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals and herbs.

TARGETING THRIPS IN STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION

In 2019, we embarked on a study to examine how

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apivectoring of biocontrol agents can be applied to protect the newly developing greenhouse strawberry sector in Ontario, a previously unexplored crop for this technology.

This study, supported by NSERC-Engage, assessed how well the biological control agent B. bassiana could be distributed by bumblebees to control thrips in soft and tender fruit greenhouse production.

The on-site study was conducted in a commercial greenhouse facility at SunRite Greenhouses in Leamington, Ont., which was complemented by laboratory microbiological assays at the HRDC. In the production greenhouse, a set of strawberry plants were randomly assigned for monitoring the effects of bumblebee pollinators serving as vectors of the thrips-controlling biocontrol agent. For comparison, control plants were placed in mesh screen to prevent bumblebees from accessing the ﬂowers.

From the study plants, ﬂowers and leaves were sampled and examined for the presence and levels of both thrips and the biocontrol agent. The level of B. bassiana infection in thrips was assessed by counting the number of colony forming units (CFUs) of mycelium that kill and grow from thrips collected from study plants.

The experiment was conducted three times over the growing season. The first two ran for one week, while the last was conducted continuously over five weeks. We assessed whether there were more thrips and thrips damage on flowers and fruit in the screened control areas compared to the treated areas in which biocontrol agent was applied via the bumblebee hive dispensers.

DISTANCE IMPACTS BEAUVERIA DISPERSAL AND THRIPS LEVELS

Of the plant parts assessed for the presence of Beauveria, inoculum levels were highest in areas closest to the hive.

The ﬁrst week-long trial recorded an average of 25,000 CFUs per leaf in two treatment zones closest to the bee hive. In contrast, only 83 CFUs were recorded per leaf in treatment areas that were more than ﬁve metres away from the closest bee vectoring hive.

For the continuous trial, inoculum levels on leaves were once again highest on the two treatment blocks closest to the bee hive, with an average of 6,500 CFUs per leaf. In contrast, no live inoculum was detected on leaves in treatment blocks that were more than ﬁve metres away from the closest bee vectoring hive.

Clearly, the distance from the hive is a critical factor affecting Beauveria presence and density.

In addition to the reduced quantity of inoculum detected as distance increased away from the hives, it was also noted that the abundance of thrips rose over the course of the entire study and also increased with distance away from source hives. Ultimately, sample zones

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B. bassiana

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Mesh Exclusion zones

furthest away from source hives had the largest number of thrips. Clearly, the dispersed inoculum was contributing to pest control.

BEES DISPERSE INTO EXCLUSION ZONES

Interestingly, a small amount of inoculum also found its way into exclusion zones, possibly due to bee ﬂight and inoculum loss over these control areas.

During the one-week long trial, only 175 CFUs were recorded in collected ﬂowers from the exclusion zones, about six times less than those in the treatment areas at 1,075 CFUs. In the continuous trial, collected ﬂowers from treatment zones returned an average of 660 CFUs, relative to an average of 700 CFUs recorded for the exclusion control zones. This difference between short-term and long-term trials suggests that conidial viability and thus detection are likely reduced over time.

As measured in the continuous trial, the impact of distance on inoculum abundance was clear for the exclusion zones as well. Leaves from the two

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closest exclusion zones had an average of 580 CFUs, while no viable conidia was found in the two most distal exclusion areas.

LEAVES COLLECT MORE INOCULUM

For both the week-long and continuous trials, there was a relatively high level of inoculum collected from leaves but a lower overall amount collected from ﬂowers, possibly owing to their much larger surface areas.

For the first short trial, flowers yielded an average of 1,075 CFUs of Beauveria per flower. In this trial, leaves in treatment zones collected ten times more inoculum relative to flowers, surpassing 12,000 CFUs.

Similarly, for the continuous trial, levels of inoculum on flowers were lower relative to those on treatment leaves which carried on average 3,250 CFUs – almost five times higher than the flowers at 660 CFUs.

CHANGES TO BEAUVERIA VIABILITY

In a second sampling period conducted during the continuous trial, flowers in the treatment areas carried an average of 380 CFUs, while those in the control blocks carried 150 CFUs. The number of conidia on these flowers was low. However, by this same date, so was the conidial count from foliage. For instance, leaves in the treatment zones had on average 42 CFUs compared to 1,000 CFUs in the control zones. Seemingly, as the bee vectoring period is extended to five weeks relative to the short one week period, the total amount of viable conidia remaining on the crop appears to drop.

INFECTED THRIPS

While thrips numbers were too low in the ﬁrst trial of this study to adequately measure the impact of B. bassiana on the thrips populations, thrips collected one week within the continuous trial yielded much higher levels of infection.

Among the thrips collected on that date, which died during a seven-day monitoring period, six out of eight (or 75 per cent) were found to be positive for Beauveria infection. With this however, also came a relatively high proportion of individuals among the dead control thrips also observed to be infected –

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six out of ten (or 60 per cent) were infected by Beauveria. It therefore seems that inoculum dropped by bees ﬂying over top of the exclusion zones still affected thrips mortality.

MICROBIAL AGENTS AND BEE HEALTH

We also sought to answer the question of whether microbial agents could affect pollinator health.

Over the ﬁrst week-long trial, bees were shown to carry on average 9,800 CFUs of B. bassiana for each trip made out of the hive. In comparison, bees were found to carry on average 6,000 CFUs by the end of the continuous trial.

Of the 13 dead bumblebees collected directly from the crop range over the course of this study, only two of these (15.4 per cent) were positive for B. bassiana. Clearly, the task of vectoring B. bassiana was not an important factor in bumblebee mortality.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Overall, this research has shown that bee vectoring can be an efﬁcient way to distribute entomopathogenic inoculum to strawberry plants, especially to foliage where there is a good chance that crop pests including thrips can become infected. However, there are clearly certain practices that should be established in order to maximize inoculum distribution and pest management efﬁciency of this delivery method.

First, hive placement and numbers should be maximized over a given crop area, with a minimum of three hives per half acre. Hives should be evenly spaced throughout the crop to ensure that inoculum is distributed everywhere. As we saw in our study, inoculum delivery is greatest within

the area directly around each of the bee vectoring hives. In these locations, bee vectoring afforded the greatest level of crop protection. As bees travelled more than ﬁve metres away from hives, they delivered less inoculum to leaves or ﬂowers. Possible future improvements to this type of technology would include incorporating more retentive or electrostatic carriers which would better adhere the biocontrol agent formulation to the bumblebee body, thus increasing the distance that inoculum can travel throughout the crop.

To date, the technology of using managed pollinators for the protection of crops from pathogens and pests has been successfully implemented under various cropping systems from orchards to a wide variety of outdoor-grown crops. However, this study was unique with respect to the target crop and delivery of the biological control agent. It also demonstrated that providing a consistent source of microbial inoculum can help reduce pest pressure over time. As a consequence, the insight gained from this research sets Canada’s greenhouse industry as a potential future leader in apivectoring technology with beneﬁts to consumers in the form of higher quality production with fewer chemical inputs and residues.

Rose Labbé, PhD, is the greenhouse entomologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Peter Kevan, PhD, is professor Emeritus, and Charlotte Coates is a research associate at the University of Guelph.

Catch Dr. Rose Labbé’s talk at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference on Oct. 7.

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Rugose detection in the palm of your hand

This portable sequencing method can quickly and accurately test for tomato brown rugose fruit virus.

BY GRETA CHIU

When it comes to greenhouse viruses, the ﬁrst and main line of defence often comes down to sanitation and thorough cleanouts between crops. This is particularly true for the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), which is still relatively new on the scene. But how can producers verify whether their sanitation program has worked?

“Testing surfaces is potentially challenging,” says Dr. Geneviève Marchand, plant pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Many of the laboratory techniques being used to conﬁrm ToBRFV were primarily developed for testing plant samples.

Currently, a grower who suspects ToBRFV in their crop would ﬁrst submit plant samples to a local lab for a PCR test, explains Niki Bennett, science co-

ordinator at Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). If results are positive, the lab follows up with a bioassay to test for infectivity and/or sequences the sample to conﬁrm the identity of the virus.

Because greenhouse surfaces are expected to contain very low or trace levels of the virus compared to infected tissue, this could pose a problem, particularly as questions existed around the accuracy and sensitivity of these analytical techniques at the time.

“We used to have 20 years from the ﬁrst we heard about [a pathogen] to it becoming prevalent, so you had time to develop and validate these tests,” Marchand explains. Because ToBRFV spread so quickly around the world since it was ﬁrst reported in 2014, many labs have had to adapt these techniques to ABOVE é

Short on solutions

When dealing with viruses, there are

“In the case of the rugose virus, there’s nothing you can spray on your crop to protect your plant or cure them once they’re infected,” says Dr. Geneviève Marchand. pathogens or insect pests, the main them out of the greenhouse and use

The plant pathologist at AAFC used to bluntly tell growers “keep it out, or rip it out.” As ToBRFV overcame previously bred resistance genes against other Tobamoviruses, vegetable breeders have been trialing

“If we had something like a vaccine that could be applied to the way to go about it,” says Marchand, who is giving a talk about this very topic at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference. “Plants have a very

but it’s the same idea. By exposing the plant to something, it becomes known to them. They do have some form of immune memory [such] that when they encounter the pathogen again, they’re able to mobilize their and hopefully keep it out.”

an approach that’s been exploited a lot historically in plant pathology,” she adds. It could be a gamechanger for something like viruses where methods.

Catch Dr. Geneviève Marchand’s talk on plant vaccines at the CGC on Oct. 6.

the virus within a short period of time and with limited knowledge of the virus. None had been speciﬁcally geared towards testing surfaces.

A NEW TECHNIQUE EMERGES

Rémi Maglione of Harvest Genomics thinks they may have a viable solution.

Grown out of Guelph, Ont., the company has developed a proprietary method for sampling and detecting ToBRFV. In addition to testing plant tissue, it can use swabs to collect samples off of greenhouse surfaces, then run them through a portable genetic sequencing device made by Oxford Nanopore, a British manufacturer.

“It’s smaller than a cell phone,” says Maglione, who first started using the technology during his PhD studies. “You can analyze the DNA from any source, anywhere.” The technology reads out the order of building blocks that make up the DNA molecule, and this sequence is different for each organism. Nanopore’s handheld devices have only emerged on the market in the past five to six years and have largely been used by researchers in field conditions ranging from the Amazon to the Arctic. Harvest Genomics is one of the first to apply the devices to commercial use.

The process of genetic sequencing is not a new method, but it no longer requires large bulky machines to run, explains Marchand. “Over the last few decades, that technology has shrunk in size.” Whereas before, it was used as a research tool to characterize the DNA of any given organism in the lab, the instruments have now become more portable, cheaper, and faster, to the point where they can be used as a diagnostic tool in the ﬁeld.

Earlier this year, OGVG partnered with Harvest Genomics to run a proof-of-concept test, with consultation from Marchand as well as Cara McCreary, greenhouse vegetable IPM specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. They amassed a hundred samples collected from a multitude of greenhouse surfaces that may have come into contact with plant materials or employees’ hands. Separated into two batches, pre- and post-cleanout, they arbitrarily assigned numbers to the samples and conducted the analysis blind to remove any potential bias.

“It turned out that the ﬁrst batch was pre-cleanout of the greenhouse, so the vast majority of the samples were contaminated by the rugose virus,” says Maglione. “The second batch was post-cleanout, so many of the surfaces were free from the virus.” At one point, he thought the technology was

malfunctioning because of how well the greenhouse had been disinfected.

The tests also revealed some interesting results. “It was all the high-touch surfaces that were heavily contaminated, and even some high-touch surfaces outside the production area,” says Bennett. Among their samples, they also detected the virus on the ofﬁce computer and desk stationed closest to the production area, speaking to its high transmissibility and persistence.

SPECIFIC AND SENSITIVE

Marchand was pleasantly surprised to see that they were able to generate readings for the majority of the samples. “That told us the method was sensitive enough to work with even the low amount that may have been present on some surfaces.”

What’s more, Harvest Genomics was able to point out the positive controls, which were samples purposely spiked with ToBRFV to validate the method. They also correctly identiﬁed a sample of the closely related pepino mosaic virus. “They were 100 per cent accurate,” says Bennett. “It gave us a lot of conﬁdence in their system.”

What sets this method apart from tests used by most commercial labs is the sensitivity and speciﬁcity of the method.

PCR tailors its analysis to target a small, speciﬁc portion of a pathogen’s DNA, then makes copies of that piece until it can be detected, making the technique quite sensitive. This problem is in ﬁnding a sequence unique to ToBRFV.

“The underlying problem behind that is we have not sequenced the entire world,” Marchand points out. “So it is theoretically possible that there is something out there that happens to share a sequence to a degree, the sequence that is targeted by the test.” In which case, a grower might receive a false positive in their test results.

Comparatively, the process of sequencing identiﬁes all of the genetic sequences captured in the sample, including plants, pathogens, and other microbes. Users then wade through the data, looking for that speciﬁc segment from the pathogen of interest.

Maglione likens it to a forensic ﬁngerprint. “When you are on the scene of a crime, you take all the DNA and you [look for] hits in the database. You’re sure you’ll ﬁnd the guy because we all have unique signatures from our DNA. And it’s the same for all organisms on Earth.”

Adding to the advantages were ease of use and fast turnaround times.

“Sample taking is often something that is difﬁcult,” says Bennett. It’s not only about getting the right number of samples

but ensuring their quality as well. As Maglione explains, the swabs help make the process more user-friendly, mitigating issues of plant tissue degradation and helping to ensure quality. They’ve further lowered potential barriers by creating a sampling kit ﬁlled with specialized sterile swabs and tubes – items that have become more difﬁcult to come by since COVID.

Price-wise, growers who go through commercial laboratory services pay an average of $100 per sample for PCR. The follow-up bioassay is less expensive but takes time, while the more accurate lab sequencing option costs around $1,000 each. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency offers a free sequencing test, but there is some apprehension around using this service. All in all, Bennett estimates it could take anywhere from three to 10 days through mainstream testing channels, depending on the lab’s available tools and services.

In comparison, Harvest Genomics can turn around results in two days. Costs run between $120 to $150 per sample, but that could be lower with high enough volumes.

EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES

Since deploying the service in February this year, Maglione says they’ve performed 500 tests for ToBRFV and are projected to close the year with 1,000 tests, if not more.

For now, interested growers will need to send their swabs to Harvest Genomics in Guelph, but the team is looking to bring their services out to growers before the end of the year.

With the fast turnaround, their services could also serve as conﬁrmation for another quick test in the greenhouse, such as the AgDia immunostrip tests, says Bennett. Because of the lower costs, she feels they could be more easily incorporated into a regular testing protocol. “Testing should be one of the ﬁrst efforts, not one of the last.”

Even if a PCR test comes back negative, Marchand says there’s a lot of uncertainty around a single test result. “That could mean the pathogen was not there, but it could also mean the test didn’t work, [or] there wasn’t enough of the pathogen present for the test to pick it up.”

Eventually, this type of portable sequencing technology could be handled by greenhouse consultants or in-house specialists at greenhouse operations. “We’re not there yet, but maybe it’s becoming more realistic every day,” says Marchand.

In the meantime, there are a multitude of applications for this technology.

Maglione has brought it with him to Montréal, Que., where he’s working with

cannabis growers to characterize pathogens in the air of their growing facilities. “The core of this technology can also monitor pathogens unknown to producers. This is called biosurveillance,” he says. This project could eventually drive the development of biosensors that detect the presence of microorganisms in the air, alerting the grower before symptoms appear.

Other potential applications for the technology include soil sampling, seed testing, and food safety. Breeders can also use it to identify differences in genetic code and

their corresponding traits in new varieties. One of the ﬁrst services developed by Harvest Genetics was a test for herbicide-resistant weeds.

“I see this as the beginning step for a novel way of looking at IPM and using genomic solutions in a way I hadn’t thought of before,” says Bennett. “I think our whole sector is going to be eager to see what their next steps are going to be.”

See Rémi Maglione’s talk at this year’s Canadian Greenhouse Conference on Oct. 6.

Filling in the gaps of your business proﬁt margins

Making key changes in different areas of your greenhouse can streamline your business.

BY MELHEM SAWAYA

Although most of the decisions and planning for the following year take place over the summer months, it’s always a good idea to think about areas of your business where you can make improvements.

The degree of this process’ success depends on a number of factors, including:

• The notes we kept during the previous year on what to improve, change or discuss.

• Meaningful, effective planning sessions that hinge on how much we were in touch with daily activities of the business.

• Involving and taking into consideration the opinions of people who do the work.

• Making a good effort to ﬁnd out how other operations corrected the same issues and whether you can apply it to your operation. Or check as many resources as possible to get a more informative handle on the situation. There is nothing wrong with copying and improving if you are willing to share your knowledge with

others. Cooperation only works if it is mutually beneﬁcial.

Some decisions do not require any capital expenditure, like hiring or letting go of an employee, or adjusting job positions. However, many decisions do need capital investment, and they fall into the following categories:

• Necessary/no choice – like a new boiler, changing plastic, a proper water source, or a broken and unfixable pot/flat filler.

• Upgrading for efﬁciency purposes.

• Installing a new system that will reduce costs.

• New technology that will improve plant quality. When reviewing your greenhouse operation each year, it can be helpful to look at the different parts which make up the greenhouse operation, namely: infrastructure, sales and marketing, production, labour, and general overhead. For a small operation, it is likely that one or two people handle all of these areas, while in bigger operations more than one individual

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could be responsible. Independent of size, when reviewing and planning for the upcoming year or ﬁve years, it would be helpful to think through these operations one by one.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Even if a greenhouse has been built for a long time, expansion can sometimes be an opportunity to move the receiving and shipping area, change up the driveways, or move the washrooms closer to where the action is. The point is, always think outside the box and many new ideas will surface.

In terms of energy, certain circumstances could present opportunities for cogeneration, wood boilers or extending that gas line to your operation. These are major projects, but if the pay back is in three to ﬁve years, the expansion is justiﬁable.

SALES AND MARKETING

Always evaluate your customer base. Identify the very needy and least proﬁtable, but at the same time, be sure to show your appreciation to the ones

who have served your business and are part of your success.

Evaluate your product mix by calculating cost and proﬁt margins. Eliminate the low- or negative-proﬁt margin items if there is no room for increasing the selling price or reducing costs.

Keep your options open for different customers, but never ﬂip-ﬂop for no reason or over minor disagreements.

Involve your customer in product selection, and in return your customer will involve you in their product selection.

The costs of running a greenhouse business keep going up, especially in the last two to three years. This is mostly due to the costs of labour and shipping. In addition, the price of supplies will be going up drastically next year, and that includes plant material, seed, containers, and growing media. Expect an increase of 11 to 25 per cent in production costs this coming season! Share these cost increases with your customers now so you can at least recover it.

we should always look for more effective ways to be efﬁcient. Here are some suggestions:

Offer less: Streamline the products you offer. This is the only way to reduce shrinkage and be able to mechanize. It will reduce inventory, lessen down time at planting, and speed up shipping.

Do not jump into new varieties without first trying them at your own operation. Then if all goes well and they have market appeal, make them part of your production. It has been proven that growing new varieties without trying them first is a major profit robber.

Time it well: Mum growers and poinsettia growers understand photoperiod very well. When it comes to bedding plants, photoperiod has not been well-adopted for proper timing of crops. One example is the African marigold, which is planted using short days to initiate flowering. This adds three weeks to crop timing, and as a result, the crop is too old when shipped. The alternative is to blackout the plugs for three weeks, which will initiate flowering and take another four weeks to finish. A lack of knowledge in photoperiods turns a crop

of seven weeks into 10 weeks, and the ﬂowers become too old at shipping due to production timing.

Timing the crops to meet shipping targets without added treatments or extra work, like pinching, is a very inexpensive way to save money and still end up with a fresh product that will do well for the consumer. Aged product will dry out faster and will be much harder to acclimatize in the garden setup, in addition to the extra costs of production.

Grow to capacity: Grow the volume of product for which the greenhouse area allows and don’t exceed it. This saves a lot of the extra labour spent moving product around and prevents you from sacriﬁcing product quality. Exceeding that capacity might work for one year, but it generally won’t in the next and in the process, you might be labeled as a grower with low quality product. It is hard enough to hold onto a reputation for good quality, and much harder still to recover from inferior quality.

Consider the consumer: When you ﬁll larger pots for product that is not intended for planting in a garden, it is especially useful to scoop out some

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growing media from the container to leave room for the water when the consumer is watering by hand. This gives the product a better chance at survival, and in doing so, you will be saving at least 15 per cent of the media.

There is no need for saucers in the hanging baskets, especially for outdoor use. The little bit of buffer is false security for the homeowner and does nothing to improve production in the greenhouse.

Planting healthy plugs or liners into the ﬁnal container is the best way of insuring that the crop stays healthy all the way through ﬁnish, without any chemical treatment. My customers use fungicides very rarely, concentrating on solving

the cause of the problem rather than treating it as insurance. Routine fungicide treatments could add up to high costs and sometimes with negative side effects.

Use the pot size to suit the cultivar you are planning to grow. If a variety is very vigorous, then it should be planted into a larger pot rather than a smaller one. Treating it three to ﬁve times to keep it short will most likely mean that it will not grow for the consumer afterwards. At the same time, do not use very compact varieties in large pots unless you plan to put more liners or plugs in each pot.

Combinations: Combinations are the most popular item among all bedding plant offerings. To be proﬁtable, here are

some guidelines:

Two cultivars in one pot are considered a combination. There is no need to put five to six different cultivars in one container. The vigorous cultivars will take over and hide the others, and it will also make growing difficult. Breeders are doing a much better job in suggesting combinations where the cultivars are compatible, but nothing takes the place of trialing them first.

Three cultivars are optimal for combinations and the best ones are those from the same genus, like three differently coloured calibrachoas or three different petunias.

A proﬁtable combination is the one we plant and ship in six to eight weeks without any, or just one, growth regulator treatment. There is no place for combinations in 10” hanging baskets or pots.

Combinations are an upgraded item and belong in containers 12” and up because we still charge by pot size rather than what is in it. The difference in price between the 10” and 12” is $4 to $5.

Combinations can be made from seed items, which normally are less expensive than vegetative plant material, or a

combination of the two.

Combinations of just foliage materials are becoming extremely popular and are normally fast-growing, which could be good reasons to try them.

Planting combinations of varieties with the same growth vigour is best. Second best is knowing the vigour of the plant material going into the combination, then applying a growth regulator before planting the more vigorous ones to balance out the combination’s growth. This will save time later and be more cost-effective.

LABOUR

The best way to save on labour is to minimize it by streamlining production. Reduce the time spent handling the product. Instead, write up your production programming in detail and perform tasks on time. Create and follow best practices.

With mechanization, be sure to get the necessary tools and do the job right the first time. Have the proper structure in place, such as belts, concrete aisles and floors, as well as functioning machinery to reduce down time. By mechanizing routine jobs, you can hold onto qualified staff.

Don’t be afraid to eliminate the

UNITED IN GROWING A BETTER WORLD

bad apples who can drag down good employees. Lead by example, and most importantly, set goals for employees and reward the achievers.

GENERAL OVERHEAD

This category includes all indirect costs. Independent of how full or not full the greenhouse is, these costs remain the same and include items such as accountants, consultants, mortgages, and lawyers. These people are there for one reason and that is to help you, but they are only as good as your interactions with them. Ask questions that you need answers to.

What has worked for me all my life is the LALA theory, which stands for: Look, Ask, Listen, and Act.

For all of these tips to work, you must always believe that there is a better way for doing everything that you do. The minute you think you know it all, it is the beginning of the end

Melhem Sawaya of Focus Greenhouse Management is a consultant and research coordinator to the horticultural industry. He can be reached at mel@ focusgreenhousemanagement.com.

Disinfectant hopefuls against the rugose

BY DR. GENEVIÈVE MARCHAND, DANTE CACCIOTTI, AND DESTIN LAMONDIN

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV, colloquially known as “the rugose virus”) was ﬁrst reported in Israel in 2014. It mostly represents a threat to greenhouse tomatoes, but also peppers, in Canada and around the world. Infection of plants with the virus may cause symptoms, resulting in fruits being unmarketable or prevented from export. Crop losses have been reported to range from 30 to 100 per cent.

Like other Tobamovirus species, ToBRFV is known to be seed borne and challenging to manage. It is easily transmitted mechanically by anything that comes in contact with the plant (e.g. workers’ hands, tools, etc.), and it is persistent in the environment. Biosecurity remains the main line of defense. Despite recent announcements from various seed companies about tolerant and resistant varieties being developed, resistant tomato varieties suitable for the greenhouse market are not widely available yet.

Recent studies report on the efﬁcacy of disinfectants for eradication of the virus, and should be of interest to growers.

HANDWASHING

For handwashing, a study from the United Kingdom has demonstrated that the virus can survive on the surface of gloved hands for up to 120 minutes (maximum duration tested). Only one tested product, Nzym Rugo, was found to be efﬁcacious for handwashing after one minute of contact time. However, this product is not currently available in Canada. For this reason, it is currently suggested that workers wear gloves and change them frequently.

SURFACE DISINFECTION

For surface disinfection, studies by the same group of British researchers have shown that the virus can survive for weeks to months on greenhouse surfaces (glass, concrete, aluminum, hard plastic, polyethylene and stainless steel). Four of the six

disinfectant products tested – Huwa San, Menno Florades, bleach and Virkon – were partially to fully efﬁcacious on most surfaces after 60 minutes of contact time. But this duration may be challenging to achieve or not possible for certain applications (for example, footbaths).

A recently published study by researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture investigated the efﬁcacy of additional disinfectant products. Three products – bleach, Virocid, and lactoferrin – proved highly efﬁcacious at inactivating the virus in test tubes, with a short contact time of at most 60 seconds. Five additional products – Virkon,

In the ﬁrst study by researchers from Italy, three thermal ABOVE

trisodium phosphate, Lysol, Virex, and SP 2700 – also showed some efﬁcacy even with this short contact time.

SEED DISINFECTION

Two recent studies also evaluated various protocols for seed disinfection.

treatments and three chemical treatments inactivated the virus at least partially, without affecting seed germination signiﬁcantly. Those chemical treatments with either trisodium phosphate or sodium hypochlorite (active ingredient in bleach) appeared particularly efﬁcacious.

In the second study by collaborating researchers from Italy and Jordan, treatment with hydrochloric acid or sodium triphosphate resulted in full inactivation of the virus, without negative impacts on seedlings.

CHECK FIRST

Disinfection is a key part of ToBRFV management in the greenhouse. As research on the virus continues around the world, the list of potential disinfecting agents will continue to grow.

It’s important that growers conﬁrm whether particular products and protocols are approved for greenhouse use. Not all of the products mentioned here are available or registered as greenhouse disinfectants in Canada. Differing formulations and concentrations could change the outcome and even pose a risk to the crop.

Growers interested in the products and protocols mentioned here are encouraged to discuss them with local extension specialists and seed providers.

REFERENCES

Samarah, N. et al. (2020) Disinfection treatments eliminated tomato brown rugose fruit virus in tomato seeds. Eur J Plant Pathol https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10658-020-02151-1

Davino, S. et al. (2020) Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus: Seed transmission rate and efﬁcacy of different seed disinfection treatments. Plants 9, 1615; doi:10.3390/plants9111615

Geneviève Marchand, PhD, is a research scientist and plant pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, stationed at the Harrow Research and Development Centre in Ontario. Dante Cacciotti and Destin Lamondin are students at Niagara College.

This is one in a series of research updates, written in collaboration with students in the Hort1346 Greenhouse Production Course at Niagara College and initiated by instructor Sebastien Jacob.

Pest control potential in agricultural waste

Insects and pathogens are two challenging pests that growers tackle on a daily basis. For organic producers, there are even fewer options available.

This is where plant-derived biopesticides can help.

BY MELANIE CHARBONNEAU AND DR. SIMON LACHANCE

Plants produce valuable bioactive phytochemicals that are found in appreciable quantities in plant waste. They can be less toxic than synthetic pesticides, break down safely in the environment, target speciﬁc pests, and be effective in small quantities. They can also be used as part of an IPM program to help reduce the chances of developing pesticide resistance. Following the extraction of bioactive phytochemicals to use as

biopesticides, the remainder of the plant could be further composted.

Dr. Simon Lachance and his team at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus are investigating the use of tomato plant waste extract and hop essential oil as methods for insect and fungal pathogen control. Together with research partners Dr. Rob Nicol from Lambton College and Dr. Ian Scott from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the group has tested these substances against the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris), the melon aphid (Aphis gossypii) and the long-tail mealybug (Pseudococcus longispinus).

Tomato crop vine residues were collected from Erieview Acres in ABOVE

Kingsville, Ont., and tomato processing wastes (peels) were collected from ConAgra Foods Inc. in Dresden, Ont. for extraction. Researchers then applied various doses of the extracts or oils on tomato, cucumber and pepper leaves and observed the insects in the laboratory as well as in the greenhouse. They observed whether the insect was mobile or immobile, on or off the leaf, or dead. The researchers were interested in whether the extracts caused mortality, impacted insect behaviour and/or had a repellent effect on the pest.

SAPONINS FROM TOMATO WASTE

One objective was to determine the efﬁcacy of saponins extracted from tomato vine and peel residues in controlling key insect pests in greenhouse production.

As a bioactive component, saponins are organic compounds that can be found in varying concentrations in many plant species. They can be extracted from tomato plant waste, such as vines from greenhouse cleanouts or peels from the canning industry. Saponins have surfactant qualities, with the ability to interact with cell membranes of pests and disrupt the outer cuticle of insects. There is a saponin registered to control certain fungi in potatoes, soybeans, and dry beans, however, the pesticide is not derived from crop waste and does not target greenhouse pests.

Using the tomato extracts in doses of 200 and 400 mg/ml, initial results against the tarnished plant bug showed repellent effects for up to ﬁve hours but did not lead to mortality. For the melon aphid, doses of 100 and 200 mg/ml of tomato extract resulted in greater than 60 per cent reduction of the individuals present on the treated leaf over a period of 24 hours, demonstrating a signiﬁcant repellent effect as well as up to 70 per cent mortality.

HOP ESSENTIAL OIL

As a natural product for insect control, essential oils have increased in use over the past 15 years. There are multiple registered pesticides that contain essential oils as an active ingredient for the control of insects and diseases in crops. Hop vine waste is being investigated by the team as a source of essential oil and bioactive components. In addition to phytochemicals that can be toxic to insect pests, hop essential oil contains an alarm pheromone (ß-farnesene), which is naturally released by aphids when

attacked by predators. Exposure to the alarm pheromone can lead to avoidance behaviours, such as dropping off the plant or walking away. The resulting movement can then make it easier for biological control agents to seek out and control the aphids.

In our tests, hop essential oil had a repellent effect against the tarnished plant bug for up to ﬁve hours at low doses of 5, 10, and 25 mg/ml. The repellent effect lasted longer at higher doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/ml.

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Mortality reached up to 50 per cent at the highest dose of 200 mg/ml. When used against the melon aphid, few individuals remained on the leaves at doses of 25 mg/ml or higher over a period of 24 hours. In addition to a signiﬁcant repellent effect, there was more than 97 per cent aphid mortality at the two highest doses and above 66 per cent mortality at 25 and 50 mg/ml.

TARGETING DISEASE

When combined, the tomato extract and hop essential oil improved the inhibition of fungal pathogen growth.

The team tested the effects of tomato, hop and pea extracts against thirteen plant pathogenic fungi, many of which cause damping-off of seedlings, including Fusarium graminearum, Phytophthora parasitica, Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium irregulare. These mixtures were found to be generally antifungal, but differences in susceptibility were observed between the various fungal species tested. Notably, growth of Pythium irregulare was inhibited by up to 62 per cent relative to the control (untreated) treatment when both the tomato extract and hop essential oil were combined.

FUTURE STUDIES

Before these products can be registered for use, there is a need to ﬁrst understand their effects on other organisms in the greenhouse.

Currently, the phytotoxicity of the extracts and the essential oil are also being tested when applied to the crop’s

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leaves, to ensure that there is minimal effect on the health of the plant while maintaining a good level of insect control. There was mild phytotoxicity observed in applications of 25 mg/ml of the tomato extract, with damage increasing in doses 50, 100, and 200 mg/ml. A modiﬁed formulation of saponin may decrease phytotoxicity and increase efﬁciency, and will be tested at a later date.

Future studies will assess the impact

of these natural products on biological control agents used in greenhouse production, as well as test combinations of these products against insect pests to evaluate potential synergistic effects.

At a time when sustainability is more important than ever, pest management solutions using waste products presents an opportunity to ‘close the loop’ and focus on a circular economy. The practical end goal, nonetheless, is to develop low-risk biopesticides for use in greenhouse production.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

This project is funded by the Organic Science Cluster III, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, and Weston Seeding Food Innovation. Industry partners include Erieview Acres in Leamington, and ConAgra Foods Inc. in Dresden.

Simon Lachance, PhD, is Assistant Dean Academic and Melanie Charbonneau is a research technician at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. For more information, contact Dr. Lachance at slachanc@uoguelph.ca

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CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE: SEEDS OF CHANGE

By Glenna Cairnie CGC Program, Marketing and Event Coordinator

One virtual conference, just one, and then everything will be back to normal…” I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only person who thought the pandemic would have run its course by this time. However, as events unfolded over the winter, it became apparent that thousands of people gathering indoors was not in the cards for a fall conference in 2021. The popularity of the 2020 online conference gave CGC organizers the conﬁdence to go even bigger this year. The Canadian Greenhouse Conference is Canada’s premier event for protected agriculture, and we are committed to delivering another ﬁrstclass event for Canadian growers.

Synced between two platforms - the CGC website and a professional event platform, the 2021 CGC will provide an experience as close to that of inperson as virtually possible (pun intended). The easy-to-navigate event platform will provide access to the live stream content and encourage guest engagement with attendees and speakers. CanadianGreenhouseConference.com will host the New Variety Showcase and the Research Poster session. While there is no formal tradeshow component, an Industry Partner Directory will be featured on both platforms. This new conference element will provide company information and videos in a unique format. Scroll through it carefully. Sprinkled in with the familiar names, are new companies eager to introduce their products and services to the greenhouse sector.

2021 sees the return of a full-strength education program. Eighteen live sessions, 40+ speakers, and on-demand content creates our most dynamic conference program to date. Find out how artiﬁcial intelligence continues to change the greenhouse sector and hear from growers who have embraced

new technologies. Gain insight from international speakers on the ﬁght against Tomato Brown Root Fruit Virus (ToBRFV). How and why should growers embrace “Big Data”? Water, lighting, IPM-the program tackles all the hot topics facing Canadian growers. The speaker list is impressive featuring the sector’s top authorities on protected agriculture. Flip the page for an overview of the speakers on each day. The full program, with individual presentation descriptions, can be found on the CGC website.

In addition to the live webinars, there will be a library of on-demand presentations ready to be viewed at your convenience. After the conference, recordings of the live webinars will be added to this collection and be available for 90 days.

Building on the speaker program and enhancing the conference experience are several components that growers will ﬁnd valuable. Debuting on the CGC website last year, this years’ virtual Research Poster Session will highlight ongoing research projects from universities and researchers across Canada. These posters provide snapshots of current work and insight into the future of the greenhouse sector. Five projects will be selected to present live in the Research Updates session on Thursday afternoon. This is a great opportunity to connect directly with those involved in research, ask questions and give feedback from the grower point of view.

The New Variety Showcase puts a spotlight on cultivars recently introduced to the Canadian market. It is a convenien one-stop shop for growers and garden centre retailers to ﬁnd information and videos from vegetable and ornamental breeders. Check out the New Product Display to see what our industry partners have been up to in the last year.

Watch for your copy of the 2021 CGC digital show guide to land in your inbox October 4. Complete event information, feature articles, industry partners and more will make this a valuable resource throughout the year.

Speaking of industry partners, a big THANK YOU goes to the companies who have supported the 2021 conference through our various channels. We couldn’t make the show happen (nor would we want to) without the full backing of our allied trades. Exhibitors are missing the in-person experience too, and this is one of the ways they are able to give back and support growers. Extra special appreciation to our presenting partner, Syngenta Flowers. Syngenta Flowers is a long-time friend of the Canadian Greenhouse Conference with a big presence at each show. The CGC is thankful for their ongoing support of both the conference and Canadian grower community.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Registration is required to access the full conference program and is now open through the website. CanadianGreenhouseConference.com.

There are two registration options: 2-day access on October 6 & 7 or an enhanced registration package which allows for post-show access to the recorded sessions. A quick website check will reveal that registration is not free this year – that is just not a sustainable business plan. Complimentary registration was a gift to our attendee base last year but not one that can be repeated. However, we have done our best to ensure incredible value for your time and money.

While a second virtual conference was not on anyone’s wishlist, let’s celebrate the upside. Overall, the industry had a very good year as consumers embraced local produce and looked for ways to beautify their homes, indoors and out. A virtual event means accessibility to those who might not be able to attend in person; across Canada and internationally, showcasing our industry to the world. No rushing! The online format allows guests to build their own agenda and move around from “room to room” easily. Recorded presentations means no one needs to worry about missing a speaker due to a scheduling conflict. And finally, talks may be referenced a second (or third) time until all the valuable information is absorbed. There will be lessons learned from this pandemic. What adjustments are temporary and which ones will be Seeds of Change are yet to be known. What we do know, is that the ability to feed a growing population and beautify the world lies with protected agriculture and that Canadian greenhouse growers are well placed to lead the world with the enterprise required to fulfill that responsibility. Attend the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, October 6 & 7 to discover how you can be part of that bright future.

SCHEDULE WED, OCT

6TH — MORNING

SESSIONS

9:00 AM EST

Sponsored by:

Nutrient Solution Treatment & Disinfection

Paul Fisher University of Florida, USA

Protected Agriculture Stewardship National Auditable Standards

9:30 AM EST

10:00 AM EST

Justine Taylor CropLife Canada, ON

10:30 AM EST

Developing a Nutrient Risk Management Tool to Monitor Stormwater Retention Ponds

Christopher Weisener University of Windsor, ON

Nutrients, Pathogens & PGRs & Pesticides: the Hybrid Treatment trifecta?

Ann Huber

Soil Resource Group, Guelph, ON

ON DEMAND PRESENTATIONS

How & Why to Produce Your Own short Training Video for Greenhouse Growers

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

SCHEDULE WED, OCT 6TH — AFTERNOON SESSIONS

WED GARDEN CENTRES/ RETAILING PLANT CENTRED PRODUCTION ENERGY

Sponsored by:

Supporting Ontario Pollinators & Growing Proﬁts: Ornamentals for eco-conscious gardeners

12:00 PM EST

12:30 PM EST

WED

2:00 PM EST

Rodger Tschanz

University of Guelph, ON

Sarah Jandricic

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, Vineland, ON

Capitalizing on the Foliage Boom

Roger Kehoe

Eason Horticultural Resources, USA

Sponsored by:

2:30 PM EST

3:00 PM EST

3:30 PM EST

The Need for & Consequences of Microclimate Measurement

Peter van Weel

Weel.Invent, The Netherlands

Cannabis Energy Efficiency Best Practices

Vicki Gagnon

Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Toronto, ON

Dynamic Energy For NextGen Greenhouse Operation & Expansion

Rupp Carriveau

University of Windsor, ON

VERTICAL FARMSSUSTAINABILITYBIG DATA

Sponsored by:

Enhancing Resource Use Efficiency in Vertical Farming

Murat Kacira

University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Northern Greenhouse Program

Quade Digweed

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow, ON

Adrian Schimnowski Arctic Research Foundation

Goodleaf’s Journey in Vertical Farming

Barry Murchie

Goodleaf Farms, Guelph, ON

SCHEDULE

THURS, OCT 7TH — MORNING SESSIONS

Date/TimeRoom 1Room 2Room 3

THURS

SCHEDULE THURS, OCT 7TH — AFTERNOON SESSIONS

THURS

12:00 PM EST

12:30 PM EST

THURS

2:00 PM EST

2:30 PM EST

3:00 PM EST

3:30 PM EST

Sponsored by:Sponsored by: Presented by:Sponsored by:

Program & Resources to Help Garden Centres SELL MORE PLANTS

Diane Blazek

All-American Selections & National Garden Bureau, Downers Grove, IL

Catching the Customers Eye –Trends in Container Gardening

Kerry Meyer Proven Winners

1:30 PM

Greenhouse Technology Award Winners

Meet the winners of the 2021 Greenhouse Technology Awards. Debuting this year, the program recognizes products or services demonstrating a high level of innovation in advancing Canada’s greenhouse and controlled environment agriculture sectors.

Research Updates

Highlights from the 2021 Research Poster Session

To view all the projects visit CanadianGreenhouseConference.com

STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION FORWARD THINKING CANNABIS PRODUCTION

Sponsored by:

Successful IPM in Greenhouse Strawberries: Thrips strategies

Brittany Harris Plant Products, Leamington, ON

Overview of Greenhouse Strawberry Production Technologies

Chieri Kubota Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Greenhouse Buzziness Potential: Using bee vectoring to suppress pests on greenhouse strawberries

Rose Labbe

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Harrow Research & Development Centre, ON

Optimal Lighting Strategy for Winter Strawberry Cultivation in Belgium

Peter Melis

Proefcentrum Hoogstraten, Belgium

2021 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Sonia Benoit Cascades

After majoring in marketing at Sherbrooke University in Quebec, Sonia Benoit has occupied various marketing positions in addition to being an entrepreneur. Her passion for agriculture and the environment has brought her to occupy strategic leadership roles in companies such as Fafard where she looked after professional growing media products for North America. She is now senior manager at Cascades and is accountable for the new Cascades Fresh packaging solutions for produce. Sonia is personally involved in sustainability as she has a little farm of her own where she grows fall veggies and relate very well to environmental challenges many growers face. Her ongoing mission is to constantly find packaging solutions that are better for the environment while being efficient for growers and attractive for consumers.

Diane Blazek

All American Selections

National Garden Bureau

For more than 30 years, Diane has been immersed in gardening both personally and professionally. She brings a passion to the subject based on a history in the field of horticulture publishing as well as a love for gardening and culinary exploration. Growing up on a small family farm in northern Missouri, Diane spent years helping her parents’ plant, tend and harvest a large home vegetable garden. As the president and publisher at Ball Publishing for 15 years, she led the way in connecting the commercial side of the industry with consumers via the live focus groups called Consumer Buzz Live! Diane also managed Ball Publishing’s entry into consumer garden book publishing. Since December of 2009, Diane has been leading both All-America Selections and National Garden Bureau through an exciting period of growth as they establish themselves as inspirational resources in the minds of garden communicators, public gardens, growers, garden retailers and home gardeners. With both organizations, the connection to the consumer is of topmost importance and by using that connection, Blazek provides direction and insights to the industry as well as to GardenComm, an organization for Garden Communicators where she serves as a National Director.

Colin Brice Signify

Colin Brice joined Signify in March 2020 in the role of Plant Specialist; he is one of more than 20 plant specialists supporting Philips horticulture LED team. Colin is a horticultural scientist and systems engineer with experience in greenhouse management, LED photomorphogenesis research, and electronics design. As a Plant Specialist, Brice works with a team of horticultural specialists at Signify to design and implement LED lighting strategies, supporting sales efforts in several segments – ornamental, high-wire fruits and vegetables, lettuce and leafy greens in both greenhouse and closed-environment growing, and hemp and medicinal cannabis. Brice is a graduate of University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Plant Sciences and a Master of Science in Biosystems Technology. His graduate thesis focused on indoor cultivation of leafy greens, LED lighting systems, fluid handling systems, and electrical efficiency evaluations.

Rupp Carriveau

University of Windsor

Dr. Rupp Carriveau is the Director of the Environmental Energy Institute and Co-Director of the Turbulence and Energy Lab at the University of Windsor. His research activities focus on energy systems futures. Rupp serves on the Editorial Boards of Wind Engineering, Advances in Energy Research, and the International Journal of Sustainable Energy. He recently guest-edited special editions of Energies and The Journal of Energy Storage. Rupp was a recent recipient of the University Scholar Award and has acted as a Research Ambassador for the Council of Ontario Universities. Carriveau is a Founder of the Offshore Energy and Storage Society (OSES) and recently Co-Chaired OSES2018 Ningbo China, and OSES2019 Brest France. Professor Carriveau is Chair of the IEEE Ocean Energy Technology Committee and was just named to Canada’s Clean50 2020 for his contributions to clean capitalism.

Trevor Charles

Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc/University of Waterloo

Trevor C. Charles, Ph.D., is founder and CSO of Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc., CSO of

Ceragen Inc., Director of Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, and Professor of Biology at University of Waterloo. He was trained as a microbiologist and bacterial geneticist, with B.Sc. Microbiology from University of British Columbia, Ph.D. Molecular Biology, McMaster University, and Postdoc from University of Washington. Trevor has held faculty positions at both McGill University and University of Waterloo. His work is situated within the context of Circular Bioeconomy.

Jan Chechalk Signify Canada

Jan Chechalk is one of more than 20 Plant Specialists on Signify’s team. He is specifically focused on providing support to growers of high-wire tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and soft fruits. Chechalk has more than 15 years growing experience as a head grower of ornamental crops including Gerbera and potted plants, and high-wire tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. As a Plant Specialist, Jan works with the team of global horticultural specialists at Signify to design and implement LED lighting strategies. He also advises growers on how to improve growing practices of their LED-lit crops. Outside of his day-to-day role, you’ll find Jan perfecting his own garlic farming techniques.

Leigh Coulter GGS Structures

Leigh Coulter is the President of GGS Structures Inc. and Niagrow Ltd., a leading greenhouse manufacturer and greenhouse heating designer providing sophisticated growing solutions for commercial growers across North America and around the world. For more than 40 years, GGS has been designing and building greenhouses. Leigh took over the business in 1998 and has substantially grown the business since. Holding a business degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, Leigh has been invited to speak at numerous events pertaining to manufacturing and business development. With GGS being one of the largest suppliers to the greenhouse industry in North America, Leigh places critical importance on developing as well as maintaining business partnerships with suppliers and customers alike. GGS designs and manufactures growing environments

for all types of crops in addition to manufacturing high-quality, multi-purpose fabric covered structures. The company has continued to expand through new technology advancements as well as increased market penetration in indoor controlled agriculture cultivation (CEA), and vertical farming. Having worked with top growers all over the world, Leigh has developed nothing but the utmost respect for people who are committed to perfecting their craft and growing their best plants.

Kevin Cullum Koppert Biological Systems

Kevin Cullum brings a unique combination of experience spanning cannabis, greenhouse vegetable and ornamental crops over three decades. He first became involved in the cannabis industry in the 1990’s working with growers supplying two of Canada’s first Compassion Clubs and later as Cultivation Writer for Cannabis Culture magazine. Since legalization, Kevin led the technical support for Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management programs in Licenced Producers across Canada for Koppert Biological Systems. Outside of cannabis Kevin has worked in the Greenhouse sector for 33 years, fulfilling various grower, consulting and commercial roles in Vegetable and Ornamental production throughout Canada. Kevin is the Commercial Manager for Koppert Biological for Western Canada.

Quade Digweed Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Quade Digweed is a greenhouse engineering intern working for Agriculture and AgriFood Canada at the Harrow Research and Development Centre. His field of work includes greenhouse energy efficiency, light pollution abatement and monitoring, greenhouse microclimate monitoring and modeling, and the development of vertical farming technologies for use in extreme environments. Quade has experience in HVAC, controls and electronics development focused on sensors and systems for data collection, remote food production, and use in automated plant production systems.

Aviv Dombrovsky Agricultural Research Organization-t

he Volcani

Center

Dr. Aviv Dombrovsky is a Research Scientist and plant virologist at the department of plant pathology and weed research, the Agriculture Research Organization (ARO), the Volcani Center in LeZion, Israel. The Dombrovsky laboratory provides support in managing viral diseases in agriculture and vegetable industry. The laboratory specializes in the identification of new viral diseases in vegetables and studies the modes of spread/transmission of recently

discovered and old viral diseases in Israel. Topics include virus characterization, plant virus interactions, insect vector transmission to developed various agro-techniques to reduce disease damage.

Ramen Dutta

TensoAI, Inc.

Ramen Dutta is the co-founder of 2 start-ups in the agtech space. Motorleaf, focused on artificial intelligence, and his newest company TensoAI, targeting the challenges around data that fuel our machine learning models. TensoAI’s mission is to maximize the value of agriculture data by powering models in a decentralized network. An Agricultural Specialist, with a keen eye on environmental engineering practices and trends, he is a strong believer in self-sustainability by reducing our carbon footprint and improving our environment one season at a time. With 15+ years in IT consulting, specializing in data redundancy, cluster servers and automation, Ramen has a deep understanding of how technology will shape the future: synchronizing technologies and agriculture will bring unique knowledge in food production to sustain our growing population

Paul Fisher

University of Florida

Paul Fisher is a Professor and Floriculture Extension Specialist in the Environmental Horticulture Dept., at the University of Florida. He has over 30 years’ experience in applied research and farm advising for the commercial greenhouse industry: Outreach lead of CleanWateR3.org, a multi-university group solving problems in irrigation water quality and conservation, Director of Greenhouse Training Online which provides certificate courses for grower professional development including nutrient, water, and substrates, a director of the Floriculture Research Alliance at University of Florida (FloricultureAlliance. org), a university/industry group focused on greenhouse propagation and production efficiency. Paul has co-authored books on pH Management and Greenhouse Lighting, and over 300 articles on floricultural crops in the trade press and scientific journals. He is a consultant for horticulture-related companies in the U.S. and internationally.

Vicki Gagnon

Independent Electricity System Operator

Vicki Gagnon is the Business Advisor, Energy Efficiency, for the Public Sector and Agriculture at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). She has been with the IESO for 16 years. Vicki works with sector-based organizations and Energy Managers across the province to help customers actively manage their energy, enhance the energy efficiency of their facilities, and facilitate participation in Save on Energy programs.

Rodd Gibson

Jeffery’s

Greenhouses, St. Catharines, ON

Rodd Gibson is general manager owner of Jeffery’s Greenhouses, a third generation wholesale business begun by George and Anne Jeffery in 1933 and now managed by Rodd and his wife Barbara Jeffery-Gibson. With two locations – one at Lakeshore Road in St. Catharines and another in Jordan, Jeffery’s has approximately 10 acres of indoor greenhouse production space at each location, with some outdoor production in Jordan. Jeffery’s primary focus is bedding plants, with most of their product propagated in house from seed or unrooted cuttings. They produce more than 100 species of annuals, perennials, spring baskets and mixed containers exclusively for the mass market. A known cyclamen producer, their other crops include poinsettias, garden mums, hydrangeas and Easter lilies

Jerry Gorchels

PanAmerican Seed Co

Jerry Gorchels started out in the greenhouse industry as a grower. His experience includes greenhouse, nursery, landscape design and maintenance. After 30 years as a grower, he entered the sales field as a technical product representative putting all that great experience to use as a resource. Jerry has been with PanAmerican Seed Co. for 34 years; the first 15 as the R&D greenhouse manager.

Brittany Harris Plant Products

Brittany Harris is an Integrated Pest Management Specialist for Plant Products in Leamington, Ontario. She is a graduate of the Fanshawe College Horticulture Program and, as an industry professional, brings with her a decade of experience. Brittany’s favourite part of her role at Plant Products is working in various sectors of agriculture and understanding each customer. She enjoys building programs that will have the best success for the customer to reduce pesticide use and as a result boost production. Her greatest success in her role as an IPM specialist comes from her keen understanding of the relationship between prey and predator.

Xiuming Hao

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

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 University of Guelph and an MSc in computer control systems from Wayne State University. Xiuming has been involved in the greenhouse research at the research centre since 1995. The focus of his research program is on greenhouse environmental

physiology and energy efficiency. He has conducted numerous projects on greenhouse crop management, climate control, and energy conservation, including high-wire 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. Xiuming has led the AAFC national research project on dynamic plant-based environment control to improve energy efficiency in greenhouse vegetable production. He has conducted extensive research in the last 19 years and is leading the national AAFC lighting projects on greenhouse vegetables to improve light and energy use efficiency in year-round greenhouse vegetable production.

Vicki Hilborn

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Vicki Hilborn is the Engineering Program Coordinator for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. She received her Bachelors of Applied Science at the University of Waterloo and her Masters of Applied Science at the University of Guelph.

Ann Huber

Soil Resource Group

Dr. Ann Huber is the environmental microbiologist for The Soil Resource Group in Guelph, Ontario, with over 30 years of national and international experience in environmental and agricultural research. She is lead researcher for the Group on horticultural BMPs, process water treatment technology evaluation and development, water-borne plant pathogen management, soil health assessment, and farm-based food safety risk-management.

Bri-Anna Jaksic IPM Scoutek

Bri-Anna Jaksic’s ten years’ experience covers many facets of the greenhouse industry. From organic greenhouse growing, scouting and IPM management to her specialty, beneficial insect breeding and greenhouse entomology, she has found the ever-fluctuating greenhouse environment to be an especially interesting place to test various insect breeding techniques. Her recent work with IPM Scoutek is pushing Integrated Pest Management to the forefront of greenhouse technology. As scouting is essential in the development of a balanced greenhouse ecosystem, having the IPM data at your fingertips, enables the growers to make the right decision at the right time. Bri-Anna obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Entomology from Trent University and continues her work in the greenhouse industry.

Sarah Jandricic Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Dr. Sarah Jandricic is the Greenhouse Floriculture IPM Specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) since 2015. Her career in Floriculture Entomology has led her down the east coast, gaining experience with managing floriculture pests from New York State to North Carolina. Sarah has a continuous presence in Greenhouse Canada Magazine, the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, and runs the ONFloriculture blog, to help keep growers informed about pest control advances and pest issues facing the industry. Sarah is stationed at Vineland and can be reached at 905-687-1277 or sarah.jandricic@ontario.ca.

Murat Kacira

University of Arizona

Murat Kacira is director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and professor in the Biosystems Engineering Department at the University of Arizona. He received his B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering in Cukurova University in Turkey and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Ohio State University. His research involves automation, environmental control, alternative energy integrated CEA systems and resource use optimization in controlled environment agriculture systems including greenhouses and vertical farming-based plant factories with artificial lighting. Murat is a member of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), American Society of Horticultural Sciences (ASHS), and International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). He serves as Chair of the Division Precision Horticulture Engineering under ISHS.

Roger Kehoe

Eason Horticultural Resources

Roger is a true plant specialist with over 40 years of experience in the Green Industry. Having previously worked with plant breeding companies, young plant producers, and wholesale growing operations, he can offer an incredible amount of knowledge to his customers. Roger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in ornamental horticulture from Rutgers University, with a specialty in floriculture. His background makes him an excellent resource for his customers, especially with his ability to help them with plant knowledge and production methods. Some of his strongest assets are his horticulture business understanding and a broad range of relationships with our vendors and growers throughout the industry. Roger and his wife of more than 40 years have 5 children and 3 grandchildren. He enjoys swimming and golf.

Chieri Kubota

Ohio State University

Dr. Chieri Kubota is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and Director of Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in Horticultural Engineering and M.S. in Horticultural Science from Chiba University, Japan. Chieri worked as faculty for 6 years in Chiba University and 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at University of Arizona. Chieri joined the faculty at the Ohio State University in 2017. She is Research Division Vice President and a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).

Rose Labbe

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Dr. Roselyne Labbe is a research scientist in greenhouse entomology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Harrow Research and Development Centre (HRDC). Her research team aims to identify both the most effective and sustainable ways to manage the diversity of pests present within Canada’s greenhouse and vertically farmed crops. This includes ongoing work to assess and develop a diversity of crop protection tools such as novel biological control or reduced-risk agents and incorporating new technologies such as the sterile insect technique and artificial lights to optimize crop protection.

David Lubitz University of Guelph

Dr. David Lubitz is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph. His research interests include distributed renewable energy including wind, solar and small hydropower, as well as greenhouse energy efficiency and environmental impacts due to light and noise. He has previously studied microclimate and modelled energy flows within high tunnels, and examined wind driven ventilation of large Venlo-type commercial greenhouses. David is currently part of two multi-year projects studying greenhouse light emissions and energy efficiency by combining collaborative experimental study with analysis and modeling simulations.

Brian Lynch

Vineland Research & Innovation Centre

Brian Lynch obtained his B. Eng., M.A.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering from Carleton University in his hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. He spent time as a research associate at the Canadian Space Agency while completing his doctoral research related to smart actuators for spacecraft systems while also working on various projects related to robotics for planetary exploration. Following the completion of his

graduate studies, Brian joined the Mining Systems Laboratory at Queen’s University where he worked on robotic systems for exploration and prospecting with a focus on searching for water and other minerals in space environments. He subsequently relocated to the Niagara region to join Vineland Research and Innovation Centre as a research scientist, where he currently leads the Field Robotics team within the Automation group. Brian is currently the project leader for the Automated Cucumber Harvesting project as part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Automation Cluster. His team focuses on computer vision and robotics, with the aim to spearhead novel research and development in reducing labour costs for the horticulture industry.

Remi Maglione

Harvest Genomics Inc.

Rémi Maglione is the VP and co-founder of Harvest Genomics Inc, a Guelph-based Canadian Biotech company specializing in developing and deploying genomic technologies for food production and food safety. Rémi heads the metagenomics technology development of Harvest Genomics, with a focus on portable DNA sequencing solutions for controlled environments. In addition to vegetable greenhouse operations, Remi is currently developing new genomic technologies for the Cannabis greenhouse sector, from new cultivar development to early detection of biological threats to cannabis production.

Genevieve Marchand Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Following a B.Sc. in Agronomy, specialized in Plant Science (2002), Genevieve 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 postdoctoral fellowship at Health Canada in 2012-2013, Genevieve contributed to the development of a microfluidic detection system for food-borne pathogens. She 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, Genevieve has been leading a research program on 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).

Peter Melis

Proefcentrum Hoogstraten

Peter Melis is a researcher in the

cultivation of strawberry at Proefcentrum Hoogstraten in Belgium. His team does practical and demonstrative research on all aspects of the modern strawberry cultivation, both in soil and on substrate. At the centre, the research program works in close contact with the growers to realize quick implementations of new techniques and systems. Peter is familiar with the different cultivation systems that make yearround cultivation possible. He has developed several techniques to realize important steps in the evolution of the cultivation including: a predictive outgrowth model for short day cultivars using flower bud analysis, the implementation of assimilation light for winter production in glasshouses, the capacity calculation for drain water recuperation on trayfields, a capacity calculation for needed rain water storage, a highly effective IPM strategy with control over the most common pests and diseases, and the importance of timed and quantified fertilization during the plant production phase of short day and everbearing cultivars.

Kerry Meyer

Proven Winners

Kerry Meyers has a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from the University of Missouri, and a Masters in Science degree in Horticultural Science with a minor in Plant Breeding from the University of Minnesota. After graduation, she lived for five years on the Central Coast of California while breeding plants for Ball FloraPlant before returning to the Midwest. Today Kerry’s family lives and gardens in central Missouri on 10 acres, half of which is a rocky wooded hillside. Kerry has worked for Proven Winners since 2002. She works with intellectual property, university trials, and plant tags and also answers consumer questions. Kerry is editor of Proven Winners Home Gardener newsletter, Winners Circle, where she regularly shares photos of her own garden. “I feel if you are going to write about gardening, you probably ought to show your garden.”

Sarah Miner

Roelands Plant Farms

Growing up on her family’s dairy farm in rural southwestern Ontario, Sarah Miner has spent her whole life immersed in Canadian agriculture. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Guelph and has extensive agricultural experience spanning multiple industries including livestock, research, plant production, cannabis, customer service, and sales. Sarah currently works in Account Management and Sales at Roelands Plant Farms – a premium plant propagation company in Lambton Shores, Ontario. When she isn’t selling premium plants, you can find her spending time with her husband and three children.

Saber Miresmailli Ecoation

Dr. Saber Miresmailli is an Awardwinning biologist with 50+ Publications, a PhD in Plant Science from UBC and more than 25 years of experience in the industry including 5 years as a greenhouse grower. He was named one of the top 40 under forty by BIV, won the innovation award at GreenTech Amsterdam in 2018 was a winner at the UN World Changing Technology Olympics in 2020 where he shared the stage with Elon Musk and Anoushe Ansari. Saber conducted his post-doctoral studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at the Energy Bio Science Institute. He then joined Sumatics LLC in New York as the Executive Science Officer. Prior to that, he was part of scientific advisory panel of EcoSMART Technology in Georgia and the Science advisor of Sustainability television. In 2015, Saber received the award of excellence in innovation in agriculture and agri-food from BC Investment Agriculture Foundation. He has been an Advisor to the BC Minister of Agriculture and a member of Vancouver Food Policy Council. More than a decade ago, he, along with his wife, founded Ecoation, a robotics and AI company that makes dynamic data and automation platforms for the horticultural settings and grow that company to more than 60 people with customers all over the world and offices in North Vancouver, BC and Ruthven, ON.

Amar Mohanty

University of Guelph

Amar Mohanty is a Full Professor and OAC Distinguished Research Chair in Sustainable Biomaterials and is the Director of the Bioproducts Discovery & Development Centre at the University of Guelph. He is a former Michigan State University professor and is an international leader in the field of bioplastics, biocomposites and advanced biorefinery. His research focuses in engineering value-added uses of biomass wastes and industrial co-products from agro-food and biofuel industries. Circular economy, environmental sustainability, waste plastic valorization, biodegradable plastics as single-use plastic alternatives, biocarbon based composites and 3D printing of sustainable materials are other areas of his expertise. Prof. Mohanty is the Editor-in-Chief of Sustainable Composites, Composites Part C – Open Access (ELSEVIER).

He has more than 800 publications to his credit, including 415 peer-reviewed journal papers, 6 edited books, over 400 conference presentations, 25 book chapters, and 67 Patents awarded/applied (His Google Scholar citations exceed 38, 000).

Prof. Mohanty is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and the Society of Plastic Engineers. Prof. Mohanty received many awards, including the: JL White Innovation Award

from the International Polymer Processing Society; Synergy Award for Innovation from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); Andrew Chase Forest Products Division Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society (BEPS), USA.

Emily Murracas

Mucci Farms

Emily is the Director of Marketing for Mucci Farms in Kingsville, Ontario. Mucci Farms is a grower, packer, shipper and marketer of fresh flavourful greenhouse grown produce.

Barry Murchie

Goodleaf Farms

Barry Murchie is President and CEO of GoodLeaf Farms in Guelph, Ontario. With a passion for delicious, nutrient-rich greens, GoodLeaf was founded in Truro, Nova Scotia in 2011. Using innovative technology and leveraging multi-level vertical farming, GoodLeaf has created a controlled and efficient indoor farm that can grow fresh produce anywhere in the world, 365 days of the year. The system combines innovations in LED lighting with leading edge hydroponic techniques to produce sustainable, safe, pesticide-free, nutrientdense leafy greens. GoodLeaf has ongoing R&D collaboration with the University of Guelph, McGill University and serval other institutions and private enterprise.

Ana M. Pastrana

Vineland Research & Innovation Centre

Ana M. Pastrana is a Research Scientist at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Canada, where she leads the Plant Pathology laboratory. She completed her PhD in 2015 at IFAPA, Spain then continued her research at the University of California at Davis, USA. She has more than ten years of experience investigating the etiology, epidemiology, and management of plant diseases in agricultural ecosystems. At Vineland, her main tasks include research efforts to control vegetable greenhouse crop diseases.

Zamir Punja

Simon Fraser University

Zamir Punja completed a BSc degree in Plant Sciences at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, followed by MSc and PhD degrees in plant pathology from the University of California, Davis. He then joined the Campbell Soup Company and worked jointly with North Carolina State University in Raleigh on management of carrot diseases. Zamir was appointed Manager of Plant Biotechnology research for Campbell’s in Davis, California to develop innovative methods for crop improvement. He joined Simon Fraser University in 1989 as Associate Professor and was promoted to Professor in 1996. His research interests

include the etiology and management of plant diseases on vegetable and horticultural crops, and the applications of plant biotechnology for disease management. More recently, his work has shifted to cannabis. His group has described a range of previously unreported pathogens affecting the crop and various methods for disease management have been evaluated. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Phytopathological Society. Zamir has received numerous research and teaching awards, including the Sterling Prize for Controversy for his work on GMO foods. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology for 18 years. His research has been funded jointly by NSERC (Discovery, Strategic and CRD’s) and various industry partners. Zamir’s research group currently focuses on cannabis pathology and methods to improve quality of greenhouse-grown cannabis.

Erik Runkle

Michigan State University

Dr. Erik Runkle is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University. Erik obtained a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Illinois and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Horticulture at Michigan State University. Since he joined the faculty in 2001, he and his graduate research team have performed numerous practical experiments indoors and in greenhouses to determine the effects of light, temperature, and other environmental factors on plant growth and development. Much of his recent work has been in the ControlledEnvironment Lighting Laboratory at MSU, focused on regulating growth of leafy greens and ornamental plugs.

Warren Russel Moleaer

Warren Russel is a co-founder of Moleaer and an experienced entrepreneur with over 15 years of business management experience in the wastewater treatment and environmental services industries of Southern Africa and the Middle East. Prior to leading the commercial efforts for Moleaer, Warren, a graduate of the University of South Africa, founded Erogfit USA and Evadine Technologies, which focused on environmental consulting and designing wastewater treatment processes for municipal, industrial, oil, and gas applications.

Adrian Schimnowski CEO & Operations Manager, Arctic Research Foundation

There is no such thing as a typical day for Adrian. Responsible for the maintenance and operation of ARF’s labs and research vessels, he spends much of the summer field season plying northern waterways with scientific researchers, setting up and fixing equipment in remote Arctic locations and working on a wide array of projects with

local communities. As ARF’s main point of contact for government agencies and other partners, Adrian spends his “down time” flying across the country to attend meetings or participate in conferences on Arctic issues. Adrian’s interest in Canada’s Arctic developed early on. Born in Winnipeg, Man., Adrian and his family moved to Chesterfield Inlet and Churchill, Man., when he was a young boy. His earliest memories include fishing for Arctic char and exploring the nearby tundra. He later studied fine arts and architecture at the University of Manitoba and became a professional multimedia artist and, later, a construction business owner. He also obtained fire and paramedic training, as well as training as a commercial diver — all skills that make him an ideal person to lead ARF’s operations in a part of the world where resourcefulness is paramount.

Heike Scholz-Dobelin

Landwirstschaftskammer

Nordrhein-Westfallen, Germany

Heike Scholz-Döbelin works as a specialist advisor at the government´s Plant Protection Service of the Chamber of Agriculture NorthRhine-Westphalia in Germany and is based at the Straelen Research Station in Lower Rhine. She has over 30 years experience in providing biological and integrated pest management advice to growers and crop advisors in fruiting vegetable cultures and developing and implementing complex plant protection solutions, specifically and practical adapted to the grower. She also focuses on monitoring and applied research in plant protection in greenhouse and field vegetable production. Heike has conducted the development and implementation of a protocol for disinfection, eradication, and prevention advice for growers, after Germany experienced the first ToBRFV infestation in Europe in 2018. With inputs from experts and companies in Germany and abroad, Heike facilitated a process in intensive collaboration with the affected growers. Other areas of research include biological control of Tuta absoluta and noctuid moths, control of whitefly, russet mite and aphids, powdery mildew, and Botrytis with beneficials and biopesticides. Heike also runs a farm for organic production of fruits and vegetables together with her husband. She holds a horticulture engineering degree of the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan, Munich-Freising/Germany combined with E.N.I.T.H.P. (École Nationale d´Ingénieurs des Techniques de l´Horticulture et du Paysage), Angers/France.

Aruppillai Suthaparan

Norwegian University of Life Sciences

Aruppillai Suthaparan holds a Doctor of Philosophy: Horticulture & Plant Protection and Master of Science Horticulture from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Ås,

Norway. His work is focused on plant-fungal photobiology and the interactions between optical radiation (ultraviolet, visible, and infrared) and plant diseases. Aruppillai is particularly interested in new developments in how visible and UV light, circadian rhythms, new technologies, and genetic methods can be exploited to suppress plant fungal diseases. He has a special interest in light and light signal perception by plants and fungi, plant and fungal photoreceptors and their role in fungal disease management in greenhouse crops.

Justine Taylor CropLife Canada

Dr. Justine Taylor recently assumed the role of director of stewardship and sustainability for CropLife Canada. In this role Justine supports both industry stewardship efforts as the executive director of the Agrichemical Warehousing Standards Association and contributes to the larger sustainability efforts of Canada’s plant science sector. Justine comes to this role after nearly 10 years in the greenhouse sector and was most recently the science and government relations manager for the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. A keen supporter of collaboration, Justine has contributed to several cross-sectoral initiatives in her previous role and continues to sit on several local volunteer boards in her hometown of Windsor, Ontario. Justine holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta with a focus on analytical chemistry.

Kenneth Tran Koidra Inc.

Kenneth Tran is the founding CEO of Koidra. Koidra is an AgTech startup with a mission of transforming greenhouses and sustainable agriculture through innovations in AI and IoT. It provides IoT Suite and λuto Growing platforms for indoor farms to operate more autonomously and more efficiently. Before founding Koidra, Kenneth was a Principal Applied Scientist in the Machine Learning Group, Microsoft Research. In 2018, he led a cross-organization research team winning the 1st autonomous greenhouse challenge, organized in the Netherlands. His Sonoma team was the only AI team that outperformed the expert Dutch growers with 6% increase and yield and 17% increase in net profit. Kenneth’s expertise and experience includes AI algorithms with a bias for whole system optimization. Kenneth received his Ph.D. in Computational & Applied Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin in 2012.

Rodger Tschanz

University of Guelph

Rodger Tschanz has worked as a technician at the University of Guelph since 1989. In 2001, he was asked by the Department of Plant Agriculture to create and manage the University’s Ornamental Trial Garden program. The trial garden

locations have expanded over the years to currently include ground bed and container trials at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute in Guelph, the Landscape Ontario site in Milton and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. At the Guelph site, Tschanz is a judge for the annual and perennial entries of the All-America Selections organization. A large, multi-year perennial trial has also been recently established at the Landscape Ontario trial site. In addition to the Trial Garden duties, Tschanz is a technician for the ornamental plant breeding program in Guelph, teaches ornamental plant uses and identification, assists with the management of Plant Agriculture’s growth facilities and is part of the student liaison and undergraduate recruitment team for the Department of Plant Agriculture.

Bill Van Heyst University of Windsor

Bill Van Heyst is a professor in Environmental Engineering and the incoming Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Windsor (effective September 2021). Prior to his post at UWindsor, Bill spent 19 years as a professor at the University of Guelph and five years before that as an environmental consultant in a leading Toronto-based air quality firm. Bill’s research has been focused on agricultural air quality issues, especially emissions of ammonia and particulate matter from animal housing facilities and, more recently, odour from cannabis production.

Peter van Weel Weel.Invent

During his 42-year career as a researcher at Wageningen University & Research Peter van Weel developed systems that are now commonplace in today’s greenhouses; such as ebb and flood watering, roof cleaner, movable benches and aquaponic systems. Together with Jan Voogt he developed a climate control strategy based on sensors and laws of physics, known as ‘Next Generation Growing’. After his retirement in 2016 Peter started his private company Weel.Invent to develop integrated, robust, low-investment and uncomplicated production systems for greenhouses. Peter has co-authored a book about Plant Empowerment, which is the next step of NGG with even more emphasis on the relation between air movement, the reduction of risk on fungal diseases and the transpiration of the crop. Peter gives workshops, trains users and analyzes data for growers who use the Plant Empowerment method.

Terry Vermeer ET Grow Inc.

Terry is a Licensed Professional Computer Systems Engineer (P.Eng) with over 14 years of professional experience across many industries. He grew up working in a family-owned greenhouse business

in Grimsby, Ontario. (Westbrook Group of Companies)

Christopher Weisener University of Windsor

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. His research programs link multidisciplinary themes (i.e. microbiology, geochemistry and molecular ecology) within both applied and fundamental research frameworks for habitat restoration. He specializes in developing cutting edge science which correlates an understanding of microbial community function influenced by contaminate stress at the terrestrial/ aquatic interface. In particular his group focuses on the mobility and bioavailability of nutrients (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorous) and toxic metals in aqueous sediments. This research helps inform design and sustainable solutions for waste and water management and ecosystem services.

Youbin Zheng University of Guelph

Dr. Youbin Zheng is a professor at the University of Guelph, the vice president of the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science. He has more than 25 years research and hands-on experiences in controlled environment plant production. Dr. Zheng’s team has been actively involved in controlled environment cannabis production research, mostly collaborative work with licensed producers, in the past years. His group has published North America’s first few peerreviewed scientific papers on controlled environment cannabis production. He has developed and been teaching a Cannabis Production course for senior university students. He is passionate at training graduate students for the controlled environment plant production industry. Youbin is frequently invited to speak about his research nationally and internationally

THE RISE OF AI in the greenhouse

RBY KENNETH TRAN

esults from the first international Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge in 2018 marked the first time artificial intelligence (AI) publicly outperformed humans in greenhouse growing – both in yield and resource-use efficiency. That year, I led the Microsoft Sonoma team, and not only did we win the challenge hosted by Wageningen University & Research, we also demonstrated that an AI algorithm can grow crops better than grower expertise alone, improving yield by six per cent and profit by 17 per cent.

This year, we teamed up with Cornell University researchers to win the first phase of the third international Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge. Combined, our experiences have only further cemented my scientific belief in the potential of AI and IoT technology (or “AIoT” as we call it) in improving greenhouse sustainability, viability, and profitability. For many businesses, however, it can be challenging to know what to do next.

Having seen the potential of AI, you may ask: What really is AI and how does it work? Will it assist me or replace me?

WHY AI IS ON THE RISE

AI is not new. The concept has been around since the 1950s and has been through multiple ups and downs. With traditional AI, experts transfer knowledge to engineers who then encode it into a computer program. The job of the computer is straightforward, relying on simple logical rules. If the air temperature is higher than 27 °C, then open the vents, for example. The rule-based AI can be visualized as a decision tree, such as the one pictured here. It’s for a simple automated supplemental lighting strategy, factoring in global radiation and temperature in the greenhouse.

These rules are manually crafted by in-house programmers and are therefore not easy to maintain, improve, or scale to multiple farms or multiple scenarios. Plus, it is highly dependent on staff who may quit or leave. A robust, maintainable, scalable autonomous grower would be insurance against the operations falling apart.

Modern AI, driven by Machine Learning (ML), ﬁxes most of those setbacks. Unlike traditional AI, the modern AI can

learn and ﬁgure out its own patterns and rules using data and/ or after being shown examples. Let’s recycle the decision tree example. Decision tree modeling exists in both traditional AI and ML. In the former context, the tree is designed by humans. With machine learning, the growth of the decision tree can be automated. Data enables the machine to know which nodes to add to the tree and where to incorporate the splits.

The scalability of machine learning allows us to grow more than just one decision tree easily. This modeling technique is known as Random Forest, which is analogous to a committee of individual decision makers who have experienced different data points. The same idea of moving from manual crafting of models to automated learning of the models also applies to

Disclaimer: This is for

other modeling techniques such as linear regression or neural networks. The scalability of machine learning fueled by the availability of data, and the explosion of computational power, has triggered a new revolution. If we think of machine learning as a combustion engine and data as gasoline, then it wouldn’t be hard to see that this is as cascading a revolution as the automotive industry once was.

Let’s dive into a few concrete examples of where AI ﬁts into greenhouse management.

Anomaly detection: This technique is used to ﬁnd outlier

data points relative to some standard or usual signal. It can send timely alerts to growers when the conditions inside the greenhouse diverge from the expected or when sensors need to be replaced/recalibrated.

Yield forecast: Simple time series forecasting models can help us predict yields for better supply chain management.

Local climate forecast: Public weather forecasts can only provide regional weather patterns that are not very accurate and not speciﬁc to a greenhouse site. Local weather stations can measure conditions more accurately at the site, but it’s not capable of making forecasts. A properly designed machine learning model can combine the best of both to make better local weather predictions.

Pest/disease detection : Computer vision technology has advanced rapidly over the past decade. Now, with drones and deep learning, we can easily develop a model to accurately predict pests/diseases without too much effort.

Prediction of plant traits: The same computer vision technology mentioned before can also be used to sense and accurately estimate plant characteristics in real-time. Examples include dry weight, fresh weight, and leaf area of the plants. We demonstrated this ourselves during phase one of this year’s Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge. With a limited amount of human-labeled data, our team was able to develop a model that could estimate the dry weight, fresh weight, and leaf area of the lettuce plants with small error rates.

Autonomous growing: Last but not least, this is Koidra’s passion and ultimate product. In this application, the AI program would receive data from a network of sensors inside/

outside of the greenhouses, predict the outcomes of different actions, then ﬁnd the optimal setpoints and send commands to the process computer for realizing the updated setpoints. The technology also provides occasional recommendations for the growers on how to optimally maintain the crop to be in sync with climate strategies.

HUMAN-MACHINE COLLABORATION

If AI is so smart, could it ever replace humans, just like a scenario straight out of a dystopian sci-ﬁ ﬁlm? The answer is no. Both humans and machines are amazing learners but each have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning and decision making.

Humans can understand decision logic through insights, or “distilled data,” and quickly adapt to sudden changes. Insights could be mined from anywhere: “mental shortcuts” that are encoded in our evolved brain, oral or written accounts, or simple social codes of a tribe. Insights cut through the jungle of data and are handed down through generations of humans, endowing them with the unsurpassed Homo sapiens ability to form sophisticated future simulations.

Our neurons have been trained by millions of years of data, through both evolution (which is also a technique in ML) and education (so-called “transfer learning” in ML). In many cases, the knowledge distilled by humans is so complex that it’s impossible for a machine to ﬁgure it out by itself even with terabytes of data. For example, the theory of energy

balance and the theory of thermodynamics, which are key in greenhouse management, have been learned and distilled by humans over thousands of years. In terms of both data and computation, thousands of years of evolution is … enormous.

The winning AI solutions must unify the power of machine learning and human knowledge for the best decision making. AI will never replace humans. It simply assists us in completing repetitive and laborious tasks. Think of AI as automation on steroids.

ROADMAP TO AUTONOMOUS GROWING

Real-world AI is no longer a castle in the sky, but a partnership between human intellect and machine power, using the best of both worlds in targeted problem solving. Optimizing the best conditions for plant growth must therefore require a multidisciplinary approach that combines the best of growers’ wisdom, a large body of scientiﬁc literature, and state-of-the-art data technologies.

Every thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. Identifying that critical ﬁrst step would be essential to building the information architecture for your enterprise. Our next article on digital horticulture will help you construct a sensible roadmap for your AI greenhouse, with each step compartmentalized and self-sufﬁcient, executed with the best business and sustainability goals in mind.

Kenneth Tran is CEO of Koidra Inc., an AI solutions supplier active in horticulture. To learn more, email Koidra at hello@koidra.ai and see Ken’s talk at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference on Oct 6.

Greenhouse Canada once again asked breeders to choose their top new annuals for the Canadian market. Here’s what they chose, based on performance in trials and in their own gardens. Note: Varieties are not presented in any particular order.

NEW ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS for 2021/2022

BALL FLORAPLANT, PANAMERICAN SEED, SELECTA ONE

Duayne Friesen, Ball Seed Sales representative, shares his top picks from Manitoba where plants tend to see low humidity, long days and intense sun. Like many parts of the Prairies, they’ve had an extremely hot and dry summer this year, with stretches of 33 to 35 °C. “It’s a different adventure for plants out in the Prairies. They love the lights, but the [low] humidity can sometimes be difﬁcult to deal with,” he says.

[1] Shamrock Lantana Series (Ball Floraplant): The new Shamrock lantana series offers a controlled habit, but it’s not by any means small, says Friesen. Well-branched with medium vigour, it spreads magnificently and is one of the best he’s seen for filling out containers without overwhelming the other plants. “And because of their size, they’re going to work really well in any sized patio container or any hanging basket.” He has Orange Flame in his garden and, unlike other lantanas, it hasn’t stopped flowering. “This year has been extremely dry and these lantanas have just been amazingly good from day one.” Available in four

colours: White, Peach, Orange Flame, and Rose.

[2] Cannonball Petunia series (Ball FloraPlant): This new Cannonball series replaces the older Sun Spun line of compact petunias, delivering a refreshed look as well as better uniformity in habit and timing across colours. Its compact, tightly mounding form stands out in the garden and in 4 to 4.5” pots – a key advantage at retail. “What I really like on this Cannonball is the fact that the ﬂowers are all very, very large. They really pop compared to

the other varieties around them,” says Friesen. He’s planted them in 24” planters for his neighbourhood adopt-a-pot program and received many compliments. “It’s a windy location, and the compact size keeps them nice and tight, so they’re not blown around in the wind.” Even in challenging conditions, the uniformity through all the colours is amazing, he says. Available in seven colours: Blue, Burgundy, Pink, Red, Rose Vein, White, and Yellow

[3] Starlet Midnight Sky Petunia ( Selecta One): Midnight Sky adds

rich, deep purple and the eye-catching white markings of a Sky plant to the Starlet collection. The colour emotes such depth that Friesen says it’s been described as a “goth” plant. Earlier Sky-patterned varieties saw more variability in the tags as they depend on nighttime temperatures, which can drop drastically in early spring, even in greenhouses. Newer varieties like Midnight Sky are much more stable, particularly in areas with smaller differences in temperature, such as Ontario. The variety is said to be wellmatched in timing, vigour and habit

to the series, growing compact and controlled. Early to ﬂower and fast to ﬁnish.

[4] Coleus Copperhead (Ball FloraPlant): Coleus tends to be an easy, low maintenance choice for new gardeners. Plus, they transition well though the season. “They look just as impressive in the spring or in the summer as they do in the fall,” he says. Amid the new introductions, Copperhead is one that stands out for its colour and patterning. “The colour is very copper-ish with a lighter yellow-gold edge to it.” Its compact form makes it versatile, whether in planters or in ground. What’s signiﬁcant is how it’s maintained colouring even in full sun and dry temperatures, says Friesen.

[5] Coleus Spitfire (Ball FloraPlant): Spitfire is another new addition that stands out for its stunning colours and patterns. The long feathery leaves boast a unique hot pink centre bordered by lime green and maroon. “You’re going to be able to add colour to a container you haven’t had before with this coleus,” says Friesen. A versatile compact introduction for container and landscape, Friesen sees it filling a gap in small containers as well. Measuring around 8”, it’s almost half the size of the Flamethrower series which averages at 15 to 16”. The variety performs best in the shade, particularly for low humidity areas, but it can tolerate more sun with higher humidity.

[6] Petunia E3 Wave (PanAmerican Seed): New to the Wave family, the E3 series has received much press this year. It ﬂowers on short days, at or under 10 hours of daylength. “If you‘ve got an early spring, they will be early to ﬂower, which is an advantage over other series of petunias,” says Friesen. Where it really shines for him is performance in

Backed by science. Now in Canada.

the landscape. “Having seen how they grow in the ground, they really are quite something,” says Friesen. Though they have a natural compact-type form, they’ve easily reached 20” across his garden and are covered in blooms, even amid the heat and drought. Available in seven colours: Coral, Pink Cosmo, Pink, Sky Blue, Blue, White and Red

SYNGENTA

FLOWERS

From Syngenta Flowers, Canadian business manager Terry Talsma shares ﬁve new favourites, drawing on the performance he’s seen in trials across North America.

Concise, the powerful uniconazole PGR from Fine Americas, is now registered for Canada. Powerful control you can depend on. Broader scope and better control under high-temperature conditions for high-vigour plants. or denser plants with Fo more compact growth, darker green foliage and longer shelf life.

[7] Spectra Interspecific New Guinea Impatiens: The new Spectra series of interspecific New Guinea Impatiens thrives in every application –from full shade all the way to full sun, says Talsma. “So the message is simple, plant it anywhere!” Blooms are typically 20 per cent larger than competitive varieties and flower 10 to 14 days faster. Because the flowers open on top of the plant, it’s destined for a full show from the start, he says. Excellent branching and uniform habit make it a versatile option in all pot sizes, both in sun and in shade. Royalties are also lower compared to existing options. Available in five colours: Bright Red, Magenta, Orange, Pink, and White.

519-839-4778 kvorders@kams.c a

[8] Itsy White Petunia: “Small but mighty, tough and tiny!” is the official tagline for this new Itsy White petunia. “[An] amazing follow-up to the introduction of Itsy Magenta in 2020,” says Talsma. He points to its exceptional spreading landscape vigour, where exceptional branching and large volumes of small flowers result in blankets of colour. In trials, they’ve performed well in the heat and stood up to the rain. The smaller flowers also make for ideal combinations, says Talsma, “a great al-

PERFORMANCE

Reduce transplant shock. Optimal growth and uniformity. Stronger and more productive plants.

ternative to bacopa which tends to discolour and not tolerate the heat.”

[9] Mojo Interspeciﬁc Geranium – Dark Pink and Hot Cherry (pictured): Syngenta adds two new colours to the Mojo series, bringing the total to seven. “[It’s] the only dark leaf geranium series on the market,” says Talsma. Set against the dark green foliage, the bright palette of colour offered by these two additions creates a striking combination for their big blooms. Their medium vigour and well-branched, upright habit makes them ideal for containers across a range of sizes. From performance in trials, Talsma has seen them thrive in hot, dry conditions typical of difﬁcult landscape environments.

[10] Fun House Potpourri Petunia: As the name suggests, Fun House Potpourri delivers a unique ﬂower and colour pattern that captures attention at retail. It’s the ﬁrst

entry in a new series featuring very unique ﬂower patterns, Talsma explains. Its medium vigour and mounded habit makes it an ideal addition to hanging baskets and patio containers.

[11] Callie Calibrachoa – Rose Dark Center (pictured) and Lavender: The Callie series welcomes two new colour additions – Lavender and Rose Dark Center. “Continuing the great upgrades and unique colour additions to Callie, these two intros feature an attractive ring of third colour in the center,” says Talsma. Vigorous and bold, the series blooms continuously from spring to fall and is said to be a great choice for premium hanging baskets and mixed combos.

PROVEN WINNERS

Kerry Meyer, program manager at Proven Winners,

Making growing easier.

introduced almost 33 new annuals from Proven Winners. To help narrow down the selection, Glenn Andersen of Nordic Nurseries, B.C. handpicked a few of his favourites for the Canadian market with notes below from Meyer.

[12] Superbells Double Twilight Calibrachoa: This double-ﬂowered calibrachoa offers a pale lilac colour and with dark purple centres that extend to darker veins and netting on the lighter petal surface, says Meyer. “This may be my favourite colour.” The gorgeous spring hues will mix well with combinations. “As with all calibrachoa, it doesn’t like wet root systems,” she adds, recommending containers to manage moisture. “We are trialling it for better root characteristics.”

[13] Ladybird Calylophus –Lemonade (pictured) and Sunglow: This new two-variety Texas primrose series offers two slightly different hues of a soft, warm yellow. But they’re not just for the southern U.S. climate. Proven Winners has trialled them in New Hampshire and Michigan, where their production facilities are located, as well as select trials in Canada. “Great for hot, dry sunny spots. They’re really tough plants,” says Meyer, including for landscape.

[14] Augusta lavender heliotropium: Differing from the classic Heliotropium, this Augusta lavender doesn’t produce big flowers with sparse foliage. “People will hear heliotrope and think one thing but see another,” says Meyer. “The flowers are in much smaller clusters. Each individual floret will look like a heliotrope.” Another Texan native, it’s very heat- and humidity-tolerant. While it can be quite fragrant, this isn’t a consistent quality. “Consider fragrance a bonus for the times it is present,” she adds. “A thriller or filler... It’ll be great

in landscape for mounds of colour.” For combinations, growers may need other vigorous components, but it also does well on its own. Grow together from the liner stage for best results in combos. Reaches up to two feet in height.

[15] Safari Jamesbrittenia –Dawn (pictured) and Sky: While the genus has been around for a while, Jamesbrittenia have generally been difﬁcult to grow, says Meyer. The South African native has more interesting colours than bacopa, and can be used as a substitution in combos. “They’re really good landscape plants, too.” A new genus for Proven Winners, the series debuts in two colours, Dawn with its yellow centre and pink to lavender hues, and Sky with its lavender to white centres. Both offer good resistance to downy mildew and powdery mildew. Ideal for smaller container sizes.

[16] Supertunia Vista Jazzberry: This electric magenta purple of Jazzberry broadens the range of offerings in the Supertunia Vista series. It’s closer to purple than they have been in the past, says Meyer. Expanding the colour range has been particularly difﬁcult because Proven Winners is not willing to compromise on the performance of the Vista name. Vigour is said to match Bubblegum and others in the rest of the series with their large, upright mounded plants and selfcleaning ﬂowers all season-long.

DANZIGER

Danziger has released a number of unique, new varieties for 2022. Marketing manager for North America, Lisa Heredia shares some of the highlights along with several shots taken from trials this year.

[17] Lollies Argyranthemum : A new series of Argyranthemum frutescens , Lollies features a naturally

compact, mounded habit. The early blooming series offers ﬁve colours with uniform performance, all thoughtfully named according to this delicious confectionary theme. When trialed in Israel, the series bloomed just 10 weeks after planting. Recommended for gallons, pots and landscape. Available in ﬁve colours: Berry Gummy, Pink Pez, Buttermint, White Chocolate, and Marshmallow.

[18] Eyeconic Peach Calibrachoa: The Eyeconic Calibrachoa hybrida line

CONTINUED ON PAGE 69

Full focus on hygiene

Keeping a greenhouse clean requires more than choosing the right disinfectant.

BY MICHELLE JAMONEAU AND ARIE ALBLAS

As a grower, how do you prevent bacteria, fungi and viruses from entering your business and spreading, with all the associated consequences?

“Bacteria, fungi and viruses are a threat to all kinds of crops in the vegetable and ornamental horticulture industry. These threats are crop and even species-dependent, but if there is a serious infestation, the yield and the proﬁtability of the crop are at risk,” says Arie Alblas, Canadian account manager at Royal Brinkman.

Prevention is better than cure. Viruses such as CGMMV (Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus) and ToBRFV (Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus) can cause yield loss and even make it necessary to terminate the crop prematurely. To prevent these pathogens, there is a need for an increase in hygiene in and around greenhouses.

According to Alblas, it’s important to have a complete solution that not only pays attention to plant health, but also food safety and human safety. Almost two years ago, Royal Brinkman introduced a complete hygiene management program called HortiHygienz that is based on ﬁve pillars: crop rotation, people, materials, water

ABOVE

quality, and responsibility and sustainability.

CROP ROTATION

An empty greenhouse or compartment is the ideal time to get rid of any bacteria, fungi and viruses and to start clean again. The ﬁrst step is a good cleaning of the greenhouse structure and other hardware after the crop has been fully removed. Follow with one or two disinfection applications. Note that many disinfectants were originally meant for veterinary application but are not necessarily the best for killing speciﬁc plant viruses or other plant pathogens. Be sure to choose a disinfectant that was developed for the greenhouse or plant industry and has a proven effect on viruses besides bacteria and fungi.

PEOPLE AND ACTIVITIES

People are a common source of infection. Employees or visitors can unknowingly bring in bacteria, fungi or viruses and spread them via hands, footwear and clothing. Reduce the number of visitors, and make sure that hands and footwear are clean using a hygiene lock that scrubs footwear with a disinfectant and sprays hands before you

Growers know that when it comes to controlling and monitoring a production environment, a simple, ﬂexible, sustainable control system is crucial. This is why you can depend on Reliable Controls. Our nationwide network of factory-certiﬁed Authorized Dealers will help you design, install, and commission a comprehensive control system paired with an intuitive, custom-tailored graphical interface. Take command of your precisely controlled environment. Generate tracking reports and analytics. Reduce your carbon footprint while improving productivity, quality, and serviceability.

To learn more about this cost-effective, Canadian-made solution, please contact a Reliable Controls

Authorized Dealer near you.

Western Canada: 403.561.4148

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ABOVE

are allowed into the building.

Coveralls are the best and easiest way to reduce the risk with visitors. For employees, consider changing into companyprovided work clothes that stay with the company after a day or shift of work. The goal here is to eliminate diseases coming in by means of clothing that is potentially contaminated.

DISEASE-FREE MATERIALS

Undesirable pathogens can also be introduced via materials such as trolleys, tools and crates. Therefore, ensure proper cleaning and disinfection and make clear agreements on this with suppliers of these materials. Spreading of pathogens within your facility can also be prevented by regular cleaning and/or disinfecting of carts and other moving equipment. Fully automated options are available for disinfecting of moving equipment with each use. Again, choose the right disinfectant.

OPTIMAL WATER QUALITY

Attention to water quality is also important. Bacteria, fungi and viruses are often spread through the facility with lightning speed via irrigation. A clean water system with optimum water quality is of great importance in preventing this. Increasing the oxygen in the irrigation water with methods such as nanobubbles can lead to a more healthy, and therefore less susceptible, root zone. Prevent and eliminate the buildup of organic materials in water lines, drip irrigation, sprinklers and water storage tanks. This all leads to higher water quality and minimizes the spread of viruses and plant pathogens.

Essential Innovations

Positioned right at the start of the food chain, we apply state-of-the-art techniques to the rich genetic diversity nature offers us. With a global network of leading research institutes and universities, we are constantly working to further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the seed breeding process. Together with our partners, we can make our vegetables tastier, more appealing, easier to prepare and even more healthy.

Masetti RZ

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35-BR1406 RZ

Red Blocky Pepper

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For more information, contact Pepper Crop Specialist Bradley Breedveld | b.breedveld@rijkzwaan.com Rijk Zwaan Canada & USA www.rijkzwaanusa.com

Sharing a healthy future

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See how E3 is taking Wave® Petunias into the FUTURE. E3 Easy Wave from PanAmerican Seed® is Early, Wave. At 10 hours daylength, the E3 Easy Wave petunia sales even earlier at retail. With its manageable, uniform

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REGENiSYS & reSET

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PRO-MIX® BIOSTIMULANT™ + MYCORRHIZAE™

These high-quality growing media ingredients provide ideal growth environments for plant roots and are adapted to growers’ needs. The BIOSTIMULANT and the MYCORRHIZAE™ work together to enhance plant performance, quality and yield.

HC’s New Biobased Growing Container Solution!

The HC Companies is proud to introduce their latest, environmentally the market. Made from sustainablysourced wood pulp, BioPax™ growing containers are USDA BioPreferred®

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Lambert Professional LM-191 peatbased substrate is a slightly less coarse version of our best-selling all-purpose blend, the LM-111. This new mix is blended with specially selected grade of sphagnum peat moss and the screening process of the peat was done to allow this all-purpose mix to be more widely adaptable, including lambertpeatmoss.com/products/ lm-191-all-purpose-mix-2/

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CANADA

CLASSIFIED RATES: Minimum order $75.00 or 84¢ per word, word ads must be pre-paid. CLASSIFIED DISPLAYS: $72.00 per column inch. GENERAL INFORMATION: Payment must accom- pany order. Copy required on publication close date. All advertising copy subject to the approval of the publisher. Send order and remittance to: Classiﬁed Dept., Greenhouse Canada, P.O. Box 530, Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 Canada

2001 GGS Gutter Connect Greenhouses

• 17,760 sq. ft

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• Glass Front end

• Sides: Combination of Plastic, Polycarbonate and Steel

• Back: Combination of Glass, Plastic and Steel

• Double Poly air inﬂated roof

• 3 Automatic Roof Openers

• 2 Stanley Automatic Sliding Doors

• Reinforced gutter, steel post and beams to meet retail code.

• Includes - 6 Reznor Gas Heaters, Hanging Basket Lines and Irrigation.

• Construction Plans Available Offers to include the dismantling of greenhouse Location: Barrie

For more information, contact admin@ barriegardencentre.com or call Etti Mountain at 705-730-1113. 09/1t/pd

ROAD SIGN FOR SALE

DIGITAL ROAD SIGN FOR SALE.

Easy-to-program, full colour digital LED sign, accessible remotely using a web interface, plays videos and image slideshows.

Existing wood structure is approximately 8’ x 16’ and includes working digital LED road sign.

Digital Sign specs:

• Dual-sided colour LED screen

• 10mm Colour Screen 7’-5” x 4’-2”. 2240 x 1280 pixels

• Asynchronous control system

• Wireless Antenna

• Change sign graphics easily through remote web interface

• Programmable

• Plays videos too

• Power required: 2 circuits 120V/20A

Please contact admin@barriegardencentre com or call Etti Mountain at 705-730-1113

Available after September 26. 09/1t/pd

GREENHOUSE FOR SALE

adds new Peach for a total of ﬁve colours. True to its name, the darker eye offers striking contrast, and the large ﬂowers are said to bloom early enough for any market. “They’re selected for larger pots,” says Heredia, who adds that the controlled semitrailing habit is ideal for combos and hanging baskets.

[19] Craspedia Golf Beauty

Improved: Danziger introduced an improved version of Craspedia Golf Beauty this year. As Heredia explains, the previous version didn’t do quite as well in low-light conditions and as a result, was more of a southern crop. This new and improved variety is said to be well-branched and fast blooming. Plus, it roots 30 per cent faster than the former version. “We bred it for landscape and potted crops,” she says, adding that its fun Dr. Seuss-like quality makes for an excellent combo item.

[20] Osticade Daybreak

Osteospermum: After launching Osticade Yellow last year, Danziger adds new Daybreak to this series of Osteospermum ecklonis . The variety offers elegant shades of pink and

yellow amid a controlled semi-trailing mounding habit ideal for baskets. “They don’t have to be grown in a cool greenhouse,” says Heredia, explaining that there’s no need for cold treatment. Unlike some other Osteospermum that have to be separated from other crops, this one can be grown in a warm greenhouse along with other annuals.

[21] Hello Yellow Capella Petunia: Hello Yellow is one of three new varieties in the Capella series. With bright colour that goes straight to the edge of the bloom, it’s a striking new addition. As Heredia describes it, the variety is well-mannered and easy to take care of in the greenhouse, performing well in propagation and naturally compact in the greenhouse with minimal PGRs. An early bloomer, it continues to grow and gain size in the garden. Though it was selected for quarts, this petunia has no trouble ﬁlling baskets.

GREEN FUSE BOTANICALS

From Green Fuse Botanicals, CEO Jim Devereux shares thoughts on his top new annual introductions, highlighted at the California Summer Trials this year.

[22] Portulaca 24/7: New breeding in portulaca brings this new series

to the market. Said to stay open all day and night like the local 24/7 convenience store, this portulaca not only produces large, fully double ﬂowers measuring two to three inches, but is also day length neutral. Perfect in quarts through basket production. Available in ﬁve colours: fuchsia, orange, red, white, and yellow.

[23] Begonia Rex Bewitched Night Owl: The crisp colour contrast of this new Begonia Rex Bewitched Night Owl is a ﬁtting addition to the Bewitched series. Best out of the sun, this variety is ideal for a shady spot on the porch or indoors year-round.

[24] Petunia Blanket Silver

Surprise: Silver Surprise joins the Blanket petunia series, and a surprise it is. The new addition offers blossoms that open in silver, purple, lavender and half and half. This display of mixed colour will be an attentiongrabber in the garden. “Every garden needs a blanket!” shares Devereux. One plant can easily ﬁll a hanging basket or the landscape with a mature size of 8’x8’.

All photos courtesy of the respective seed breeder, supplier or representative.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

INSIDE VIEW

GARY JONES | Gary.Jones@kpu.ca

Managing pests in public

For the past four years, the landscape and nursery industry in BC has been battling a new invasive pest species in the Fraser Valley: Japanese Beetle. First found in a small urban park in downtown Vancouver in 2017, this voracious feeder of a diverse range of ornamentals, turf, and berry crops caused major concern for the industry and sparked multiple agencies into action. Federal (CFIA), provincial (BCMAF) and municipal tiers of government partnered with industry (headed by the BC Landscape and Nursery Association, BCLNA) in a coordinated monitoring and eradication program. This seems to have paid off handsomely, with the 8,000 beetles found in 2018 down to just 214 individuals in the 2020 survey, and these (almost) conﬁned to a very small area around the original site of infection. 1 A multi-pronged approach of soil drench pesticides, foliar applications of microbial insecticide, strictly enforced restrictions on plant and soil movement, and intense trap surveying have been key to preventing Japanese Beetle from causing millions of dollars in damage. But I believe the real key to this success story has been two other factors: the communication and cooperation between the agencies involved and a public education program. This has garnered buy-in from the local population towards the actions required to prevent this pest from becoming yet another issue to manage ad inﬁnitum.

show how the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of our current food system, food security, and food sovereignty. The public are aware of the new reality of where their food comes from. Or doesn’t. But do we tell the consuming public how much we are spending on reducing the real or potential threats from pests and diseases to our safe, nutritious food supplies? (And here I refer to all parties involved in agri-/horticulture.) There are some great success stories to be told in what most of us ‘inside’ the industry take for granted as just part and parcel of the day-to-day work we do. Yet we’re missing opportunities to share with our customers how much it takes to work preventatively in the pest and disease world. Taxpayer money is being put to good work in these situations, yet we’re not really letting anyone ‘outside’ know what great value for money our research, development, extension, and education services contribute to our food supply network.

Are we missing opportunities for publicizing IPM success stories?

I didn’t know this, but over the last few years ‘Little Cherry Virus-2’ and two other diseases have caused “an estimated $80M in crop losses, tree removal and replanting” 2 to the cherry industry in Washington State. While this virus has been present in the Okanagan and other BC cherry growing areas in the past, it has potential to cause huge losses if it takes hold again. So, a task force has been established to monitor this situation and has just received $100,000 in provincial funding for two year’s survey work.

As an industry, we are continually ﬁghting pests and diseases. Some new, some old adversaries. Some native, some alien and potentially invasive. You don’t have to look far to ﬁnd stories, comments, and indeed data that

And as a side note to finish on: Maybe I really am just getting older, (no comments please), but many of the federal and provincial entomologists and plant pathologists really seem to be getting younger. It seems it’s not just policemen any more. I actually think this is fantastic. Not just because of the fresh faces, enthusiasm, and energy, but also because we’re seeing new young people come into our wonderful world of horticulture and all it has to offer. And that tells me that these younger people are recognising the amazing careers open to them if they follow their dreams and passions. The value of the work they’re doing will only become more significant as the population increases and the land base for agriculture reduces. Let’s shout out what a fabulous job everyone is doing. It’s to everyone’s benefit, after all.

1 Mitham, Peter, ‘Japanese Beetle control pays off’, Country Life in BC, June 2021.

2 Steeves, Judie, ‘Little Cherry Disease...”, Country Life in BC, June 2021.

Gary Jones is faculty member in the School of Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley, BC. He sits on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary.Jones@kpu.ca.