Categories
Integrated Pest Management

The use of bumblebees for pollination in berry crops

The use of bumblebees for pollination in berry crops

At last week’s berry workshop Dr. Gunjan Gera, R&D and IPM advisor for Zonda Beneficials, gave a wonderful and insightful presentation into the possibilities of bumble bee pollination for berry crops and IPM controls for pests.  Below is the key points of Dr Gera’s brilliantly crafted presentation.

 

What’s the Buzz!

The powerful bumble bee buzz allows them to “buzz pollinate” the anthers of blueberry, kiwifruit and other blossoms

 

Why are bumblebees great for berry pollination?  Below are some of the points from Dr Gera's presentation 

 

  1. Suitable for both outdoor and indoor crops
  2. Bumblebee wings  beat @ 200 times/ sec, Speed can reach up to 54kmh
  3. Can carry 90% of their own body weight
  4. Each bumblebee transfers more pollen to the stigma as compared to the other pollinators
  5. One bumblebee is capable of doing the work of 50 honeybees
  6. More resilient to harsh weather conditions
  7. As in the wild, bumblebees work very well alongside honeybees
  8. Significant labour savings as compared to the artificial pollination methods

Above the bee rakes up a bunch of anthers, holding them against its body with its leg and “buzzes” them – the hard plates of its exoskeleton vibrates, and the amount of energy transferred from the buzzing bee causes the pollen to literally explode outward, covering the bee in pollen.

 

Bumble bee fungicide dispenser:

The introduction of the Zonda fungicide biological dispenser definitely caught the immediate attention of the workshop attendees.  Bumblebees are recently being used for dispersal of Trichoderma harzianum, a fungicide to treat strawberry crops to prevent Botrytis cinerea. A necrotrophic fungus which can cause infection in strawberry flowers and rot in mature fruits on a large scale. 

 

The above photo shows the new route the bumble bee must take when exiting the Zonda bumble bee hive, they take a walk through the Trichoderma and carry it on their legs directly to the flower.  Brilliant!

 

Bumble bee pollinating a strawberry flower at the same time dispensing the Trichoderma.  Absolutely the most innovative technology of the day.

 

Common Pests in Berries:

 

Two spotted Mite (Spider Mite). 

  1. A major pest of strawberries and other berry crops.
  2. They are sap sucking mites that feed on the underside of leaves.
  3.  First sign of damage are speckling and mottling on the leaf surface.
  4. In heavy infestations they make white webbing on the leaves.
  5.  Affected plants are stunted and low yield. Fruit shape is distorted.

Zonda Biological Control for Spider mite:

  1. A small (0.5 mm) and fast moving mite.
  2. Orange to bright red in colour.
  3. A specialized predator of spider mites from Tetranychinae
  4. Highly voracious mite with very higher reproduction rate
  5. Feeds on all stages of spider mites

 

Western Flower Thrip

  1. Favored by warm and dry conditions
  2.  WFT feeding on flowers can result in deformed fruits.
  3. Fruit damage is visible by surface russeting around seeds in green and mature fruits.

(above image) Zonda has Neoseiulus cucumeris for Biological Control for Thrip:

  1. Mainly feeds on eggs and juveniles, can eat 1-2 individuals per day
  2.  Pest range- WFT, Onion thrips, Chilli thrips, Asian citrus psyllids, Whitefly, Broad mite, Spider mite, Russet mite

 

Whitefly

Whiteflies are piercing, sucking insects that can cause strawberry leaves to turn yellow.  

 

(above image) Zonda has the broad spectrum predatory mite Amblydromalus limonicus for Biological Control for Whitefly:

  1. A generalist mite used to control spider mite, thrips, psyllids, whitefly, broad mite.
  2. Mainly feeds on eggs and juveniles.
  3. Note: Not good for tomato

 

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE USING THE PREDATORY MITES

 

  1. Release the predatory mites at early sign of pest infestation
  2. Some biologicals can be released before the signs of pests appear.
  3.  For specialized mites re-introduction might be necessary
  4. Maintain ideal temperature and humidity.
  5. Make sure you use recommended dosage and frequency while releasing the biologicals
  6.  Check residual period of any pesticide used in the crop before their release
  7.  If you have to, Use only safe chemicals in your crop,

For more information on this presentation please contact Zonda on 0800 4 ZONDA (96632) or go to the website www.zonda.net.nz

 

Special mention to the fantastic, informative presentation from Dr Gera.

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article compiled by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Technical

Grafted Cucumbers faster to harvest

Part 3

 

Following a trial of 1000 grafted cucumber plants, I was not expecting to see such a vast difference so early in the crop cycle.  When I visited last week, I was astounded to see how much quicker the grafted plants were reaching harvest than the standard non-grafted plant.  The grafted cucumbers were due to be harvested the day I took the photos below.  The other visible difference was the short internodes on the grafted plants compared to the standard non-grafted plant.

I would estimate the grafted plants will be harvested approximately 3-5 days faster.  This increase is quite astonishing and may mean at least one extra cucumber per plant for the length of the crop.  This alone would pay for the additional cost of the grafting.  The short internodes may also help growers, using the umbrella system, achieve at least one more fruit to the wire.  The possibilities are very exciting but caution needs to be exercised, or my enthusiasm as this is just one crop and one trial.

The other test or comparison between the grafted and not grafted has also been realised.  The grafted plants have had no losses due to Pythium compared to some small amount of Pythium detected on the non-grafted plants.   I have suggested using a product with no MRL or withholding period to control the Pythium.  This has had a positive effect and protected the main crop from any further infection to this point. 

The root systems on both the grafted and non-grafted plants are substantial and very good at this time.  Both are strong and vigorous.   The difference from the photo taken in the last Grower2Grower grafted cucumber article and this article is this trial of grafted cucumbers crop is been grown on coir and not stone-wool.  When you try and wriggle the propagation block the entire bag moves, indicating the root structure is plentiful.  If you can wiggle the propagation block, and the bag does not move, you may, at this stage of the crop cycle, have some root problems or larger issues.

So far so good, the grafted plants in this trial are certainly vigorous and faster to harvest.  This is another example of the type of experiment growers should be conducting to search for improvements.  The opportunity to use less chemical alone is something I find intriguing.  Hopefully having a stronger plant, the plants natural defences against pests and other diseases are heightened.  This may also allow beneficial insects to keep on top of unwanted pests for longer periods.   Growers want to use less chemicals from both a cost and labour point of view. 

Above is the cover photo of this week’s article taken from the trial last week. Cucumber and Rootstock seed supplied by Premier Seeds Ltd.  Plants propagated, grown and delivered from Gellert Nurseries Ltd

 

The arrow in this photo is pointing to the rootstock which is showing no signs of any fungal infection .

 

The arrow in this photo is pointing to the base of the stem where I suspect Pythium infection has occurred.

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

 

Categories
Events/Announcements

Big thank you to the Horticentre Trust and Apex Greenhouses

Educational workshops only happen with industry support.

 

I am so pleased to say the Berry workshop, held in Pukekohe last week, was a success and it was all made possible thanks to the support of The Horticentre Trust, who underwrote the event.  The fantastic turnout, and the registration fees collected, means all of the funds will be returned to the trust to assist with future events.   

A huge thank you to James Harris and Peter Holwerda, from Apex Greenhouses, who sponsored the morning tea.  There was a delicious selection of savoury and sweet, which meant there were no rumbling tummies throughout the second part of the morning- thank you!

I would also like to mention and thank the sponsors that have now made it possible for Marie and I to organise this event.  Thanks to BNZ, AquaSan, Educhem, Ecomix, PureLED, Zonda Beneficials Ltd, Bumpercrop.  These are just a few of the Grower2Grower website sponsors, their continued support means we can continue to bring educational events to the growing community.

This was the inaugural Grower2Grower workshop. We plan to ensure we keep improving for future events so a big thank you for the feedback we’ve received from the growers and suppliers that attended.  WE aim for bigger and better next time- watch this space!

Tony Ivicevich, trustee of the Horticentre Trust sent his apologies, he was unable to attend the workshop but sent an e-mail explaining the Horticentre Trust and how it came to exist;

 

Here is some background on the NZ Horticentre Trust

The major milestone goes back to the late 1950s when some Auckland glasshouse tomato growers knew they were being rorted over soil fumigant so they got together through the Auckland Vegetable & Produce Growers Society to bulk buy which apparently later halved the price from the two existing suppliers. With that success other group bulk buying followed; sprays, cartons and they started importing fertilisers just to keep the supply trade honest.

So to keep the story short, firstly it was the Trading Society then it formed Veg-Gro Supplies Ltd still primarily servicing greenhouse growers. As it expanded into floriculture, outdoor vegetables, berries, vineyards and fruit it became Horticentre Ltd. Its owner the Auckland Society went the way of many district associations and closed down with a very large asset that nobody owned so the NZ Horticentre Charitable Trust was formed to take up ownership. They operate separately.

The Trust’s objects are to use the proceeds of the Horticentre Group’s trading and growth to benefit and enhance NZ’s horticulture by way of sponsoring scholarships, education, training, research, technical transfer and is the Platinum Sponsor of Horticulture NZ’s Young Grower of the Year Competition [happening at the end of the day]. Since its inception, the Trust has put back over half a million dollars back into industry all due to the support of its grower customers and the Group’s staff in a very competitive trading environment.

Sponsoring your excellent Greenhouse Berry Workshop initiative is a prime example of what the Trust is all about.

Image above Tony Ivicevich 2018. 

 

Thanks again to the sposors of morning tea Apex Greenhouses 

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

 

Categories
Events/Announcements

Berry Workshop

Wednesday the 2nd Of October 2019

 

Thank you to all that attended the Greenhouse Berry Workshop on Wednesday October 2nd.  Over 60 delegates attended.  The facility was excellent, perfectly suited to the event.  

 

The presentation by the key note speaker, Dr Mike Nicholls, provided an overview of the various berry crops that are currently grown in protected cropping conditions.   He also highlighted the possibilities of growing alternative berry crops, including gooseberry and boysenberries.   Two other presentations, one by Dr Gunjan Gera from Zonda Beneficials and the other by Marco van den Berg, Nutrition Product Category Manager for the Horticentre Group, provided fantastic technical information.

 

Production Systems:

Mike introduced different production systems, from traditional growing from the ground to the move to table systems and swing systems for strawberries, the different types of raspberry, blackberry and blueberry systems. 

 

Photo of raspberry system in mid to high tech greenhouse.  This has heating pipe rails that double up as the trolley transport system and if you look closely there is another heating pipe just above the growing media.  Horizontal wires are used to support the berries and the laterals are trained over the string to make picking easier.

 

Substrates:

Coir substrates was another main discussion point, as there is so much variation in coir.  Buffered or un-buffered product is available however, Mike suggested that you should consider ordering non-buffered and carry out the buffering yourself using your own irrigation system.  Marco van den Berg's presentation also touched on coir, which will be covered in a future article.

 

Coir after it has been mulched and put on giant concrete pads to dry.

 

Propagation:

Mike spent some time explaining techniques used for propagating Raspberries.  He prefers using cuttings for his material and not tissue culture techniques.

 

Cuttings from a raspberry dipped in rooting hormone to produce new canes.

 

A great number of topics were covered. However, I would like to cover, in more depth, in future articles the following:

 

  1. Planting Densities for each cultivar low tech v high tech
  2. The use of LED supplementary lighting and the effects on all year round production and taste. The type of light spectrum required for optimum growth
  3. Irrigation, EC, PH and WC targets applied and in runoff.  Estimate runoff % for each cultivar. 
  4. Temperature:  Day/Night and 24 hours in relation to light and fruit loading.  Generative and Vegetative growth phases
  5. Humidity control/recommendations
  6. C02 enrichment, levels required and observed benefits
  7. Plant maintenance, how to train them, de-leaf plants, prune them (can you elaborate on fruit loading per m2) from planting to picking.
  8. Production Average each Cultivar Annually based on Short Day planting?
  9. Labour units per Ha approximately, high tech efficiency vs low tech lack of efficiency?

 

Photo Gallery 

Special thanks to James Harris Operations Manager and Peter Holwerda Sales Manager for Apex Greenhouses who sponsored the morning tea.

 

Dr Michael Nichols was pleased to have previous students he lectured at University attend the workshop.  Coir was a big talking point of the conference.  So appropriate this photo was taken next to the Ecomix stand.

 

Horticentre is well established suppling products for greenhouses vegetables and flower growers and are also very involved with vines and berry crops.  Now that berries are progressing into covered crop situations their knowledge will be valuable for future developments in this sector.

 

(Left) Paul Marlow from  Aquasan and (Right) Hamish Frizzell, Pukekohe BNZ Agribusiness.

 

Thanks to Kimberly Woelke, office manager from PureLED for attending the workshop

 

Special thanks to Kay Airey from Primary ITO for contacting berry growers and alerting them of the workshop.  Thanks for helping me clear up as well.

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Greenhouse News

ReduSystems – Growers experience benefits of combining coatings

Controlling growth with light: more in winter, diffuse in summer

 

For a grower, every ray of sunlight entering the greenhouse in winter is a bonus. Light is also welcome in summer, provided it is properly distributed throughout the crop. This can be achieved by combining coatings. Two vegetable growers are leaders in this field in the Netherlands.

Mardenkro has developed a system to optimize the light entering the greenhouse throughout the year: ReduSystems. Shading when necessary, diffusing when beneficial and allowing more light transmission during the year’s low-light periods. The coatings have been designed so that they can be combined together. This is gaining popularity in actual practice: growers are increasingly realising the benefits of combined coatings. They speak about their experiences in these videos.

 

More active crop

Bell pepper grower Paul Moerman achieved increased production under AntiReflect two years in a row. The crop is more active in the winter, but the real benefits are obtained during the early spring and at the start of the autumn. In addition, he uses ReduFuse to protect the crop against heat stress. This creates a more stable climate and less blossom end rot.

 

 

 

Less reflection = more light

Greenhouse Manager Peter van Ninhuys of cucumber farm Van Lipzig Tuinderijen currently has one year of experience with AntiReflect. The entire 8.5-hectare area was coated all at once. A striking observation is that the greenhouse on the sunny side now heats up much faster because of the increased radiation entering the greenhouse. This results in lower heating costs. Peter sees that ReduFuse offers better light distribution throughout the crop. As a result, he does not need to close the movable shading screens as soon. The combined coatings provide for more light in the greenhouse and therefore increased photosynthesis and better production.

 

Controlling growth with light

ReduFuse distributes the sunlight better throughout the crop. The top receives less sunlight, while the middle leaves receive more light. This improves the crop’s overall photosynthesis and as such production and quality. Furthermore, the crop experiences less stress.

AntiReflect reduces the reflection of the greenhouse glass. More sunlight consequently reaches the crop. This yields very interesting results in situations where light is the limiting factor to growth and production. This applies to the winter, early spring and autumn.

 

For more information:

ReduSystems®
013 507 53 99
sales@redusystems.com
www.redusystems.nl

 

Mardenkro products are distibuted by Horticentre Group in New Zealand
 

__________________________________________________________________________________

About ReduSystems®
ReduSystems® is a brand of Mardenkro B.V. ReduSystems enables growers to make optimal use of sunlight in the greenhouse throughout the year. The coatings influence the light and heat of the sun during every season to help optimise climate conditions for the crop inside the greenhouse. From a cooler climate in summer and more light in winter, to diffusing the light and influencing the light spectrum. ​​

Categories
Technical

Grafted Cucumbers Part 2

Photo that says 1000 words

 

Last week I visited another grower who is trialling grafted cucumber plants.  The crop was recently planted and already there is a visible difference in the appearance of root volume.  The grafted roots are much thicker and plentiful than the standard non-grafted.  There was little difference in the plant height and vigour.  However, the colour between the grafted and non-grafted was slightly different.  It reaffirmed that a lot of more detail and information should be recorded.

When-ever you have a trial and it is not growing it its own area or with a separate irrigation valve there is more than likely going to be a difference over time of water content, EC and PH levels within the substrate.  A perfect example was the slightly yellow appearance of the grafted plants.  The root structure was already larger and plentiful in the grafted plants compared to non-grafted so it immediately made me ponder if there could be a higher PH level in the substrate of the grafted plants compared to the standard non-grafted plants, therefore partially restricting the uptake of some micro nutrient.  

Two years ago, I visited a tomato grower in Hull, England.  They had a trial of different plant densities of a cherry tomato cultivar grown on the property.  This trial of different densities which was vast, unfortunately was conducted on the same irrigation valve.  This difference for me personally made the trial totally inconclusive.  The grower indicated that the highest density did not provide the fruit size he needed, however when you lifted the substrate it was very easy to determine that the weight of the slab was much lower than the slabs with the lowest densities.  The slabs had literally dried out and were not watered as required to have comprehensive results.  The grower had the right idea to carry out the density trials but failed to realise the importance of monitoring the slab WC.     

The exact same scenario could happen with the grafted cucumber trials especially as they are irrigated for the needs of the main non-grafted plants.  To measure these potential differences, you should have multiple fixed water-content probes or a HH2 water content meter and also test runoff results regularly.  I would even recommend separate water analysis of the runoff from grafted v non grafted to check if there was a difference in nutrient uptake/availability.

Just carrying out production trials is not adequate; you need the full picture to accurately determine if a trial is outperforming your standard.  Temperature is another variable but not many growers have the luxury of running a trial in a separate greenhouse so there will be an element of ‘grower feel’ but the more data collected will make this important decision easier to make with confidence.  Recently it was pointed out to me by a scientist that growers are actually the best scientists.  It is time consuming to carry out these trials but the return on investment is crucial in this increasingly competitive world. 

The above photo is the rootstock from the grafted cucumber plant and below is non-grafted.  This is the second crop in this substrate hence the decaying roots from the previous crop.  This is an external view of roots and next time I will be cutting open some slabs to see the extent of the root growth and distribution in the substrate.  However, this is a clear demonstration of the difference in initial root development. 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Events/Announcements

Grower Breakfast Wednesday 23rd October BNZ Pukekohe

Ecomix Coco Substrates

 

You may have noticed recently several new suppliers have started advertising on the Grower2Grower e-magazine.  One of the products promoted is Ecomix coco substrates.  Martin Vadakkekuttu, is the Director of PRODOZ INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD (Ecomix Coco Australia/NZ).

On Wednesday the 23rd of October Grower2Grower will be hosting a growers' breakfast in Pukekohe at the BNZ Partners building with Martin giving a presentation on the benefits of using Ecomix Coco products.  Martin will point out the correct and robust process his company uses in manufacturing Coco to ensure growers receive top quality product.

During the farm tours at this year’s PCA I noticed the large volume of Coco substrates that growers are using.  Berry crops we visited using Coco, included blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.  I was quite flabbergasted by the amount of Coco substrates used.  It is a media that is increasing in popularity in this rapidly developing sector especially as growers’ transition from soil to protected cropping and substrates.  Like all things, not all coco is equal and making sure you have the best quality product is a key element for success.

Berry growers and vegetable growers are invited to attend this breakfast and presentation.  We are strictly limited to numbers for this event so please email stefan@grower2grower.co.nz if you are interested in attending.  This is a grower only breakfast.  This is a free event.

As an added bonus, I am pleased to announce that Peter Butler from the BNZ will have an update for growers on the state of the economy including interest rates.

 

Date for Breakfast: Wednesday 23rd of October 2019

Location: BNZ Partners Building Pukekohe,

Time: 8.00 am to 9.30 am

Contact: stefan@grower2grower.co.nz to register

 

Below is more information and pictures on the Ecomix Product:

 

Ecomix Australia develops and produces a comprehensive range of new high tech, new generation horticultural growing media. An eco-sustainable and innovative company.  Ecomix Australia has achieved market recognition and significant market acceptance with their core product range.

Ecomix Australia is innovative and aiming to reach market leader in the development and production of horticultural growing media and complementary products and services. It is targeting Australian growers of Horticulture and Hydroponic [glasshouse] growing media. Our key aim is the continuous research & development of new products to cater to our valued Growers for their needs, using Coco Peat. We reach and listened to the growers about their requirement. We always push the boundaries to its limits so that our valued Grower reaps the benefits to its fullest.

Ecomix understands that Greenhouse growing and Hydroponic systems can be remarkably free of disease when hygiene practices are excellent. All Production takes place indoors to protect against contamination. No Nutrients, soils, or composted materials are used in our products. We offer a range of nursery mixes and products for glasshouse and nurseries ranging from grow bags to potting and tray media including plug mix, seedling mix, propagation mix etc. We provide to your exact specification.

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

 

Categories
Greenhouse News

Growers Changing to Grafted Plants

BEST OF 2019

 

In this first edition of 2020 we are revisiting the two most popular articles of 2019 from the Grower2Grower e-magazine.  ‘Growers Changing to Grafted Plants’ was the most well-read technical article of 2019.   With one of the main articles in regards to continued issues around Pythium Root Rot this week, this couldn’t have been more appropriate.

 

Cucurbit Root-Stock Shintoza

In the last year the area of commercially grafted cucumbers that has been planted has increased noticeably.  Gellert Nurseries has been producing grafted cucurbit varieties for nearly 10 years now, they began with outdoor watermelon and rock melons.  Trialling with indoor cucumbers started over 6 or 7 years ago in preparation for the future.  Growers are now seeing the benefits of growing with grafted plants, especially with regards to disease prevention. 

As part of the Gellert’s team, when I was their Technical Advisor, I thought in the future, when less chemical treatments may be available or permitted that grafted cucumbers would become commercially viable.   This was due to the difficulties, I had seen, especially with cucumbers grown in the summer – lasting the intended crop cycle.  The early trials were successful, they showed enough promise that I believed one day it may come to fruition on a large scale basis.  However, it always came back to profitability.  For growers to be convinced to change it needed to ensure the extra return vs. the cost of being supplied with a plant that are to begin with be more expensive.

Initially, I don’t believe a grafted plant will contribute to an increased vigour than a healthy un-grafted plant, therefore it is quite possible the production will be similar, but what you should benefit from is knowing your plants will be a lot stronger against root diseases. Rootstocks have very high resistance to root diseases which commonly and too often cause crop production losses. Growing strategy is similar compared to un-grafted plants once the grower receives them from the nursery. 

Root diseases, on non-grafted plants, usually happen more often or not when the plant is coming into a stress period.  At planting the plants should come from the nursery very strong, with healthy root systems.  There will be some transplant shock (depending on the weather conditions at planting) and cucumbers will generally take overnight to adjust.  With good irrigation and hygiene, planting should have minimal effect on root health.  The next major stress on the plant will be at the time of the first pick when the plant is at full load.  For a multitude of reasons, which I will not delve directly into at this point, this is a key period when many non-grafted crops may initially suffer from root health issues.  What a grafted plant does is reduce the risk of infection via its strong and high root disease resistances.  You could say it is an insurance policy.

If you are considering grafted plants you should still continue using the correct disinfection programmes.  It should be possible to reduce the need for chemical intervention using commonly used fungicides (root treatments).  This will reduce issues around MRL levels and withholding periods.  Especially in the summer when crops are picked nearly every 2nd day once harvesting commences.  Another potential benefit to maintaining a strong crop is it may have a stronger natural defence to pests.

 

Shintoza roots are thick and plentiful.  The difference between non-grafted and grafted is very is easy to spot.

 

Over this crop cycle, Imke Blackett and I are going to monitor a grafted cucumber crop grown with a Cucurbit rootstock, Shintoza F90, supplied by Premier Seeds Ltd.  Imke is the North Island Seed Specialist for Premier Seeds.   This is a good trial of 1000 plants, grown for Ajit Singh of Aka Aka Produce ltd.  We will be monitoring and comparing the vigour, production and overall health of the grafted v non-grafted. 

Grafted cucumber plants are currently grown commercially, but it is important to keep learning so together we are able to assist growers achieve better outcomes. 

 

Shintoza F90: Facts

  1. Shintoza F90 is one of the most widely used rootstocks for grafting cucumber and melon cultivars.  Shintoza is an interspecific hybrid of cucurbit maxima x cucurbit moschata.
  2. A plant with a very strong root system and high resistance to many root diseases.
  3. Its high vigour provides high yields and excellent characteristics to the fruit and has shown great ability to adapt to different areas of cultivation.
  4. Shintoza is well adapted to adverse weather conditions.
  5. It represents a guaranteed of uniformity and affinity for the nursery as well as for the grower with uniform seedlings.
  6. It is well adapted to different grafting techniques.
  7. Suitable for soils as well as all greenhouse growing mediums, Shintoza gives excellent results in the open field as well as in the covered crop sector.

For any further information please contact:

Imke Blackett: 027 2444 611

Imke.blackett@premierseeds.co.nz

 

Benjamin Carrell: 027 2444 651

Benjamin.carrell@premierseeds.co.nz

 

Gellert Nurseries Grower Kate Miln continues an excellent job growing the grafted plants.  If it was not for the grafting clips and an educated eye you could hardly spot the difference between the grafted and non-grafted plants.

 

Cover Photo:  Grower, Ajit Singh, owner of Aka Aka Produce with Imke Blackett from Premier Seeds holding a grafted plant grown for Mr Singh by Gellert Nurseries.  Contact debbie@gellerts.co.nz to order your plants.

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

 

 

 

Categories
Greenhouse News

Tomatoes NZ update on TPP Research

PH D Student Emiliano Veronesi

 

Last year the Tomatoes NZ board agreed to fund a project, to find possible new biological management for Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP) and Greenhouse Whitefly, in partnership with Lincoln University. Emiliano, a PhD student from Italy, is being funded by Tomatoes NZ.  Below is a short bio on Emiliano and the research carried out to date.

Emiliano Veronesi is from a small town near Milan (Italy), called Lodi.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Sciences (Università degli studi di Milano) and a Master’s in Environmental Sciences (Università degli studi di Milano Bicocca).  Emiliano has worked as a science teacher, scientific reader and scientific translator. Here in New Zealand he is working on a PhD at Lincoln University in the Bio-Protection Research Centre, under the supervision of Professor Steve Wratten.

Emiliano is trying to find a biological answer to the management of two dangerous well-known pests: TPP (tomato potato psyllid) and the greenhouse whitefly. To do so, he is testing new biocontrol agents, evaluating their pest consumption, as well as other important aspects such as the resistance to stressors, their reproductive rate, and their traits. The last aspect is crucial since they are planning to combine two or more biocontrol agents, according to their niches. Some predators might prefer the early stages of TPP, whereas parasitic wasps as Tamarixia triozae tend to interact with older TPP. This approach should lead to an enhanced biocontrol effect. Right now, efforts are focused on the parasitoid wasp Tamarixia triozae and the predatory bug Engytatus nicotinae mainly. Some experiments have been conducted on Engytatus consumption rate. However, there is still a lot of questions to be answered as there is no current literature regarding this predator. The next steps will be to test its feeding preferences, and to investigate aspects that could be crucial: Engytatus might be able to sustain itself on tomato leaves alone, and this trait will make it a “bug pioneer “.  Since we would have a biocontrol agent that could be “living in wait” before the pest arrives, instead of more usual biocontrol agents that are normally released only after the grower detects the pest, which might be too late as the grower is unlikely to detect the pest at the early stages of invasion.

Another important aspect which Emiliano will test further is the beneficial effect of floral resources on longevity and effectiveness of biocontrol agents. Several studies are showing that flowers, such as buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) tansy leaf (Phacelia tanacetifolia) and alyssum (Lobularia maritima), can increase the longevity of biocontrol agents (such as Tamarixia) up to 5 times longer than with water alone. The energy coming from floral resources seems to increase the search rate of biocontrol agents also. Emiliano is planning research/work to better understand and exploit these aspects.

The team, helping Emiliano, are starting the Engytatus damage assessment, an experiment (involving almost 30 young tomato) plants in which we are going to evaluate the damage Engytatus might cause to young plants in absence of prey and if it will be able to successfully reproduce with this no-prey condition.

 

  1. They are currently being helped by two really good French students (Maelys and Ambroise), who will contribute to the experiments for the next 5 months.
  2. Emiliano is going to one of the biggest entomophagous conference, in Perugia (Italy), where he has been invited to give a speech about the research. That will be an amazing opportunity to obtain new inputs from worldwide known scientists and learn something new. (The PPT is available here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dQPI1Rd4A96AfmPPJJzorO_Z7TYdDr9q/view?usp=sharing )
  3. Emiliano will, with help from the team he is working with, submit a paper that includes the previous work on Tamarixia and Cleobora and the recent data about Engytatus consumption.  The current experiment will be part of the next paper.
  4. If the Engytatus experiment gives a good result, they will run a second experiment on tomatoes to assess Engytatus effects on fructification.
  5. Last but not least, posters have been printed and will be delivered soon.

 

This photo is of a Engytatus nicotiane on a tomato leaf feeding on another insect. The leaf is showing CLso (Candidatus liberibacter) symptoms.

 

This is the parasitic wasp Tamarixia triozae. It’s on a late-stage TPP nymph. They are known to protect their egg after it has been laid, this might be the case in this image.

 

This image represent one run of the Engytatus consumption experiment.
Every Petri dish contains 1 leaflet with the pedicel put inside an Eppendorf vial containing water and cotton wool. Upon each leaf either a known number of TPP eggs or nymphs are placed at a specific stage.  Controls contain only the leaflet + TPP, whereas in the others, 1 adult Engytatus (male or female) and checked, after 24 hours for the amount of prey consumption.

 

This is a picture from the rearing room.  They are rearing this ladybird on tomato plants and feeding it with TPP and aphids.

 

Cover photo : Emiliano Veronesi

 

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Article content supplied by Emiliano Veronesi

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

 

Categories
Greenhouse News

Pioneering Technology

Biotremology to Manage Pests.  Plant & Food work with Italian Researchers 

 

Scientists at Plant & Food Research are working with Italian researchers from Fondazione Edmund Mach who are pioneers in biotremology for field use and are looking at how this technology could complement or maintain current IPM programmes, providing a sustainable and species-specific tool that future growers can use to manage pests.

A vast array of insects produce vibrational signals. Sometimes these can be heard – like cicadas and crickets – but often we are not able to hear these sounds. Many of the pests which damage crops, such as the green vegetable bug and the tomato potato psyllid, use substrate-borne vibrational signals to communicate with each other.

One of the target species has been the tomato potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli that vectors Candidatus liberibacter solanacearum a liberibacter that leads to zebra chips in potatoes and psyllid yellows in tomatoes as well infecting other Solanaceae. In the Ministry for Business Innovation & Employment-funded Realising Potato Exports Contract C11X1308, researchers have investigated how TPP communicate with each other in order to provide a new tool in the fight to reduce the impact of this pest. 

One of the ways TPP chat with each other is to use the plant as their phone. They generate their vibrations by rubbing their wings against little combs on their bodies. The vibration is transmitted through the plant and is picked up by other TPP that are on the plant (or even neighbouring touching plants) and they respond. The response can be to either move closer or further away or send a message back.

 

Good vibrations – The tomato potato psyllid mating call

 

To understand what is being said in the conversation of nature, scientists first record the insect’s vibrational signals for the plant surface using a laser vibrometer. They then modify this signal to take into account the change in the signal as it has been transmitted through the plant. This modified sound is then transmitted back to the leaf with a mini-shaker. The synthetic signal is recorded again and compared to the original signal until the two signals match and the insect’s behavioural responses to the synthetic calls can be tested to see what the response of the individuals are: come here, go away, run. 

 

It is still early days for the use of this technology for disruption or attraction of insect in the field, but promising results have been observed for the grape pest in a vineyard that is wired for sound by FEM staff.

What is Biotremology

While TPP has been the target here, at the current stage in understanding and sound playback technology, field biotremology is better suited to crops that uses a structure on which the sound can be played back along wires.

It is envisioned that if this can be realised it will be analogous to sex pheromones that have been used in New Zealand to attract or confuse insects, targeting vibrational communication will enable growers to manage new pests with limited environmental impact.

 

Researchers at Fondazione Edmund Mach are eavesdropping on stink bugs in the vineyard using two laser vibrometers. (Photo: Prof Max Suckling)

 

Article and content supplied by:

Lloyd Stringer

Scientist- Biosecurity

 

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