May 1 Sales Closing Date Near for Nursery Crop Insurance Coverage

Spokane, Wash., April 1, 2014 – The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Pacific Northwest nursery growers of the May 1, 2014, sales closing date for 2015 Nursery Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) coverage.

MPCI Nursery insurance provides protection for wholesale nurseries producing and marketing nursery plants grown in standard nursery containers or in the field.  Coverage is based on a plant inventory value report (PIVR) that declares a value of insurable plants (the lower of a nursery grower’s own prices or prices contained in a Plant Price Schedule maintained by USDA). 

New policy applications may be filed at any time, however, all applications, including those for new or amended coverage, are subject to a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. Current nursery policyholders may request changes in coverage and/or obtain the Pilot Nursery Grower’s Price Endorsement (NGPE) in Oregon and Washington before the May 1 sales closing deadline.

Local crop insurance agents are available to provide program details that reflect the grower’s nursery inventory.  A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers throughout the U.S. or at: http://www3.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/ .

Webinar - Alternative disinfectant water treatments for nurseries

Title: Alternative disinfectant water treatments
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Time: Noon to 1:00 pm (Eastern)
Presenter: Dr. Warren Copes, USDA-ARS Southern Horticultural Lab in Poplarville, MS
To participate in this webinar, please go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/irrigation-water/
and dial 1-888-619-1583 then enter pass code: 491981

Stream monitoring for P. ramorum in WA, 2013 results

Washington Department of Natural Resources Phytophthora ramorum update – Phytophthora ramorum waterway monitoring as well as forest and nursery perimeter surveys have been conducted in Washington since 2003, with efforts since 2006 focusing on aquatic areas near previously positive nurseries.  In 2013, 11 P. ramorum stream baiting sites were established in western Washington waterways, of which two were identified as positive – one in Clallam County and one in Thurston County.  Eleven additional sites were repeatedly sampled in Clallam County as the source of the inoculum there is unknown; however, results to date have been negative or inconclusive.
In 2013, the water monitoring sampling methodology was changed from stream baiting with mesh bags to the Bottle-of-Bait method in the interest of increasing efficiency.  Since waterway sampling began in 2005, P. ramorum has been detected in seven waterways in western Washington:  two in King County and one each in Clallam, Clark, Lewis, Pierce, and Thurston Counties.  Diseased plants were found associated with one of the waterways in 2010 (Pierce County) and were destroyed.

Citizen science charts horse chestnut tree pest spread

A citizen science study, involving more than 3,500 people, has revealed the spread and establishment of the horse chestnut leaf-miner in the UK.

It also suggests that a native species of wasp that preys on the tiny insect will not be able to curb its impact.

Read the article on BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25878202

USDA revises sudden oak death regulations

The USDA is revising its sudden oak death quarantine regulations for shipment of nursery stock in a way that reduces the burden on nurseries that pose a minimal risk and focuses resources on high-risk nurseries.
- See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140114/ARTICLE/140119922/1318#sthash.MHu4tiZ2.dpuf

Read the text of the regulation here:

The USDA has revised its rules on sudden oak death to level the playing field for the nursery industry.

iPhone app for diagnosing tree problems

Purdue University has a set of apps for the iPhone to diagnose insect and disease problems (including P. ramorum) on trees and ornamental plants.  Android versions are under development.

Check it out:

https://www.purdueplantdoctor.com/

Soil solarization - a method for removing P. ramorum from infested soil

Soil solarization under the test conditions in CA appears to offer an effective means of eliminating P. ramorum from at least the upper layers (top 15 cm) of the soil profile, where most of the naturally occurring inoculum is located.  Efforts are underway to model the survival of P. ramorum in relation to soil temperature and moisture.  Additional research in 2013 is aimed at understanding how to maximize the effectiveness of solarization in killing soilborne Phytophthora species in CA, OR, and WA, and to determine how the presence of crushed rock on the soil surface affects soil heating. Commercial nurseries in CA, OR, and WA interested in participating in 2013 solarization trials are encouraged to contact Jennifer.Parke@oregonstate.edu for further information.

Read more here - COMTF June 2013 newsletter.