PMSP for Christmas Tree Production in NC, TN, and VA

Priorities

Category Rank Pest Type Pest Crop Stage Priority
Extension/Outreach 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need grafting workshops to teach growers how to graft trees with Phytophthora-resistant root stock.
Extension/Outreach 1 Pathogens 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need grating workshops to teach growers how to graft trees with Phytophthora-resistant root stock.
Extension/Outreach 1 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Hold educational workshops and demonstration plots with growers and technical representatives as new products are developed
Extension/Outreach 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need outreach to growers. Need outreach personnel to work with growers in the states (perhaps multi-state or regional personnel). A major problem in the states is the loss of Extension agents and specialists to state budget cuts in recent years. Need the transfer of university research to growers. Need agents in field to deliver information to growers. A “proactive” pest management program is needed
Extension/Outreach 2 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Improve weed and ground cover management guidelines
Extension/Outreach 3 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need outreach to growers. Need outreach personnel to work with growers in the states (perhaps multi-state or regional personnel). A major problem in the states is the loss of Extension agents and specialists to state budget cuts in recent years. Need the transfer of university research to growers. Need agents in field to deliver information to growers. A “proactive” pest management program is needed to answer the following questions: How to raise a good healthy tree? What are the optimal conditions and cultural methods? Comments: Need specific research for location and species. Much of the income for Christmas tree growers include operations popping up around urban areas (choose and cut). Reduced pesticide use appeals to consumers.
Extension/Outreach 4 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Increase adoption of scouting and other Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices by growers.
Extension/Outreach 5 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Train professional scouts (e.g., conduct scouting workshops).
Extension/Outreach 6 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Provide timely pest management information (e.g., Pest Alerts) to warn growers of potential pest problems.
Extension/Outreach 7 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Multi-lingual programs for Hispanic farm workers to teach them to scout for pests.
Extension/Outreach 8 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Publish research (for growers via Extension publications) on nitrogen study and rotation of trees. Also, publish research for the study on rooting of cuttings.
Regulatory 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need to register lindane for balsam woolly adelgids as the pyrethroid insecticides contribute to mite problems and lindane has a longer residual. Is this a possible IR-4 project?
Regulatory 1 Pathogens 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Efforts to inventory nurseries to determine if Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Decline) is already present and try to prevent it from being introduced to North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Regulatory 1 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Expand label definition of a Christmas tree to include herbicides registered for field-grown nursery crops
Regulatory 1 Wildlife 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Adjust hunting seasons and bag limits to control deer in areas to manage populations and reduce damage to crops.
Regulatory 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need IR-4 or other projects to expand labels. Example: Petition the IR-4 project to establish a label for lindane for Balsam wooly aphid control. Keep Di-Syston and dimethoate for Balsam wooly aphid (invasive species), and others. There is an issue with hemlock rust mite coming in behind and increasing pesticide applications. This would reduce applications of pyrethroid insecticides. Lindane has longer residual effect. The balsam woolly adelgid needs to be declared an invasive species.
Regulatory 2 Wildlife 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Regulatory needs to be more cautious when considering the reintroduction of species like the elk into North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Growers are worried about adding larger “grazers” to their crops. Will this impact Christmas tree production?
Regulatory 3 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Regulatory need to clarify and develop a solution to the loss of the ASAE Standard for enclosed cabs and pesticide exposure. This is a critical issue to protecting applicators from exposure to pesticides. Loss of standard may force inspectors to cite growers -- growers not aware or have no options to past standard.
Regulatory 4 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot State Lead Agency’s need to clarify label enforcement resulting from interpretation of label language. Currently there are variations between states on labels and how the wording on sites is interpreted (i.e., Christmas trees versus general ornamentals).
Regulatory 5 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need alternative to S-metolachlor (Pennant Magnum).
Regulatory 6 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot The loss of methyl bromide for the control of all pests in nursery stock will be problematic. A regulatory solution needs to be sought.
Regulatory 7 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Efforts to inventory nurseries to determine if Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Decline) is already present and try to prevent it from being introduced to North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This holds for all exotic pests and diseases. Gypsy moth will produce a major problem with quarantines. Other examples exist.
Regulatory 8 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Adjust hunting seasons and bag limits to control deer in areas to manage populations and reduce damage to crops.
Regulatory 9 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Regulatory needs to be more cautious when considering the reintroduction of species like the elk into North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Growers are worried about adding larger “grazers” to their crops. Will this impact Christmas tree production?
Research 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research to determine host plant resistance to and chemical control of balsam woolly adelgids.
Research 1 Pathogens 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need to support research on Phytophthora root rot management (i.e., genetic selection of trees, resistant stock, and grafting root stock as an alternative).
Research 1 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Yellow nutsedge control in conifer nurseries
Research 1 Wildlife 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research to determine the most economical methods of deer management, including finding economical repellents, the most easily disseminated repellents, wider and more efficacious repellents, and other solutions. More research needed on fencing and related means to exclude deer.
Research 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need to support research on Phytophthora root rot management (i.e., genetic selection of trees, resistant stock, and grafting root stock as an alternative).
Research 2 Pathogens 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Develop methods to control spread and/or fungus of Phytophthora root rot.
Research 2 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Evaluate various application techniques and equipment
Research 3 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research into yellow nutsedge control in seedbeds and transplant beds.
Research 3 Pathogens 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Develop methods to measure Phytophthora levels in soils (sampling methods that would allow growers to determine potential levels of infestation).
Research 3 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Evaluate alternative control methods such as biological controls, cover crops, etc.
Research 4 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need additional herbicides for weed control in seedbeds and transplant beds (alternatives to Goal).
Research 4 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Dayflower (Commelina spp.) control in conifer nurseries
Research 5 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need alternatives to methyl bromide for fumigation of seedbeds and transplant beds.
Research 5 Weeds 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Birdweed control options in established trees
Research 6 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need controls for pales weevil in white pine to avoid transfer of Procerum root disease. Only registered pesticides presently are Lorsban (chloropyrifos) and Asana.
Research 7 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need alternative to dimethoate for control of rosette bud mite and for hemlock rust mite, balsam woolly adelgid, and spruce spider mite control
Research 8 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Determine effects of groundcover management systems (optimal) to promote the best habitat to keep predators in the fields.
Research 9 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Develop methods to control spread and/or fungus of Phytophthora root rot.
Research 10 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Develop methods to measure Phytophthora levels in soils (sampling methods that would allow growers to determine potential levels of infestation).
Research 11 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Increase knowledge of the biology/life cycles of the elongated hemlock scale and root aphid.
Research 12 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research to determine the most economical methods of deer management, including finding economical repellents, the most easily disseminated repellents, wider and more efficacious repellents, and other solutions. More research needed on fencing and related means to exclude deer.
Research 13 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research to determine risks to growers from using enclosed cabs to avoid pesticide exposure and solutions to determining which enclosed cab systems are adequate to protect growers from exposure in enclosed cabs. This stems from the recent loss of the ASAE Standard for Enclosed Cabs and pesticide exposure.
Research 14 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need adaptation of equipment or design of new equipment to use more efficacious and environmentally sound chemical application. In Virginia, growers receive a tax credit to adapt or purchase application equipment and related engineering technology that reduce pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.
Research 15 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Need research into application technology to promote low volume applications and mechanization beyond present technology of backpack sprayers.
Research 16 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Considerable research is needed with fertilization and tree mortality. Site information versus pest management. Identify the cultural practices that will speed up the amount of time to raise a tree to market and reduce pest management requirements. Solution to answer the following questions: How to raise a good healthy tree? What are the optimal conditions and cultural methods? Comments: Need specific research for location and species. Much of the income for Christmas tree growers include operations popping up around urban areas (choose and cut). Reduced pesticide use appeals to consumers.