Project Plans FY09

Plant and Soil Diagnostic Services

Project Leader: Bess Dicklow

Participating Extension Staff and Faculty:

• Bess Dicklow
• Steve Bodine
• Daniel Gillman
• Robert Wick
• Angela Madeiras
• Daniel Babineau

Project Year: 2009

Brief Description

Maintaining a healthy local economy is a major concern for many communities in Massachusetts.  The success of the Environmental Horticulture industry - also known as the “Green Industry” is important to the health of many local economies across the state. Reliable information is the backbone of best management practices in the Green Industries. Landscapers, turf managers, the floriculture industry and vegetable growers rely on diagnostic tools to remain competitive and prevent unnecessary risks.

UMass Extension Plant and Soil Diagnostic Services provide accurate identification of pest, disease, and weed problems. The program also provides analysis of soil and tissue nutrient levels which leads to precision fertilizer applications. Fertilizer applications based upon soil and tissue analysis prevent unnecessary applications of fertilizers which have the potential to negatively impact water resources. Diagnostic analyses also determine nutrient toxicities and deficiencies that can negatively impact plant growth and performance.  In addition to providing these technical services, diagnostic staff also work educate the horticultural industry through presentations at grower meetings, invited presentations, participation in UMass Green School and Winter School for Turf Managers, and by contributing to an array of publications, newsletters and technical manuals.

Activities

• Provide pathogen identification, disease diagnosis, and management recommendations to greenhouse growers of floriculture crops
• Provide pathogen identification, disease diagnosis, and management recommendations for vegetable growers
• Provide pathogen identification, disease diagnosis, and management recommendations to professional turf managers
• Provide pathogen identification, disease diagnosis, and management recommendations to arborists, nursery crop growers, and landscapers (trees and woody shrubs)
• Provide nutrient analysis of soil and tissue samples for the horticultural industry, growers, and the general public. Provide descriptions of soil physical characteristics to horticultural industries, growers, and general public
• Participate in National Plant Diagnostic Network, Northeast Region by attending annual meeting, participating in exercises, conducting First Detector Training, and entering information into national database
• Answer tree and shrub, vegetable, turf and floriculture questions via telephone calls and emails - including ~10 media interviews
• Participate in national meeting of National Plant Diagnostic Network
• Contribute to Vegetable Newsletter, HortNotes, and Turf Message
• Molecular Plant Pathogen Diagnostics. Attend training at Cornell University in conventional and real time PCR

Inputs: Time and Effort

Outcomes

• Participants promote, implement or adopt sustainable resource management and environmental best management practices for operating Natural Resources-based businesses
• Participants will adopt practices that lower the risk from and exposure to pesticides and fertilizers
• Participants acquire the knowledge, skills and motivation to adopt practices that reduce risk of exotic pests, diseases and invasive species
• Participants develop the knowledge and skills to adopt land management practices that protect and enhance water, other natural resources and ecosystems.

This project is part of the Agriculture & Landscape program