7:30 a.m. - 8:10 a.m. Continental Breakfast in the Exhibit Hall

8:10 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. Whitefly Management

Speakers: Cristi Palmer, IR-4, Cindy McKenzie, USDA-ARS

Whether B or Q, managing Bemisia whiteflies can pose a significant challenge for greenhouse growers. Drs. McKenzie and Palmer will share the history of Q in the US, recent understandings, and strategies for managing whiteflies.

8:50 a.m. - 9:35 a.m. Thrips Management

Speakers: Scott Ludwig, Texas A&M, Lance Osborne, University of Florida

Chilli thrips have joined western flower thrips as a major pest of ornamental crops. Both of these thrips can cause significant crop damage, but with a proper management program damage can be limited. This presentation will provide an overview of new management strategies including the use of systemic insecticides, pheromones, soil drenches, insect pathogens, and natural enemies.

9:35 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. The IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program: Our Mission, Our Success, Our Future

Speaker: Cristi Palmer, IR-4

The IR-4 Project provides safe and effective pest management tools for specialty crop growers. The Ornamental Horticulture program focuses on research for greenhouse, nursery, landscape, Christmas tree and forestry producers. IR-4 works with growers, researchers, registrants and regulatory agencies to facilitate new product registrations and add new crops, diseases, insects and weeds to already registered products for the ornamental horticulture industry.

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Networking Break in the Exhibit Hall

10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Viable Alternative Substrates Components For Use In Nursery and Greenhouse Production

Speaker: Anthony Witcher, USDA-ARS

The supply of pine bark has been unstable in recent years due to economic downturns as well as the increased use of pine bark as a fuel source. In addition peat moss and perlite are costly components, which require tremendous energy inputs to produce and transport. Research has identified viable renewable sources of biomass suitable for use as nursery and greenhouse substrate components. These raw components are available in close proximity to most horticultural producers.

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Nutritional Water Quality

Speaker: Bill Argo, The Blackmore Company

The pH, alkalinity, electrical conductivity, and specific salts in the water affect plant health and the best fertilizer and irrigation strategy. Dr. Argo will discuss how to interpret water quality results for your nursery, and use this information to decide on the best options such as leaching rates, fertilizer types, acidification, and reverse osmosis.

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch/Exhibit Hall Open

1:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Closes

1:00 p.m. - 1:40 p.m. Managing Plant Height Using PGR's

Speaker: Jim Barrett, University of Florida

There are many different factors that interact to affect the use of PGR's. Dr. Barrett will discuss some of the important strategies for using PGR's to obtain desired size control needed.  Information on some of the newer strategies and products will be covered.

1:40 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. Managing Persnickety Plant Diseases

Speaker: Margery Daughtrey, Cornell University

This presentation will discuss the management of diseases caused by four different kinds of pathogens (water molds, fungi, bacteria, and viruses), describing how their biology determines which control measures are effective. The key examples to be covered will be downy mildew on coleus, powdery mildew on verbena, Xanthomonas bacterial blight on geranium and INSV on almost everything. Improved knowledge of the pathogens that cause these diseases can help you to develop a more effective IPM strategy for your crops.

2:20 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Understanding Nonpathogenic Plant Disorders:  Their Causes and Cures

Speaker: Kim Williams, Kansas State University

Oedema, latex eruption, splitting, crown bud development, heat delay, physiological wilt--all are disorders caused by the production environment and influenced by cultural practices, not pests or nutrient management problems. Dr. Williams will take a look at the wide range of physiological disorders that crop up during crop production and present data that sheds some light on why they occur--and how to prevent them.

3:00 p.m. Conference Adjournment