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WSU Christmas Tree Research Newsletter
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Fall
2001, Volume 2, Number 2
Joe Hudack, Ag Research Technologist
WSU
Puyallup Research and Extension Center
7612 Pioneer Way East.
Puyallup, WA 98371-4998
253-445-4596
E-mail: hudack@wsu.edu
Thank You
A special thank you to
the 78 growers and businesses that contributed $56,500
to the PNWCTA Advanced
Research Program. Contributions to this program are voluntary
and have been received from Washington, Oregon, California,
Texas, Colorado, British Columbia and Ireland. The success
of this program is largely due to the efforts of Ken Scholz
(Snowshoe Evergreen Choose & Cut) )and the other members
of the Advanced Research Program committee. These funds
are being used to support Joe Hudak and a portion of Kathy
Riley's time and are critical in an effort to strengthen
the disease, entomology, and keepability research programs
at Puyallup.
In addition to funds from the Advanced Research Program,
project leaders apply for competitive grants from various
sources. In cases where granting agencies require matching
support from industry groups, we have used the support
we receive from the Advanced Research Program to obtain
additional funds for our research programs. So far this
year we have obtained almost $40,000 from a variety of
additional sources. The Washington
State Commission on Pesticide Registration (WSCPR)
will be considering a request for an additional $13,982
at their November meeting for our continuing work on Annosus
root rot. In addition, a request for $6,000 was recently
submitted to the Chicona Endowment Fund at WSU Puyallup
to develop a Christmas tree research web site at Puyallup.
WSU Christmas Tree Research
and Extension Programs
During June, members of the Advanced Research Committee
and Bryan Ostlund met with Drs. Ralph Cavalieri, Associate
Dean and Director of the WSU Agricultural Research Center,
Ed Adams, Program Leader, ANR Extension, Dean
Glawe, WSU Puyallup Director, and John Brown, Chair of
the Department of Entomology, to discuss how the industry
might partner with WSU to increase resources for Christmas
tree-related research and extension programs. As a result
of this meeting, the industry has prepared a white paper
to assist WSU in its efforts to address the needs of the
industry.
Workshop
A workshop dealing with
the recognition and management of insect and disease problems
on Christmas trees will be held on January 10, 2002 at
WSU Vancouver. Participants will receive 6 pesticide recertification
credits. Registration is $35 per person (or $50 per person
if registering AFTER December 27, 2001). This workshop
is limited to 40 participants. For further information
and a registration form, contact WSU Extension
Conferences (509) 335-2830 or Carrie Foss (253) 445-4577.
Christmas Trees Added
to Floramite Label
A miticide manufactured by Uniroyal Chemical, 'Floramite',
is now labeled for use in Christmas tree/conifer nursery
plantations and non-bearing fruit trees (such as in landscapes).
Tests by Art Antonelli indicate this is an excellent product
to control mites on Christmas trees.
DISEASE AND INSECT RESEARCH
HIGHLIGHTS
Annosus Root Rot – In the early 1980s Annosus root
rot, caused by Heterobasidion annosum, was present in
only about 2% of noble fir Christmas tree plantations
in the PNW. This disease now occurs in about 20% of plantations.
Many growers are concerned about what they can do to rid
their fields of this disease. In cooperation with Drs.
Greg Filip at Oregon State University and Iben Thomsen
from the Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute,
we are looking at factors affecting the development of
this disease in Christmas tree plantations and evaluating
the effectiveness of different approaches to control it.
Specifically we are studying:
- The rate of spread of this disease in plantations
in Oregon and Washington
- The relative importance of root to root vs. stump
infection by spores in the spread of this disease
within plantations
- Sporax application rates and methods
- Alternative fungicides and biocontrol agents for
stump treatment and root dips
- How cultural practices may reduce the incidence
of Annosus in the field
- The susceptibility of true fir species to Annosus
root rot
Annosus Stump Treatment
Stump removal and the treatment of stumps at harvest are
the two methods that are commonly recommended to control
this disease in forest situations. At this time, the only
registered stump treatment that is available in Washington
and Oregon is a borax product, 'Sporax', marketed by Wilbur
Ellis. This product is applied to freshly cut stumps
to prevent them from becoming infected by the fungus spores.
Although test data are not yet available from Christmas
tree plantations, treatment of stumps should help limit
both the spread of disease within diseased fields and
also its introduction into healthy fields that are adjacent
to diseased fields or timber stands. Sporax should be
applied to the stump as soon as possible after cutting
the tree, preferably within a couple of hours. If applied
later than this, the fungus may have already infected
the stump. Sporax is a granular material and should be
applied using a container with a shaker top, such as a
jar with nail holes punched in the lid. In the case of
choose and cut fields, it may also be helpful to spray
the surface of the stump with some sort of dye so that
it is possible to identify which stumps have already been
treated. MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THE LABEL WHEN USING ANY
PESTICIDE.
Swiss Needle Cast
Swiss needle cast (SNC) is the most important disease
on Douglas-fir Christmas trees in the Pacific Northwest.
It is also causing extensive damage to Douglas-fir timber
stands along the Oregon and Washington coast. During the
past few years, the Swiss Needle Cast Cooperative (SNCC)
has supported work at WSU Puyallup to examine the effectiveness
of two reduced-risk fungicides, two formulations of chlorothalonil,
and two sulfur products in protecting needles from SNC
infection. Cooperative studies with Dr. Jeff Stone at
Oregon State University were also done to compare the
results from traditional, springtime fruiting body-based
disease assessments from these trials to DNA-based, PCR
molecular data from samples collected in February. Results
indicate that:
- Terraguard and Vangard (reduced-risk fungicides)
are not effective against SNC
- Daconil Weather Stik is more effective than Daconil
Ultrex when the foliage is sprayed to wet
- There was a clear trend of decreasing disease
with increasing rates of Thiolux sulfur when treatments
were applied early and/or late
- Results with Golden Dew sulfur were much more
variable than with Thiolux
- There was a very high correlation between fruiting
body-based disease assessments in April and the
PCR data from February
The SNCC is providing additional
support to continue the studies with sulfur, which may
also benefit Christmas tree growers. In addition, a proposal
has been submitted to the WSCPR for $11,298 to assist
in this work.
Rhabdocline Needle Cast
Using a planting of intermountain forms of Douglas-fir
at WSU Puyallup, cooperative studies with Dr. Gerry Adams
at Michigan State University have shown that it is possible
to reliably detect, identify, and quantify levels of Rhabdocline
infection in symptomless foliage of Douglas-fir using
DNA-based PCR molecular probes. These studies have also
shown that intermountain Douglas-fir from the Clearwater
National Forest in Idaho have excellent resistance to
Rhabdocline needle cast (see: http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/sub/php/research/rhabdocline/. You must be a subscriber to access this document.).
Coastline June Beetle
Some growers are experiencing the loss of seedlings due
to the Coastline June Beetle that feeds on the roots of
these trees. The large, cream-colored grub of this insect
has a dark brown head. This insect has a 3-year overlapping
life cycle and the grub can be found grasping onto roots
of young trees that show signs of stress. Because of the
damage being caused by this pest, a test is being established
to find an effective control. Initial applications will
be in the spring of 2002.
Root Aphids and Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgids
This past summer, plots were established to confirm the
effectiveness of Aphistar treatments in controlling root
aphids on various size noble fir trees. A plot has also
been established to look at the effects of Aphistar treatments
in preventing symptom development on newly planted trees.
Studies were also conducted to determine the effectiveness
of acetamiprid for control of Cooley spruce gall adelgid
on Douglas-fir Christmas trees.
Impact of Interior Needle
Blight (INB) and Root Aphids on the Production of High
Quality Noble Fir Christmas Trees
The final data will be collected from a 4-year-long trial
to examine the impact of INB and root aphids on the growth
and quality of noble fir trees at two test sites in western
Washington. After three years, the data indicated that
applications of Aphistar have had no effect on tree growth
and quality. Applications of Daconil Weather Stik significantly
reduced the damage caused by INB and improved the quality
of trees compared to the unsprayed checks or trees that
were sprayed with only Aphistar.
POSTHARVEST HIGHLIGHTS
Danish Nordmann Fir Project - A 3-year-long project at
the Danish Forest and
Landscape Research Institute to identify sources of
Nordmann fir with superior needle retention was completed
during early 2001. The USDA and the Danish Christmas Tree
Growers Association provided the support for this project.
Working with geneticist Dr. Ulrik Nielsen, we have used
a detached branch technique to identify clones and provenances
of Nordmann fir having superior needle retention and have
also shown that needle retention is a highly heritable
trait. Seed from these Danish trees and other sources
of Nordmann and Turkish fir from their natural range are
being grown in British Columbia for a series of trials
to examine the suitability of this material for the production
of high quality trees in the PNW.
Water-Holding Capacity
of Christmas Tree Stands
Because displaying trees in water is one of the most effective
ways of maintaining tree quality and minimizing fire hazards
associated with the use of cut Christmas trees, it is
important that retailers who sell stands and the consumers
who purchase them pay particular attention to their design
and water-holding capacity. The water-holding capacity
of 22 stands was recently evaluated at WSU Puyallup. Only
two of the 22 stands tested provided an adequate volume
of water (1 qt/inch of stem diameter) for all the sizes
of trees they were capable of holding. Three of the stands
did not provide an adequate amount of water for even a
2" diameter tree. All but one of the stands would
hold a 3" diameter tree, but less than half of these
stands provided the minimum 3 quarts of water to such
a tree. As the size of the tree increased, fewer stands
provided the volume of water that a tree would be expected
to use on a daily basis.
A major problem with many of the stands relates to the
design of their water-holding reservoirs. When a large
diameter tree is placed in a stand that has a cylindrically-shaped
reservoir, very little water can be held in the stand
because of its displacement by the base of the tree. Another
problem noted during these evaluations is that with some
stands it would be very difficult to check the water because
it is not possible to see the base of the tree. A full
report of this work can be found in the October issue
of the American Christmas Tree Journal (See below).
Preservatives
This past year, we conducted a series of tests involving
Vita Christmas Tree and Wreath Preservative and Season's
Greenings Christmas Tree Preservative. Tests with the
Vita preservative were conducted to determine the effect
of spray or dip applications of this material on the moisture
retention and quality of noble and Balsam fir wreaths.
Tests also were conducted to determine what effects spraying
or adding Vita to the water in the stand had on the keepability
of Douglas-fir, noble fir, Fraser fir, and Balsam fir
Christmas trees. Results of these tests indicated that
there was no benefit associated with the use of Vita.
The tests with Season's Greenings Christmas Tree Preservative
on noble fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, and grand fir Christmas
trees indicated that the use of this product had a detrimental
effect on the moisture levels of displayed trees.
Studies to be Conducted
This Fall
Three studies will be conducted this fall in our continuing
effort to identify sources of trees with superior postharvest
characteristics. These include:
- Completion of three years of testing of various
clones of Canaan fir from Dr. Jim Brown's collection
of trees at Ohio State University to identify
clones that have superior needle retention
- In cooperation with Chal Landgren and Rick Fletcher
at Oregon State University, complete the second
year of testing of locally-grown Nordmann and
Turkish firs to identify potential trees for establishment
of a seed orchard
- In cooperation with Chal Landgren, initiate studies
to screen the most promising families of Douglas-fir
that are included in his British Columbia Families
Progeny trial for difference in postharvest needle
and moisture retention
PRESENTATIONS
- Art Antonelli, Gary Chastagner, Joe Hudak, and
Dr. Iben Thomsen, from the Danish Forest and Landscape
Research Institute, spoke at the PNWCTA Annual
Summer meeting and tour. Joe Hudak also participated
in the PNWCTA Annual Tree Fair.
- Mursel Catal, from Michigan State University,
presented a paper dealing with our cooperative
Rhabdocline needle cast project at the annual
meeting of the American Phytopathological Society
in Salt Lake City, UT
- Gary Chastagner presented an overview of the WSU
Christmas Tree Research program at the recent
NCR-193 meeting in Colorado.
RECENT CHRISTMAS TREE RELATED PUBLICATIONS
- Chastagner, G. A. 2001. Susceptibility of intermountain
Douglas-fir to Rhabdocline needle cast when grown
in the Pacific Northwest. Online. Plant Health
Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2001-1029-01-RS.
- Chastagner, G. and Riley, K. 2001. Water-holding
capacity of Christmas tree stands. American Christmas
Tree Journal 45(5): 26-30.
- Antonelli, Art, Stark, John, and Chastagner, Gary.
2001. So, you believe root aphids are the problem.
Maybe not. Christmas Tree Lookout 34(3): 26-29.
- Antonelli, Art, Stark, John, and Chastagner, Gary.
2001. Acetamiprid: Another possibility for controlling
Cooley Spruce gall adelgids. Christmas Tree Lookout
34(3): 32-35.
- Antonelli, Art, Stark, John, and Chastagner, Gary.
2001. Now: The never-before-told story of the
mysterious mite. Christmas Tree Lookout 34(3):
37
- Babrauskas, V., Chastagner, G. A., and Stauss,
E. 2001. Flammability of cut Christmas trees.
27p. Proceedings International Association of
Arson Investigators Conference, Atlantic City,
NJ.
- Catal, M., Adams, G. C., and Chastagner, G. A.
2001. Detection, identification and quantification
of Rhabdocline infection in symptomless foliage
of Douglas-fir. Phytopathology 91: S13
- Chastagner, G. A. and Nielson, U. B. 2001. Identification
of Danish sources of Nordmann and noble fir with
superior postharvest Christmas tree characteristics.
53p. Final USDA FAS International Cooperation
Research Project Report.
- Chastagner, G. A., and Riley, K. L. 2001. An overview
of postharvest characteristics of different Abies
spp. grown as Christmas trees. Christmas Tree
Lookout 34(2): 18-23.
- Nielsen, U. B., Christensen, C. J., and Chastagner,
G. A. 2001. Efter-host kvalitet: Effekt af traeart,
proveniens og godskning i nordmannsgran. Pp. 89-95.
In: Skov & Landskabskonferencen 2001, Nyborg,
DK, 213 pages, Center for Skov, Landskab og Planlaegning,
Horsholm, DK
Project personnel
Project leaders: Gary A Chastagner, Plant Pathologist
John Stark, Environmental Toxicologist and Entomologist
Art Antonelli, Extension Entomologist
Visiting Scientist: Iben Thomsen, Danish Forest and Landscape
Research Institute
Support Personnel: Joe Hudak, Agricultural Research Technologist
II
Kathy Riley, Agricultural Research Technologist II
Paul Kaufmann, Agricultural Research Technologist II
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