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Stink bug monitoring tool helps growers
Penn State University researchers have released a web-based tool that they hope will help enhance their understanding of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). The mapping tool was developed in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The mapping tool will enable nursery, fruit, vegetable and field-crop growers and homeowners to report the location and size of infestations and the estimated dollar value of damages, if any, caused by the pest.
Data collected could provide an early warning for growers about where stink bug populations are occurring so they can take appropriate action to protect their crops.
To report an infestation, visitors must first register on the website. Then they are able to enter information about an infestation, including the county and municipality, date and the number of stink bugs observed per plant or in and around a home. Growers also can report infestations in the two previous seasons to document economic loss.
For more: http://stinkbug-info.org
Consumers to spend less on gardening
Planned consumer garden spending is expected to drop from an average $615 per household in 2009 to a projected $469 for 2011, according to Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) 2011 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report. At the same time, competition between independent garden centers and mass merchants was expected to remain evenly split for early-spring plant purchases.
GWAF’s report, conducted in April, found that garden centers maintain a slight edge over mass merchants (46 percent to 44 percent) for consumer preference in purchasing most of their spring plants in spite of a more than 23-percent decline in planned garden spending overall.
“Best Quality” remains the primary criteria for many households (51 percent) choosing where they will shop for plants.
Ant species defends trees
A tropical ant species with keen chemical detection can distinguish between its host tree, Triplaris americana, and plant interlopers. And the ant uses this ability to aggressively protect its host tree to help ensure survival of the ants, a team of Colorado State University researchers has found.
The ant’s ability to detect and respond to its host’s chemical signals is central to maintaining the tight symbiotic relationship, according to the study.
“The ants are like gardeners, weeding out competitors to their host plant,” said Tiffany Weir, lead author and assistant professor in the CSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. “This allows other trees of the same species to grow, allowing the ant colony to expand by gardening their host trees.”
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