TechNotes Feb. 26 - Snow Melt, Nursery Exports

TechNotes are provided by Syngenta GreenCast.

Snow Melt 
  
With snow melt snow mold diseases could become more apparent.   Microdochium patch (pathogen: Microdochium nivale) is a common disease on homelawns in many areas of the northern United States. The disease also known as pink snow mold where snow cover is present, and as fusarium patch in the absence of snow cover attacks both short cut turf like annual bluegrass and higher cut Kentucky bluegrass turf. Microdochium patch is active under cool wet conditions. Temperatures in the range of 32 to 45 F. are ideal for this pathogen to infect along with prolonged periods of wetness or snow cover.

Microdochium patch initially appears as small patches that commonly increase in size reaching 12-inches in diameter. Leaves become water soaked, turn reddish-brown, then bleach. Pink mycelia may be visible in early morning. In cool wet weather, the leaves are matted together, which is especially true on high cut turf, and covered with a whitish pink mycelial growth that is slimy when wet. The circular patches may exhibit a pink coloration when exposed to light.

New Program Facilitates Nursery Exports 
  
Three Oregon nurseries are participating in a pilot program that allows nursery products to be shipped into Canada without traditional phytosanitary certificates: Monrovia Growers in Dayton, Bailey Nurseries  in Yamhill, and Northwest Shade Trees in Brooks. Another Oregon nursery could be added this year, and the program could be taken nationwide eventually, according to Oregon Department of Agriculture. Participating nurseries must create and adhere to strict pest-management practices to reduce the spread of pests and diseases. Read more on the project from this news release