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There's a plethora of misinformation, marketing, and hear-say related to growing horticultural plants. In this series, we digest replicated scientific data and research shared in popular science magazines (such as GrowerTalks) and share it with you, the listeners. Scientific papers are often behind a 'pay-wall' and riddled with academic jargon. Fortunately for you, both of the hosts of this show have a relatively limited spoken vocabulary and need to speak things out in very simple terms for ...
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Every year we get asked whether lady bugs can be used to manage pests. In this episode, we discuss a review paper on the effectiveness of exotic lady beetles to manage insect pests, but we'll also discuss the use of lady beetles in biological control in general. Randoni et al. (2020). Exotic ladybirds for biological control of herbivorous insects –…
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Ep. 13. Horntail snail pest alert and growing plants on Mars
21:04
21:04
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A new invasive snail has been observed near Miami (Florida) in August of 2020. If established, the snail can be problematic in nursery, greenhouse, fruit and vegetable production. Recognition is vital - if you see this snail, please report to state regulatory agencies right away (i.e. Texas Department of Agriculture). We also talk about the practic…
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Ep. 12. Fraternal Twin of Ethylene in Plants
20:20
20:20
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ACC, or more commonly known as 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid on the streets, is a precursor to ethylene, the compound most known for its ability to ripen fruit. ACC was not thought to have its own set of functions, but this recent article supports otherwise. A better understanding of plant physiology can lead to a whole new area of plant re…
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Ep. 11. Bacteria in Whiteflies and Diabolical Ironclad Beetles
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I've received reports of large migrations of whiteflies recently in the landscape, from Dallas, Austin and even east Texas regions. It's not uncommon to see large clouds of whiteflies when cotton is 'defoliated' in preparation for harvest; however, whiteflies often need some time to get used to their new plant host (acclimation). Changes in endosym…
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Ep. 10. Murder Hornet 'Slaughter Phase' and Plant Guttation
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30:02
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The Asian Giant Hornet is one of the many plagues that's hit us in 2020; but as fall approaches, it's thought they will enter the slaughter phase, when they can take out an entire bee hive within hours. Fortunately for us in Texas, recent models suggest that the the Asian Giant Hornet won't establish in Texas due to our suboptimal climate (and beca…
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Ep. 9. Poison Ivy Getting Worse and Beetles Escape Through Frog's Rear End
25:27
25:27
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Increasing levels of CO2 is one of the driving factors for global climate change. This same CO2 also happens to be vital for plant growth via photosynthesis. As a result, fast-growing plants, such as poison ivy, are actually becoming more abundant and more hazardous. https://www.southernliving.com/news/poison-ivy-more-poisonous-bigger-climate-chang…
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Potted plants are arguably overwatered in the greenhouse and nursery industry. Over-watering can be considered a waste of water, results in leaching of pesticides and fertilizers, and can promote plant pathogens. In this episode, we discuss a study that uses various sensors to assess plant stress to determine how much watering can be reduced before…
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A common assumption is that ornamental plants must be perfectly clean when they hit the retailer. No pests. Nada. This assumption is unrealistic and rather harmful. By making this assumption, we limit our pest management decisions to options that are most likely to kill all the insects: synthetic insecticides. However, how true is it that synthetic…
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We often associated federal crimes with illegal drugs, guns or human trafficking, but rarely do we consider that selling plants and insects can be illegal, especially if imported without a permit. In this episode, we discuss two popular science articles that discuss federal investigations into plant and insect smugglers. Full articles: Jani Actman …
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Ep. 5. Cucumber Mosaic Virus Increases Plant Fertility
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The cucumber mosaic virus is a plant virus vectored by aphids. The virus can decrease yields, which would ultimately result in the plant produce less progeny. In a natural environment, we would expect high virus pressure to quickly result in selection for virus-resistant plants. However, the virus counteracts the negative impact on plant fertility …
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Ep. 4. Impact of Soil Fungi on Milkweed Plants
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The soil harbors all kinds of fungi; some beneficial and some detrimental to the health of plants. A specific class of fungi, known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of plants that's associated with over 80% of plant species globally. These fungi can help alter plant defense traits against herbivores…
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Ep. 3. Basil Downy Mildew, Crown Shyness and Hating on Bradford Pears
25:30
25:30
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Mr. Stanton Gill wrote an article in GrowerTalks (https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=24625) entitled Basil Downy Mildew Field Observations. We'll discuss some of is main discussion points there, from when it first showed up in the USA, symptoms, and resistant cultivars. In some forests, tree canopies exhibit an interesting behavior in w…
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Ep. 2. Great Basin Bristlecone Pine vs the Pine Killer
29:49
29:49
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The mountain pine beetle is a devastating pest of pine forests in the west coast of North America. The beetle will bore into and kill healthy trees, much like the Emerald Ash Borer that has recently been detected in Texas. In this episode, we explore how one tree species, the bristlecone pine, is able to defend against the mountain pine beetle. Ful…
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Ep. 1. Intro & Insecticides Causing Secondary Pest Outbreaks
28:48
28:48
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Learn a bit about the two hosts of the show, Erfan Vafaie and Vikram Baliga, how their aspirations to become medical doctors led to become lowly poor scientists, and how they found their passion for insects sand plants. In this episode, we also digest an article by Szczepaniec and colleagues (2013) that seeks to understand a commonly observed pheno…
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On this show, we'll digest data from scientific research and popular science magazines (such as GrowerTalks) related to horticultural sciences; whether we're talking about insects or plant production practices. The two hosts are: Erfan Vafaie, Extension Program Specialist II, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Vikram Baliga, Greenhouse Manager an…
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