Niagara County Horticulture News

Fall 2000 Issue

Table of Contents

• Are Your Products Relevant?
• Your Most Important Asset
• Grazing In The Grass With Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D. Cornell University
• This Month Is Brought To You By The Letters Cu: Copper
• Easter Lily Schedule for 2001
• Enhanced Testing For Groundwater Quality and Plant Nutrient Levels Available From Cornell University

Are Your Products Relevant?

In a recent editorial in The Fruit Grower News (August 2000), publisher Matt McCallum challenges the apple industry to make radical changes to adapt to new market conditions. He points out that the potato industry, facing similar challenges, responded by trying to make itself relevant to today's consumers. He quotes Tim O'Connor, president of the National Potato Promotion Board, "The future of the potato industry will be determined by how relevant our products remain to the consumer." The apple industry, as well as many other agricultural producers, would do well to take a tip from their potato-growing brethren.

Across the country, apple growers know that change is needed. They face a difficult set of challenges: sustained low prices, slow growth, stagnant per capita consumption, and heightened global competition. Bargaining power is being lost to increasingly strong and consolidated retail chain customers. Processing markets are particularly challenging as low-price juice foreign concentrate has dropped the market's floor price level. These pressures are not unique to the apple industry. Producers of other agricultural products can relate to many similar concerns.

The question of whether products are relevant to today's consumers is one of the most important questions that producers can ask. Most agricultural producers operate in mature markets, and the maturity of these markets requires shifting from a focus on selling to a focus on fulfilling consumers' needs. New product development is an important part of making products relevant to consumers. It is a risky, but often necessary, step in revitalizing a mature industry.

Current research at Cornell University aims to assist the apple industry in stimulating product innovation and market expansion for processed apple products. As a part of this research, in June, several New York processing apple industry leaders attended a workshop focused on new product development. The daylong session led to a number of lessons learned about the innovation process.

First, new products must stimulate a consumer to take the risk of purchasing them. To do so, new products must appeal to basic consumer motivators. Today's top consumer motivators are:

• Convenience: Consumer's need for more time drives the purchase of on-the-go foods, meal solutions, and functional packaging.
• Wellness: Fears about aging, declining health, and medical costs drive consumers to prevent and self-treat health problems with food and beverage products that offer health benefits.
• Food quality and safety: Consumers are drawn to products that offer quality assurance and reliable food safety.
• Gratification: Disposable income levels have been rising in the current strong economy, and consumers are seeking indulgence for themselves and their kids. They are drawn to buy gratifying products that taste good and offer the feeling, "I'm worth it."

Third, there is much to be learned from both the successes and failures of products in other categories. The work shop facility provided a rich environment for stimulating creative thoughts because there was so much information that could be gleaned from other product categories. Ideas for packaging, positioning, flavors, colors, and features can come from what appear to be completely unrelated products. And the mistakes of others provide ample opportunity to learn what not to do.

Moving forward, this research project will try to integrate these lessons into the process of evaluating new product ideas for the processed apple industry. While this research can help, alone it will not make apple products relevant to current and future consumers. Keeping any agricultural product relevant requires investment in continuous innovation. Whether you're in the apple industry, the potato industry, or any other agricultural industry, a commitment to innovation, driven by the goal of fulfilling consumer motivators, is critical to success in today's markets.

Source: K. Rowles, Cornell University

Your Most Important Asset

• Make the customer feel heard. Listen to them, both in good times and bad.
• Make the customer feel understood. Paraphrasing their comments back to them will not only clarify the customer's comments but also make them feel heard.
• Make the customer feel liked. Getting to know your customers is a big plus. If possible, learn their names and learn a little something about them.
• Make customers feel respected. Again, listening and putting your customers in the driver's seat is a great way to show respect.
• Make the customer feel helped. Do whatever you can to help customers. If you can't personally help them, make every effort to find someone who can.
• Make the customer feel appreciated and remembered. A thank-you after the sale is a must. In fact, a thank-you even if there isn't a sale is a must!
• Remember your customers by using their names the next time they come in and with cards and letters at appropriate times of the year

From Your Most Important Asset by D. Perosio

Grazing In The Grass With Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D. Cornell University

All Wet:
Most of the northeastern US experienced abundant rainfall and below normal temperatures. Several months were either the wettest or coldest on record. Although there were several weeks during the season where ET exceeded precipitation, in general there was available soil moisture that provided relief for irrigation systems following the drought of 1999. Still, there were several weeks in early August where humidity was exceptionally low and irrigation was required. Many turf managers reported significant moisture stress during these low humidity periods.

Mow, Mow, Mow, You Go!:
The consistent theme from many turf managers this season was "if you couldn't grow grass this year, you need to find another profession". Clearly, a major challenge for school districts, lawn, landscape, and golf course crews was to keep up with the mowing. The large expanses of fields, volumes of lawns, and amount of rough area seemed to surge with growth with each passing week. The wet soil conditions made it very difficult to get onto the turf, the wet turf made for a sloppy cut, and as a result obeying the one-third rule became almost impossible. Many turf managers look to the summer months to rest mowers. Non-irrigated areas experience summer dormancy that typically slows growth. However, this season it just kept growing, and growing and growing! The positive side of this was many areas of consistently healthy turf with excellent root systems (where the soil was moderately well drained) that contributed to a conspicuous lack of grub damage (many reports of high grub populations were reported with little damage). Also, adequate moisture and warm soil releases a significant amount of nitrogen from organic matter as a result of an active microbial community.

Gettin' Mossy!:
Significant amounts of available moisture combined with low fertility and low mowing heights resulted in substantial amounts of algae and moss on putting greens. Additionally, chronic use of DMI fungicides such as Banner, Bayleton, Rubigan, etc. that have growth regulating effects can result in thin turf that allows moss and algae to invade. Silvery Thread moss, the major moss species on putting greens in the Northeast, is a simple green plant that can establish itself from one cell. It rarely produces spores, but the size of one cell may mislead you to think it arises from spores. Nevertheless, there are two methods available for moss control that either desiccate the moss or disrupt it physiologically. Many are using Dawn Ultra dish detergent, peroxide-type products, or other herbicidal soaps that break through the mosses one cell thick leaves and dry it out. However, it generally returns into the area where it was killed. The use of copper-based fungicides such as Kocide (CuOH) or Junction (CuOH + Mancozeb) has been shown to provide more long term reduction in moss populations, but appears to be very pH dependent as a result of the availability of copper at pH's below 6.0. It appears that the best success with these compounds is achieved when the soil pH and the spray solution is around 6.5 or less and then rainfall (pH 4.5-4.9) or irrigation water with pH below 6.0 is applied to release the copper from the hydroxide (OH) form. There have been reports of injury to annual bluegrass, however, to date, it has always grown out of it. Best time appears to be late season (Fall) with four applications of 5 oz of Junction per 1000 at 2 week intervals in 2 gallons of water per 1000. We have observed significant accumulation of copper in the soils and root tissue, but little injury when the pH of the soil or irrigation water is around 6.5 to 7.0.

Worm Holes:
Earthworms have emerged from the soils in record numbers this season again a natural phenomenon related to high soil moisture. Clearly, an active earthworm population is the sign of a healthy soil with adequate aeration and organic matter. In fact, there have been several research reports that have linked high earthworm populations with the use of natural organic fertilizers. In addition, earthworms play an important role in thatch management, mixing soil particles with decaying plant material. Still, golfers complain about "mud smeared fairways" with thin turf from the earthworm casts. There are short term, long term, and illegal solutions to this inconvenience. Short-term cultural solutions include increasing the mowing height 0.25" to mask the casting and mow the turf when it is dry so as to eliminate smearing of muddy casts. Long-term solutions include aggressive sand topdressing that irritates the worms forcing them to seek emergence elsewhere. Also, long term use of acidifying fertilizers or sulfur applications on poorly buffered soils that reduced surface pH will discourage earthworm activity. Sadly, many golf superintendents are applying insecticides such as Sevin (carbaryl) or the Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) Turcam (bendiocarb) that will kill earthworms to reduce complaints. Be warned this is illegal. If you are found to be making an application of these insecticides targeted at earthworms it will result in revoking of your pesticide certification.

Fistful of Dollar Spot:
Turfgrass managers across the northeast were reporting reduced control with many of the typical fungicides labeled for dollar spot control. For example, in most years, Daconil or other formulations of chlorothalonil, provide 10 to 14-day dollar spot control, yet this year appeared to provide 3 to 5 day suppression. This was also true for several of the DMI fungicides. Clearly, weather conditions were ideal for the disease with plentiful moisture and copious amounts of morning dew from condensation and from plants leaking sugar-rich guttation fluid from the leaf tips. However, I am beginning to wonder about the widespread use of Heritage (azoxystrobin) and its known enhancement of dollar spot symptoms, i.e., that the regular use of Heritage is creating a more favorable environment for the organism to persist by either reducing antagonistic organism, or possible effect of the plant. Finally, the question about fungicide resistant dollar spot comes up for those who do not regularly rotate fungicide chemistry; still this does not explain resistance to the contact materials with chlorothalonil. In the end, the dollar spot explosion may just be related to ideal weather patterns, similar to other diseases such as gray leaf spot that thrive on extended leaf moisture.

Wondering about winter:
The odd warming periods we are experiencing this fall might be a concern if combined with excessive moisture. However, it appears from most weather records that we are on the dry side. Dry, cool falls create optimum hardening conditions. Moderate but not excessive moisture stress is ideal for enhanced winter hardening. Other factors related to winter hardiness include:

Thatch:
Excessive thatch accumulation will reduce winter survival as a result of plant crowns and other perennial structures being elevated from the soil/thatch interface and less buffered from extreme temperatures. In addition, thatch levels above 1 inch can promote desiccation and turfgrass disease incidence. Late season core cultivation that incorporates the soil from the cores into the thatch layer can assist with solving this problem and actually improve drainage by breaking through layers.

Disease management:
Two research projects from Japan suggested that low temperature pathogens could "sense" weak plants that might be more susceptible to infection. Subsequently, indicated several times to this point, maximizing plant health through proper acclimation with water management, fertility and mowing height, could result in reduced snow mold. Nevertheless, species such as perennial ryegrass, creeping bentgrass, annual bluegrass are highly susceptible and will require preventative management to ensure survival.

Traffic:
Of all the management factors that are under the control of the turfgrass professional, minimizing traffic during periods when the soil is frozen or just when turf is not actively growing can be the most difficult. Players want to use the turf and that conflicts with what is known regarding maintaining healthy plants. While there is limited data on early season play, estimates suggest that active play during the "shoulders" of the growing season can require many weeks of active growth for recovery. Therefore, if possible, minimize traffic when the plants are dormant or the soil is frozen.

Turf Covers:
The use of synthetic protective turfgrass covers, for enhancing winter survival, has provided variable results over the years. Recent studies from Laval University in Quebec have indicated that snow is the best insulator and should be kept on as long as possible. The next best thing is any cover that uses an air layer to insulate the turf from extreme temperature and moisture. Keep in mind that covers accelerate green up in the spring and can result in reduced winter hardiness if temperatures drop suddenly.

Table of Contents

This Month Is Brought To You By The Letters Cu: Copper

Importance of Copper
Copper is necessary in chlorophyll development thus it is found in high quantities in chloroplasts. It is involved in carbohydrate metabolism, as it is necessary in the structure of several enzymes that catalyze reactions during photosynthesis. Copper is also needed in cell membrane synthesis which function is negatively affected when Cu is deficient.

Sources and Availability of Copper
Copper exists almost exclusively as the divalent form (Cu++) as well as in organic compounds. Copper concentration is in the range of 5-50 PPM total Cu, and it largely exists in the crystal lattice structure of primary and secondary minerals.

Soils low in Cu are those that are excessively leached such as certain types of sandy soils or developed from parent material low in copper such as organic, calcareous, and some soils high in clay content.

Copper binds more strongly to organic matter than other micronutrient cations such as iron (Fe) and maganese (Mn) thus these Cu complexes play an important role in regulating Cu mobility and availability in the soil. Copper is held tightly on soil particles and is not readily available to plants although cation exchange is present and Cu can be found in the soil solution.

Due to its absorption and thus, immobility in the soil, Cu sprays or fertilizers are largely restricted to the upper soil horizon except under conditions where soils are excessively leached. High levels of nitrogen fertilizer can lead to deficiency as well as prolonged use of phosphorous fertilizers. Zinc can also aggravate Cu deficiency in soil marginal in Cu.

Copper availability increases with decreasing pH (increasing acidity) whereas liming decreases availability. Copper displacement from soils can be brought about either by strong acids or the use of organic compounds (chelates) that form Cu complexes.

Uptake of Copper
Copper is taken up only in small quantities, found generally between 2-20 PPM in dry plant material. This is about one-tenth of the concentration of Mn. Uptake is related to the concentration of Cu in the soil and can be inhibited by zinc (Zn) uptake and vice versa.

Copper is not readily mobile in plants but can be translocated from older to younger tissue if the concentration of Cu in the plant is high, but mobility is poor when the Cu concentration is low.

Deficiency/Toxicity
Copper deficiency is rare due to the low content found in plants but can develop under certain conditions. Deficiency symptoms include reduced growth, lower pollen formation and fertilization, as well as reduced nodulation in legumes. Lignification of cell walls is also reduced resulting in characteristic distortion on young leaves, bending and twisting of stems and twigs, and increased lodging of cereals. In cereals, deficiency shows first in leaf tips which turn white while leaves are narrow and twisted.

Terminal shoots of fruit trees can be affected when Cu is deficient causing a disease known as summer dieback as the dying off of twigs and growing points is a common feature. Flowering and fruit formation is also affected.

Copper toxicity is much less a problem as it is held tightly on soil particles but can appear in soils from Cu ores or in soils that have been treated over a period of years with Cu-salts. Other sources of copper that can contribute to high levels include long-term use of copper containing fungicides, pollution, and compost from yard-waste and sewage sludge. Toxicity can inhibit root growth, increasing lateral root formation, and damage cell membranes resulting in cell leakage of ions.

Plants differ in their sensitivity to Cu deficiency. Those most responsible to Cu fertilization include oats, spinach, and wheat. In the medium range are cabbage, cauliflower, sugar beet and corn. Beans, grass, potatoes, and Soya beans show a low response.

Fertilization
To alleviate Cu deficiency both inorganic and organic forms are used. Copper salts, oxides, and slow-release metal compounds are appropriate for long term effects. The source of Cu used to correct a deficiency has a large effect on availability. When copper sulfate (CuSO4) was added to soil, it was almost completely absorbed onto soil particles after two hours whereas Cu-chelates where only slightly absorbed. Problems from using CuSO4 can result as toxic residues can result if conditions promote solubility of absorbed Cu. Although Cu-chelates are more expensive, they might be safer to use along with providing better soil activity.

Source: Scott Clark, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Easter Lily Schedule for 2001

* Easter will be April 15, 2001. Be careful not to force the crop too early. If storage is necessary, lower greenhouse temperatures and shade the structure or use a white poly greenhouse. If refrigeration is used, lilies can be successfully stored at 310F without lights. Place plants in the storage when the earliest bud is swollen ("puffy") and just ready to crack open. Treatment for Botrytis may be necessary. Keep the growing mix moist at all times.

Table of Contents

Enhanced Testing For Groundwater Quality and Plant Nutrient Levels Available From Cornell University

The laboratory can now test greenhouse nutrient solutions for nutrient content and pH. These tests are useful to ornamental greenhouse operations as well as vegetable operations.

With the recent acquisition of a state of the art ion chromatograph, anions such as fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulfate and phosphate can now be measured in plant tissue extracts, soil extracts and water. This test is of interest to any one concerned about groundwater quality.

The nutritional quality of a cover crop or mulch can now be measured with a carbon-nitrogen combustion analyzer that yields total concentrations of carbon and nitrogen.

For plant nutrient levels free of soil contamination, the new dual view ICP with electronic detection enables identification and subtraction of soil contributions to plant tissue analysis.

Strict drinking water standards have increased interest in ground water contamination due to chemical use and sludge application. The new technology acquired by the laboratory permits measurement of many toxic elements such as cadmium, arsenic and mercury at extremely low levels (less than one part in a billion). Those interested in exotic elements such as beryllium, lithium, and bismuth can also be accommodated with our new instrumentation.

For more information call 607-255-1785 or visit our world wide web site at www.hort.cornell.edu/department/facilities/icp/index.html

Source: Carol Doolittle, Extension Publications Officer/NYS