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NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS 



enterprises as a way to get started 

 in commercial farming or woodlot 

 management or a means of support 

 for a rural way of life. 



To explore opportunities, The 

 University of New Hampshire and 

 the University of IMaine Co-opera- 

 tive Extension are co-sponsoring a 

 workshop series on alternative en- 

 terprises. This is being held on six 

 consecutive Wednesday mornings 

 beginning on February ninth at the 

 Urban Forestry Center in Ports- 

 mouth, NH. 



Although this series will have 

 begun by the time you receive this 

 issue of The Planlsman, if you're in- 

 terested in attending the remaining 

 sessions, contact the York County 

 Extension Office at 1-800-287-1535 

 (if calling from Maine ) or 207-324- 

 2814 (from out-of-state). 



Bills 



Several bills up for consideration 

 in the 1994 Session of the General 

 Court may be of interest to Plant 

 Grower Association members. 



Two deal with the composition 

 of the pesticide board. 



House Bill 1533 would add a 

 member representing municipal in- 

 terests, designated by the New 

 Hampshire Municipal Association. 

 (This would bring the board's 

 membership to 12.) 



House Bill 1512-FN would add 

 two new public members to the 

 board and clarifies that state em- 

 ployee members should be depart- 

 ment commissioners or division di- 

 rectors or their designates. 



This bill also establishes a citi- 

 zens advisory committee to advise 

 the board on local matters. 



House Bill 1185 deals with the 

 Pesticide Board's duties, it would 

 require the board "to establish 

 continuing education requirements 

 for commercial and private applica- 

 tors of pesticides. The board may 

 establish a fee if necessary. The 

 bill also requires the board to 

 adopt rules for the monitoring of 

 the application of pesticides for 

 compliance with the law." 



House Bill 1471-FN-LOCAL would 

 repeal the preemption of local 



DIAGNOSTIC UPDATE 



If you have ever wondered which plant 'diseases' may be poten- 

 tial problems in the upcoming months, or what the problems 

 have been over the last few months, then this column will now pro- 

 vide that information in this and future issues. The information is 

 summarized from the samples diagnosed in the Plant Disease Diag- 

 nostic Lab (PDDL). For this issue, ill provide some highlights (or 

 lowlights, depending upon your point of view) from 1993, as vffell as 

 hints on what to watch for in the upcoming months (based on past 

 PDDL records). 



In 1993, 502 samples were received in the PDDL; 52% were com- 

 mercial samples, and 48% were from homeowners. The breakdown 

 by commodities was: Turf (6%), Christmas Tree — commercial only 

 (6%), Greenhouse — commercial only (11%), Woody Ornamentals 

 (38%), and Herbaceous Ornamentals (10%). The remainder of the 

 samples were fruit, vegetables, houseplants, and miscellaneous 

 (such as slime molds). There were fewer cases of Tomato Spotted 

 Wilt Virus (TSWV) in 1993 than in '91 or '92, hopefully because of 

 better quality plants and a greater awareness of the problem. There 

 were severe outbreaks of both Sycamore and Ash Anthracnose in 

 the southern third of the state (Sycamore Anthracnose was particu- 

 larly severe in Cheshire and Sullivan Counties). The shoot blight 

 phase of Brown Rot was severe on most Prunus species during May- 

 June. Three cases of Bacterial Blight of geranium were diagnosed 

 between August and October (other states' diagnostic labs have also 

 seen cases of bacterial blight, so monitor your crops). In general, 

 the sample load was lighter early in the growing season relative to 

 previous years due to the dry weather (at least in the southern por- 

 tions of the state). 



Most of the potential problems during the next couple of months 

 are limited to greenhouse crops. Root rots such as Pythium and 

 Rhizoctionia are common problems, especially if the plants are 

 over-watered. Botyrtis (Grey Mold) is always present, but becomes 

 particularly troublesome when the relative humidity is high, so be 

 sure to space plants properly, provide good air circulation, don't 

 over-water, and remove senescent tissues (such as old flowers). Be 

 sure to scout all in-coming material for thrips and TSWV (also, try to 

 keep seed-propagated and vegetatively-propagated material sepa- 

 rated — TSWV doesn't seem to be seed transmitted). >•- 



If you wish to submit plant material to the PDDL for diagnosis, send samples 

 lo: Dr. Cheryl Smit^, Plant Disease Dia^Mosdc Lab, Nesmith Hall, UNH, 

 Durham. NH 03824. 



Samples should be accompanied by an identification form (available from your 

 County Cooperative Extension Office). There is no fee [at this time). Cheryl 

 Smith is the UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist in Plant Health, and can 

 be reached at (603) 862-3841. 



February &^ March 1994 



