2009 Nursery Inspections, Forest Insect/Plant Pest Surveys & Apiary Inspection Activities
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The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station 123 HUNTINGTON STREET BOX 1106 NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06504 Founded 1875 Putting science to work for society CONNECTICUT REPORT TO THE EASTERN PLANT BOARD - 2010 ALBANY, NEW YORK SUMMARY OF 2009 NURSERY INSPECTIONS, FOREST INSECT/PLANT PEST SURVEYS & APIARY INSPECTION ACTIVITIES NURSERY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION Three-hundred and two nurseries were certified to conduct intra- and interstate business. There were 674 nursery inspections during the growing season. Four-thousand, one-hundred and forty acres of nursery stock were examined as well as plants growing under 26,286,945-sq. ft. of greenhouse space. The majority of plants were grown in hoop houses (21,463,004 sq. ft.), followed by plastic greenhouses (3,080,651 sq. ft.) and glass greenhouses (1,743,290 sq. ft.). NURSERY INSECTS The most abundant pests found in nurseries were aphids on various trees and shrubs, mites on various trees and shrubs, black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) on Taxus, Arborvitae leafminer on Thuja, elongate hemlock scale on Tsuga, and lacebug on Pieris, Rhododendron and Azalea. JAPANESE BEETLE CERTIFICATION We observed treatments of 79,904 plants at one nursery and issued phytosanitary certificates to comply with states that quarantine nursery stock from Connecticut because of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica. One nursery, which met the containerized nursery stock accreditation program requirements of the United States Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan, shipped 5,000 plants to other states in 2009. Four nurseries met other requirements of the United States Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan and shipped 2,890 plants to states that quarantine plants from Connecticut. JAPANESE BEETLE CERTIFICATION TO CANADA Thirteen Connecticut nurseries, which met the inspection requirements of the US/Canada Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan, shipped 53,220 plants to Canada in 2009. NURSERY DEALER PERMITS Nursery dealer permits were issued to 188 firms. One-hundred seventy of these companies operate individual outlets. The remaining businesses have more than one outlet each. In total, there were 577 outlets. Report to the Eastern Plant Board 1 Connecticut 2010 PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATES Three-hundred and fifty-four phytosanitary inspection certificates were issued covering the shipment of the following plant materials to destinations outside the United States: Plants Number Apples (Cartons) 11,000 Bulbs & Tubers (Dahlia & Gladiolas)(Bags) 616 American Chestnut (unrooted cuttings) 80 Chinese tree peonies (plants) 54 Greenhouse plants 25,560 Nursery stock (containers - B & B) 22,553 Orchids (plants) 5,465 Perennials (bare root plants) 5,054 (plants) 1,175 (unrooted cuttings) 300 Seeds (cartons & bags) 291 Tobacco (bales, boxes, bundles & cartons) 116,072 Tobacco (pounds) 4,686 Cotton seed meal (bags) 1,600 SPECIAL INSPECTIONS 1. Ten inspections were made for 160 individual plants and bulbs to assist homeowners moving out of state. 2. One-hundred forty seven inspections were made to assist nurseries moving the following plants interstate: Plants Number Perennials (plants) 79,904 Nursery stock (containers) 5,000 (bare root plants) 1,504 (B & B) 2,666 Corn seed (pounds) 2 Geraniums 1,240 Greenhouse plants 286 Orchids 56 Seed (Bags) 132 3. One tobacco grower had 110.5 acres inspected for the aerial application of pesticides. 4. There was no Post-Entry Quarantine activity in CT in 2009. BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATORY SERVICES INSPECTION ACTIVITY In cooperation with officers from the Wallingford USDA-APHIS-PPQ office, six inspections were conducted in 2009 at facilities or laboratories working with recombinant or regulated organisms. PERMITS TO MOVE LIVE PLANT PESTS, NOXIOUS WEEDS, AND SOIL In 2009, there were sixty four PPQ 526 Permits (Permit to move live plant pests, noxious weeds, and soil) approved in CT. There were two PPQ 330 Permits (permit to move soil) approved in CT. Report to the Eastern Plant Board 2 Connecticut 2010 FOREST HEALTH SURVEY During the summer of 2009 we examined 51 permanent, one-acre forest plots that were established to monitor forest health in Connecticut. These plots are located on state, Nature Conservancy, and municipal water company properties. We considered 25 pathogens for monitoring and determined which trees served as host plants. Within each plot, 20 to 30 trees were tagged for long-term studies. We evaluated signs of defoliation and disease, such as dead tree branches, limbs and crowns. Descriptions and determinations are designed to reflect increasing damage or tree decline. We measure the trees at Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) as an additional way to monitor their health. We will continue to use these plots to monitor the forests over several years to assess whether our state forests remain healthy or are declining. In general, our forests remain healthy. TORNADO DAMAGE The National Weather Service confirmed that an F1 tornado touched down June 26 in Wethersfield CT. Members of the National Weather Service surveyed damage in Wethersfield and Farmington; damage in towns surrounding Hartford was caused by straight-line winds, but a narrow tornado had formed in Wethersfield. The NWS said winds in the town reached speeds between 85 and 100 MPH. Unfortunately damage was most severe in the historic town center, and many 200-year-old trees were destroyed, along with several historic homes and buildings. In total, 246.4 acres were affected by this tornado. ICE DAMAGE Several locations in Litchfield County were severely affected by ice storms in the winter of 2008-2009. All species of trees were affected, with breakage of major branches and trunks occurring. Damage was primarily at higher elevations, such as hilltops and ridges. In total, 1,711.0 acres were affected by ice. DEFOLIATION IN CONNECTICUT - 2009 Report to the Eastern Plant Board 3 Connecticut 2010 INSECT AND DISEASE SURVEYS GYPSY MOTH Our annual aerial survey for gypsy moth defoliation was conducted in July-August 2009 and covered 1.8 million acres of urban/suburban forest in all eight Connecticut counties. Gypsy moth defoliation of 6,709.0 acres was found in following counties: COUNTY TOTAL ACRES Hartford 1665.6 New London 1493.6 Tolland 3549.8 TOTAL 6709.0 In November and December, a gypsy moth egg mass survey was conducted in 80-95% favorable host sites on a 7 -mile grid (102 sites) throughout Connecticut. No egg masses were found. ORANGE-STRIPED OAKWORM The Orange-striped oak worm, Anisota senatoria, is a native moth that ranges from eastern Canada southward to Georgia. It is a common pest of oak species in Connecticut. Occasionally, local infestations occur when oaks have been stressed by other factors such as drought or gypsy moths. Serious defoliation can occur when this happens. The moths lay up to 500 eggs on the undersides of an oak leaves in early summer and are attracted to artificial light. The caterpillars feed on the foliage, and then they burrow into the soil and build an earthen cell, where it pupates and passes the winter. On October 2, 3, &10, 2007, a statewide aerial survey was conducted for orange-striped oak worm defoliation. Defoliation was found in Windham County (3,062.9acres) and in New London County (2,152,5 acres). Total acres defoliated were 5,215.4. FOREST TENT CATERPILLAR The Forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria, is a native insect found throughout the range of hardwood forests in North America. It is more abundantly distributed in eastern North America, but is also common in western areas that have large stands of aspen. At times, this insect can be a damaging defoliator of trees. Trees that are defoliated often flush a new, smaller set of leaves in July. While forest tent caterpillar does not typically cause mortality to host trees, mortality can occur when populations interact with other disturbances, such as drought or insect outbreaks. Forest tent caterpillar larvae use silk to form trails and to create pads on host trees where they congregate and rest. During 2009, an outbreak of Forest tent caterpillar resulted in the defoliation of 1,900.4 acres in Windham County. ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis, first discovered to be attacking trees in August of 1996 in New York, has spread to within 25 miles of Greenwich in southwestern Connecticut. There is risk for beetle entry in ports because of the transportation of solid wood packing material on ships coming from areas of the world where this beetle is found. We, therefore, concentrated additional survey efforts in Connecticut in the areas of Bridgeport, Groton, New Haven and New London as well as their surrounding parks that contain a high percentage of maple, a favorite food source of the Asian longhorned beetle. In addition, the 2008 detection of ALB in Worcester, MA, spurred increased interest and vigilance concerning the beetle. We conducted eighty inspections of 7,139 trees in all counties of CT for presence or signs of ALB infestation. We also participated in a United States Forest Service survey in Southwestern Connecticut. We examined 300 Asian longhorned beetle host species trees in 18 square miles in Greenwich and Stamford. All surveys and identifications, thus far, were negative. We also inspected 1 tree for a homeowner in 2009. SEPTORIA LEAF SPOT OF MAPLE Rainy and cool weather throughout Connecticut during spring and summer created conditions ideal for the fungus known as Septoria aceris, which causes septoria leaf spot. A septoria infection is characterized by small brown spots rimmed with yellow when the leaves are still green. As the spots grow and merge, they perforate the leaves, resulting in premature leaf drop and defoliation. The long-term implications for the trees’ health are minimal. Damage due to Septoria Leaf Spot of Report to the Eastern Plant Board 4 Connecticut 2010 maple was considerable enough to warrant mapping during aerial survey. Data are included on the defoliation map and are summarized below by county.