Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service HO'RTICULTU'RE 'DIGEST HITAHR • College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Re.ource. Department of Horticulture U. S. Department of Agriculture Cooperltlng University of HawaII at Manol

In This Issue: FLOWER AND NURSERY INFORMATION No. 77, July 1985 TABLE CONTENTS are gone. Like the steel and automobile indus- Page , tries, production agriculture is a highly competi­ American Research is Still a Good Buy...... 1 tive international industry. We must increase the Ornamental Production In Hawaii- flow of well-developed agricultural technology, A Growth Industry .. ',' ...... 1 including computer technology, to American Nursery Notes ...... " 2 farmers or we will lose our position of leadership Impatiens Are Now the Most Popular in world agriculture. Annual in America ...... 4 The Rhode Island Nurserymen's Something To Think About ...... 4 Newsletter No. 93, Summer 1985 (Taken from: Holt, D. A. 1985. Science 228 (4689) 422-427) AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IS STILL A GOOD BUY ORNAMENTAL PRODUCTION IN HAWAII­ The national "fuss" over formula versus com­ A GROWTH INDUSTRY petitive funding for USDA agricultural research Recent figures released from the Hawaii Agri­ obscures the fact that the total production agri­ cultural Reporting Service show that Hawaii's culture R&D effort is extremely underfunded. flower growers and nursery operators achieved The annual return on investment in these activi­ another record high year in 1984. Receipts ties ranges from 10 percent to more than 100 totaled $42.9 million, exceeding the previous percent and averages between 30 and 60 percent, year's record value by 19 percent. This compares depending on the commodity (11). The long­ to $8.2 million in wholesale sales only 10 years term discounted marginal product of agricultural earlier (Table 1). R&D is estimated at well over $5 of the last The production of carnations and potted dollar invested in research on such major com­ plants for landscape use has shown steady growth modities as corn, wheat, and soybeans, suggest­ in wholesale value, but their market share posi­ ing that R&D input is low relative to returns. tion has declined. A significant increase in the Low-income people of our nation gain most production of anthuriums for the cut flower from agricultural R&D because food is a large market is noted, maintaining its market share ex­ item in ,their family budget, and their investment cept for the last 5-year period. The softness in of tax money in agricultural research is relatively the 1981-83 anthurium market appears to have low. been corrected with a 22% increase over the pre­ According to calculations by Mr. Holt, most vious year. The production of cut orchids has major industrial firms invest 3 to 6 percent of shown limited growth except for the last 5-year their average annual cash receipts in R&D acti­ period when it tripled in value. vities. The total investment in agricultural re­ Significant growth was noted in the produc­ search directly supporting production agricul­ tion of cut roses and potted indoor foliage ture is less than 0.7 percent of the cash sales in, plants. The most spectacular growth was noted farm products. This level of R&D investment in foliage production which went from not being was adequate to sustain American agriculture listed in 1969 to a 32.7% market share and over when the only competition was a largely peasant $14 million in wholesale value in 1984. agriculture in much of the world, but those days Fred D. Rauch, Horticulture Specialist

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • 3050 MAILE WAY UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII . HONOLULU, HAWAII 98822 The University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Cooperative fxtension Service and U.s. Department of Agriculture cooperating in presenting to the people of Hawaii programs and services to Its citizens without regard to raca, color, national origin, or sex. It is an equal opportunity employer. Table 1. Wholesale Value of Hawaii Ornamental Crops (thousand of dollars).

CROP 1969 1974 1979 1984 Value Market Value Market Value Market Value Market Share (%) Share (%) Share (%) Share (%) Cut Flowers & Foliagea

Anthurium 847 21.7 1,720 21.1 5,568 26.8 7,351 17.1 Orchids 705 18.0 806 9.9 1,026 4.9 3,081 7.2 Carnation 306 7.8 635 7.8 1,214 5.8 1,331 3.1 Protea NA NA 281 1.4 470 1.1 Roses 124 3.2 317 3.9 726 3.5 1,556 3.6 Foliage 194 5.0 1,077 13.2 434 2.1 862 2.0 Other 551 14.1 481 5.9 1,756 8.5 3,579 8.3

Total cut 2,727 69.7 4,874 59.7 11,005 53.0 18,230 42.5

Potted Plants

Indoor Foliage NA 284 3.5 4,052 19.5 14,050 32.7 Landscape 671 17.2 1,059 13.0 1.941 9.3 2,160 5.0 FIoweringb 513 13.1 558 6.8 2,354 11.3 4,629 10.8 Other NA 1,387 16.9 1,426 6.9 3,836 8.9

Total Potted 1,184 30.3 3,288 40.3 9,773 47.0 24,675 57.5

Total 3,911 8,162 20,778 42,905 a Includes lei flowers; b Includes potted anthurium and orchid plants.

NURSERY NOTES State Ag Functional Plan Revised HAPP Encourages Farmers The State Agriculture Functional Plan has The Hawaii Agricultural Products Program, been revised for resubmitting to the 1985 Legis­ brought into being to encourage the growth of lature. The Advisory Committee for the Plan has Hawaii's economy by stimulating qualified agreed to the adding of three new implementa­ farmers to enter into joint ventures with the tions related to the 1985 Farm Bill, the Hawaii State, got $250,000 from the 1984 State Legis­ Agricultural Products Program, and sugar indus­ lature for its Ag Products Revolving Fund, to be try research. Copies of the revised Plan have administered by DOA's Agricultural Loan Divi­ been sent to the· State Plan Policy Council and sion. The aim of the program is to improve exist­ will be sent to all State Dept. of Ag. Divisions ing products and develop new ones to enhance and Neighbor Island Branches. The 1984 Legis­ the quality and diversification of Hawaii's ag lature passed 10 Functional Plans, but the Ag. production. and Education Plans were held back. The DOA Ag Loan Division will process appli­ cations and check out commercial feasibility. News You Can Use Then the Advisory committee of HAPP will re­ Vol 7(1), Jan. 1985 view the requests and make recommendations to the Board of Agriculture. Grants will be con­ Rout-New Pre-emergence Herbicide sidered for projects and products or techniques Sierra Chemical Co: is distributing a pre-emer­ that are relatively new and untried, that have gence herbicide for control of weeds in con­ export potential, and that have good potential tainers and field grown stock. This product is a for success. combination of oxyfluorfen (Goal) and oryza­ News You Can Use lin (Surflan) that is registered for a variety of Vol 7(1), Jan. 1985 woody plants. 2 Rout controls grasses-annual bluegrass, barn­ leaves. Sprays containing mancozeb (Dithane yard grass, crabgrass, fall panicum, foxtails and M-45 or Manzate 200) or chlorothalonil (Daco­ groosegrass and broadleaf weeds-bittercress, nil 2787) may be helpful. common chickweed, dandelion, groundsel, lambsquarters, oxalis, pigweed, purslane, shep­ erdspurse, sowthistle and several spurges. Holland Releases Figures For 1983 Auction Sales The results of the 1983 survey of sales at the JR4 Threatened 12 Dutch flower auctions show that the rose is The IR4 Research Program provides funds to still the worldwide top-seller. In fact, the latest university researchers to establish the safety of survey showing the top 10 flowers shows little chemicals for minor uses such as horticulture. change from figures for the past four years, in­ It's one of the ways we can get clearance or ex­ dicating that the 1984 supply should remain panded labels in the greenhouse when chemical steady. companies can't justify the expense for minor A survey of growers indicated that cultivated use. To expand the labels mentioned in the areas will remain the same, but with higher pro­ above story, the IR4 program would document duction expected. It is anticipated that Bouvar­ the data needed. Federal budget cuts could eli­ dia, small-flowered Gladioli, Nerine and Gypso­ minate IR4. To prevent its loss, industry should phil a will become more important crops. consider funding this critical service. Auction turnuver for major crops in 1982 and 1983 (in U.S. dollars) is shown in Fig. 1. Florist Review A G Park Update July 19, 1984 Subdivision plans for the Kahuku Agricultural Park have just been submitted to the City and County of Honolulu for preliminary approval. 1982 1983 This project will provide 24 five-to-ten-acre lots 1. Rose 140 lSI for a mix of truck crops, orchards and nurseries. 2. Chrysanthemum 103 113 It will be the first State agricultural park on pri­ 3. Carnation 74 77 vate land (Campbell Estate), and the first such 4. Tulip 47 52 project to be constructed at reduced cost with 5. Gerbera 43 46 improvements below County standards. 6. Freesia 42 45 Disposition of 14 lots in the first phase of the 7. Lily 35 38 Waimanalo Agricultural Park was completed by 8. Cymbidium 20 25 a drawing on December 5 at the Department of 9. Gypsophila 16 19 Land and Natural Resources. The tremendous 10. Iris IS 16 demand for agricultural park lots on Oahu was evidenced by 103 persons who applied for lots Figure 1. Auction turnover in $1,000,000 within the park. From the sixty-seven who qua­ lified, two new farmers, nine displaced farmers, and three other farmers were selected for the five nursery lots and nine diversified agricultural Amfac Goses Sale of Three Businesses lots. The sale by Amfac Inc., Honolulu, of three AG Notes nursery businesses to an employee group was Dec. 1984 officially closed June 29. The three businesses, Amfac Garden Perry's, Disease Problem on Ornamentals Amfac Garden Cal-Turf, and Jenco Nurseries, University of California plant pathologists were purchased by Tri-West Inc., which is Drs. Robert Raabe, James MacDonald, and headed by John F. Mendez, former executive Arthur McCain· have recently diagnosed prob­ vice president of Amfac's Horticulture Group. lems found on samples of greenhouse flowers Tri~West will be based in San Francisco. and ornamentals submitted by San Mateo The sale was "substantially for cash," a com­ County, California, growers, and include a Dra­ pany spokesman said. The terms were not dis­ caena species imported from Hawaii with yellow closed. spots that later became dry and brown: A Glo­ American Nurserymen eosporium fungus was sporulating on these August 1, 1984 3 • Impatiens Are Now The Most Popular These flowers do not tolerate heavy shade, thus Annual in America they are recommeded for semi-shaded areas, ac­ Would you believe that impatiens have over­ cording to Schaufler. taken petunias as the most popular bedding New York State Flower Industries Bulletin plant in the United States? No. 174, May, 1985 It has happened, and garden centers now abound with many new varieties that do well in Something To Think About the sun as well as in shade, according to Cornell For the most part, we do not see the roots of University floriculturist. plants except for hand-potting, seedling trans­ "It seems many gardeners need a flowering planting, pulling weeds or seeing a wind-thrown plant that tolerates light as well as medium tree. People have long been interested in plant shade, and new varieities now appearing on the roots. An early investigator determined that a market are superb performers in these situa­ sunflower plant produced 1448 lineal feet of tions," says Ernest F. Schaufler, a professor roots which had a surface area of 2286 square emeritus of floriculture in the New York State inches. The same man found that a cabbage had College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cor­ about 470 feet of roots with 256 square inches nell. of surface. If that wasn't enough, an American New impatiens vary in height from four to 16 worker in the late 1800's growing squash vines inches; blooms may be single, semi-double, or in the greenhouse estimated one plant to have double. Blues and yellows are missing, but produced 84,000 feet of roots, or almost 16 orange is an outstanding color in new varieties. miles. Other data include a wheat plant grown At least three seed companies are offering by itself produced 44 miles of roots, while a the so-called "Accent" series that can send out rye plant had 49 miles, and wild oat plant put nonstop blooms, up to two inches across, all out 54 miles. summer. These plants stay compact, growing no One of the most dramatic findings about the higher than eight inches. The color range is com­ extent of root systems was with a 2 year old plete-scarlet, orange, white, bicolor, pink, sal­ plant of crested wheat grass which had 315 miles mon, rose and red, Schaufler notes. of roots. Perhaps one of the classic exercises One company is offering a "mini" series in with determining the extent of roots was carried eight bright colors; these are the smallest form out with a winter rye plant grown in a container in impatiens known, giving a low carpet effect. 22 inches deep and 12 inches square for 4 The plants of the "Super Elfin" line grow eight months. Its cumulative root length was 387 to 10 inches tall. Two new varieties available miles. There were 13 million roots having a sur­ through retail garden centers this year are "Su­ face of 2554 square feet. On the surface of these per Elfin Coral: and Super Elfin Bright Eyes." roots, it was estimated that there were 14 billion The "Grande" series has plants that grow up root hairs with an additional 4321 square inches to 14 to 15 inches. These are highly effective of surface. The man who made these findings when used in hanging baskets or tubs. A new also determined the extent of roots in"cubic inch color this year is "Orchid with Eye," Schaufler of soil under the sods of certain grasses. For in­ says. stance under oats, there were 3.5 feet of roots Still another seed firm has introduced two F 1 per cubic inch. Under rye there were 5 feet and hybrids. "Tiara Rose" is an addition to its dwarf, under bluegrass, 30 feet. It's just a good thing compact line. "Confections" is a series with dou­ plants don't have to walk. ble and semi-double flowers in orange, red, pink, and rose. Suggested uses are for hanging baskets, NOTE: The use of trade names is for the convenience of containers and beds. readers only and does not constitute an endorsement of The "Fantasia" series includes plants that these products by the University of Hawaii, the College grow up to IOta 12 inches, with blooms ranging of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Ha­ in size from one to one and a half inches across. waii Cooperative Extension Service, and their employees. "Wild Cherry" is red with a white eye. "Showstopper" is a series most attractive when used for hanging baskets. "Showstopper jJf)~~ Light Lavender" is light lavender with a darker eye. "Vista" is a series of 13 varieties with an ar­ Fred D. Rauch ray of colors in the new Guinea hybrid type. Extension Specialist in Horticulture • 4