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 - 2014 PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY SUMMARY OF 2013 NURSERY INSPECTIONS, FOREST INSECT/PLANT PEST SURVEYS ~~~~~~~~~~ NURSERY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION Three-hundred five nurseries were certified to conduct intra- and interstate business. There were 671 nursery inspections during the growing season. NURSERY INSECTS and DISEASES. The most important diseases and pests found in nurseries (in order of prevalence) were boxwood blight, aphids on various trees and shrubs, boxwood leaf miner, imported willow leaf beetle, and lily leaf beetle. JAPANESE BEETLE CERTIFICATION. We observed treatments of 7 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. Four nurseries met other requirements of the United States Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan and shipped 2,332 plants to states that quarantine plants from Connecticut. JAPANESE BEETLE CERTIFICATION TO CANADA. Eight Connecticut nurseries, which met the inspection requirements of the US/Canada Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan, shipped 24,401 plants to Canada in 2013. NURSERY DEALER PERMITS. Nursery dealer permits were issued to 157 firms. One-hundred twenty three of these companies operate individual outlets. The remaining businesses have more than one outlet each. In total, there were 568 outlets. Report to the Eastern Plant Board 1 Connecticut 2014 PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATES. Three-hundred and thirty three phytosanitary inspection certificates were issued covering the shipment of the following plant materials to destinations outside the United States: Product Quantity Apples (Cartons) 1000 Bulbs & Tubers (Dahlia & Gladiolas)(# Bags) 678 Chinese Tree Peony (plants) 13 Greenhouse plants Rhizomes 311 Cuttings 18 Nursery stock Unrooted cuttings 231 Plants (B and B) 19,440 Bare root plants 34 Orchids (plants) 2,716 Perennials Bare root plants 4,134 Potted plants 12 Seeds (bags) 533 Tobacco Bales 56,280 Bundles 19,503 Cartons 24,675 Walnut shells (bags) 101 SPECIAL INSPECTIONS. Eleven inspections were made for 96 individual plants to assist homeowners moving out of state. Seventy eight inspections were made to assist nurseries moving the following plants interstate: Product Quantity Nursery stock (containers) 121 (bare root plants) 1,500 Greenhouse plants 963 Logs 50 Seed (# Bags) 64 BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATORY SERVICES INSPECTION ACTIVITY. In cooperation with officers from the Wallingford USDA-APHIS-PPQ office, eight inspections were conducted in 2013 at facilities or laboratories working with recombinant or regulated organisms. PERMITS TO MOVE LIVE PLANT PESTS, NOXIOUS WEEDS, AND SOIL. In 2013, there were forty- four PPQ 526 Permits (Permit to move live plant pests, noxious weeds, and soil) approved in CT. There were three PPQ 525 Permits (Permit to move soil) approved in CT. FOREST HEALTH Report to the Eastern Plant Board 2 Connecticut 2014 During the summer of 2012, 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. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. A single snow event, on February 8-9, 2013, dumped upwards of 40 inches of snow in some areas of CT. The heavy wet snow did not cause extensive tree damage; harm was limited to slight branch breakage. Many compromised trees had been taken out by Hurricane Irene and SuperStorm Sandy in previous years. A hailstorm that was tracked by the US Forest Service did cause extensive damage to forested areas in northern Litchfield County on May 31, 2013. The path of hail damage to trees could be tracked for over 10 miles. INSECT AND DISEASE SURVEYS BOXWOOD BLIGHT. First discovered in Middlesex County, CT in November 2011, boxwood blight, caused by the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata (syn. Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum), continues to be an issue for both nurseries and landscapes. This disease was new to CT and to the US. In 2013, action concerning boxwood blight was taken eleven times at nurseries, garden centers, and private residences; fifty-three samples were collected from nurseries (six positives) and forty-two samples from private residences (12 positives). Also in 2012, CAES scientists documented that the fungus also infects Pachysandra terminalis, a popular landscape plant often planted with boxwood. Again, this discovery was new to science. Efforts continue to educate landscapers about boxwood blight and its consequences. CHRYSANTHEMUM WHITE RUST. In 2013 we inspected 72,257 plants for CWR, caused by Puccinia horiana. Five hundred forty seven plants were found to be positive, and were destroyed. GYPSY MOTH. There was no observable defoliation due to Gypsy Moth recorded in CT in 2013. During egg mass surveys in winter 2013-2014, however, there are locations where sufficient numbers of egg masses are present to caused damage in summer of 2014. These locations will be closely monitored. ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE. We conducted sixty five inspections of 6,196 trees in all counties of CT for presence or signs of ALB infestation. HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID. During 2013, we required all hemlock nursery stock that was being shipped out of Connecticut to be treated for Hemlock woolly adelgid. Two nurseries shipped hemlock trees out of state. Our inspectors observed treatments and issued shipping certificates for the plants. RAMORUM LEAF BLIGHT. There were three trace-forward actions involving P. ramorum in CT in 2013. Potentially infested host material was shipped to one nursery and many private home owners. A Report to the Eastern Plant Board 3 Connecticut 2014 total of 18 samples were collected, and determined to be negative for presence of P. ramorum. No further action was taken. One nursery was involved in trace-back actions. Two samples were collected, and determined to be negative for presence of P. ramorum. No further action was taken. DAYLILY RUST. During 2013, we surveyed daylilies in nurseries and garden centers for signs of daylily rust, caused by Puccinia hemerocallidis. Eighty nine inspections (43,576) were conducted. APIARY INSPECTION. There are currently seven hundred thirty seven registered beekeepers maintaining 5,343 hives. In 2013, nine hundred three hives in five hundred ninety beeyards in CT were inspected. American foulbrood was detected in five hives; these were destroyed by burning. The most common problems were high levels of Varroa mites and a high level of queen failure. CT beekeepers continue to lose colonies overwinter in higher numbers than experienced in the past years. These losses are consistent with regional and nationwide trends. Inspections have discovered the small hive beetle on a regular basis in most areas of the state with a stronger presence in the sandy regions along Long Island Sound. Winter hive inspections have detected the adult beetle coexisting within the winter cluster. Despite these challenges, beekeeping interest is still strong with over 465 new beekeepers being trained this winter. Due to high winter losses in 2012-2013, local beekeepers were not able to provide sufficient numbers of honey bees for pollination of our apple orchards and pumpkin fields. For the first time, honey bees were brought in from out of state to meet pollination demands. EMERALD ASH BORER. The emerald ash borer (EAB) was first detected in Connecticut in the town of Prospect on July 16, 2012 and New Haven County was quarantined on August 9, 2012. The beetle has subsequently been detected in 14 other towns in four counties, which have been quarantined for EAB. In addition to the state internal quarantine, the regulations of Connecticut State Agencies sections 22-84-5d were amended and section 22-84-5g was added for the regulation of firewood transported into and within Connecticut. A total of 27 permits or compliance agreements have been issued for the movement of regulated articles. Twenty-three permits were for the transport of firewood, 21 of which were for importation into Connecticut. Seven permits were for movement of regulated articles out of New Haven County to locations in the three other counties, which were added to the EAB quarantine on August 29, 2013 (Fairfield, Litchfield, and Hartford counties). Other permits were for the transport of green or wood waste to a recycling facility or for ash logs to a mill. Surveys with both purple panel traps and Cerceris colonies will continue in 2014. Report to the Eastern Plant Board 4 Connecticut 2014 REPORT TO THE EASTERN PLANT BOARD Princeton, NJ 2013 Activity Summary Contents Page Apiary Inspection 2 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey 3 Noxious Weed Control 7 Nursery Inspection and