VCTGA_WinterNL_2019

The Christmas Tree Promotion Board has its eye on the future and believes that the future includes the continua- tion of these types of projects. The CTPB recently expanded its manage- ment team to include Director of Re- search, Cynthia Alexander. Alexan- der will work closely with the Re- search Committee and serve as a con- tact point for the researchers who are funded by the CTPB. Christmas tree producers can learn more about several of the research projects funded by the Christmas Tree Promotion Board with a five-week webinar series that begins on Jan. 30. “What’s new in Christmas tree pro- duction” will air live from 12:30 to 2 p.m. EST on Wednesdays through Feb. 27. Replays are available on-de- mand afterward. There is no charge for the webinars, but registration is re- quired. Go to www.events.anr.msu.edu/NewChrist- masTreePractices/ to view and regis- ter. “This research can impact production practices, making things easier or more profitable or help manage cer- tain pest problems that come up,” said Jill O’Donnell, senior extension edu- cator with Michigan State University. The series kicks off Jan. 30 with “Ef- fective Nitrogen Use,” presented by Bert Cregg with Michigan State Uni- versity. Cregg will discuss the results of his nitrogen trials, including sources and timing of application. On Feb. 6, Jill Sidebottom from North Carolina State will discuss Elongated Hemlock Scale and spot- ted lanternfly. Both of these invasive species impact shipping and quaran- tines. Sidebottom will review the his- tory, life cycle, management options and potential issues with transporting trees. A host of researchers from across the nation come together Feb. 13 for

“Evaluating the performance of Turk- ish and Trojan Fir,” where they will discuss the potential benefits of these firs and share results from regional test sites. On Feb. 20, Cregg teams up with Jeff Owen from North Carolina State to present their research on how to re- duce coning in Fraser fir trees. The series concludes on Feb. 27 with the Michigan State Cover Crop Team presenting on the value that cover crops give to improving soil and how that might benefit Christmas tree growers. The projects in this series are sup- ported by the Christmas Tree Promo- tion Board along with Project GREEEN, Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association, Michigan Christmas Tree Association, Michi- gan Seedling Growers Association, North Carolina Christmas Tree Asso- ciation, Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association and Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association. VCTGA at The State Fair of Virginia

In Michigan, Cregg is also looking at soil applied plant growth regulators as another possible solution. The big ob- stacle here is cost-effectiveness -- be- cause its soil applied, the entire plan- tation needs to be treated, even the trees that don’t have a coning prob- lem. The soil-applied treatment can last for 3-4 years, while applying it to the foliage would need to be done yearly. With the soil applied plant growth regulators researchers have seen up to a 50 percent decrease in cones. “We’re getting the biology figured out,” Cregg said. “The next step is to make it cost effective.” Drones to control the cones Researchers at North Carolina State University purchased an unmanned aerial vehicle, otherwise known as a UAV or a drone, through a coordi- nated research project with the CTPB. Jeff Owen with North Carolina State said the team hopes to address several problems with the spray drone, in- cluding cone and weed control. “It’s absolutely cutting edge,” Owen said. “For us to be able to do that in Christmas trees so early in the learn- ing curve for UAV’s is tremendously exciting and could have huge poten- tial,” Owen said. “So much of Christ- mas tree country is mountainous. To be able to have a spray system that is not dependent on roads or slope of land has the potential to become a huge benefit to the industry.” Drone project team members have taken a flight training course offered by North Carolina State, which in- spired several to work on FAA pilot licenses. Essentially, the team is spending the fall and winter months learning everything it can about the drone with the hope of deploying it for research in 2019. The Future

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2019 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2019 Thanks to these volunteers for setup, staffing, and takedown of the VCTGA at the State Fair! • Jeff Gregson, setup and staff- ing • John Carroll, staffing • William & Kelly Raymond, staffing

Page 16

16 |