Greenhouse floriculture growers in Michigan will benefit from the recently updated list of fungicide recommendations developed by Mary Hausbeck and her staff in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University. This listing, “Greenhouse Disease Management 2016 Season,” provides options for growers when dealing with common floriculture pathogens, including Botrytis, powdery mildew, downy mildew, Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Thielaviopsis and bacterial diseases.

MSU has released new list of fungicide recommendations for greenhouse growers.

For each pathogen, an “A” and “B” team list has been compiled. The A team products are those suggested for crops that are more susceptible to that specific disease and should be used on a regular preventative basis. We also recommend using the A team products if disease has been detected on the crop in question.

B team products are suggested for rotating into your spray program when disease pressure is low or the crop is not highly susceptible to that disease. Always follow label directions when applying any pesticide.

Michigan State University Extension states that accurate disease identification is critical for any successful disease management program. To determine which pathogen you are dealing with, we recommend having the infected plant tissue tested by a diagnostic laboratory such as MSU Diagnostic Services. For more details on how and where to send plant samples, go to the MSU Diagnostic Services website.

View the recommendations http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/AABI/2016GHDiseaseManagement.pdf. Or search for Greenhouse Disease Management 2016 Season.

This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

Dudek and Hausbeck write for Michigan State University