Rose research targets mites, powdery mildew

摘要

Spider mites and a disease called powdery mildew rank among the worst natural enemies of roses growing in greenhouses. But the Agricultural Research Service in the U.S. is helping these splendid plants fight back. ARS is among the sponsors of investigations at the University of California, Davis, that will yield effective, environmentally friendly ways to control mites and mildew. The studies may help rose growers reduce the number of times they have to spray chemicals. Sometimes that's as many as25 to 45 times a year, according to ARS plant pathologist Edwin L. Civerolo at Davis, Calif. He is the ARS representative for the greenhouse roses research. The spider mite studies, conducted by Christine A. Casey and Michael P. Parrella of the University of California, Davis, will give growers new, science-based techniques for monitoring and sampling mites that infest rose plants. About the size of the period at the end of this sentence, spider mites use their mouth parts to suck out the contents of leaf cells. By removing cell components called chloroplasts, for example, mites interfere with the plant's ability to convert sunlight into food.