Chapters outline up-to-date strategies regarding breeding, chemical and biological control, cultural and environmental manipulation, diagnosis, nutrition, and sanitation and how these approaches directly influence ornamental plant health. This book is a presentation of the latest techniques for disease management by a global team of experts. The book addresses the major diseases of economically important ornamentals with the goal of capturing the latest disease management strategies along with diagnostic photographs. Florists' crops production has evolved considerably through new technological advances in irrigation, environmental control, along with the appearance of new centers of large scale production of plant material. These changes have necessitated the development of newer and innovative ways of suppressing pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes.
About the Author: Dr. McGovern obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. in plant pathology from Cornell. He spent 5 years in the ornamentals industry as a plant pathologist and director of the Horticulture and Diagnostic Department of Frank's Nursery & Crafts, Inc., Detroit, MI. He is a professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Pathology, and past director of the Plant Medicine Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Dr. McGovern also directed several diagnostic clinics in industry and academia and helped to establish the USDA-coordinated National Plant Diagnostic Network. He is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and senior consultant, NBD Research Co., Ltd., Lampang, Thailand.
Dr. Elmer received his M.S. and Ph.D. in plant pathology at Virginia Tech and Michigan State University, respectively. He came to The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, CT in 1987. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Elmer's research has been designed to understand the ecology and biology of soilborne pathogens on ornamentals and vegetables He has developed expertise on diseases caused by species of Fusarium. He has authored over 100 peer reviewed articles. Currently, he serves as the Chief of the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
