October 2021 - 8

INDUSTRY NEWS
from americanhort to you
Box Tree Moth in North America:
History and Future Outlook
BY MICHAEL MARTIN, SCIENCE,
RESEARCH, AND REGULATION
PROGRAMS DIRECTOR AT
AMERICANHORT
Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis),
a high-consequence defoliating pest
of boxwood (Buxus species), is native
to East Asia. In recent years, the box
tree moth has become a severe pest
in Western Europe. Severe infestations
cause substantial damage, with
caterpillars completely defoliating
plants. After consuming the foliage,
caterpillars feed on the bark. This bark
feeding produces stem girdling and
eventual plant death.
In 2019, box tree moth was
discovered in an urban Toronto
neighborhood. In May 2021, the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) confirmed box tree moth in
a St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
nursery. Between August 2020 and
April 2021, this nursery shipped box
tree moth-infested boxwoods to 25
facilities in six U.S. states: Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New York,
Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.
On May 26, 2021, a Federal Order
was issued by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS), halting
the importation of boxwood (Buxus
species), euonymus (Euonymus
species), and holly (Ilex species)
from Canada. As of May 27, 2021,
box tree moth has been confirmed
in three facilities in Michigan, one in
Connecticut, and one in South Carolina
by APHIS.
To prevent the spread and lessen
the potential impact of box tree
moth in the U.S., APHIS coordinates
with the affected states to find
and destroy the imported plants at
the receiving facilities and other
locations where potentially infested
plants were located. APHIS is also
organizing box tree moth traps
and lures for surveys around these
receiving locations and at sites along
the U.S.-Canadian border.
There are several ongoing
box tree moth research projects
aimed at helping provide a better
understanding of box tree moth
biology and control methodologies.
These projects include determining
the pheromones' effectiveness in box
tree moth traps and which type of
trap provides the most accurate box
tree moth population data. A sterile
insect technique (SIT) project is under
way to determine how best to disrupt
the box tree moth life cycle. Several
projects are under way to evaluate
the efficacy of commercially available
biological and chemical control for box
tree moth.
On July 29, 2021, the Horticultural
Research Institute (HRI), the
AmericanHort foundation, hosted a
boxwood tree moth webinar as part
of its tHRIve series, featuring USDA
and state updates on the ongoing
emergency pest response program,
a review of the research under way,
and industry perspectives on the
state of play with the pest in Europe
and Canada. The recording is now
available on the HRI website at
HRIresearch.org.
In response to the box tree moth
outbreak, an emerging issues fund
for Box Tree Moth Research has been
created at the Horticultural Research
Institute through the generosity of
several donors. This fund is intended
to fund additional research projects,
including the control and hopeful
eradication of box tree moth. To
contribute to the Emerging Issues:
Box Tree Moth Research fund,
contact Jennifer Gray at jenniferg@
americanhort.org or donate through
our website at hriresearch.org.
GREAT LAKES
FRUIT, VEGETABLE & FARM MARKET
LEARN TO GO LOWPEAT
OR PEAT-FREE
SUCCESSFULLY WITH
TWO SESSIONS AT
GREAT LAKES EXPO
For many in the industry,
this year's Great Lakes
Fruit, Vegetable and
Farm Market EXPO and
Greenhouse Growers
EXPO is the first chance
to gather as a whole once
again. The Grand Rapids,
Michigan-based show is
chock-full of meetings,
education sessions and
chances to connect with
other growers, vendors
and Extension agents from
around the country.
This year, Brian Jackson,
professor of horticultural
science and the director
of the Horticultural
Substrates Lab at
North Carolina State
University will be leading
two substrate sessions
growers won't want to
miss. These sessions cover
several topics related to
substrates, including how
the current challenges
in the supply chain are
impacting growers across
the globe.
In " Next Generation
Substrates: Peat Reduced
and Peat Free Options, "
Jackson will discuss trends
and projections in peatfree
horticulture. He'll
explain how the products
are advertised and
discuss how they perform
with research-based
evidence. Growers may be
considering low-peat or
peat-free substrates after
last year's industry-wide
shortage. The session will
be interesting to growers
interested in sustainable
practices to reduce
their own environmental
impact. Jackson will share
information regarding peat
or peat-free substrate
uses and what's being
developed in new lowpeat
or peat-free options
that will work well for
greenhouse growers.
For growers interested
in sustainable practices,
this session will help them
better understand how the
choice of peat or peatfree
can change their own
impact on the environment
through this simple choice.
He will share statistics
regarding peat or peatfree
substrate uses and
what's being developed in
new low-peat or peat-free
options that will work well
for greenhouse growers.
For those who want
8 OCTOBER 2021 GPNMAG.COM
http://www.HRIresearch.org http://www.hriresearch.org http://www.GPNMAG.COM
October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2021
