|
| ||
| |
| |
|
| ANNUAL REPORT OF COOPERATIVE
REGIONAL PROJECTS PROJECT: S-103, TECHNICAL AND ECONOMICAL EFFICIENCIES
| |
| | ||
ANNUAL REPORT OF COOPERATIVE REGIONAL PROJECTS
Supported by Allotments of the Regional Research Fund,
Hatch Act, as Amended August 11, 1955
January 1 to December 31, 1997PROJECT: S-103, TECHNICAL AND ECONOMICAL EFFICIENCIES
OF PRODUCING AND MARKETING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
PROGRESS OF THE WORK AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Numerous articles, bulletins, and other publications were completed as work progressed on the three major project objectives: (1) evaluate alternative landscape (environmental) plant production, establishment, and maintenance systems, (2) evaluate the regional competitiveness within the landscape (environmental) plant industry, and (3) evaluate the demand for landscape (environmental) plants, materials, and services. The unique multi-disciplinary blend of horticulturalists and agricultural economists continue to provide innovative and thorough analyses and collaboration. The committee includes representation from twenty two states, with twelve of these states being outside the Southern region. This national membership has evolved because of the relevance of investigating the production, marketing, and economic impacts of landscape plants within and across plant hardiness or climatic zones, rather than state or regional boundaries. Progress is reported under the appropriate project objective.
Objective 1: Evaluate alternative landscape (environmental) plant production, establishment and maintenance systems.
a. Plant production systems
Several projects were completed that evaluated alternative production systems. Chrysanthemum cultivars were shown to respond negatively to shredded tire rubber in the growing medium (MS). Cultivars bred for greenhouse pot plant culture had leaf tip burn after 5 days in the media and were dead within two weeks. Cultivars bred for use as fall garden mums tolerated the rubber at 10% application levels but never grew as large as the controls. Geraniums were also grown in the shredded rubber media under drip, hand, or ebb and flood irrigation. Leachate samples were collected bi-weekly and were analyzed for pH, soluble salts, and zinc content. At the end of the experiments, foliage samples were also collected and analyzed for mineral content. This data is still being analyzed.
Another project examined the economics of pulsed cyclic micro-irrigation in container production (FL). With water issues rising to increased prominence in Florida, examining the efficacy of alternative technologies provides useful information for nursery growers, the industry and policy makers.
A current project is evaluating the remediation of runoff from nursery and landscape facilities using treatment wetlands planted with ornamental plants (RI). This application of ornamental plants could provide additional income for growers.
b. Plant establishment techniques
Late season establishment of bedding plants for fall color was examined (MS). Plants were transplanted to the field on August 15, September 1, or September 15 in Starkville, MS. Tagetes erecta, T. patula, and Impatiens wallerana performed the best in terms of color display. The earliest planting date bloomed earliest and longest despite the heat. 39 poinsettia cultivars were grown and compared. The best performing cultivars were Freedom Bright Red, Freedom Red, and Red Splendor.
c. Plant Maintenance
Two projects are examining plant maintenance issues. One project deals with evaluating methods for repelling deer from nursery and landscape settings, with the goal of improving plant production and maintenance (RI). The other project is evaluating the use of copper paints and copper-treated burlap for the control of rooting out in B&B nursery stock during holding in wholesale and retail yards (RI). In addition, copper polymers are being evaluated for use in controlling circling of plant roots within containers(RI). Plants grown in treated bags and containers have been planted out in the field for evaluation of post-production root growth and plant health.
Objective 2: Evaluate the regional competitiveness within the landscape (environmental) plant industry.
Two surveys of the Tennessee nursery industry completed in 1989 and 1994 focused on plant sales to three types of market outlet and the destination of these shipments by state (TN). Wholesale sales accounted for 89% and 93% of annual sales in 1988 and 1993, respectively. With respect to re-wholesalers, the percentage of annual sales to states in the southeast and northeastern regions declined, but sales to re-wholesalers in the north central states and the south central states increased dramatically. The distribution of annual shipments to landscapers decreased in the northeastern region and increased in the north central region. The share of wholesale sales to Tennessee landscapers remained about the same. The major north central states are Kentucky and Ohio. The larger volume states in the northeastern region are Maryland and Virginia. Shipments to out-of-state retailers increased to other southeastern and north central states, but declined to states in the northeast region. In contrast to wholesale sales to landscapers and re-wholesalers, the percentage share of shipments to outlets in Tennessee decreased from 15 to 4 percent.
A detailed analysis of changes in Louisiana trade flows of woody ornamental plants between 1988 and 1993 was initiated in 1997 (LA). The contribution of green industry products and services to the Louisiana economy was also determined, using IMPLAN (LA).
Objective 3: Evaluate the demand for landscape (environmental) plants, materials and service.
a, b., and c. Demand for landscape, materials and service.
a. Plants demand
Research revealed that consumers prefer red poinsettia cultivars when compared to other colors (AL). Consumer preferences for geranium flower color, leaf variegation, and price in five U.S. markets were investigated and again red was the preferred color (TX, AL, GA, NC, DE).
Lagerstroemia 'Victor' and 'Zuni' were studied for use as a potted florist crop (MS). Experiments were conducted on number and timing of pinching, fertilization rate, and photoperiod response. Pinching and timing of the pinch did not significantly affect the overall size or shape of the plants. Planting 3 liners per 15 cm diameter container provided a larger plant than only 1 liner. The plants are photoperiodic requiring long days for vegetative growth and flowering. Growing the plants under 4 to 8 weeks of short days before moving into long days resulted in the highest quality plants. Applying 200 mg/l N from a 20-10-20 liquid feed once per week or 6 g of 15-11-13 slow release fertilizer resulted in optimum plant growth.
Another project is evaluating the growing and marketing requirements of new sustainable plant species for introduction to the nursery industry (RI).
b. Materials demand
Following up on a study of the demand for labor in Florida's turfgrass industry was an examination of associated labor issues affecting turf-related enterprises (FL). A similar project developed a business management oriented teaching case for a small nursery and landscape business (LA). The focus was on an employee empowerment program that moved decision-making closer to the work site. The case used balance sheets and owner description of objectives and implementation to show the firm's changing managerial structure in its attempts to encourage employee initiative and entrepreneurship, thus capturing the potential advantage of a decentralized management style. The case suggests caution since not all managers want to be in an empowered environment, and the learning curve in implementing this system may be a significant factor.
c. Services demand
Research was conducted on consumer perceptions and expectations of garden center products service quality (TX, AL, NC, GA, TN, DE). Data is currently being analyzed.
Another project investigated the stability of target markets for landscape plants over a nine year period (GA). The different outlets analyzed in this study were large retail stores (Kmart, Walmart, etc.), large lawn and garden centers (Pikes, etc.), and local lawn and garden centers. Economic models were developed to identify factors that would explain the percentage of plants purchased at different outlets. Each equation was estimated using a tobit procedure. The results confirm previous results that different target markets exist for different types of retail outlets for landscape plants. The problem appears to be the lack of stability of the identified target markets. Although some identified factors appear to be significant over a nine year period, most of the identified segmenting variables did not. The results presented here warrant attention because of the instability of the identified target markets.
Business management research examined the financial records of over 50 Florida nurseries and has used this data to develop educational programs for improving the economic performance of nursery businesses (FL).
