Plant diagnostics saves Florida poinsettia producers
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences helped save a grower $350,000 crop thanks to a weekly plant diagnostic clinic.
In 2019, a new commercial grower came to the free weekly plant clinic for the second time. Just five weeks away from delivering 28,000 poinsettias to retail customers, it was initially thought the crop suffered from a bacterial disease with no cure. However, the diagnostic clinic determined the plants did not have Xanthomonas, a bacterial plant fungus with no cure. Instead, the poinsettias needed supplemental nutrients with fewer preventative chemical spray applications.
The grower was able to remove damaged leaves and make fertilizer applications needed to save the crop. The diagnosis saved the company $343,500 in lost plant sales and helped 11 employees keep their jobs.
The plant diagnostic clinic serves the central Florida horticulture industry, delivering science-based recommendations that often result in significant savings for residents and growers.
