Managing Woody Ornamental Diseases: Insights from Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel
In this comprehensive session, Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, an assistant professor at Tennessee State University, shares her innovative research on sustainable and economical management practices for woody ornamental diseases. Discover the importance of cover crops, biofumigation, fungicide rotation, and early diagnostic strategies for managing soil-borne diseases and boxwood blight. Learn about effective fungicides, sanitation practices, and the latest findings on pathogen biology and disease management to support healthy nursery crop production. This episode is a must-watch for nursery producers, extension agents, and regulatory officials in the agricultural sector.
00:00 Introduction and Speaker Bio
02:04 Importance of Nursery Crop Production
02:25 Understanding the Plant Disease Triangle
02:57 Management Strategies for Soil Borne Diseases
05:47 Research on Cover Crops and Soil Health
10:44 Biofumigation Techniques
18:54 Fungicide Screening and Rotation Programs
23:21 Introduction to Boxwood Blight
28:52 Boxwood Blight Symptoms and Spread
35:44 Management and Prevention of Boxwood Blight
51:25 Q&A Session
Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, an assistant professor at Tennessee State University, specializes in sustainable management practices for woody ornamental diseases. Her research emphasizes the plant disease triangle—pathogen, host, and favorable conditions—and the importance of removing one element to prevent disease. She highlighted the challenges of soil-borne diseases in nursery production, stressing the need for prompt action and collaboration between researchers and growers.
Her research on cover crops, such as triticale and crimson clover, demonstrates their effectiveness in reducing disease severity and enhancing soil health by increasing beneficial microbial populations. Additionally, she addressed the management of boxwood blight, a significant threat in nursery production, with symptoms including leaf spots, defoliation, and fungal sporulation. Effective management strategies involve careful plant inspection, isolation of new plants, proper drainage, sanitation, and the strategic application of fungicides.
Her work also explores the potential of biofumigant cover crops in reducing soil-borne pathogens and managing insect populations, offering a holistic approach to sustainable nursery production. By integrating these findings, Dr. Gurel provides valuable insights and practical solutions for maintaining healthy nursery crops.