The day started with a distance ed lecture from Dr. Cliff Sadof, Purdue University Department of Entomology, on “Insect pests of tropical flowers: developing a clean stock program”. Dr. Luis Cañas followed up with an insect diagnostics lab, including general insect characteristics (Orders), web tools and key characteristics needed for remote identification. After lunch, we headed off in the big van to Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, OH. Green Circle Growers is one of the largest producers of orchids in the US, shipping throughout the US and to other countries as well. The company also produces a variety of other ornamentals as well as vegetable seedlings. Renato Zardo led us on a tour of the 100 acre facility and described its pest and disease management efforts, as well as plant growing practices, including robots to place plants in tidy rows!
