Can it be True?

Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

As you know, new products for enhancing growth are coming onto the market every year and we do our best to bring you what we know from reputable sources.  Last week in reviewing some other newsletters that I subscribe to I ran across an article by Dr. Gordon Johnson, Extension Vegetable & Fruit Specialist, University of Delaware in regards to a product labeled to aid in reducing transplant shock in certain vegetables called LandSpring made by AgroFresh.  I looked up the product in the NYS DEC database to make sure that it is labeled in NY and it is.  There are PPE and WPS requirements so be sure to review the label carefully.  This product is also incompatible with copper products.  The label is also very specific with agitation and making sure that the material is applied within 15 minutes of final agitation.  Other considerations from the label:

· When mixing, agitate or stir gently for 3 minutes after adding the LandSpring WP.  DO NOT EXCEED 3 MINUTES OF AGITATION.  Do not use agitator during spraying.

· Initiate spray application as soon as possible after mixing and no later than 15 minutes after preparation of tank mixture.

· Spray Volume - apply LandSpring WP in a sufficient amount of water to ensure good drenching of the seedlings. Product efficacy requires that the foliage receive uniform spray coverage.

· For best results, apply under slow drying conditions, e.g. early in the morning or at night, in order to ensure adequate absorption. 

· Do not apply if rain or overhead irrigation is expected within 1 hour of application.

· LandSpring WP has a 1 day preharvest interval (PHI

· Apply LandSpring WP alone on seedlings, without tank mixes or adjuvants

If you apply it and I've linked the label here to our website:  LandSpring label and below is the article from Dr. Johnson (source: Weekly Crop Update, April 27, 2018, , Volume 26, Issue 5)

New Technology for Reducing Transplant Shock by Dr. Gordon Johnson -  A new tool is available for reducing transplant shock.  The chemical 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) which is marketed as the product LandSpring by the AgroFresh company reduces ethylene production and stress on young plants.

Ethylene in the plant hormone released when plants are injured or are under stress, as is common during transplanting.  Excess ethylene can cause leaf drop and wilting and can increase transplant losses.

The way 1-MCP works is that it has a similar molecular structure to ethylene but without the negative effects on the plant.  It binds to ethylene receptors in the plant and thus blocks ethylene from causing damage.

LandSpring is labelled on broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, muskmelon, bell pepper, nonbell pepper, summer squash, tomato and watermelon.  According to the company "When applied to seedlings 1 - 5 days before transplanting, LandSpring WP helps decrease transplant shock enabling plants to more rapidly establish and grow. Observed benefits include increased crop biomass due to better root and shoot development when plants are subjected to stress.in the weeks following transplantation.  More information can also be found at: http://www.landspring.info/

 This article is from the May 3, 2018 edition of ENYCHP Vegetable News.  To read the full newsletter,CLICK HERE.

Champlain Valley Tree Fruit Grower Input Meeting

November 30, 2022
Plattsburgh, NY

We need your input!  Mike will be holding a Champlain Valley tree fruit grower input session on November 30 in Plattsburgh at the Clinton County CCE office. Mike will review his 2022 research and extension activities. We would then like to hear from you to set priorities for future tree fruit research and education needs, and to get your input for speakers for our 2023 winter meetings. 

How Profitable Will My New Orchard Investment Be? Zoom Series

December 5, 2022 : Looking at the Big Financial Picture for Your Farm

Your farm's big-3 financial records (balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flow) and how to use them to assess your overall financial situation. This information will help you assess what types of investments are likely to be viable for your farm business and whether or not you are likely to be able to use credit to finance that investment.  We will specifically cover Farm Profitability, Cash Flow, and Key Financial Ratios.

December 6, 2022 : Business Strategy and the Farm Value Chain

How do you create value?  How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?  In other words - what is your farm's business strategy?  Your investments should be in line with your strategy.  Different business strategies will result in investments in different parts of the Farm Business Value Chain.  Farm Business Value Chain - full range of activities needed to create a product or service.

December 7, 2022 : Using Your Farm's Financial Data to Make Management Decisions

Identifying the Enterprises in Your Value Chain.  Your Profit Centers and Cost Centers.  We will cover: Direct vs Indirect Costs and Cost Allocation and Variable vs Fixed Costs and Relevant Range (when does a fixed cost become a variable cost?)

December 8, 2022 : Operating Budgets and Strategic Planning

Operating budgets are the overall financial plan for the business.  You can use a budget based on your current situation as the base to model new scenarios.

December 12, 2022 : Enterprise Budgets

It is more time-consuming to develop detailed budgets for your enterprises, but it is worthwhile to do this for area where you are considering making major investments.  We will demonstrate how to move from an operating budget to an enterprise budget to model specific scenarios within that enterprise. 

December 13, 2022 : 5 Step Decision-making Process for Capital Projects and Long-term Investments

Introduces a structured process for a manager to go through to decide among options for long-term investments, projects or changes to the farm business.

December 14, 2022 : Cost Volume Profit Analysis and Sensitivity Analysis

As you change your prices, volume of sales or costs of production how does your profit change?  What is your break-even point and what output level do you need to achieve a target income? We will also cover sensitivity analysis that will help you see how your results will vary over a range of likely scenarios from best case to worst case.  This will help you assess the riskiness of your plan.

December 15, 2022 : Capital Budgeting Tools - Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, and Payback Period

Capital budgeting is defined as the process used to determine whether capital assets are worth investing in. it's the process of asking: is an asset worth the resources it requires?  Capital assets are usually long-term investments like new equipment, facilities, and other infrastructure upgrades. By incorporating strategically planned capital budgeting into their financial processes, companies can more effectively determine and prioritize which projects, programs and other investment assets could be most financially beneficial in the long-term.

SAVE THE DATES

December 13 - December 15, 2022February 2 - February 8, 2023February 21 - February 23, 2023

Save the Dates for the following Winter Meetings:

• The New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference, DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, Manchester, New Hampshire, December 13-15  https://newenglandvfc.org/registration/

• NOFA NY Virtual Winter Conference, February 2-5, 2023 https://nofany.org/2023conference/

• Empire State Expo, Oncenter Syracuse, February 6-7 2023 https://nysvga.org/expo/information/

• Becker Forum, Oncenter Syracuse, February 8, 2023  https://nysvga.org/expo/information/

• Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program Regional Winter Meeting, The Desmond Hotel, Albany, February 21-23, 2023