Replies

http://www.territorialseed.com/

I had one of their catalogs and used it as a reference book, it is amazing the information in it.

I don’t think that I ever ordered from them.

Philippines Executive Order! Rolling Out The Backyard Food Production Programs In The Urban Areas

Friday, February 6, 2009 7:00 AM
From:
“Michael Levenston”

I, Gloria M. Arroyo, President of the Philippines, by the power vested in me by
law, do hereby order - Rolling Out The Backyard Food Production Programs In The
Urban Areas - January 16, 2009
Malacañang, Manila

By The President Of The Philippines

Executive Order No. 776

Rolling Out The Backyard Food Production Programs In The Urban Areas
WHEREAS, two-thirds of the world is in recession, though the Philippines is not;

WHEREAS, it is not business as usual; government agencies must hit the round running;

WHEREAS, the government should take advantage of the window of opportunity, i.e.

declining inflation and interest rates and good weather;
WHEREAS, the government has committed Three Hundred Billion Pesos (P300,000,000,000.00)

to economic stimulus programs, including comprehensive livelihood and emergency
employment program (CLEEP), that will save or create millions of new jobs.

WHEREAS, part of CLEEP consists of backyard food production programs like Gulayan
ng Masa and the Integrated Services for Livelihood Advancement (ISLA) for subsistence
fisherfolk.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA M. ARROYO,
President of the Philippines, by the power
vested in me by law, do hereby order:

See the complete document on our web site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our web site here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102446665543&e=001DRRlJ2YTqjesyMjUZBeLuht9yWY_JOYOw6pC9rN374lyPaRNIH2HIsKyQKrgtavXOJ7wKwFzvMlOqhguZAUXfKrF9hpFMTfbKrKuTQMHpNkjx0FKAFQ4Z8ifP-3ZxpcZ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2009
Release #09-119

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 704-3595
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Intermatic Recalls Digital Timers Due to Shock Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Intermatic DT17 Heavy Duty Digital Timers

Units: About 200,000

Importer: Intermatic Inc., of Spring Grove, Ill.

Manufacturer: Computime Ltd., of China

Hazard: The recalled timers can have a faulty ground connection, posing a shock hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled Intermatic DT17 heavy-duty digital timers are lamp and appliance timers. They were packaged as the “DT17C Heavy Duty Digital Timer” and the “DT17C8 Heavy Duty Digital Timer.” The timer is white-colored and measures 3 3/8” tall x 2 5/8” wide x 1 5/8” deep. Only products with date codes of “40Z” through “52Z” or date codes ending in “A,” “B” or “C” are included in the recall. The brand name “Intermatic” is molded on the front of the timer, and the model number (”DT17”) and date code are printed on the back of the timer.

Sold at: Retailers and electrical distributors nationwide from September 2005 through December 2008 for between $15 and $25.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should unplug the timer immediately and contact Intermatic to obtain a free replacement including shipping.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Intermatic at (800) 704-3585 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.intermatic.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recall product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09119.html

FUNGAL DISEASES, TREE CROPS - USA
*********************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

[1] Laurel wilt, avocado - Florida
[2] Thousand cankers disease, walnut - Idaho
[3] Septoria leaf spot, pistachio - New Mexico

******
[1] Laurel wilt, avocado - Florida
Date: Mon 26 Jan 2009
Source: University of Florida News [edited]
http://news.ufl.edu/2009/01/26/avocado/

New disease may cost Florida’s avocado industry millions

Florida’s avocado industry could lose millions of dollars if a new
disease reaches the state’s southern tip, according to University of
Florida [UF] experts. Laurel wilt disease [LW], caused by a fungus
transmitted by the invasive redbay ambrosia beetle [RAB], kills
avocado and several native trees including redbay, said Jonathan Crane, UF.

UF researchers are scrambling to develop damage estimates and
management strategies. They have evaluated about 30 percent of the 28
avocado varieties grown in Florida; all have been susceptible to the
disease, though not all have died, said Jorge Pena, an entomologist
at UF. For controlling the fungus or the beetle, researchers are
testing pesticides and repellents, Pena said.

Some redbay trees may be resistant to the disease, said UF forest
pathologist Jason Smith. Researchers will investigate factors
associated with resistance, in the hope that tolerant varieties can
be identified.

The disease was unknown until 2004. The beetle, first found in the US
in 2002, is native to Asia and may have arrived in wood products.
Laurel wilt is in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. “The disease
is moving fairly rapidly, so it will arrive in Miami sooner or
later,” said Randy Ploetz, a UF plant pathologist.

LW apparently spreads at least 2 ways, Crane said. One is via the
beetle, which expands its range 20 or 30 miles [32-48 km] per year.
Also, because the disease has leapfrogged around the state,
researchers believe beetle-infested firewood has been sold, he said.

LW symptoms include wilted stems and leaves, black streaking in the
wood, and strings of compacted sawdust protruding from tree trunks.
Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services [DOACS] are monitoring
several counties for RAB, said DPI [DOACS Division of Plant Industry].

There’s more at stake than the avocado industry. LW has killed 99
percent of infected redbay trees in many areas, said Smith. Other
species are also at risk. Smith developed a test that identifies
diseased trees in less than an hour, even if the fungus is present in
small amounts. The test will be available to diagnostic labs.

[Byline: Tom Nordlie]

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

******
[2] Thousand cankers disease, walnut - Idaho
Date: Thu 15 Jan 2009
Source: Idaho Statesman [edited]
http://www.idahostatesman.com/life/story/633149.html

Deadly walnut disease hits Treasure Valley

A disease called “thousand cankers” has been detected in walnut trees
in Boise, according to Debbie Cook, community forestry arborist.

The disease is a circulation-blocking fungus spread by walnut twig
beetles native to the American Southwest. No effective cure has been
found. This disease can kill a mature tree in a year or less. It has
wiped out walnut trees on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.
It mainly affects black walnut trees, but English walnut trees also
are vulnerable.

Symptoms of the disease are yellowing, wilting, and browning of
foliage, as if the tree were drought-stressed. These symptoms usually
show up first at the top of the tree and progress downward rapidly.
Leaves that turn brown often remain attached to the twig or branch
after it dies. Trees that showed symptoms in fall may leaf out in
spring, then quickly exhibit symptoms of the fungus infection and
die, or they may not leaf out at all.

The beetles could have spread northward naturally, or they may have
been transported in firewood. Avoiding damaging the bark will help
maintain tree health. Some experts say pesticides applied
systemically can help by killing the beetles, but it must be applied
before the tree is infected.

[Byline: Margaret Lauterbach]

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

******
[3] Septoria leaf spot, pistachio - New Mexico
Date: Wed 14 Jan 2009
Source: New Mexico State University News Release [edited]
http://www.nmsu.edu/~ucomm/Releases/2009/january/pistachio_leafspot.htm

NMSU finds first-ever leaf spot in New Mexico pistachios

Scientists at New Mexico State University [NMSU] have identified
septoria leaf spot, a fungal disease, in Otero, Hidalgo, Luna, and
Dona Ana counties’ pistachio trees. The disease is common in other
states where pistachios are grown but has never before been
documented in New Mexico. NMSU will hold a workshop about minimizing
its effects.

The septoria fungus creates small, brown lesions on the leaves. If
enough lesions are present, the tree will have difficulty
photosynthesizing. The fungus does not directly affect the fruit, but
can have a negative effect on yield. Each of the 20 southern New
Mexico pistachio orchards tested by NMSU has been positive for
septoria. Natalie Goldberg, NMSU plant pathologist, believes the
fungus has been present in the state for years.

“It’s of concern,” said Richard Heerema, an NMSU extension
specialist. “The fungal disease is very much weather driven. With our
dry climate we typically don’t see these sorts of things.” He said
the fungus thrives in wet weather. He believes a string of wet
summers have increased its severity in the region, perhaps explaining
why it had gone undetected.

“Because of the level of infection, we need to pay attention to it,”
Goldberg said. “There are some low-risk fungicides available, but
that’s an added input for growers.” She said a relatively dry growing
season could significantly reduce the amount of septoria.

“One of the most important aspects is good sanitation, such as raking
and destroying fallen leaves,” said Elizabeth Gordon, Otero County
extension agent. “Those leaves contain the fungus and will produce
spores that will re-infect the new leaves.” She said many growers
incorporate old leaves into the soil, which ordinarily is a good
practice but not with septoria present.

If [infected] trees are left untreated, they become weakened and more
susceptible to other diseases and could eventually die. This strain
of septoria is pistachio-specific and will not affect other types of
trees. Previously, septoria has been found in Texas and Arizona.

[Byline: Justin Bannister]

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[Laurel wilt (LW) is a vascular disease affecting species in the
family _Lauraceae_. It is caused by a new fungus, _Raffaelea
lauricola_, described in 2008. LW is spread by the redbay ambrosia
beetle (_Xyleborus glabratus_), which is native to India, Japan,
Myanmar, and Taiwan. Since 2003, LW has caused widespread mortality
of redbay (_Persea borbonia_) in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida
and has recently also been found on avocado (_Persea americana_).

Thousand cankers is considered a disease complex involving fungal
species of genus _Geosmithia_ and possibly also _Fusarium_. It is
spread by the walnut twig beetle (_Pityophthorus juglandis_) with
subsequent canker development around beetle galleries. This beetle is
native to North America and belongs to the same family
(_Curculionidae_, snout and bark beetles) as the LW vector. This
insect-fungus association is considered to represent a new and
significant threat to walnut species (genus _Juglans_).

Septoria leaf spot on pistachio can be caused by _Mycosphaerella_
(synonym _Septoria_) _pistacina_, _Mycosphaerella_ (synonym
_Septoria_) _pistaciarum_, or _Septoria pistaciae_. These fungi
affect only species in the genus _Pistacia_. _S. pistaciae_ has been
reported to be associated with leaf spot in California, and _M.
pistaciarum_ in Arizona, but item 3 above does not state which
species has been found in New Mexico.

For more information on these diseases please see links below.

Maps
USA:
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/usa-road-map-enlarge-view.html
and
http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=4155751&g=5596512&g=5481136&v=40,-97.6,4
US states:
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/us_regdiv.pdf

Pictures
Laurel wilt symptoms on redbay:
http://www.barkbeetles.org/browse/getimage.cfm?imgnum=2110021

Redbay ambrosia beetle:
http://www.barkbeetles.org/browse/getimage.cfm?imgnum=1413003
and
http://www.forestryimages.org/images/768x512/5383206.jpg

Thousand cankers disease on black walnut:
http://artistictreeworks.com/pagegrafx/pa-img2.jpg
and
http://artistictreeworks.com/pagegrafx/pa-img1.jpg

Walnut twig beetle:
http://artistictreeworks.com/pagegrafx/pa-img4.jpg

Septoria spot on pistachio leaf:
http://www.apsnet.org/online/Archive/PDCoverImages/2004v88/apr_1.asp

Links
Additional news stories:
http://www.alligator.org/articles/2009/01/30/news/local/090130_avocado.txt
and
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081201/NEWS04/712016122

Information on laurel wilt:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/laurelwilt/resources/pubs/399harrington8-53.pdf
http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-93-2-0198B
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS379
and
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/laurelwilt/index.shtml

Redbay ambrosia beetle information, with pictures:
http://www.invasive.org/browse/subject.cfm?sub=10998 and
http://wiki.bugwood.org/Xyleborus_glabratus

Thousand cankers and walnut twig beetle information:
http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/pubs/walnutthousandcankersdisease.pdf
http://artistictreeworks.com/pestalert.html
http://www.pestalert.org/viewNewsAlert.cfm?naid=65>, and
http://www.wvagriculture.org/market_bulletin/Past_Issues/PDF_Pages/2008/11-08-pg-3.pdf

_Curculionidae_ taxonomy and genera:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/139