As summer is wrapping up, poinsettia production will be going into high gear soon. Poinsettias are highly susceptible to a variety of diseases and insects, so it’s important to be aware of these threats and implement appropriate cultural practices to help keep your poinsettia crops healthy throughout production.

Know the Threats

Common poinsettia pests include:

Botrytis

• Threatening during propagation and at the end of production when plants are ready to ship.
• Initial infections appear as water-soaked spots on foliage, but once established, gray mold can quickly spread.

Whiteflies

• Nymphs and eggs can be found on the undersides of leaves.
• They feed on plants with their piercing, sucking mouthparts, causing the infested foliage to become mottled and drop.

Follow Best Practices

Implementing cultural practices is an essential part of maintaining crop health. Start by scouting plants weekly, which is critical for early detection of insects and diseases so you can take preventive action before damage occurs. Additionally, be sure to follow management practices that reduce relative humidity to help decrease disease pressure.

Other practices to help prevent common poinsettia pests include:

• Keeping a clean, dry growing environment
• Irrigating early in the day
• Providing good plant spacing and horizontal air flow
• Using screens in greenhouses to help exclude populations
• Inspecting new shipments of plants
• Immediately removing wounded and diseased plants
• Maintaining weed-free production areas

Establish an Agronomic Program

Sometimes cultural practices alone may not be enough to protect poinsettias from common threats. The Poinsettia Agronomic Program from Syngenta provides guidance for leveraging the strengths and modes of action of different products for maximum benefit when you need it most. Plus, the guide includes built-in resistance management to help preserve pest management technologies for years to come.

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