Seasonal phenologies of pests in Indiana cut flower farms

In the past twenty years, the cut flower industry has waned in Indiana since flower production began to migrate to Latin America. However, efforts are underway to revitalize the business in order to meet new demands for locally-grown flowers. There are numerous local growers who are widespread throughout the state, and they have a broad array of skills for flower production. However, there is a common need for organization among producers as well as guidelines for successful pest management strategies. Cut flowers were monitored to identify primary and secondary pests and their seasonal phenologies over the course of the Indiana growing season. Efforts were made to examine the relationships between grower practices and intensity of pest outbreaks.