NGI Updates

Thrips damage on chrysanthemum leaves.

Month: August

Pest of the month: Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis)

Importance: Major. Most flowers and on leaves, also attacks all vegetable crops.

Similar to: Onion thrips, plague thrips, tomato thrips.

Description: Egg: Yellowish, kidney-shaped, laid into flowers, fruit or leaves.Immatures: Pale yellow to orange-yellow, with distinctly bright red eyes, wingless and similar in shape to adults. Pupa with wing buds. Pupates in soil and leaf litter, rarely on plant. Adult: Female generally yellow to orange, cigar-shaped with darker abdomen, antennae dark tipped, pair of long hairs at each corner of upper thorax. They have tiny, narrow wings carried over the back. The male is smaller and generally pale yellow. More

For demand for green life products and services to grow, it is imperative that nurseries have a strong understanding of what customer want.

But how can we gain those important consumer and market insights in order to actively drive sales volumes?

This is the key question being addressed in outcome two of the nursery industry’s latest Strategic Investment Plan (SIP).

The SIP outlines the R&D and marketing priorities for the next five years and is designed to promote innovation, increase demand for nursery stock and ensure a strong, sustainable nursery industry.

Importantly, the outcomes, which have been identified in consultation with growers, are aimed at providing real returns on grower investment. More

The Nursery Industry Strategic Investment Plan 2017–2021 (SIP) has been completed and outlines the priorities for research and development (R&D) and marketing.

These priorities will help to drive innovation, increase demand for nursery stock and ensure a strong, sustainable industry.

To download the snapshot, click here.

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Bringing community greening to life can be a complex and daunting prospect for the everyday gardener, but a new marketing resource for Australian nurseries is targeted at changing this.

A new marketing tool will help Australian nurseries to more clearly explain the concept of community greening to everyday gardeners so as to boost urban green space and help drive plant sales.

More

Calls are underway for a first of its kind survey of Australian nurseries, with growers being encouraged to participate to help benchmark the performance of nursery businesses and effectively position the industry for the future.

The survey is being managed by independent research agency, Down to Earth Research, in partnership with ACIL Allen Consulting, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) and Hort Innovation.

Strategic oversight of the project is provided by a steering committee made up of key project partners and nursery industry levy payers.

More

Eighteen nursery representatives are on a journey to gain a deeper understanding of the mind and develop skills to better manage their teams, as part of the Green Industry Growing Leaders Program.

Participant Andrew CreightonParticipant Andrew Creighton, Tree Supervisor for Alpine Nurseries NSW says he has seen immediate benefits within the workplace, with the program bringing a new level of understanding to his role as manager.

Mr Creighton has been working at Alpine Nurseries for the past nine years and manages a team of eight people to provide 45litre to 400litres trees and shrubs to the wholesale and commercial market. More