Plant clinic head finds 2009 full of challenges

SOUTH KINGSTOWN– The topsy-turvy weather this summer has made Heather Faubert extremely popular among gardeners, landscapers and farmers in Rhode Island.
That’s because she runs the University of Rhode Island’s Plant Protection Clinic, where she diagnoses the innumerable diseases, pests and other problems that southern New England plants battle each year.
And the wet and cool summer – at least early on – increased her workload tremendously. “I usually spend about one-quarter of my time working in the plant clinic, but this year it’s more than half my time,” said Faubert.
Earlier in the season, the greatest concern among commercial growers of tomatoes and potatoes was late blight. Faubert visited farmers, diagnosed affected plants and discussed options for how to save their crops from the devastating disease.
“For one grower it was too late, and he had to plow under 40 acres of potatoes,” she said. “Once it gets a foothold, it spreads quickly and there’s not much you can do about it.”
The wet weather has been especially conducive for fungal diseases that prefer damp and cool conditions. &#8226

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