Combating Rose Rosette—The Information Pipeline

Rose Rosette Disease (RRD) threatens to decimate the US rose industry and impact the use of our national flower in home and commercial landscapes. Thus, there is an immediate need to control the disease. The Specialty Crops Research Initiative is providing funding to work to this end. A critical component of a successful research endeavor is getting the information generated into the hands of those who will use it. A logo has been developed that evokes the idea of the disease triangle which for this disease includes the mite vector, the virus, and the host plant rose. The RRD website hosted by AmericanHort will be enhanced to serve as a repository of up-to-date information on RRD and further complemented with active Facebook page, Twitter account, and Pintrest account for ongoing updates. A newsletter is being developed for dissemination of up-to-date research results and Fact Sheets on the Best Management Practices (BMPs) will be developed and evolve based on the scientific findings of this project. Images of dozens of rose cultivars naturally infected with RRD in landscape settings are being added to Bugwood.org. A poster with RRD symptoms has been developed that can be displayed in a variety of educational and industry venues and can be seen in another poster presentation at this meeting. The goal to generate educational materials and information outlets to educate producers and consumers about symptomology in BMPs is complemented by a planned monitoring program.  Contacts with Master Gardener outlets, Rose Societies, and other horticultural organizations are being made to reach major gardening consumer groups. A diversity of information outlets is viewed as the most effective way to meet the needs for dissemination of the research based knowledge that will be generated by this project to the broad clientele groups that are affected by the disease.