Objective(s):
The objective of this workshop is to provide an update on rose rosette disease research and current control recommendations.

In the past few decades, Rose Rosette Disease (RRD) has spread from its source in the Rockies, through the Mid-West to the East coast. It now threatens to decimate the U.S. rose industry. Garden roses which form the cornerstone of the multi-billion dollar landscape industry, annually generate wholesale US domestic bare root and container production valued at ~ $400 million. RRD is caused by a novel plant virus, the Rose rosette virus (RRV), which is transmitted by wind-blown eriophyid mites (Phyllocoptes fructiphilus). Unlike other rose diseases it can kill a rose within two to three years of infection. Although this disease has been known for many decades, the causal virus was only identified in 2011. Current work to improve our ability to manage this disease starts with improving the diagnostics available to identify the presence of the pathogen by improving their sensitivity, specificity and their ease of use. The ultimate goal is to have a field diagnostic adaptable for use by the producer or consumer of the roses. Field and greenhouse work is assessing the life cycles and movement of the virus and mite and the control efficacy of various miticides, antiviral compounds, pruning strategies and planting designs on the control of RRD. Complementing this field and greenhouse work is the Rose Rosette Monitoring Network with utilizes 100s of volunteers from throughout the nation to track the disease and identify roses that have RRD and those that do not. These volunteers all will be trained and in turn train others about RRD detection and management. The long range aspect of this project is the identification of roses resistant to RRD and the development of the breeding lines and tools to most efficiently introgress the resistance into the commercial rose germplasm