Gyeongbuk Agricultural Research Institute: To Grow Winter Flowers Well, Master 'This'

Prevent Gray Mold and Powdery Mildew by Ventilating for 1-2 Hours at Noon

The Gumi Floriculture Research Center of the Gyeongbuk Agricultural Technology Institute recommended ventilating the facility interior to prevent gray mold (left) and powdery mildew during winter.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Intern Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gumi Flower Research Institute of the Gyeongbuk Agricultural Technology Center has urged ventilation inside facilities to prevent diseases caused by high humidity in preparation for this winter's unusual cold wave.

The institute emphasized that during winter, humidity inside facilities tends to rise due to heat retention, and the time during which water droplets form on the plastic film covering the flowers in the morning and evening lengthens, which can worsen disease occurrence.

The institute cited gray mold disease and powdery mildew as representative diseases to watch out for when growing flowers, plants, and trees in winter.

Gray mold disease is characterized by brown spots appearing on petals and flower stalks, which then progress causing the flowers and stems to wither, with grayish mold threads covering the surface.

Gerbera, rose, and lisianthus are susceptible to infection, and the disease occurs severely in low temperatures around 20℃ combined with high humidity, so it is important to ventilate greenhouses or storage facilities and reduce humidity through appropriate heating.

Powdery mildew is named for the white powder-like spots that appear on the leaves and stems of plants. White fungal threads form on the surface of leaves and stems, covering them, depriving nutrients, and blocking photosynthesis, thereby inhibiting growth.

It mainly occurs on gerbera, rose, ranunculus, and chrysanthemum, and its incidence increases when there is a large temperature difference between day and night in the range of 15~28℃, so the day-night temperature difference should be managed to avoid extremes. Regular ventilation is necessary to lower indoor humidity.

The institute stated that when ventilating regularly, diseased leaves, stems, and flowers should be removed to prevent spores from spreading with the wind.

They also said that applying registered fungicides at the early stage of outbreak and alternating the amounts with different modes of action is necessary to achieve effectiveness.

While ventilation is needed to reduce humidity, excessive ventilation lowering the temperature can cause growth delays and poor flowering, so it is advised to ventilate for about 1 to 2 hours during the warmer daytime.

Director Shin Yongseup said, “Let us thoroughly prevent and manage winter diseases such as gray mold and powdery mildew to reduce crop damage and produce high-quality flowers.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.