Overview: In cooperation OFA – An Association of Horticulture Professionals and the DC Kiplinger Endowment and Chair in Floriculture, Perishables Research Organization is pleased to announce PRO Institute Des Moines. This program is designed to share the floral expertise of mass marketers, florists, growers (bedding, potted, and cuts), importers, bouquet suppliers, breeders, associations, transportation firms, cooler companies, educators, wholesalers, and dry good suppliers with the research findings and experiences of Dr. George Staby, President, Perishables Research Organization (PRO) and Dr. Michelle Jones, Associate Professor, Ohio State University (OSU). Innovative approaches to learning are utilized including lectures, demonstrations, tours, and networking.
Background: As a Horticulture Professor at OSU from 1970-82, George Staby worked with DC “Kip” Kiplinger, Jerry Robertson, Charles Conover, OSU, and OFA to establish the Chain of Life™ program with the goal of educating the floral industry on proper postharvest care and handling of cut flowers, potted, and bedding plants. Now called the Chain of Life Network®, education is still the main thrust using the Internet (http://www.chainoflifenetwork.org/), articles, seminars, and in-depth programs called PRO Institutes.
Twelve PRO Institutes have been held to date attracting 306 attendees representing 186 companies, organizations, and universities from Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, The Netherlands, United States, Denmark, Costa Rica, Canada, England, Italy, and Japan. Participation helps ensure that attendees are ahead of the curve with practical, cutting edge, and commercially viable solutions to many postharvest and marketing related problems.
Location: This PRO Institute will be headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa at the Radisson Hotel Des Moines Airport, centrally located in the US for easy access. No rental car is required, as a free hotel shuttle ride is available for the short ride to and from the airport terminal.
Dates: Sunday evening, October 17 through Tuesday evening, October 19, 2010
Schedule:
October 17 (Sunday)
5:00 to 7:30 PM – Welcoming reception at the Radisson Hotel Des Moines Airport (hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, soft drinks), introductions, and initial presentation
October 18 (Monday)
6:30 to 7:30 AM – breakfast
7:45 to 11:45 AM – presentations including refreshment break
12 noon to 1:00 PM – lunch 1:15 PM – depart for tours of Hy-Vee, Inc. and Boesen the Florist facilities including Hy-Vee’s floral distribution center (Florists Distributing, Inc.), main distribution center, and one of their 230 stores as well as Boesen’s central design center, greenhouse, and one of their 6 stores. These companies were selected because of their innovative handling and distribution of floral crops.
7:00 PM – group dinner and discussion session.
October 19 (Tuesday)
6:30 to 7:30 AM – breakfast at the hotel
8:00 AM – 11:45 AM – presentations including refreshment break
12 noon to 1:00 PM – lunch
1:15 to 5:30 PM – presentations including refreshment break 7:00 PM – group dinner and wrap-up session at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse.
October 20 Wednesday
Breakfast for attendees staying at the hotel, depart for home, and/or tour the region
The following are among the topics that will be addressed during the Institute:
Quality is Free: Shrinkage rates, consumer expectations (color, longevity, design, guarantees, etc.); objective flower quality measurements, objective postharvest treatments
Some production factors that influence postharvest flower quality: Species/cultivar/variety (breeder responsibilities, ethylene sensitivity, rose example); harvest stage; nutrients (especially nitrogen, silicon, and calcium); light (intensity, duration, and quality); water (quality, amounts, frequency); pest control (insects and diseases), pot/container size and shape, growing media
Cold chain management: White Paper II, importance of temperature, precooling, transportation modes; temperature measurement devices / calibration / how to use (flowers, plants, and coolers), chilling disorders, hydration solution temperature
Transportation modes pros and cons: Air (freighters, belly loaded, overnight), truck, and/or sea containers – flower/plant quality and costs
Packaging (potted, bedding, and cuts): Including carts, sleeves (paper, plastic, fiber), venting, wet verses dry packs
Ethylene physiology and control: Flower/plant quality factors as influenced by ethylene, effects / physiology / control; sources, amounts, measuring ethylene at the tour stops, and demonstrations with Florel (liquid ethylene)
Growth regulators / plant hormones other than ethylene: Factors affecting the postharvest life of floral crops; types (cytokinins, gibberellins, auxins, and abscisic acid) and functions, natural and synthetic; postharvest uses including brand names (anti-yellowing, reducing water loss, stem bending, reducing stem elongation)
Water relations: Anatomy and physiology; blockage types, growing media, hydrogels, wetting agents, preventing blockage, hygiene considerations, reducing plant wilting, reducing plant overwatering
Dry verses wet handling of cut flowers: In greenhouse, classification, packing shed, during transport, and receiver levels; effectiveness as related to temperature, bruising, disease development, etc.
Botrytis: Postharvest disease control strategies including chlorine dioxide releasing paper; measurement (new identification systems); possible effects of MCP and STS
Flower food (pulse, hydration, packets, effectiveness, brands, labels): Effective and proper use; components of and how to use flower food, hydration, and pulse solutions; solution temperatures, embolisms, effectiveness, safety concerns, and labels
Cost: The cost is $1140 per person, which includes three night’s hotel (single occupancy), seven meals, welcoming reception, refreshment breaks, transportation for the tour, handouts, and the program itself. Thus, the only items not included are travel related costs to and from Des Moines, Iowa. The cost for attendees not requiring a hotel room is $950 per person.
Reservations: To register, all one has to do is to e-mail the attendee’s name, e-mail address, phone number, and business name to George Staby at george.staby@volcano.net followed by the payment. Payment can be made by check or bank wire. Checks should be made out to Perishables Research Organization and sent to 18210 Conifer Court, Pioneer, CA 95666. Use the following information if paying by bank wire.
Bank name: Bank of Amador
Bank address: 26395 Buckhorn Ridge Road, Pioneer, California 95666
Bank phone number: 1-209-295-2265
Bank routing number: 121140331
Account number: 128617523
Account name: Perishables Research Organization
Beneficiaries: Proceeds from the program will be used in part to support The DC Kiplinger Endowment and Chair in Floriculture, The Educational Fund for Ornamental Horticulture, and the Chain of Life Network.
Companies, organizations, and universities that have sent one or more representatives to previous PRO Institutes: 1800FLOWERS, A&A Partners LLC, A&P Canada, AgroFresh, Aikou Products, Aldershot of New Mexico, Alexandra Farms, Aphrodite Roses, Apio, Aquatrols, Armellini Industries, Association of Floral Importers of Florida, Avery Dennison, Ayus Technology Corporation, Ball FloraPlant, Bay City Flower Company, Beaverton Florists, Beeman Holdings, Bio-Bac, Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, Borgen Systems, Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo, California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers, California Cut Flower Commission, CH Robinson Worldwide, Chase Horticultural Research, Chiquita Fresh North America, Chrysal BV, Chrysal America, Claymore C. Sieck, Colombian Centre for Innovation in Floriculture, Conectiflor, D.R. Ecuador Roses S.A, Danisco, de Ruiter, Delaware Valley Floral Group, Delta Floral Distributors, Dole Fresh Flowers, Dos Gringos, Dramm & Echter, Dreisbach Wholesale Florist, EnviroLogix, Equiflor, Escort Data Loggers, Esmeralda Farms, Esprit Miami, Falcon Farms, Field of Flowers, Fife Flowers and Gifts, First Distributors, Floral Marketing, Floral Marketing Innovations, Floral Solutions, Floralife, Floraline Display Products, Floratech, Flores de Valle, Flores Funza, FlorExpo, Floriculture Research, Florist Distributing, Flower Focus Ltd., Flower Transfer, Flower Transport Gel, FlowerTech, Flowers by Gems, FlowerWatch, Forsite Diagnostics, Fresh Express (CA), Goldsmith Seeds (CA), Greenleaf (CA), Grupo Arbusta (Ecuador), Hallmark Flowers, Hardin’s Wholesale Florist, Hoogasian Flowers, Hy-Vee, ICA TriNova, Infratab, International Floral Distributors, Ipanema Farms, J. J. Kothari & Co., Jacques Flower Shop, Jessup Transportation, John G. Hofland Ltdd., Kendal Floral, Kendall Farms, Kitayama Brothers, Klatt, Inc., Lakeshore, Len Busch Roses, Liberty Blooms, Loblaws, LoneStar Plastics, Maria Flowers, Post-Harvest Consultant, Marubeni Specialty Chemicals, Maersk Line, MEI, Mellano and Company, MIA Perishables Center, MicroActive Corp., Montalbano Technology, Mundoflowers, Native Blooms, Native Floral Group, Nelpo SA, Norfolk Florist, Oberer’s Flowers, Ocean View Flowers, Pacifica Farms, Passion Growers, PCA / Harrison Packaging, Perlmart / ShopRite, Petals West, Pinckney Molded Plastics, Plantas y Flores Ornamentales S.A., Practical Solutions International, Prime Floral, Produce Business, Proflowers.com, Pyganflor, Pyramid Flowers, Rose Isle Floral, Rosen Tantau, Safeway, Schnucks, Seagroatt Riccardi, Seaman Paper, Sequoia Floral International, Selective Micro Technologies, Sensitech, Smithers-Oasis, Stems & Bunches, Stop & Shop, Sud-Chemie, Sun Valley Floral Group, Sunshine Bouquet, SuperValu, Syndicate Sales, Syngenta, Teleflora, The Elite Flower, The Farm Direct Company, The Kroger Company, The Produce News Floral Marketing, Tosca Limited, Transflora, TransFresh, Trinity Farms, Ukrop’s Super Markets, Universidad Autonoma Agraria, University of California at Davis, University of Florida, University of Manchester, USA Bouquet, USDA – Agriculture Research Services, Vacuum Cooling Colombia, Valleflor, Wageningen University, Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association, and World Flowers
Questions and/or comments: Contact George Staby at george.staby@volcano.net, 520-723-9705, or 209-295-1577
Source: Perishables Research Organization