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The North Carolina Landscape Contractors Association and the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen have cooperated with the NCSU Horticulture Department Extension Landscape Specialist in providing study resources, a demonstration garden, training seminars, and workshops to the landscape and nursery industry. The Certified Plant Professional Program certifies nursery and garden center employees on plant identification and ornamental plant care. Over 350 woody ornamentals, herbaceous perennials, and annuals are in the study guide. A total of 893 folks have been certified since the program began in 1986. County agents teach classes on a regional level. Three tests are given annually. The Certified Landscape Technician's exam is given annually, after many workshops and training sessions are offered. The professional standards of the industry are being improved by the results of the networking with the industry associations.
The effectiveness of seven different aphid control regimes in delaying movement of decline (DI) and nondecline (NDI) inducing isolates of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) into a CTV-free sweet orange scion on sour orange rootstock block was monitored annually for 5 years beginning in 1999, 2 years after the introduction of the brown citrus aphid (BrCA) into the region. After 5 years, the mean percentages of infection with DI CTV were 19, 19, 17, 29, 23, 19, or 14 for trees treated annually with imidocloprid, every 6 months with imidocloprid, every 3 months with imidocloprid, every 2 months with imidocloprid, annually with Temik, annually with Meta Systox-R, or untreated, respectively. The mean percentages of infection (after 5 years) with only NDI isolates of CTV for the seven treatments were 40, 31, 33, 38, 38, 38, or 33. There was no significant difference (after 5 years) among either the DI or NDI CTV treatment means. The overall 5-year infection percentage for DI CTV (20%) was somewhat lower than that reported before the introduction of the BrCA (27%) (11). Aphid densities (Toxoptera citricidus and Aphis spiraecola) varied considerably from year to year. Good aphid control was achieved with all four imidocloprid treatments, but not with Temik or Meta Systox-R. The level of aphid control did not influence overall CTV infection percentages.