Study results: new recommendations for grape growers

Research determines ideal irrigation methods for premium wine grapes

Robert Mondavi vineyards, Napa CA. Click here for more information.

Prosser, WA — The inland areas of the Pacific Northwest, where rainfall averages only 4 to 12 inches per year, present growing challenges for vineyard owners and wine grape producers. The arid conditions in this part of the country have not been conducive for vineyard owners who produce and market high-quality wine grapes.

To promote healthy grape production when nature fails to deliver, vineyard managers in the area typically employ an irrigation practice known as “regulated deficit irrigation”. More than 60% of the wine grapes in the state of Washington are grown using this drip irrigation method. Unfortunately, the current irrigation methods are replete with problems that can cause over-irrigation and compromised grape quality.

Recently, researchers at Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center completed a study that should provide vineyard managers new techniques for producing healthy and long-lasting grape crops. Joan R. Davenport was the lead author of the study published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience. Explaining the impetus behind the research, Davenport said: “Most of these vineyards use drip irrigation to supply supplemental water. Soil moisture is often measured to determine when to apply irrigation. However, without knowing the pattern of moisture under these conditions, the best place to check soil moisture content to mimic what the plant root sees was not understood. Our objective was to establish the soil moisture zone in this system.”

Researchers discovered that areas immediately below the drip line and the drip emitter were not appropriate places for monitoring soil moisture.They found that there can be a “dry zone” just below the emitter created by the repeated dropping of water, thus causing the soil to seal. Davenport explained that “right below the drip line the moisture pattern was variable due to distortions (warping) of the lines, and thus was not a good indicator of the patterns of plant available water.” After extensive trials, data indicated that soil sampling within a 20- to 40-centimeter radius of the drip line emitter best reflected the amount of water available to the plants.

According to Davenport, the research will have multiple benefits. “Environmentally, the results have the potential to help growers prevent over-irrigation. In the industry, over-irrigation can have serious adverse affects on grape quality, which is equally important to yield for premium wine grape production. For the industry, knowing where to monitor soil moisture to best reflect plant-available water means that there is less chance of stressing the vines by under-watering. Not only can this adversely affect fruit yield, it also has the potential to reduce plant cold-hardiness, making the plants more likely to suffer from winter injury, which leads to vine death in the area on average every 10 years.”

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/43/1/229

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application. Society website – http://ashs.org

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Original Article:

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Soil Moisture in Drip-irrigated Vineyards
Joan R. Davenport, Robert G. Stevens, and Kelly M. Whitley
HortScience Feb 1 2008: 229–235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail jdavenp@wsu.edu

Greener offices make happier employees

Live plants, green spaces increase job and life satisfaction

Growing plants in the office. Click here for more information.

SAN MARCOS, TX — According to the 2000 census, American office workers spend an average of 52 hours a week at their desks or work stations. Many recent studies on job satisfaction have shown that workers who spend longer hours in office environments, often under artificial light in windowless offices, report reduced job satisfaction and increased stress levels.

How can employers make office environments more conducive to productivity and employee happiness” Try adding some “green” to your office. Not greenbacks–green plants! A research study published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience offers employers and corporations some valuable advice for upping levels of employee satisfaction by introducing simple and inexpensive environmental changes.

Dr.Tina Marie (Waliczek) Cade, Associate Professor of Horticulture in the Department of Agriculture at Texas State University, explained that the project was designed to investigate whether employees who worked in offices with windows and views of green spaces and workers who had green plants in their offices perceived greater job satisfaction than employees who did not have access to these environmental components.

Researchers posted a job satisfaction survey on the Internet and administered the survey to office workers in Texas and the Midwest. The survey included questions about job satisfaction, physical work environments, the presence or absence of live interior plants and windows, environmental preferences of the office workers, and demographic information.

Survey data showed significant differences in workers’ perceptions of overall life quality, overall perceptions of job satisfaction, and in the job satisfaction subcategories of “nature of work,” “supervision,” and “coworkers” among employees who worked in office environments that had plants or window views compared to employees who worked in office environments without live plants or windows. Findings indicated that people who worked in offices with plants and windows reported that they felt better about their job and the work they performed.

Study results showed that employees in offices without plants rated their job satisfaction low, while employees who worked with offices with live plants rated their job satisfaction higher. Additionally, employees in offices with plants rated their statements relating to bosses, coworkers, and their overall nature of work more positively when compared to employees in offices without plants.

When asked about their overall quality of life, results supported that employees with interior plants in their offices tended to consider themselves happier or more content when compared to employees without plants in their offices. Additionally, the group of employees that did not have either live plants or windows was the only group that stated they were “dissatisfied” with their quality of life.

According to Cade, “there were no statistically significant differences among the categories of “age,” “ethnicity,” “salary,” “education levels,” and “position” among employees who worked in offices with or without plants or window views. However, we did find gender differences. Males who worked in offices with plants rated their job satisfaction higher than males who worked in offices with no plants.” Interestingly, the study found no differences (in level of job satisfaction) in groups of female respondents.

The study supports previous research showing that adverse environmental conditions can have negative effects on employee perceptions of job satisfaction and overall well-being. Findings from the study also support self-reports from employees that job conditions are directly related to their attitudes, including job satisfaction, frustration, anxiety on the job, and turnover rates. Productive, happy employees keep businesses thriving. So, employers — want to keep your employees happy? Bring in some green and open the windows!

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/43/1/183

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at: http://ashs.org

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Original Article:

The Effect of Live Plants and Window Views of Green Spaces on Employee Perceptions of Job Satisfaction
Andrea Dravigne, Tina Marie Waliczek, R.D. Lineberger, and J.M. Zajicek
HortScience Feb 1 2008: 183–187. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail tc10@txstate.edu

Children’s Gardens Mushrooming

Educators find secrets to successful children’s garden programs by asking young experts

Only children really fit through the arch and in the tiny mushroom house (with its glowing roof), part of the Camden City Garden Club’s Children’s Garden exhibit. Click here for more information.

ITHACA, NEW YORK — Researchers have discovered the secrets to enhancing youth participation in school- and community-based garden programs. A 3-year study entitled “Greener Voices” proves that children will engage in learning more readily when given responsibility for decisionmaking and planning.

Children’s gardens have mushroomed during the past two decades. Gardens are popping up in schools, communities, public venues, and informal settings. Despite recent interest in gardening with children, little credence has been given to what children think about the experience: what interests them, how they may be involved in decisionmaking and planning, and how they can benefit from their involvement. “Adults make many assumptions about children and gardening, and instead of enlisting the creativity and innovative thinking of young people, they often involve children in the more mundane tasks of planting, weeding, and watering” notes Marcia Eames-Sheavly, lead researcher and Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University’s Garden-Based Learning Program (http://www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl).

Researchers set out to understand how children and youth engaged in project planning and to gain a better grasp of the constraints faced by adults who teach and design gardening programs. “We learned that ongoing efforts are needed to assist sites and the adult leaders who work there, including strategies to expand thinking about the capabilities of children and youth, to help children and youth adjust to new roles, and to identify ways for younger children to increase their participation”, added Eames-Sheavly.

The study will impact educators working with children, and ultimately impact the experience of children in garden settings, making those experiences more interesting, relevant, and compelling. Results of the 3-year project are being disseminated through in-service trainings, conferences, colleagues, and web-based materials.

Summarizing the project’s impact, Eames-Sheavly enthused, “In an era in which there is grave concern over a lack of young peoples’ engagement with nature, children’s gardens offer a way in which children and youth can interact with the natural world.”

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/17/2/247

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at ashs.org

 

 

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Original Article:

Greener Voices: An Exploration of Adult Perceptions of Participation of Children and Youth in Gardening Planning, Design, and Implementation
Marcia Eames-Sheavly, Kristi S. Lekies, Leigh MacDonald, and Kimberly J. Wong
HortTechnology 2007 17: 247-253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail: ME14@cornell.edu

Introducing ‘Orange Bulldog’

New breed of pumpkin good news for growers and consumers in southeast US

A new, virus-resistant pumpkin, specifically developed for ornamental fall and Halloween displays. Click here for more information.

Statesboro, GA — Move over ‘Longface’, ‘Spooktacular’ and ‘Trickster’ – there’s a new face in the pumpkin patch. Welcome ‘Orange Bulldog’, a new variety of the familiar fall fruit that may soon be available to consumers and wholesale pumpkin growers. Researchers at the University of Georgia recently introduced the new, virus-resistant pumpkin, specifically developed for ornamental fall and Halloween displays.

Dr. Gerard Krewer from the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, collected pumpkin seeds in remote areas of Brazil in 1996. The Brazilian seeds were then planted in laboratories, hybridized, and ultimately used to develop ‘Orange Bulldog’.

Dr. George Boyhan, Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist at the University of Georgia and lead author of the study published in the October 2007 issue of HortScience, explained that pumpkins have not been readily available in southern states because conventional pumpkins are highly susceptible to viruses and often die before they produce fruit. The research team set out to develop a virus-resistant pumpkin with bright orange color and an open cavity that would be suitable for Halloween carving. According to Boyhan, ‘Orange Bulldog’ seeds “consistently produced fruit during fall production, whereas commercial pumpkin cultivars often succumb to severe virus infections before fruiting.”

Although ‘Orange Bulldog’ is not yet available to growers or the public, Boyhan’s team hopes that a commercial supplier will soon handle the seeds and make the new pumpkin available to pick-your-own pumpkin growers and consumers.

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/42/6/1484

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at ashs.org

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Original Article:

‘Orange Bulldog’, A Virus-resistant Pumpkin for Fall Production in the Southeast
George E. Boyhan, Gerard Krewer, Darbie M. Granberry, C. Randell Hill, and William A. Mills
HortScience Oct 1 2007: 1484–1485. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail gboyhan@uga.edu

Establishing faster-growing, durable football fields

Researchers Find Most-effective Seed Mixture, Planting Times for Fall Sports Fields

MADISON, WI — A study published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience offers new information that can help schools and contractors get outdoor athletic fields ready for fall sports more quickly. Results of the research study will help schools and communities pare down the usual 9- to 12-month waiting period between planting new fields and opening the fields to autumn football traffic.

Dr. John Stier, Associate Professor of Horticulture at University of Wisconsin-Madison, led the 2-year study of seed mixtures and planting times. He noted that football fields are usually planted using slow-establishing Kentucky bluegrass seed mixed with a lower proportion of perennial ryegrass seed. The objective of this study, explained Stier, was to evaluate the effects of planting time and seed mix on three different blends of the two seeds.

The researchers also studied each seed blend’s ability to stand up to “football-type traffic”. “We were interested in determining the amount of time needed for athletic fields to establish before they could successfully support autumn sports. We also wanted to see if the amount of time (to establish the fields) was affected by grass types and mixtures, and how planting time affected the relative proportions of different grass species that became established.”, stated Stier.

During each year of the project, field plots were seeded three times: in late summer, as a dormant planting in late fall, and in the following spring. Each plot was subjected to simulated football traffic (simulating either one or four weekly games) from mid-August through mid-November of the year in which spring seeding occurred.

According to Stier, all planting dates provided acceptable turf quality by September, regardless of seed type. However, Kentucky bluegrass-based mixtures planted during the summer provided better turf quality than mixtures planted in the spring. Dormant-seeded mixtures provided the poorest turf quality. The team found that turf seeded with 100% perennial ryegrass was less sensitive to planting dates than Kentucky bluegrass turf. Summer and spring plantings provided similar quality and dormant seedings resulting in superior quality to Kentucky bluegrass-based dormant seedings.

Additionally, simulated traffic studies revealed that different levels of traffic did not affect turf species proportions. The most consistently desirable results were obtained with a mixture containing 70%-80% Kentucky bluegrass and 30%-20% perennial ryegrass. The best results for mixtures dominated by Kentucky bluegrass came from fields seeded in late summer.

Stier added that perennial ryegrass could be planted in spring and provided ideal ground cover with few weeds, but mixtures in which Kentucky bluegrass seed comprised 50% or more of the turf needed to be planted the preceding summer. Dormant seedings did not perform well, leading to relatively poor ground cover and significantly higher weed populations.

Summarizing the impact of his team’s research, Stier said: “The research outcomes can allow school systems to prepare better bids for construction and renovation of sports fields, making the fields more likely to meet expected performance standards and ultimately reduce costs to the school districts.”

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/43/1/240

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at ashs.org

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Original Article:

Timing the Establishment of Kentucky Bluegrass : Perennial Ryegrass Mixtures for Football Field
John C. Stier, Eric J. Koeritz, and Mark Garrison
HortScience Feb 1 2008: 240–244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail jstier@wisc.edu

DNA fingerprinting simplified

Teen helps design classroom DNA experiments using common food dyes

Andrew N. Trigiano, a middle school student, completing an electrophoresis experiment with food dyes. Click here for more information.

KNOXVILLE, TN — Agarose gel electrophoresis” Most teenagers wouldn’t have a clue what this scientific term means, but middle school student Andrew Trigiano knows the protocol inside and out. When Andrew was 12, his father Robert Trigiano, a professor at the University of Tennessee, was looking for an interesting science project for his son. Setting out to compare differences in popular brands of Easter egg dyes, Trigiano’s project soon grew into a full-blown scientific study and set of replicable classroom experiments.

One of the most frequently used tools in biochemistry and biotechnology, agarose gel electrophoresis is a common forensic technique often used in genetic or DNA fingerprinting. The procedure is achieved by moving negatively charged nucleic acid molecules through a gelatinous substance known as agarose by using an electric field.

Andrew, in collaboration with his father and other researchers, completed the study, which is published in the January 2008 issue the American Society of Horticultural Science’s journal HortTechnology. The youngest author ever to publish in an ASHS journal, Andrew was only 12 when he began the research project and 14 when the study was published.

The resulting experiments were developed for use in middle and high school classrooms or for teachers and undergraduate students who have limited hands-on experience with this technique. As Dr. Trigiano explained, “one experiment, electrophoresis of common food dyes, was designed for secondary and undergraduate students but can be used as an inexpensive means for introducing the main concepts of electrophoresis to anyone. Popular brands of food dyes (red, blue, yellow, and green) purchased at local markets are mixed into a 60% glycerol/water solution and are separated on 1% agarose gels. Mixed colors are separated into primary colors (e.g., green into blue and yellow) and some apparently single dyes often have extra “surprise” components.”

Explaining another experiment from the study, Trigiano continued: “The second laboratory exercise requires more extensive equipment and a more advanced set of skills, but the exercise has been completed successfully by middle school-level through graduate-level students and teachers. In this exercise, the internally transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal subunit for a fungus, plant, and insect are amplified and separated electrophoretically on agarose gels. A simple crime is solved using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA fingerprinting.”

The experiments outlined in the study provide students with hands-on practice assembling master mixes for PCR, using pipettes, and performing the various steps involved in PCR amplification. Instructions for both exercises are formatted in easy-to-follow procedure boxes, and a downloadable presentation is available on the web. The cost of supplies is about one dollar per student, making these exercises relatively inexpensive to conduct.

Dr. Trigiano hopes the experiments will be a vehicle to introduce electrophoresis to students of all ages. “The experiments are fun, engaging and inexpensive compared to most commercially available kits. The downloadable PowerPoint presentation also helps explain the process visually. The techniques are easily understood and completed by students of all ages with a minimum of equipment and other resources.”

Trigiano attributes his son Andrew for much of the research study’s success. “Andrew did most of the PowerPoint presentation, the dye figures in the article, much of the experimentation with the dyes and helped develop the dye-based forensic exercise.” From the results, it’s clear that this teenager has science in his DNA.

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/1/177

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at ashs.org

 

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Original Article:

Two Simple and Inexpensive Laboratory Exercises for Teaching Agarose Gel Electrophoresis and DNA Fingerprinting
R.N. Trigiano, B.H. Ownley, A.N. Trigiano, J. Coley, K.D. Gwinn, and J.K. Moulton
HortTechnology 2008 18: 177-188. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail: rtrigian@utk.edu

Alternatives to ozone-depleting pesticide studied

Strawberry producers searching for safe pesticides, effective growing methods

Researchers study new methods of weed control in strawberry nurseries. Click here for more information.

VALLADOLID, SPAIN — Methyl bromide, an odorless, colorless gas used as an agricultural pesticide, was introduced in the 1980s as an effective way to control weeds and increase fruit yields. Agricultural production nurseries around the world relied on methyl bromide (MB) to produce healthy plants for export and domestic sales. In 2000, the widely used pesticide was classified as an ozone-depleting substance, and in 2005 MB was banned in the United States and all European Union countries.

In response to the need for safe and effective alternatives to methyl bromide, researchers at the Instituto Tecnologico Agrario de Castilla y Leon in Valladolid, Spain, undertook a 3-year project to study new methods of weed control in strawberry nurseries. Results of the comprehensive research project were published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience.

According to lead researcher Eva García-Méndez, “the phaseout of methyl bromide requires effective alternatives for soil disinfestation, particularly in high-elevation strawberry nurseries.” In the study, MB alternatives were evaluated for weed control and plant yields at strawberry nurseries participating in Spain’s Methyl Bromide Alternatives Project (INIA). Two types of field trials were carried out: replicated experiments and commercial-scale field demonstrations.

In the replicated experiments eight fumigant treatments were evaluated each year, including the nonfumigated control and commercial standard methyl bromide plus chloropicrin mixture. Other treatments evaluated included: dazomet, chloropicrin alone, metam sodium plus chloropicrin, chloropropene:chloropicrin, DMDS plus chloropicrin, and propylene oxide. The best alternative treatments from the replicated experiments were then tested in the demonstration phase of the project.

The researchers discovered that several of the chemical alternatives they evaluated controlled weeds as consistently as MB, but all of the alternatives studied were less consistent than MB in terms of plant yields. They also found that the use of some types of barrier films increased the performance and consistency of alternative pesticides and that environmental factors such as weather, soils, and rotational crops contributed to inconsistencies in weed control and runner yields at high-elevation nurseries.

In summary, García-Méndez stated: “Replacements for methyl bromide will require more than one fumigant component as well as a higher level of management of pest populations in the fields during rotational crop production. It is necessary to continue evaluation of alternative fumigants for strawberry nurseries to focus on commercial field-scale demonstrations. Moreover, European Union regulatory restrictions may require the use of non-chemical alternatives in the near future. The need for evaluations of chemical and non-chemical soil disinfestation methods is urgent.”

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site:http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/43/1/177

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application. Society website – ashs.org

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Original Article:

Chemical Alternatives to Methyl Bromide for Weed Control and Runner Plant Production in Strawberry Nurseries
Eva García-Méndez, David García-Sinovas, Maximo Becerril, Antoneta De Cal, Paloma Melgarejo, Anselmo Martínez-Treceño, Steven A. Fennimore, Carmen Soria, Juan J. Medina, and Jóse M. López-Aranda
HortScience Feb 1 2008: 177–182. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail evagarcia@cifacantabria.org

Over the back fence: gardeners get advice from neighbors, friends

University extension services perceived as more credible, but need to become more convenient

ST. PAUL, MN — Where do gardeners turn when they need information about annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees? Staff at University of Minnesota Extension have published results of a survey that concludes that the majority of backyard gardeners get their planting and plant information informally—most often from friends, neighbors and local garden centers.

The survey of 1,000 Minnesota gardeners published in the January–March, 2008 issue of HortTechnology showed that although respondents viewed the The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum as more credible than garden centers, 78% of respondents indicated that they were most likely to turn to neighbors and friends for gardening advice.

Dr. Mary Hockenberry Meyer, Professor of Horticultural Science and Extension Horticulturist at UM Extension, explained, “We wanted to determine where gardeners got their information and if they think university information is of higher quality than information from garden centers or home centers. We found that university information is viewed as higher quality; however, a large number of people indicated they “did not know” the quality of university information, which surprised us.”

The survey also indicated that gardeners’ age determined the most likely sources for information seeking. Older gardeners were less likely to use the Internet than younger gardeners. When asked “How do you learn best”", most respondents said that they had not attended a gardening class in the past year and indicated they learn best from talking with friends. Access to publications containing color photos and illustrations was also highly valued by gardeners who responded to the survey.

According to Dr. Meyer, the information from the Minnesota survey can be useful to other universities, extension programs, and arboreta dedicated to providing relevant resources for gardeners. She stated, “Participants in this survey indicated they look for convenient sources of gardening information and, although many felt the land-grant university and arboretum were highly credible and knowledgeable, they were still more likely to use other sources for their gardening information. This poses a challenge to universities and arboreta to use new ways to reach gardeners.”

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The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site:http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/1/162

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. More information at ashs.org

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Original Article:

Consumer Preferences and Perceptions of Gardening Information
Mary Hockenberry Meyer and Karl Foord
HortTechnology 2008 18: 162-167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Corresponding author. E-mail: meyer023@umn.edu

Categories: HortTechnology