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Providing
innovative teaching, research, and outreach in the art and science
of horticulture.
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 Department of Horticultural Science
Horticulture Highlights - Fall 2005
- The cucurbit breeding project has been run by Todd Wehner since 1979, and involves the genetic improvement of the major cucurbit crops cucumber and watermelon, as well as specialty cucurbits such as Oriental melon, and luffa gourd. Dr. Wehner is assisted by Tammy Ellington and a staff of between 5 and 10 graduate students, visiting scientists, and project assistants, for a total of 111 people over the last 26 years.
- Research involves collecting seeds from centers of diversity such as China and southern Africa, evaluating the germplasm collection of 1300 cucumbers and 1600 watermelons for important horticultural traits, developing elite cultivars of the four cucurbit species, and training students and scientists for plant breeding careers. The project has produced 141 articles and book chapters, 32 cultivars and germplasm releases, and 40 graduate students and scientists since 1979 (see photo).
- Dr. Wehner teaches plant breeding CS-HS 541, seminar production HS 601, and plant breeding seminar CS-HS 802. He is chair of the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, and is the ASHS consulting editor for the Vegetable Cultivar List.
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