Departmental Newsletter, Summer 2006
 NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEAD
- by Julia Kornegay
- Our friend and colleague, Dr. Doug Sanders, died on April 17 after a brief illness.
- Douglas Charles Sanders, Professor of Horticulture at NC State University, was known world-wide for his expertise in vegetable production. He developed his love of plants and horticulture at a young age while growing up on a family farm in Mason, Michigan. He received his B.S. degree in Vegetable Crops in 1965 from Michigan State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in Horticulture in 1967 and 1970, respectively, from the University of Minnesota. Doug began his professional career at North Carolina State University in 1970 as an assistant professor specializing in vegetable production and was promoted to full professor in 1982.
- Dr. Sanders was tirelessly committed to the teaching and research of vegetable production systems and their application worldwide. His life was filled with numerous accomplishments and recognitions as he provided leadership to many facets of the vegetable industry. Doug worked closely with North Carolina farmers and county extension agents to improve their vegetable production knowledge. His advice was sought after by all who worked with vegetables not only in North Carolina, but also in the U.S and around the world.
- His accomplishments included the establishment of the NC Vegetable Growers Association, the introduction of numerous new vegetable technologies (drip irrigation, plasticulture, precision seeding) and the introduction of new crops to NC such as asparagus, broccoli, sweet onions and leaf lettuce. Dr. Sanders served as Vice President of the Extension Division of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) in 1992-93. In 1992 Doug was named a Fellow of ASHS, and recently, he received posthumously the 2006 Outstanding International Horticulturist award during the ASHS Annual Conference in New Orleans. He served as President of the Southern Region ASHS in 2000.
- Doug distinguished himself as an international horticulturist with 38 trips abroad in the last two decades. He also mentored many students from Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, China, and Thailand. Dr. Sanders taught undergraduate and graduate courses and utilized new distance learning technologies to reach audiences across North Carolina.
- Doug was a tireless worker with a passion for horticultural science and seemingly boundless amounts of energy. All who knew him benefited from his innovative ideas, unselfish encouragement and thoughtfulness. We miss him very much.
- To honor his memory and his many contributions to horticulture the Douglas C. And Ellen J. Sanders Horticultural Research Endowment has been established within the NC Agricultural Foundation to benefit research activities on sustainable vegetable production and food safety in the Horticultural Science Department at NC State University. The term sustainable is used in the broadest sense to indicate environmentally sound production practices that are compatible with a profitable enterprise for growers.
- Donations may be made online at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/advancement/sanders.htm. Checks can also be made payable to “Sanders Endowment” and sent to NC Agricultural Foundation, NCSU, Box 7645, Raleigh, NC 27695.
- DEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHT
- by Todd Wehner
- The Horticultural Substrates Lab consists of four scientific groups (see photo) headed by Ted Bilderback, Bill Fonteno, Paul Nelson, and Stu Warren. Dr. Fonteno conducts research on physical and chemical properties and safety issues of potting soils (substrates), soil amendments and mulches for professional and consumer use. His lab also conducts testing for a national certification program for consumer products.
- For more information, see http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/project/hortsublab/index.html
- INTERESTING WEB SITES
- by Mary Peet
- For those of us who are spatially impaired and have difficulty giving and following directions, this new mapping software may be just the ticket!
- The free software is called YourGMap and is available at: http://www.yourgmap.com/. It is a free web based application that allows you to create your own map and publish it to the web. You can link to it from your web page or from an email. It could be used to show your office, where to park, research locations, and field trials. Although the software is not provided or endorsed by Google, it is based on Google Maps and uses Google's GPS features, so the location can be pinpointed to within 100 yards anywhere in the world! Even the spatially impaired among us can usually find an address once we get within 100 yards! The location can be selected by street address, GPS coordinates or pointing on a map. You can also add comments to each location, such as the address, phone and fax numbers. For a field day, it could indicate the time of each event, for example.
- I found this and other useful websites on the Extension IT Newsletter, Tech Talk. It is very readable, not arcane geekspeak, and deals with 'real world' topics. In the June Issue: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/it/itaids/news/06-06/6.html, you can also find out about the extension initiative to convert their computer system to Macintosh and the new WolfBlogs service provided by the NCSU Libraries, for example.
- FACULTY NEWS
- by Todd Wehner
- Doug Sanders won the Outstanding International Horticulturist award from the American Society for Horticultural Science.
- Todd Wehner won the Outstanding Graduate Educator award from the American Society for Horticultural Science.
- Mary Peet was elected president-elect of the American Society for Horticultural Science.
- STAFF NEWS
- by Dolores Lawson
- Dolores Lawson will be joining the department in March as the new Administrative Secretary III to replace Barb Amos.
- Autumn Keck will be joining the department in March as the new Associate Director of Membership and Fundraising Events at the JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Mary Lorscheider will be leaving the department in January.
- Phillip Sanders has joined the tomato and blueberry breeding projects at Fletcher, working with Randy Gardner and Jim Ballington.
- Thomas Breeden has joined the sweetpotato breeding project in January as technician.
- GRADUATE PROGRAM
- by John Dole and Rachel McLaughlin
- Ryan Contreras would like to thank the 2005-2006 HSGSA officers on a job well done. Officers for the 2006-2007 year are: president--Brian Krug, social chair--Colleen Brannen, secretary/treasurer--Per McCord, international student rep--Ramon Molina Bravo, UGSA rep--John Wooldridge, D. Mason Pharr seminar chair--Roland Leatherwood, computer chair--Brian Krug.
- New Graduate Students
- Meagan Coneybeer. Meagan was born in Morgantown, West Virginia. She received her BA from Denison University in Ohio majoring in Environmental Sciences/ Studies. As part of her education at Denison University, Meagan was involved in several research projects. She conducted a comparative analysis of vegetation in mitigated vs. natural wetlands. Her senior thesis involved the analysis of genetic variation in Cheiroglossa palmate (Ophioglossaceae) using ISSR-PCR. Meagan will be working on her MS degree with David Monks and Katie Jennings.
- Adam Criswell. Adam was born in North Adams, Massachusetts. He studied for two years at Capilano College in Vancouver taking courses in ecology, biology, geology and climate before transferring to the University of Massachusetts. He received his BS from University of Massachusetts in Amherst majoring in Plant Sciences. During summer 2005, he was employed by the University of Massachusetts Cranberry Research Station working in the entomology lab. Adam has had many years of experience working in landscape maintenance and construction and nursery maintenance. He has also done two apprenticeships on small and medium scale organic farms. Adam will be working on his MS degree with Todd Wehner.
- Rakesh Kumar. Rakesh was born in Hamirpur, India. He received his BS from the University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan, India and his MS from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India majoring in Horticultural Science for both degrees. While receiving his MS, he was employed as Senior Research Fellow at the Division of Vegetable Crops at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research. Rakesh will be working on his PhD degree with Todd Wehner.
- Emma Locke. Emma was born in Lamar, Colorado. She received her BS and MS from Colorado State University majoring in Horticultural Science. Her passion for research developed during her BS while on a trip to Peru where she traveled and studied through the International Potato Center. In addition to receiving her BS and MS, she managed a computer lab and worked for the CSU Dry Bean Breeding Project and the City of Thornton, CO, Parks and Forestry. Emma will be working on her PhD degree with John Williamson and John Dole.
- Elisabeth Meyer. Lis was born in Wilson, North Carolina. She received her BS and BA from NCSU majoring in Botany and English Language and Literature, respectively. Her research interests are mainly in the area of ornamental plant breeding. She was a teaching assistant for HS 211, worked for five years as a lab assistant at the Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology in the Dept of Botany, and had a summer internship at the JCRA. She has received several scholarships including the Caldwell Fellows Scholarship. This scholarship made it possible for her to study abroad at Oxford University for a summer. Lis will be working on her MS degree with Tom Ranney.
- Suzanne O’Connell. Suzanne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. She received her BA from Barnard College in New York double majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. After graduating, she attended the University of Massachusetts as a post-baccalaureate student and worked as a research assistant for one of the state’s extension teams. Suzanne’s work experiences included being a conservation agent, community supported agriculture apprentice and a resource biologist. Suzanne will be working on her MS degree with Mary Peet.
- Ryan Pekarek. Ryan was born in David City, Nebraska. He received his BS from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln majoring in Horticulture. After working as a farm manager the summer of 2004, he was inspired to start his own operation, ‘Pekarek’s Produce’. The summers of 2004 and 2005 were spent working a one-acre vegetable garden planted with over sixty different cultivars of vegetables. Ryan will be working on his MS degree with David Monks.
- Erin Possiel. Erin was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She received her BS and BA from NCSU majoring in Botany and Spanish Language and Literature with a minor in French, respectively. Erin was recognized as a valedictorian for spring 2006. One of the scholarships she received while attending NCSU was the Caldwell Fellows Scholarship, with which she was able to study for a summer in Costa Rica. In addition, she participated in the Alternative Spring Break program at NC State and was a team member her first year building homes in a rural Ecuadorian community. Her second year was as a team leader volunteering at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic and teaching English at a local school. Erin will be working on her MS degree with John Dole.
- Alison Prehn. Alison was born in Downers Grove, Illinois. She received her BS from the University of California–Davis majoring in Environmental Horticulture and Urban Forestry. After graduating, she went to work at a landscaping and tree care company. In spring 2005, she worked with Pioneer Hi-Bred as a temporary research assistant setting up plantings, taking and inputting data into databases. She has also worked in the viticulture and enology greenhouses and inoculated plants with Pierce’s disease. Alison will be working on her MS degree with Stu Warren and Ted Bilderback.
- Erin Regan. Erin was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She received her BS from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls majoring in Horticulture. During college she had the opportunity to intern at two botanical gardens: Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. In spring 2005, she participated in study abroad through the University of Wisconsin–Platteville in Seville, Spain. This summer she is working as a Trial Gardens Intern with Ball Horticultural in Chicago, Illinois. Erin will be working on her MS degree with John Dole.
- Emily Vollmer. Emily was born in Waynesboro, Virginia. She received her BS from Cornell University majoring in Plant Sciences. During college she had the opportunity to intern at Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Vermont and Goranson Farm in Maine. At Cornell she was an active member of the Dilmun Hill Student Organic Farm. During the summer months after graduation Emily was a research assistant at the Cornell Orchards. In fall 2005, she worked as a field-coordinator at Even’star Organic Farm in Maryland where 20 acres were in production. Emily will be working on her MS degree with Nancy Creamer.
- NEWS FROM AROUND NORTH CAROLINA
- Muscadine Grape Program (Kenansville)
- by Connie Fisk
- Planning is underway for the 2nd annual North Carolina Muscadine Harvest Festival at the Duplin Commons Agribusiness Center. Plan on joining us for educational seminars, wine tasting, and live music Sept 29-30.
- On April 4, Ed Emory and I attended a luncheon at Duplin Winery to discuss the health benefits of muscadine grapes and cultivate new market relationships in Asia. The growth and success of our muscadine industry depends on fostering such relationships regionally, nationally, and globally. Congratulations Duplin Winery!
- I encourage everyone to visit www.homegrownhandmade.com and spend a day following one of the Art Roads & Farm Trails of North Carolina. Many muscadine wineries have tasting rooms open year round. Visit Duplin Winery on the Red, White & Blue Trail or Bennett Vineyards on the Rock Stew Ramble Trail. Also check out Hinnant Family Vineyards (www.hinnantvineyards.com) and Cypress Bend Vineyards (www.cypressbendvineyards.com). There are some interesting differences between the wines from these wineries, even though they're produced from the same muscadine varieties, and I'm sure you'll enjoy learning about each winery's unique history.
- HORTICULTURE FACILITIES
- by David Monks
- The courtyard behind Kilgore Hall has been recontoured and reseeded, so there is now a lawn for the students to enjoy when they arrive for fall semester.
- DEPARTMENTAL NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
- Editor: Todd Wehner
- Assistant: Rachel McLaughlin
- Send items for the newsletter to Todd Wehner (todd_wehner@ncsu.edu)
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