Department of Horticultural Science
College of Agriculture and Life Science
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Departmental Newsletter, Fall 2007

  • Specialty crops logoDEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHT
    • by Todd Wehner
    • The Specialty Crops Program targets all of North Carolina, and is a cooperative venture between the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University and the Division of Marketing at the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It is coordinated by Jeanine Davis and her management team composed of Bill Jester and Nick Augostini.
    • The program works with faculty throughout the college, and is a resource for extension agents, farmers, entrepreneurs, markets, and consumers across the state. Recent research and extension efforts have been focused on lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and medicinal herbs. For more information, see: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/
  • INTERESTING WEBSITES
    • by Mary Peet
    • ‘Back to School’ in September is a fact of life for students and instructors, and is also a good time for extension faculty to think about their programs for ‘07-08. Have you thought about the resources your students can access as ASHS members? A good starting place for teaching resources is the ASHS Teaching Resources webpage http://ashs.org/resources/teaching.html which contains links to instructional aids, web-assisted courses, and plant identification websites! You will find online plant ID aids, including an edible landscaping and gardening site.
    • Another good starting place for teachers is helping students with career choices. The careers section of the ASHS website, http://ashs.org/careers/index.html contains profiles and interviews with researchers, turf managers, landscape designers, business owners, public garden and public service workers, producers, marketers and media specialists. For those students who want to emulate their professors by going into teaching, the website also contains interviews with a wide range of ASHS educators http://www.ashs.org/careers/profiles/education.lasso! These career profiles can be a valuable resource for those special seniors in your class who have not figured out what to do after graduation. Or, even better, those sophomores in intro classes!
    • The careers site is open to the public, so students do not have to be ASHS member to access it, but the one-year student ASHS membership is free, so why not sign up all your undergraduates at http://www.ashs.org/studentmembers/? Student memberships include electronic access to the ASHS newsletter, HortTechnology, and the Video ASHS Video Workshop Series. This video series includes HortEducator and the Video Biographies section, with more than 80 video interviews of notable horticulturists of the 20th Century. Sounds like a great homework assignment for that freshman or sophomore intro class! Student members as well as teachers looking for downloads for their iPods can also access HortTalks and ASHS Horticulture Pods from the iTunes Store and Presentations on Demand from the Video Workshop Series: http://ashs.org/resources/videoworkshopseries.html.
    • The video workshop series and podcasts can also be a great way for those of us who missed the meeting or the session to catch up. The podcasts are PowerPoint presentations with audio in the background on your computer or video iPod. Annual conference sessions from 2006 of interest to teachers include oral sessions on innovative teaching methods and curricula. Samples are available online for both sessions, and DVDs of the full sessions can be purchased at the ASHS store. HortEducator video interviews from 2003 and 2004 http://ashs.org/resources/horteducator/index.lasso are available online on a number of topics of interest to extension, public gardens and university educators. The 2007 meetings should be available soon.
  • FACULTY NEWS
    • by Todd Wehner
    • Mark Weathington joined the JCRA as Assistant Director and Curator of Collections effective July 23.
    • Barbara Fair began work as Landscape Extension Specialist on August 20.
    • Chris Gunter began work as Vegetable Production Specialist on September 17.
    • Urszula Klosinska completed her work on downy mildew resistance of cucumber as visiting scholar with Todd Wehner, and has returned to the Research Institute of Vegetable Crops in Skierniewice, Poland.
    • Stu Warren has accepted the position of department head of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources, Kansas State University effective January 2008.
    • Eric Hinesley started his phased retirement on July 1, 2007.
    • Faculty Awards
      • Allan Thornton received the Distinguished Service award from the Association of County Agricultural Agents at their annual meeting in Michigan this July.
      • Sylvia Blankenship won the Outstanding Researcher award  at the annual conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science in Scottsdale, AZ in July.
      • Lucy Bradley won the 2007 Distinguished Achievement award presented by the Consumer working group at the annual conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science in Scottsdale, AZ in July.
      • Frank Blazich was selected as a National Fellow of Pi Alpha Xi for his dedication and service to PAX and horticulture.
  • STAFF NEWS
    • by Dolores Lawson
    • Benjamin Winslow started working July 9 as a technician on the sweetpotato project. He grew up in Timonium, Maryland. His family is originally from Maine, where he worked in his grandparent’s lavish gardens. Ben received a B.S. in General Horticulture at NC State with a minor in Agri-business Management in spring, 2006.
    • Angela Begley is the new accounting technician for the department. She was born in Myrtle Beach, SC but was raised mainly in Apex, NC. She is engaged to Brian Oldham, an Automotive Systems Technology Professor at Fayetteville Tech Community College, where she is also enrolled to get her associate degree in business administration. Angela and Brian are part of a local dirt track racing team, and also enjoy spending time with friends and family at the lake and beach.
  • GRADUATE PROGRAM
    • by John Dole and Rachel McLaughlin
    • Please welcome the following new graduate students who are starting Fall semester 2007.
    • Blake Bowen. Blake was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. In May 2007 he received his BS degree from NCSU majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Genetics. In August 2004 he was a teaching assistant in the Department of Genetics at NCSU. The summer of 2005 he worked as a marketing consultant for Valpak Direct Marketing in Richmond, Virginia setting up appointments for the local sales representatives in that area. From February 2006 through Spring 2007, he worked with Ramon Molina Bravo (PhD student in our Department), Gina Fernandez and Bryon Sosinski generating a genetic linkage map to link important traits in raspberries. He spent this past summer working in our Department both in the field and in the lab understanding the overall picture of plant breeding. This experience led him to make the decision to pursue a career in plant breeding and genetics. Blake will be working on his MS degree with Craig Yencho.
    • Olivia Brakenbury. Olivia was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. In December 2000, she received her BA degree from the College of Charleston majoring in Physics with a concentration in Meteorology. From Summer 1998 until prior to starting her graduate program, Olivia worked as an intern in meteorological research, environmental scientist, agricultural technician, and environmental risk analyst. From Spring 2006 through Spring 2007 as an undergraduate student in our Department, she worked on “bulking up her life sciences background, general plant knowledge, and design experience.” While doing so, she became quite involved within the department. She completed laboratory and field work under the direction of Gina Fernandez and competed on the 2007 PLANET team. Olivia will be working on her MHS degree with Will Hooker.
    • Mark Danieley. Mark was born in Burlington, North Carolina. He received his BS degree from NCSU majoring in Horticultural Science. From 1980 until 2004, he worked as a landscape and irrigation contractor. He also had a greenhouse and nursery operation which he sold in 2003. He is currently serving as the horticulture agent and pesticide coordinator in Orange County. Mark will be working on his MS degree with Anthony LeBude.
    • Clara Englert. Clara was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her BA degree from Ohio Wesleyan University majoring in Zoology and Environmental Studies. While pursuing her degree, Clara enjoyed a variety of fieldwork, research, internship, and job experiences. She spent a summer in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. She also worked for Vermont Audubon and the Pittsburgh Zoo. During 2005-06, she had been a science and engineering assistant for the National Science Board at NSF.  Clara will be working on her MS degree with Joe Neal and Tom Ranney.
    • Cary Hebert. Cary was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He received his BS degree from Louisiana State University majoring in Horticultural Science.  He did his undergraduate research on pollen viability of Clerodendrum. The summer of 2004, he accepted an internship at Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Cary will be working on his MS degree with Anthony LeBude.
    • Lingli Lou. Lingli was born in Zhejiang, China. She received her BS degree from Nanjing University majoring in Biology. After graduation in 2001, she was a lab technician in Suzhou Environmental Monitoring Station, then went to work for Tongchuang Environmental Technology culturing a new trait of penicillium and using them for degrading aromatic dyes. After getting married, she accompanied her husband to the US and relocated to North Carolina. The summer of 2006 she began working as a volunteer in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UNC-CH. The project she participated with was related to the mutation study of human superoxide dimutase and its connection to diseases. Lingli will be working on her MS degree with Todd Wehner.
    • Stephen Meyers.  Steve was born in Barrington, Illinois. He received his BS degree from Purdue University majoring in Horticultural Science. While at Purdue, he worked with Dr. Steve Weller (the resident weed scientist) and was given the opportunity to work on a multi-state-wide research grant that explored weed populations with the use of GPS technologies. Steve also worked on an independent research project that explored the misconceptions consumers possess in regards to the terms that define organic horticultural products. He was a key contributor to Indiana’s new 4-H Floriculture curriculum and wrote major portions of text and provided step-by-step photos. Steve will be working on his MS degree with Katie Jennings and Jonathan Schultheis.
    • Lela Walker. Lela was born in Denver, Colorado. She received her BS degree from NCSU majoring in Horticultural Science. After her first year at NCSU, she took a position with the Dept of Forestry working as a research technician for the Loblolly and Slash Pine Rooted Cutting Program.  In the summer of 2005, the program had a shift in management and she was offered the position of field supervisor. While attending school full time, she remained with the program until the Fall of 2006. In Fall 2005, Lela began an undergraduate research study with Frank Blazich and Anthony LeBude studying the photoperiodic effects on seed germination of Rhododendron vaseyi. Lela will be working on her MS degree with Joe Neal.
    • Graduate Student Awards
      • Matt Taylor received a $500 travel grant form the American Society for Horticultural Science to attend their annual convention in Scottsdale, AZ.
      • Congratulations to Lis Meyer, Erin Possiel and Stephanie Romelczyk for being the recipients of "The Thomas J. and Virginia S. Monaco Horticultural Science Graduate Fellowship Endowment for Diversity" award. Each received a check for $500.
  • UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
    • by Bryce Lane and Betty Coleman
    • The fall semester is off to a great start for the Department of Horticultural Science. Classes started on August 22, and most all are fully enrolled. Our current undergraduate enrollment is as follows: 4-year program; 176 with 95 in the Landscape Design concentration, 72 in the General concentration, and 9 in the Science concentration. There are 69 students in the Ornamental and Landscape Technology program in the 2-year Agricultural Institute.
    • In the Garden with Bryce Lane, a gardening "how to" program started its 5th season on UNC TV August 25. The show airs on Saturdays at noon and is re-broadcast on Sundays at 11:30. The 13 week season will run into November and will be re-broadcast up to the middle of February. The shows are also being used to teach a distance education course in horticulture.
  • NEWS FROM AROUND NORTH CAROLINA
    • JC Raulston Arboretum (Raleigh)
      • by Dennis Werner
      • Mark Weathington joined the JCRA as Assistant Director and Curator of Collections effective July 23, 2007. We are pleased to welcome Mark to the Department and the Arboretum. Barbara Kennedy joined us as Volunteer Coordinator, replacing Frankie Fanelli.
      • New at the JCRA is the recently-renovated rooftop garden and the new geophyte (bulb) border. Also, the scree garden, which was established in summer of 2007, contains over 200 species adapted to hot, dry conditions. Plants in this garden thrived without any supplemental water in the trying conditions of summer 2007. We are now making plans to implement the new JCRA master plan, which will result in a reconfiguration of paths and planting areas.
      • Dennis Werner visited Japan in early June, and had the opportunity to visit numerous nurseries and nurserymen; he gave a presentation to the Japanese Nursery Association. Learn more about the excellent educational programs being offered this fall at the Arboretum at the website: http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/index.php
    • Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station (Fletcher)
    • Horticultural Crops Research Station (Clinton)
      • by Allan Thornton
      • The heat wave has finally passed. Sweetpotato harvest is in full swing, and generally looks good, but is late (growers are hoping for a late fall frost).
    • Vernon James Research and Extension Center (Plymouth)
      • by Mark Clough
      • The search continues for a station superintendent, with the position being re-advertised in May.
      • Potato harvest went well; yields were low but the quality of the crop was good. Mark Clough and Craig Yencho attended the Potato Association of America annual conference in Idaho, with a presentation on early generation selection, and a poster on the regional database developed for the Northeast Regional Potato Participatory Group.
  • HORTICULTURE FACILITIES
    • by Todd Wehner
    • The Kilgore beautification project continues with the addition of a wall mural near classroom 159. Julia Kornegay enlisted the help of Preston Montague for the work. Please stop by to view it when you have a chance.
  • 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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maintained by T.C. Wehner; last revised on 14 April, 2008