Ornamental plant and weed response to oxyfluorfen + prodiamine herbicide was evaluated in Connecticut and Tennessee, USA, in 2017 and 2018. Preemergence application of oxyfluorfen + prodiamine was made at 0 lb/acre, 2 + 0.75 lb/acre, 4 + 1.5 lb/acre, and 8 + 3 lb/acre to container-grown ornamental plants on an outdoor gravel pad and weeds in greenhouse experiments. Ornamental plants were treated first within a week after transplanting and again 6 weeks after the first treatment. Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum), candlestick plant (Senna alata), and English ivy (Hedera helix) in Tennessee, USA; and ‘Blue Flag’ iris (Iris sp.), ‘Firecracker’ gladiolus (Gladiolus sp.), and ‘Green Carpet’ Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) in Connecticut, USA, were not injured with oxyfluorfen + prodiamine regardless of rate applied. Lily-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus africanus) in Tennessee, USA, and ‘Bowles’ periwinkle (Vinca minor) in Connecticut, USA, showed minor but commercially acceptable growth reduction with oxyfluorfen + prodiamine up to 4 + 1.5 lb/acre. Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum ×superbum) in Connecticut, USA, was the most sensitive ornamental plant. After the first application, average necrotic injury to Shasta daisy varied from 24% with 2 + 0.75 lb/acre to 31% with 8 + 3 lb/acre of oxyfluorfen + prodiamine. After the second application, necrotic injury was ≤ 5% with all oxyfluorfen + prodiamine rates tested and was commercially acceptable (≤ 20%). Oxyfluorfen + prodiamine reduced densities of creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata), hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta), giant foxtail (Setaria faberi), and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) ≥ 80% by 4 weeks after treatment. The fresh weed biomass 6 weeks after treatment indicated an 88% to 99% reduction compared with the untreated control.
This study investigated whether coding (computer programming) and horticultural activities alone and combined have psychophysiological and psychological effects. Compulsory computer programming has been required in elementary schools in South Korea since 2018. A total of 34 participants, who were students between the ages of 11 and 16 years were involved in the study. Participants undertook the following activities in random order: connecting components, coding, horticultural activities, and combining coding and horticultural activities (run program, horticultural activities, and coding modifications). Brain waves were measured during the activity, and a subjective self-report evaluation was conducted at the end of each activity. In a spectral edge frequency of 50% of the alpha spectrum band, which indicates a comfortable, stable, and relaxed state, there was a significant difference in the left prefrontal pole when participants performed a combination of coding and horticultural activities (P < 0.001). In addition, there were significant differences in the coding activities based on horticultural activities (P < 0.05, P < 0.001), with a relatively low beta, indicating attention and alertness; relative mid beta, indicating active awareness; ratio of SMR to theta, indicating focused attention; and the ratio of mid beta to theta, indicating concentrated focus. It is judged that activities involving plant engagement can contribute to comfort, stability, focused attention, and positive effects in response to active stimuli. As a result of a subjective evaluation, it was found that horticultural activities had a positive effect on participants’ emotions (P < 0.01). This study demonstrates that horticulture-based coding activities have a positive impact on physiological relaxation and cognitive enhancement, and are also associated with subjectively reported positive emotions.
Hydroponics is widely used in greenhouse and vertical farming production because these facilities can precisely control environmental conditions such as lighting, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit. However, the fertilizer solutions have a short life span, and they often do not have adequate microbial populations to enhance plant growth. Previous studies have shown the potential of beneficial microbes to promote plant production and alleviate abiotic and biotic stressors in the field, and studies on their use in controlled environments such as greenhouses and vertical farms are limited in the literature. In this study, we selected several plant growth promoting microbes (PGPMs) and tested their effects on alleviating salinity stress in ‘Rex’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and ‘Red Pac’ pak choi (Brassica chinensis) grown in deep water culture hydroponics. Our goal was to use one stressor, salinity, that induces profound symptoms in plant morphology. A three-cycle study was conducted using five PGPMs [Bacillus, Glomus, Lactobacillus, Trichoderma, and Bacillus/Pseudomonas/Trichoderma (B/P/T) mix] and two salinity levels [no salinity and salinity treatment, with 120 mM, 40 mM, and 80 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) solution used for the first, second, and third cycles, respectively]. We measured the effects of PGPMs and salinity on plant growth and quality and the solution pH and electrical conductivity (EC). Salinity stress decreased lettuce and pak choi leaf area and shoot fresh weight and increased plant leaf chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents with increased solution EC. Under high-salinity stress (120 mM NaCl), the addition of Trichoderma reduced pak choi leaf area and fresh weight but increased solution pH, whereas under low salinity stress (40 mM NaCl), Trichoderma increased pak choi leaf chlorophyll content. Under moderate-salinity stress (80 mM NaCl) condition, the addition of Glomus sp. increased lettuce fresh weight and leaf area, and B/P/T mix increased pak choi leaf area. In conclusion, using the selected PGPMs in low to moderate-salinity stress could increase lettuce and pak choi growth and quality parameters. These results have some practical applications in the future when more saline water is used for production.
The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Vegetable Publication Award, established in 1985, recognizes the author(s) of the outstanding paper on vegetable crops each year published in ASHS journals by an ASHS member. The goal is to encourage better quality research and more effective communication through writing and publication. Manuscripts published in any of the three ASHS journals are eligible to receive the award. To date, of the 36 awarded papers, 86.5% of the awarded papers were published in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science and 13.5% in HortScience, and no publications in HortTechnology have received the award. Authors from 25 states have received the Vegetable Publication Award, with Florida having the most recipients (eight), followed by California (four), Wisconsin (four), Michigan (three), and Illinois (three). In addition, the Vegetable Publication Award has been presented to papers with authors from Israel (two), Canada (two), and one each from Belgium, Brazil, China, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands. There is some association between commodities that were the subject of the awarded papers and the highest value vegetable commodities in the United States. Eight of the awarded papers reported studies on tomato (ranked first for value in the United States), four on lettuce (ranked second), and three each on broccoli, (ranked fifth) and sweet corn (ranked seventh). Most of the awarded papers covered topics related to plant physiology and response to stress (18 papers), followed by breeding and genetic resources (eight papers); nutraceuticals, aroma, and volatiles (five papers); genetics and gene mapping (three papers); postharvest (two papers); and only one winning paper focused on production systems.
The American Society for Horticultural Science Education Publication Excellence award was established in 1997 to recognize the most outstanding publication in ASHS journals related to education and teaching. This article reviews the award history, authors, and topics of the awarded papers. The award was recognized annually from 1998 to 2023 except for 3 years when no award was given. The majority of awarded papers were published in HortTechnology. Awards were presented to 70 authors from 23 institutions in 20 states and two other countries. Of the awarded papers, three had single authors, and 20 had multiple authors. Several awarded authors have been recognized in other ASHS publication awards or professional career awards. The majority of awarded papers focused on undergraduate students, teaching methods, and floriculture or ornamental topics.
The increasing demand for sustainable products has helped spur demand for native plants. This study used an online survey of 2066 US consumers, a factor analysis, and Ward’s linkage cluster analysis to identify unique customer segments in the native plant marketplace. The following three clusters were identified: native averse (31.6%), native curious (35.7%), and native enthusiast (32.7%). The native enthusiast cluster agreed strongly with positive statements related to native plant perceptions and attributes. The native averse cluster exhibited the lowest level of agreement with these items and the greatest level of agreement with negative or neutral statements about native plants. The native curious cluster was intermediate between the other clusters but generally agreed with positive attributes. Demographic characteristics impacted cluster membership. The marketing implications are discussed.
Cucurbit crops comprise ∼25% of the vegetable acreage in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States. However, options for postemergence weed control in these crops are limited. Overlapping herbicides is a technique that involves sequential applications of soil-applied residual herbicides to lengthen herbicidal activity before the first herbicide dissipates. Residual herbicides such as S-metolachlor will not control emerged weeds, but weed control efficacy may be extended if these herbicides are applied after crop emergence, but before weed emergence occurs. Currently S-metolachlor is not labeled for broadcast applications over cucurbit crops. Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate pumpkin, cucumber, and summer squash variety response to varying S-metolachlor rates. S-metolachlor was applied at 1.42 and 2.85 lb/acre at the two-leaf stage of pumpkin and 0.71, 1.42, 2.85, and 5.7 lb/acre at the two-leaf stage of cucumber and summer squash. Cucumber showed a greater response to S-metolachlor with up to 67% injury observed at 5.70 lb/acre. S-metolachlor applications to pumpkin and summer squash resulted in less than 6% injury, regardless of application rate or crop variety. S-metolachlor applied at 2.85 lb/acre reduced pumpkin and cucumber dry weight 6% and 19%, respectively, but did not reduce squash dry weight. S-metolachlor reduced cucumber dry weight 78% for all varieties. Pumpkin varieties ‘Munchkin’ and ‘Baby Bear’ exhibited a 23% difference in dry weight, but no other differences were observed among other varieties because of S-metolachlor applications. Summer squash varieties ‘Respect’ and ‘Golden Glory’ exhibited a 31% difference in dry weight, but no other differences were observed among other varieties. Results show that pumpkin and summer squash demonstrated good crop safety when S-metolachlor was applied as a broadcast treatment after crop emergence. However, caution should be urged when applying this herbicide to cucumber.
We grew eight cultivars of eggplant (Solanum melongena) over 2 years in four experiments conducted in high tunnels located in Durham, NH; North Haverhill, NH; and Ossipee, NH, USA. The marketable yields of eggplant harvested over 14 to 15 weeks ranged from 925 to 3269 g per plant (2.5–8.8 kg⋅m–2), depending on year and cultivar. Significant differences in marketable yield among cultivars were observed in three of the four experiments, but trends were not consistent. Parthenocarpic cultivars developed for greenhouse production, including Angela, Annina, Aretussa, Jaylo, and Michal, did not produce significantly greater yields than the cultivars developed for field production (Nadia, Traviata, and White Star). In two experiments, using a subset of cultivars, we explored the effects of training plants to four leaders compared with the standard practice of no pruning. Pruning treatment did not impact significantly the number or weight of marketable fruit, or the percentage of cull fruit, and there was no cultivar-by-pruning treatment interaction. In three separate experiments in Durham NH, USA, weight loss, browning, and softness were evaluated after 2 weeks of storage in one of three conditions: within the ideal range of temperatures (average of 50–64 °F), too warm (63–73 °F), and too cool (38–49 °F). Overall, responses to conditions that were warmer or cooler than ideal were as predicted, and weight loss, softness, and browning were all minimized when fruit were stored at 50 or 60 °F. We did, however, see some differences among cultivars in susceptibility to common postharvest storage problems. In conclusion, we found that cultivar choice can be important for high-tunnel eggplant producers, especially if postharvest storage conditions are not ideal. We also found that pruning and parthenocarpy did not enhance marketable yields, allowing growers to reduce labor and seed costs without impacting yield or fruit quality negatively.
Interest in home food preservation has grown, especially among those who grow their own produce. Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) are trained to teach consumers how to produce fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but little is known about how often they are asked questions about how to preserve them or their ability to answer such questions. This study used an online survey to ask EMGs across Texas about their food preservation practices and the extent to which they are asked questions about home food preservation. We also assessed their perceived confidence in answering those questions using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not confident at all; 5 = very confident). Most (91%) of the 1875 EMGs who responded reported preserving food using one or more methods. More than half (n = 1034; 55%) had been asked questions about home food preservation, but their level of confidence in answering those questions ranged from a high of 3.1 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) for freezing fruits and vegetables to a low of 1.6 ± 1.1 for pressure canning low-acid foods. Interest in learning more about home food preservation was high, especially regarding safe practices and recipes, drying herbs, freezing fruits and vegetables, and canning salsa and tomato products. The results suggest that EMG training programs could benefit from including basic information about home food preservation, especially sources of reliable information and recipes.