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Evidence of professional competence is needed for those whose activities affect the well-being of the general public. Graduates of BS and MS programs in horticulture are not distinguishable from self styled individuals who assume the title of “Horticulturist” without earning it. Certification of horticultural graduates is the first step in gaining a recognition for the Horticultural Profession. ASHS has established a Certified Professional Horticultural Sub-Board of the American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops and Soils (ARCPACS). Professional core requirements include courses horticultural crop management, pest management, soil science, plant physiology, botany, chemistry, and genetics. Supporting core courses include math, communication skills, and horticultural specialization courses. Applications from individual horticultural graduates will soon be accepted. Details of the curriculum, continuing education, ethics, and other eligibility requirements will be detailed.
In an original design for the Texas A&M University Horticulture/Forest Sciences Building Atrium an optimal lighting plan was devised. Budget cuts caused changes in the artificial light sources which resulted in a compromise in the design. As a result, plant quality has deteriorated. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) readings have been taken utilizing a grid technique at various points in the atrium. In an analysis in one particular site 94% of the light was artifical whereas in the other sites 35% was by artificial means. This shows the great inconsistency throughout the six sites, which explains the plants' rapid deterioration. The data of the study provides the means to retrofit the atrium to coincide with the design intent and original plan. Retrofitting the artificial light sources to obtain optimal light levels will be the means of correcting the problem. The need to retain the plant species is the driving force behind the changes.