Destany Westlake (M.S student) is researching heavy metal uptake and contamination in hemp. Heavy metals are heavily regulated by the EPA as a contaminant and pose a significant threat to hemp growers because of its tendency to accumulate heavy metals. Destany is developing methods to determine the plant-availability of heavy metals in crop inputs, and reduce the risk of plant uptake of heavy metals with substrate amendments such as peat, lime, and biochar.

Jacob Muller (M.S. student) is researching energy and economics in vertical indoor propagation of young plants under sole-source LED lighting. This technology is being used by leading growers to consistently produce hard-to-root transplants such as tissue culture plants.

Dharti Thakulla (PhD student) is researching the implementation of ozone and cold plasma technologies for water treatment. Microbial contamination of the nutrient solution is a key challenge faced by growers using recirculating systems. She and undergradute Heather Buss are running a series of experiments on dose response for cold plasma and ozone for controlling biofilm organisms and Pythium, in addition to effects on compatibility with micronutrient fertilizers and beneficial microbes.

Shara Carolina Ortiz Carvajal, Master's student is researching prevention of rapid leaf collapse in Chrysanthemum. Cut flower chrysanthemum leaves can become chlorotic and necrotic during the first week in the vase. The cause of this phenomenon is currently unknown. We are evaluating pre-harvest and postharvest strategies to reduce the occurrence of symptoms. Green-flowering cultivars are the most susceptible, however many cultivars display symptoms. We have ruled out the possibility of bacteria as the cause, and we have also eliminated water relations as a causal factor.

Josselyn Gabriela Calidonio, M.S. Student at Clemson University, is researching effectiveness of different disease management agents for Botrytis in floriculture crops. Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a major disease that affects many floriculture crops. Weekly, preventative fungicide applications have been the main strategy for Botrytis management, but this lead to fungicide resistance development. The use of antagonistic fungi and bacteria has become popular and offers a sustainable disease management option. In our project, we are screening 20 compounds, such as biological control agents, plant nutrients, plant extracts, and systemic acquired inducers to observe their effectivity against gray mold in petunias, roses and gerbera daisies.

Melissa Muñoz Agudelo, Ph.D. Candidate at Clemson University, is researching management of Botrytis blight in roses. Roses represent a very important commodity in floriculture. Botrytis cinerea is a fungal pathogen that causes Botrytis blight and threatens rose profitability. Disease management relies often on fungicide applications; however, fungicide resistance development jeopardizes the efficacy and sustainability of this strategy. Prolonged periods of high humidity and moderate temperatures favor disease development, and these conditions are very often present in the greenhouses. These facts underscore the importance of developing alternative management strategies. Current research focuses on evaluating pre-and post-harvest applications of calcium in roses considering the role of calcium in enhancing the strength of the plant cell and mediating plant defense responses and secondary metabolites release against Botrytis cinerea.

Annika Kohler is a Research Technician at Michigan State University and is investigating the daily light integral (DLI) for indoor seedling production on common bedding plants such as dianthus, geranium, petunia, salvia, and snapdragon. Previous research has shown that a moderate DLI is sufficient to produce young plants indoors. However, technology and production practices continue to advance, including better light sources to maximize plant growth and increasing interest in utilizing LED lighting for indoor young plant production. We are evaluating effects of DLI on seedling production and subsequent performance after transplant to determine positive and negative attributes that can affect a grower’s schedule, such as flowering time and plant size.