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Published on 12/09/10

Center for Applied Nursery Research awards grants

By Matthew Chappell

The Center for Applied Nursery Research, directed by the University of Georgia, Auburn University, University of Tennessee and University of Florida, announces its latest round of research funding. The 2010-11 grants supporting 10 research projects are part of its mission to generate information to keep growers in Georgia and the Southeast on the cutting edge of horticulture research.

“This year has been the most competitive grant year on record as CANR received 21 applications for funding from seven universities from Oregon to Florida,” said CANR director Brian Jernigan.

Funding awarded for the following universities and projects totaled $25,000:

• Dr. Mark Czarnota, University of Georgia: Liverwort control in nursery liners for containerized ornamentals, and weed control in nursery liners.

• Dr. Glenn Fain, Tyler Weldon, Dr. Jeff Sibley and Dr. Charles Gilliam, Auburn University: Processed corncob as an alternative to perlite in the production of greenhouse crops.

• Dr. Amy Fulcher and Dr. Bill Klingeman, University of Tennessee: Evaluation of the effect of systemic and contact insecticides on natural enemy populations in a woody plant production system—implications for enhanced conservation biological control.

• Dr. Gary Knox, University of Florida: Non-invasive cultivars for the green industry.

• Dr. D. Scott NeSmith, UGA: Evaluation of elite selections from the UGA blueberry breeding program as edible landscape plants.

• Dr. John M. Ruter, UGA: Developing sterile plants for the nursery industry and development of Lagerstroemia subcostata as a new ornamental crop.

• Dr. Marc van Iersel, Lucas O'Meara and Dr. Matthew Chappell, UGA: Quantifying water requirements of hydrangea and gardenia.

• Sheryl Wells, Chappell and Leticia Sonon, UGA: Relationship between irrigation and leaching of nutrients in container production.

• Dr. Jean Williams-Woodward, UGA: Fungicide resistance in Pythium and Phytophthora isolates from Georgia nurseries and greenhouses.

In addition to research funding, CANR holds an annual open house where researchers present results of completed projects to members of the horticulture industry. The 2011 CANR Open House will be held Friday, Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Gwinnett Civic Center in Duluth, Ga., in conjunction with the Georgia Green Industry Association WinterGreen Conference.

For more information, visit www.canr.org or view the GGIA WinterGreen Conference attendee brochure at www.ggia.org.

CANR is a non-profit organization that provides a managed facility and funding for ornamental horticulture research based on grower needs and conducted under commercial growing conditions. Research projects focus on agricultural engineering, environment and plant microclimate monitoring, entomology, plant pathology, soil science, horticulture, plant breeding and evaluation, new product evaluation, propagation and water management.

Matthew Chappell is a Cooperative Extension nursery production specialist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:
Matthew Chappell
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Matthew Chappell
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