Horticulture Commons^™

Genome-Wide Association Studies In Lettuce Reveal The Interplay Of Seed Age, Color, And Germination Under High Temperatures, Sookyung Oh, Ezekiel Ahn, Ainong Shi, Beiquan Mou, Sunchung Park

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Thermoinhibition, the suppression of seed germination by high temperatures, is an adaptive trait that ensures successful seedling establishment in natural environments. While beneficial for wild plants, thermoinhibition can adversely affect crop yields due to uneven and reduced germination rates, particularly in the face of climate change. To understand the genetic basis of thermoinhibition, we conducted a comprehensive genetic analysis of a diverse panel of Lactuca spp. accessions. Our findings revealed that L. serriola, a wild ancestor of cultivated lettuce, showed relaxed thermoinhibition response compared to cultivated lettuce, suggesting that this trait may have been positively selected during early domestication in …

Nebline, January/February 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

2024 Extension Highlights

4-H Engaged 34,177 Youth

Nebraska Extension’s Strategic Direction

Reflflection, Growth and Whole-Person Wellness for 2025. Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the Month: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, Emily Gratopp

Extension’s 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Begins Soon

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Upcoming Green Industry Conferences

ProHort Lawn and Landscape Update

2025 Pesticide Applicator Trainings

Crop Production Clinics

Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women

At Ag Literacy Festival, Students Learn How Agriculture Impacts Their Daily Lives

Managing Hard Water, Becky Schuerman

Don’t Let Fungus Gnats Bug You and Your Plants, Kait Chapman

2025 Lincoln …

Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 26 2025, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) From The Usda-Grin Germplasm Collection, Ibtisam Alatawi, Haizheng Xiong, Hanan Mohammedsaeed Alkabkabi, Kenani Chiwina, Qun Luo, Kai-Shu Ling, Yuejun Qu, Renjie Du, Ainong Shi

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

The genetic diversity and population structure of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were investigated to support breeding strategies and germplasm conservation. A total of 276 accessions from the USDA-GRIN collection were analyzed using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through genotyping by sequencing (GBS). After stringent filtering, 5162 high-quality polymorphic SNPs were retained for analysis. Population structure analysis revealed three distinct genetic groups (Q1, Q2, and Q3) among the accessions. Accessions from the USA, Asia, and Central and South America were assigned to all three groups, while accessions from Europe and Oceania were predominantly clustered within Q2. Genetic diversity indices, including major allele frequency, …

Best Management Practices: Sambucus Canadensis Propagation Techniques, Hannah Berendzen

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

American elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is a fruit-bearing shrub native to North America, traditionally utilized for medicinal and culinary purposes. In recent years, its popularity has surged due to emerging research supporting its immune-boosting properties. Despite its growing demand, standardized best management practices for elderberry cultivation, particularly propagation techniques, remain lacking. This study aims to clarify propagation recommendations by examining the influence cutting size and stem diameter on rooting success. A field study was conducted from February to May 2024, in which one-node and two-node dormant hardwood elderberry cuttings of varying stem diameters were planted in small …

Eggplant Cultivar Demonstration Results For West-Central Indiana, 2025, Petrus Langenhoven, Alexandria Catherine Snabes

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

An eggplant cultivar demonstration at Purdue University's Meigs Horticulture Facility evaluated ten cultivars during the 2025 growing season to support evidence-based variety selection for Indiana growers. Eggplant production in Indiana totaled 34 acres in 2022, representing part of a national industry where 88.9% of 7,261 operations cultivate less than one acre. This demonstration provided performance data under Indiana conditions while offering hands-on learning for horticulture students. Results inform cultivar recommendations for small to medium-scale Midwest producers supplying diverse markets, including restaurants, farmers' markets, and ethnic food retailers seeking this Solanaceae crop for Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines.

Introduction To Hydroponics- 2025-2026 Workshop Handbook, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Hydroponically grown plants grow faster than traditional production systems, with greater productivity, greater palatability, and having optimal visual character. Three principal components of a system include the plant support platform, a nutrient solution reservoir, and an interface for the root-solution. This publication provides in-depth explanation to system design, evaluation of water quality, nutrient formulation, and prototype systems that can be easily constructed for those wanting to explore hydroponics, such as educators, organizational leaders, or home enthusiasts.

Effects Of Round-Up On The Environment, Sandra J. Marcu

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Many people around the world have used and still currently use Roundup but are unaware of the effects it has on the environment. Roundup is a spray on application weedkiller that is widely used around the world today both residentially and commercially. It enables its user to grow a garden or a field of crops with a no-tilling approach to eliminate weeds. It is a well-known and popular choice for killing weeds that has been around since the mid 1970’s (Oca, 2017). John Franz, a Monsanto scientist discovered that glyphosate (main ingredient in Roundup) was an herbicide or weedkiller, and …

Modeling The Impact Of Climate Change On Plant Hardiness Zones Across The Contiguous United States Using Empirical Bayesian Kriging Regression Prediction, Daniel Donkor

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Mapping plant hardiness zones is crucial to understanding and predicting the spatial distribution of plants in response to climatic conditions. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the plant hardiness zones based on the average of annual extreme minimum temperatures using the Parameter elevation Regression on Independent Slope Model (PRISM). While the USDA’s 2012 and 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone maps remain standard references, they offer limited geostatistical transparency that causes more complications in replicating. This study applies Empirical Bayesian Kriging Regression Prediction (EBKRP) method to generate Plant Hardiness Zone maps, analyze spatial and temporal shifts in the plant hardiness …

Eggplant Variety Demonstration Results For West-Central Indiana, 2024, Petrus Langenhoven, Lizeth Sofia Catucuamba Tuquerrez

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A non-replicated demonstration of eggplant varieties was conducted at Purdue University's Meigs Horticulture Facility to evaluate eight varieties, including four Italian-type and four Asian-type varieties, under Indiana growing conditions. Plants were transplanted on May 14, 2024, with 30 plants per variety in 180-foot rows. Weekly harvests occurred from weeks 8 to 18 after transplanting. Italian varieties consistently produced higher marketable yields than Asian types, with Nigral achieving the highest yield at 55,446 pounds per acre (17.7 fruits per plant, averaging 11.2 ounces per fruit). Rolandia produced the heaviest individual fruits, with an average weight of 12.3 ounces. Among Asian varieties, …

Colored Sweet Bell And Tapered Pepper Cultivar Evaluation For High Tunnel Production In West-Central Indiana, 2025, Petrus Langenhoven

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Colored sweet bell-shaped and tapered peppers remain an important summer crop for small and medium-sized farming operations across Indiana. These crops can be produced in open-field systems or under protective structures, with high tunnels offering notable advantages for sweet pepper production. The moderated environment of a high tunnel allows planting 2–4 weeks earlier in the spring and extends harvest into the fall until the first hard freeze. Despite the crop’s regional importance, performance data for pepper varieties adapted to Indiana conditions have been limited. Our ongoing work aims to address this gap. To date, more than forty pepper cultivars have …

2025 Standard-Sized Seedless Watermelon Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie, Cesar Escalante

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Indiana ranked fifth in watermelon production in the United States. In 2024, Indiana growers planted approximately 8,100 acres of watermelons. Watermelon cultivar evaluation trials have been conducted annually at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) in Vincennes, IN, for over 30 years. In 2025, 25 standard-sized seedless watermelons were evaluated, and yield and fruit quality parameters were assessed.

2025 Personal-Sized Seedless Watermelon Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie, Cesar Escalante

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Indiana ranks fifth in the United States for watermelon production in 2024. Most of the state’s production consists of red-flesh seedless cultivars with fruit weighing 9 lbs and above. A small portion of watermelon production devoted to mini seedless types. Meanwhile, interest in watermelon production among small and diversified vegetable farms is increasing, where smaller-sized watermelons are likely fit better at these farms. In this report, we summarize the performance of 12 personal-sized watermelon cultivars evaluated at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) in Vincennes, IN, during the 2025 season.

Featured Faculty Mentor/Student Team, Kelly Loftin, Eva Berryhill

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Greenhouse Management For The Smaller Structure--Educational And Hobby, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Greenhouses used for teaching or by hobbyist are smaller than those used for commercial production or found in the retail environment. Structural materials, covering, mechanical equipment, and control systems often are packaged as a kit made available through greenhouse suppliers. Supplier construction services may not be available, in which buyers must use local contractors to complete the installation. Greenhouses are unique structures that differ greatly from sheds or other outbuildings. They have coverings that allow maximum light transmittance, protected from UV degradation, and can handle wide inside to outside temperature extremes. This extension circular provides valuable information on the character, …

Addressing Food Security In Cameroon, Stacy A. Adams, Ruth Abunaw Besong

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cameroon Africa has experience a period of nearly a decade of unrest as militants fight for independence for two Anglophone regions within a predominantly Francophone country. The English-speaking minority have felt aggrieved for continued erosion of rights by the central government. Protests have rapidly spread since 2016, causing closure of schools, businesses, and medical facilities. People have lost homes and been displaced, negatively affecting food production and crop availability. The United States Department of State leads an effort of diplomacy beyond emergency food relief through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that connects American professionals to innovative and impactful young African leaders. …

Terrarium- An Ecosystem In A Jar, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

STEM education is supported through hand's-on activities in the classroom. Content understanding and reaffirmation of knowledge is supported through this informative STEM-Quick card that teachers or extension educators can distribute to participants for reference. Terrariums provide an example of a closed ecosystem where water and carbon cycling is demonstrated and plant growth can be observed. This card presents the steps to building and caring for an easy to create terrarium.

Revolutionizing Grapevine Breeding Programs: A Mobile Genome Editing System For Perennial Crops, Bridget Bolt

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) faces unprecedented challenges from climate change, with up to 90% of current growing regions potentially becoming unsuitable for production within decades. Traditional breeding approaches require 25-30 years for variety development, creating a time constraint incompatible with the pace of environmental change. This research establishes the approach for a novel mobile RNA-based gene editing platform that addresses longstanding bottlenecks in grapevine improvement while preserving cultivar identity and reducing breeding timelines.

This research developed a three-component system for transgene-free gene editing in grapevine. First, a mobile CRISPR/Cas9 system was established using Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformation and the cut-and-dip …