Horticulture Commons^™

Understanding The Needs And Practices Of Cut Flower Growers In Louisiana, Jessie M. Hoover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The specialty cut flower industry is expanding nationwide, including southeastern states such as Louisiana. Existing studies and market analyses focus on national trends of other regions with established floriculture networks, leaving a critical gap in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities faced by growers in Louisiana. This lack of data limits the ability of extension professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop targeted strategies that support local production and market development. This study used qualitative case study methods to investigate the practices, challenges, and needs of 13 specialty cut flower growers in Louisiana. The study utilized Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1986) …

Amending Planting Media With Typha-Derived Biochar For Sustainable Horticulture, Elissa Touma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Constructed wetlands are widely used to improve water quality by removing excess nutrients from wastewater and stormwater. Nutrients are stored within wetland vegetation, particularly in fast-growing plants such as Typha. Harvesting vegetation provides an opportunity to permanently remove these nutrients while generating biomass suitable for beneficial reuse. Converting harvested biomass into value-added products such as compost and biochar can support nutrient recovery and sustainable biomass management. In addition, increasing concerns regarding the environmental impacts of peat extraction have created interest in renewable alternatives for horticultural growing media. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of harvested …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Managing Rainwater, Lawrence Krissek, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Rainscaping can help solve drainage problems, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and conserve soil by effectively managing rainwater movement across the landscape. It can also provide environments with increased biodiversity while reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The details of rainscaping your garden are very site-specific, affected by the amount of space and money available, your garden’s physical and weather/climate characteristics, and your garden goals. This resource sheet addresses the use of natural methods to ensure efficient rainwater management.

Evaluation Of Ultraviolet-C Light For Control Of Mites And Western Tarnished Plant Bug In Strawberry & Interactive Lethal Effects Of Common Strawberry Fungicides And Adjuvants On Phytoseiulus Persimilis, Colin T. Koubek

Master's Theses

California strawberry production relies heavily on chemical pesticides to manage arthropod pests and diseases, but pesticide resistance, regulatory pressure, and the need to conserve biological control agents have increased interest in alternative pest management tools. This thesis evaluated ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light as a nonchemical management tool for key strawberry arthropod pests and assessed the compatibility of common strawberry fungicides and adjuvants with the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot. The first objective was to determine the ovicidal and lethal effects of UV-C light on Lygus hesperus Knight eggs and nymphs. Laboratory and field ovicide assays were conducted using UV-C doses relevant …

Part I: Drip Tape Irrigation For Cut Flowers, Alex Rodriguez, Melanie Stock, James Frisby, Burdette Barker

All Current Publications

Drip irrigation can be the most efficient method for delivering water and has the added benefit of keeping moisture off foliage and blooms of cut flowers. This fact sheet is the first in a series of irrigation fact sheets for cut flowers. It provides a step-by-step guide to the initial selection and installation of a surface drip tape irrigation system. Descriptions of and considerations for common components, setup, management, and repair are discussed. While this content may apply to other horticultural and garden plants, this fact sheet was developed for cut flower crops and growers. We recommend USU Extension resources …

Watershed Amendments: Assembling New Pervious Ground From Landscape Waste, Sophie Kaplan-Bucciarelli

Masters Theses

In Providence, Rhode Island, much of the downtown area is built over a vast historic tidal estuary. Though we no longer see the salt marshes, wooded bluffs, or meadows that once characterized this landscape, we recognize their absence in contemporary crises of urban heat, flooding, polluted soils and stormwater runoff, and habitat loss. These conditions are particularly acute along the city’s industrialized river corridors, where vacant lots and parking areas sit idle, their history paved over and potential constrained by limited imagination and resources.

These lots - already experiments in fill and land building after centuries of disturbance - can …

Evaluation Of Critical Nitrogen Requirements For Commercial Tomato Production In Mississippi, Prakash Khanal

Theses and Dissertations

Optimizing nitrogen (N) management is critical for tomato production, as crop requirements vary with soil, climate, and production practices. Despite the importance of tomato in Mississippi, region-specific N recommendations remain limited. Field studies (2024-2025) and a high tunnel study (2025) were conducted at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center to determine critical N rates for fresh-market tomato. Six N rates were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Results provide system-specific guidance, highlighting differences in N requirements between open-field and high tunnel production. Tailoring N inputs to production environments can improve yield and fruit quality, enhance …

The Effect Of Stem Recutting And Floral Food On Vase Life Of Zinnias Elegans, Lauren Elise Baskin

Theses and Dissertations

A recent shift in the cut flower market focuses on locally produced cut flowers, creating interest in the consumer mind. The vase life of these cut flowers varies by variety and species. Knowing the proper post-harvest protocol is crucial information, as this affects flower’s longevity. This research used a 2x2x2 factorial design examining the zinnias variation in vase life between the following test groups: zinnias with trimmed and untrimmed stems in tap water and trimmed and untrimmed stems in floral food solution. The results of the study indicated that zinnias placed in a floral food solution and were trimmed have …

Cytokinins, Gibberellins, And Ethylene On Plant Form And Flowering In Streptocarpus, Rachel Bobo

Theses and Dissertations

Plant form and flowering of Streptocarpus x hybridus Ladyslippers® ‘Grape Ice’ and ‘Deep Blue Vein’ were examined in response to exogenous application of ethephon [(2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid], gibberellin 3 (GA3), benzyladenine (BA), and growth retardants ancymidol and chlormequat chloride. 750 mg L-1 ethephon applied at 3 weeks post-transplant (WPT) is effective in chemically pinching premature floral buds, delaying flowering by up to 10 days without restricting final plant size. Early applications of GA3 and BA hasten flowering by up to 10 days. GA3 and BA also interacted to promote floral development when applied early in the production cycle; increasing flower …

In The Garden's Grasp, Lacey Anderson

The Cicadian

This piece pairs a close-up photograph with reflective creative writing to explore a fleeting moment in a backyard garden ecosystem. Among vivid dahlias and winding vines, a grasshopper emerges, captured both in image and in story. Together, the photograph and prose invite readers to witness how tending, noticing, and lingering can transform an ordinary patio into a world alive with quiet, electric life.

Evaluation Of The Weed Control Efficacy And Potential Economic Returns Of An Autonomous Weeder In Vegetable Production Systems, Claire Plassmeyer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vegetable production requires intensive weed management. Conventional producers rely on herbicide applications to manage weeds effectively at low costs; however, growers are under pressure to minimize chemical use due to environmental concerns and increased incidences of herbicide resistance. Non-conventional systems, including organic and sustainably focused small-scale production, rely primarily on cultural practices and physical weed control methods, which are labor-intensive and costly due to limited labor availability and rising wages. These concerns have prompted the development of autonomous weeding devices, such as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) equipped with navigation sensors and implements to provide repeated, high-precision weed control. Compact devices …

Evaluating Short-Day And Intermediate-Day Sweet Onions As Early-Season High Tunnel Onions In West Virginia, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

High tunnels can be used to grow winter alliums such as onions, garlic and leeks.  Onions are  diverse and include groups such as short-day and intermediate-day bulb onions as well as non-bulbing scallions or green onions.  Onions can be diverse in color, size and shape.  Short day onions are typically sweet onions which start bulbing when photoperiods reach 10-12 hours. Short-day onions are typically planted in November-December in the Deep South of the U.S. for spring harvest.   Intermediate day onions start bulbing when the photoperiod is 12-14 hours.  Intermediate day onions are planted in the spring in the Mid-Atlantic region. …

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2024, Jeremy Ross

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2024 Arkansas Soybean Research Studies includes research reports on topics pertaining to soybean across several disciplines from breeding to post-harvest processing. Research reports contained in this publication may represent preliminary or only data from a single year or limited results; therefore, these results should not be used as a basis for long-term recommendations. Several research reports in this publication will appear in other University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station publications. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between disciplines and our effort to inform Arkansas soybean producers of the research being …

Propagation And Cultivation Of Sarracenia Species, Kathryn M. Huether

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the effectiveness of seed treatments on Sarracenina species to overcome seed dormancy; as well as evaluating fertilizer concentration and substrate mixture impacts on the growth of Sarracenia × wrigleyana, ‘Scarlet Belle’. The first portion of this study evaluated the effects of cold stratification and chemical treatments (smoke water and gibberellic acid) on the germination rates of Sarracenia alata and leucophylla. The primary objective was to determine whether increasing concentrations of these treatments paired with or without stratification could significantly enhance germination and serve as viable seed treatments for horticultural use. Germination did occur within all the …

Effects Of Applying Humic Acid In-Furrow At Potato Planting, Jonathan Tyler Price

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Many products are marketed towards potato farmers that purport to have a positive return on investment for yield and quality. Humic acids, which are comprised of long chained, organic molecules that can be naturally or industrially made, are currently being marketed in this way. The use of these materials is reported to improve nutrient uptake, increase soil health, encourage vigorous growth, and most importantly, increase yields.  From 2023-2025, the in-furrow application of humic acid containing commercial products was evaluated in Pennsylvania on the cultivars ‘Lehigh’ and ‘Waneta’. Black Label Zn, Duo Maxx, Fertiactyl RhiZn, Humi-flex FA, Hydra-Hume, and Monty's Liquid …

Evaluating The Impact Of Intercropping Vegetables And Cut Flowers On Yield And Conservation Biological Control, Alliance Igiraneza

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Specialty crops such as vegetables are some of the most susceptible to yield losses and increased management difficulty over time due to pests. One of the potential solutions to this problem, which aims at ensuring the sustainability of the sector, is using conservation biological control practices such as intercropping to increase diversity, while maintaining the economic feasibility and profitability of the system. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of this management practice using Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var. King Arthur) as the main crop, intercropped with flowers including zinnia (Zinnia elegans var. Benary’s Giant), sunflower ( …

Discovering The Genetics Underlying Speciation Traits In Heuchera (Coral Bells), Tajinder Singh

Honors Theses

Hybridization is a key evolutionary mechanism for generating biological diversity, ultimately shaping diversification and adaptation of plant lineages in natural and agroecosystems.  Our understanding of the frequency, distribution, and significance of hybridization is rapidly increasing, but the external driving forces that dictate why certain species hybridize, and others do not remain obscure. The physical traits that shape gene flow and trait sharing among species are likely to be among the key factors that directly control hybridization. Gene flow in most plants is mediated by pollinating insects and thus by pollination syndromes, which are suites of floral traits that have evolved …

Estimating Leaf Area In Velvetleaf (Limnocharis Flava) And Kangkong (Ipomea Aquatica): A Precise And Non-Destructive Approach For Wetland Vegetables, Anggrika Riyanti, Benyamin Lakitan, Momon Sodik Imanudin, Muhammad Yazid

Jurnal Kultivasi

Developing a leaf-area estimation model for vegetable cultivars in wetlands is essential to optimizing agricultural cultivation practices. This study aims to develop a non-destructive model for leaf area estimation in wetland vegetable cultivars (velvetleaf (Limnocharis flava) and kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica)) using regression-based models. The plants were cultivated in a wetland system. Measurements of leaf length and width were taken on all leaves of each plant, using the product of length and width (L×W) as predictor. The regression models for estimating leaf area were adjusted from linear, zero-intercept linear, quadratic, and power. The optimal model was evaluated using the determination coefficient …

Growth And Yield Response Of Shallots To Npk, Nk, And Humic Acid Under Different Mycorrhiza Application, Alfu Laila, Endang Sulistyorini

Jurnal Kultivasi

One strategy to increase shallot production is the utilization of microorganisms in the soil, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which is applied together with fertilizer. This research aimed to investigate the effects of different nutrient inputs and mycorrhizal association on the growth and yield of shallots. This study used a split-plot design with three replications as blocks. The main plot included four treatments: no nutrient inputs, NPK fertilizer, NK fertilizer, and humic acid, while the subplot involved the mycorrhiza application (with or without). The measured variables included growth (plant height and number of leaves) and yield (fresh weight and …

Growth Of Vanilla Cuttings Under Modified Acid Soil Media And Application Of Several Plant Growth Regulators, Rifqi Raditya Kurniawan, Yugi Rahayu Ahadiyat, Etik Wukir Tini

Jurnal Kultivasi

This research aimed to optimize the growth of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) cuttings in acid soils by modifying the growing media and applying several types of plant growth regulators (PGRs). Several types of PGRs, including synthetic compounds such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), as well as natural extracts from shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) and moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera), were tested to enhance plant performance in acid-growing conditions. The primary objectives were to determine the optimal soil amendment formula and the most effective PGR type for promoting vanilla growth, and to develop a measurable, easy-to-use PGR formulation accessible to farmers. …