Areas
Dr. Rajeev Arora – Stress Physiology
Dr. Arora's research is focused on the study of plant's response to low temperature stress. Specifically, he studies: 1) cellular mechanism of freeze-injury and recovery in plants; 2) physiology, molecular biology and genetics of cold acclimation in woody perennials, and 3) role of LEA/dehydrin proteins in plant stress tolerance. Evaluating cold hardiness of woody ornamentals for the nursery and landscape industries is also a component of Dr. Arora's research program.
Dr. Arora's Research Information
Dr. Nick Christians – Turfgrass
Dr. Christians' area of research interest is in the development of naturally occurring herbicides for the turf industry. Dr. Christians has shown that a byproduct of the corn wet-milling process, corn gluten meal, has potential as a natural preemergence herbicide for use in turf. Dr. Christians demonstrated that the active components were naturally occurring dipeptides found in the corn gluten. He also conducts work in a variety of turf related topics.
Dr. Christians' Research Information
Dr. Kathleen Delate – Sustainable Alternative Crops
Dr. Delate's area of research is organic horticulture/agronomy. Current areas of research include varietal selection and nutrient and pest management in organic horticultural/agronomic cropping systems; soil quality and plant performance using certified organic soil amendments; agronomic and economic performance of alternative crop rotations; production practices and postharvest quality in certified organic fruits and vegetables; and production practices to improve organic herb quality in Iowa. As an extension specialist, Dr. Delate provides leadership to the organic industry and helps build the organic industry in Iowa.
Dr. Delate's Research Information
Dr. Paul Domoto – Fruits/Nuts/Fruit Trees
Dr. Domoto's assignment is in fruit tree and grape research, and extension for all fruit crops. His research interest is focused on apple stock/scion relationships, and fruit tree adaptation and culture. Dr. Domoto is an active cooperator in the NC-140 regional rootstock research project, and he is involved in the evaluation of new apple rootstocks and multiple genetic systems with respect precocity, cropping efficiency, tree size control, anchorage, and rootstock tolerance to low temperature stress. Dr. Domoto also conducts research on grape adaptation and culture. He cooperates with faculty in Plant Pathology and Entomology on orchard integrated pest management studies.
Paul Domoto's Research Information
Dr. ShuiZhang Fei – Turfgrass Breeding, Genetics & Biotech.
Dr. Fei's research is primarily focused on turfgrass genetics and breeding. Current research projects include molecular characterization of turfgrass germplasm, mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for winter hardiness in perennial ryegrass, molecular biology studies on freezing tolerance with a focus on isolation and characterization of CBF (C-repeat Binding Factor) genes in perennial ryegrass, and tissue culture and genetic transformation of turfgrass species. In addition, Dr. Fei conducts studies on risk assessment of transgenic turfgrass species.
Dr. Richard Gladon – Plant Physiology
Dr. Gladon's research is focused on the elucidation of the control points in the synthesis and mode of action of ethylene in ripening tomato fruit tissue and senescing carnation flowers. Dr. Gladon also conducts research on the physiology and molecular biology of senescence in carnations and ripening in tomatoes. With a recent change of appointment into the greenhouse area, his research emphases are changing into the areas of seed germination physiology and production factors related to bedding plant production.
Dr. Mark Gleason
Dr. Gleason's applied research and extension goal is to improve management of diseases of horticultural commodities, including fruits, vegetables, shade trees, turfgrass, and ornamentals. Current research areas include: validation of site-specific weather data in disease-warning systems on muskmelons and apples; ecology of the quiescent phase of the anthracnose pathogen, Colletotrichum acutatum, on strawberries; phylogenetics, ecology, and postharvest removal of sooty blotch and flyspeck fungi on apples; and evaluation of genetic resistance and cultural management techniques to suppress crown rot of hosta, caused by the soilborne fungus Sclerotium rolfsii.
Dr. William Graves – Woody Plant Ecology
Dr. Graves' primary research goal is to foster environmental quality in metropolitan areas by identifying tree species capable of withstanding environmental stressors. Specifically, he studies symbioses between trees and N2-fixing bacteria, and he determines the stress resistance of rare or under-used tree and shrub species.
Dr. Graves' recent research travel
Dr. David Hannapel – Molecular Genetics
Dr. Hannapel's area of research interest is in developmental biology with a focus on the control of vegetative meristem determination and the role of transcription factors in regulating development. He has made use of potato tuberization as a model system to study signaling pathways mediated by photoperiod.
Dr. Hannapel's Research Projects
Dr. Cindy Haynes – Consumer Extension
Dr. Haynes' primary research focus is in human issues in horticulture. Current research projects include horticulture education of youth, undergraduate pedagogy, and surveying the perceptions and expectations of public garden volunteers and Master Gardeners.
Dr. Jeff Iles – Nursery Crop Production/Landscape Horticulture
Dr. Iles' research emphasis is in applied field research committed to solving problems faced by the nursery, landscape, and tree care industries in Iowa and the Midwest. Evaluating woody plant taxa for use in the upper Midwest is one of the more important components of Dr. Iles' research efforts. Shade trees, shrubs, and flowering trees are evaluated for winter and summer hardiness, disease resistance and aesthetic utility. Towards this end, Dr. Iles participates in the National Crabapple Evaluation Program, NC-7 Regional Ornamental Plant Trials, Landscape Plant Development Center, and the J. Frank Schmidt Nursery Trial Pack Program.
Dr. David Minner – Extension Turfgrass Specialist
Dr. Minner conducts applied field research to supply problem-solving results for the turf industry. Dr. Minner conducts trials on pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and biostimulants to determine efficacy in a scientific and controlled setting. Dr. Minner also conducts research related to golf courses and athletic fields to improve performance.
Dr. Minner's Research Information
Dr. Gail R. Nonnecke – Small Fruits
Dr. Nonnecke's primary research program is to determine sustainable production and management systems for fruit crops with a special emphasis on grapes and berry crops. Included under this objective are approaches in feasible cultural techniques, soil and plant nutrition, and weed management. She cooperates extensively with other researchers in a multidisciplinary team, including scientists in the Departments of Agronomy, Economics, Entomology, Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Plant Pathology.
Dr. Nonnecke's Research Information
Dr. Loren Stephens – Tissue Culture/Genetics
Dr. Stephens' main area of interest is the study of plant tissue culture for improving horticultural crops. Other areas of interest include hybridization of ornamental crop species and the improvement of native prairie species for ornamental uses.
Dr. Stephens' Research Information
Dr. Henry Taber – Extension/Commercial Vegetable Production
Dr. Taber's primary research focus is on irrigation and fertilizer efficiency (specifically K) for vegetable yield and quality, as well as for the protection of the environment. A secondary focus is on earliness techniques. Critical plant tissue N and K values have been established for many crops, but are useful only as a tool to make changes in the following years fertilizer management program. Dr. Taber is conducting research designed to develop a petiole/leaf sap nitrate and potassium guidelines as a tool for recommending supplemental N and K application. Earliness techniques are important for high profitability and market share. Past research has been used to develop guidelines for mulch types, quality transplants, and row covers. Dr. Taber is also investigating the use of colored plastic mulch to change the growth and development of the tomato and pepper plant.
Dr. Taber's Project Website:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~taber/Taber_Homepage.htm
Dr. Ann Marie VanDerZanden – Landscape Design
Dr. VanDerZanden's research interests include undergraduate pedagogy, curriculum development and using new technology to enhance the learning experiences of students and nursery/landscape professionals. She is also interested in finding ways to reach audiences interested in horticulture that would otherwise be underserved.
Dr. VanDerZanden's Research Projects
Dr. Mark Widrlechner – USDA/Plant Introduction Station
Currently, Dr. Widrlechner conducts research on interactions between environmental conditions and woody plant adaptation, in relation both to broadening the diversity of woody plants used in Midwestern landscapes and to the development of risk-assessment models related to the invasiveness of non-native species. He is also involved with research on seed regeneration, storage and germination, and genetic-diversity assessment in Coriandrum and Echinacea. He has considerable experience in the development of curatorial standards and protocols and of tools to improve customer service and help meet future demand for plant genetic resources. For example, he is working on a project to use seed longevity and patterns of past demand to determine optimal quantities for seed regeneration and storage. Recently, Dr. Widrlechner completed a taxonomic treatment of Rubus for a new book on the woody plants of Minnesota and is contributing to other floristic projects in the region.
