ASHS 2024 Conference

Can Multi-species Cover Crops and Beneficial Microbes be Utilized for Soil Borne Pathogen Management in Watermelon? - Sukhman Kaur
Evaluation of Celery Breeding Lines and Commercial Cultivars for Resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. apii Race 2 and Race 4 - Christopher Greer
Directed Energy System: A Non-chemical Approach for the Management of Nematodes, Pathogens, and Weeds in Nurseries - Tatiana Benedetti
Sweetpotato-associated Virome in Mississippi - Sead Sabanadzovic
Evaluation of Insecticide Application Plan to Manage Thrips for Sweet Onions in Texas - Subas Malla
Are selective insecticides compatible with Bemisia tabaci biocontrol efforts in controlled environments? - Arash Kheirodin
Plants Under Regulation; A North Carolina Perspective - Jarred Driscoll

Watermelon is highly susceptible to soil borne pathogens, typically Fusarium oxysporum sp. Niveum (FON) that can lead to a yield loss of upto 60-80%. Out of the four pathogenic races of FON, race 2 is more prevalent in the Southeastern US on more than 60% of watermelon fields. Cover crops are known for improving soil health, diversity, and abundance of microorganisms, and reported to decrease Fusarium wilt (FW) disease severity by up to 20-60%. However, previous studies have only evaluated single species cover crops for its impact on FW in watermelon whereas for ecosystems services, multi-species cover crops are recommended. A greenhouse and field study were conducted with aims to determine the effects of multi-species cover crops and beneficial microbes in controlling FW in watermelon. The cover crop mixtures included in the studies were, mixture A: rye, oat, Austrian winter pea, crimson clover, hairy vetch; mixture B: oat, wheat, crimson clover, radish, turnip. The field study was conducted at two locations in upper coastal region of South Carolina. Periodic cover crop biomass was taken. At location one cover crop mixture A accumulated a fresh biomass of 1017.50 tons/ha as compared to mixture B (907.16 tons/ha), at 97 days after planting. On the other hand, at second field site, mixture A accumulated fresh biomass of (349.6.4 tons/ha) and fresh biomass weight of mixture B was (153.59 tons/ha) at 120 days after planting. This could be due to more sandy and poor soil conditions at second field site. Further we will evaluate the impact of different treatments on FW disease severity index, watermelon fruit yield and fruit quality parameters.

Fusarium wilt of celery, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. apii (Foa), has been a persistent challenge for celery growers in California. Two races of the pathogen are documented in California. Foa race 2 was described in the 1970s and is widespread throughout celery-growing regions of California, typically causing yellowing and stunting of established plants, resulting in failure to produce marketable heads. Foa race 4 was identified in Ventura County in 2013 and by 2022 had displaced race 2 as the predominant race causing celery losses in Ventura County. Foa race 4 is more aggressive than race 2, often causing plant stunting and death within weeks after planting, particularly if soil temperature is 22ºC or higher. In support of celery breeding programs, USDA and University of California developed a collaboration to conduct resistance evaluation field trials. Trials were conducted in two coastal California locations naturally infested with Foa in 2022 and 2023: Santa Maria (race 2) and Camarillo (race 4). Cultivars and breeding lines from private companies and public germplasm collections were evaluated in replicated field plots. Plant mortality was assessed, and soil temperature was recorded during the growing season. At harvest, disease severity of internal symptoms of Fusarium wilt were scored from 0 (no visible symptoms) to 5 (severe crown decay) for a subset of plants from each plot. Each celery entry was assessed for petiole length, weight, petiole greenness, cracking, bolting, ribbiness, pithiness, and suckering for a subset of plants from each plot. At Santa Maria in 2022, there was minimal plant mortality, but most entries appeared susceptible with disease severity scores ranging from 2.0-3.6, indicating vascular symptoms in roots and crowns. Many entries did not produce marketable celery due to stunting. Entries exhibiting the most tolerance to Foa race 2 had disease severity scores of 0.1-0.7 and produced the heaviest stalks with the longest petioles. At Camarillo in 2022, daily mean air temperatures during the two weeks after planting were 24 to 27ºC, likely promoting rapid disease development of Foa race 4 and severe early decline in susceptible entries. Six weeks after planting, 23 of 42 entrees exhibited 80-100% plant mortality. However, five entries had disease severity scores of 1.0-1.5 and less than 15% mortality. These more tolerant lines produced marketable celery. These results contribute to the development of Foa-resistant breeding lines and inform growers about the performance of cultivars in local conditions.

Oregon leads the United States in the production of several ornamental nursery products including shade trees, conifers, and flowering trees. Soilborne pathogens and weeds are major constraints to the production of tree seedlings for the ornamental industry. Failure to control pathogens can result in seedling death or unintentional distribution of infected nursery stock while failure to control weeds can lead to competition with seedlings for water and nutrients. One of the primary ways to control soilborne pathogens and weeds is through pre-plant fumigation with methyl bromide. The use of this chemical is detrimental to the environment and human health, making it urgent to develop safer alternatives. Our long-term goal is to discover new ways to manage nematodes, soilborne pathogens, and weeds that will reduce reliance on pesticides and soil fumigants and be safer for the environment. Directed Energy System (DES) has been developed as a novel application technique, which generates pulses of electricity capable of killing nematodes, pathogens, and weeds. Controlled experiments were conducted against Meloidogyne chitwoodi, Phytophthora cinnamomi, and Cyperus esculentus to determine the electrical parameters required to kill each organism. Preliminary data demonstrated that the energy required to kill 90% of M. chitwoodi eggs was 23.4 J/cm3 of soil and for C. esculentus nutlets the energy for reduce weed growth by 50% ranged from 55 to 116 J/cm3 of soil.

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas; Convolvulaceae) is an economically important specialty crop with an overall U.S. production valued at more than $720 million (2020 data, USDA-NASS). Even though virus infections are a major constraint to the sweetpotato industry across the United States and around the globe, organized studies have not been conducted to understand virus diversity and incidence. Therefore, an objective of a transdisciplinary multistate, Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), CleanSEED Project is to characterize viruses associated with sweetpotato production in major producing states. To that aim, 25 different locations/production fields in Mississippi were surveyed during the 2023 production season to collect symptomatic foliar tissue for total RNA extraction. The detection and identification of viruses of sweetpotatoes was based on a high-throughput sequencing approach on an Illumina platform utilizing 2x150 nt pair-end methodology, followed by computational analyses of billions of raw sequence reads. The four potyviruses, considered of major economic importance for the crop, were prevalent in the state and frequently occurred in mix infections. Furthermore, a few other viruses with possible hosts different than plant, were associated with plants analyzed in this study. This research was supported by the intramural research program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Specialty Crop Research Initiative, accession no. 1029242.

Thrips is an important pest of onions that not only reduces yield and quality but also transmit Iris Yellow Spot Virus. The study’s objective was to evaluate different chemical application plans to manage the thrips population in onions. The study was conducted in a split plot design with variety as a main plot and chemical plan as a sub-plot with four replications at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Uvalde, TX during the 2022-23 season. The variety factor had three levels – Hornet, Mata Hari, and Don Victor. The chemical plan factor also had three levels – weekly application, action threshold (1 thrips per leaf), and control. Although the insect population was low, in general, for the season, the weekly application and action threshold treatments had a lower number of thrips per leaf than the control treatment. The numbers of chemical applications for the weekly application and action threshold were six and three, respectively. The results indicate that growers would save input costs if followed by the action threshold chemical plan. The trial will be evaluated in the 2023-24 season to validate results from the first season.

Generalist predators are known for their significant contribution to suppression of major crop pests in controlled environments and beyond. Given that insecticides are one pillar of many Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, their compatibility with biocontrol efforts is essential for developing a successful IPM program. Knowledge gaps persist regarding selective insecticides' non-target impacts on whitefly natural enemies that can jeopardize its biocontrol efforts. In this study, we exposed adult predators to commercially available insecticides (Cyantraniliprole and Pyriproxyfen) using multiple laboratory approaches to assess their effects on survivorship, predation, and changes in prey selection in response to insecticides. Two major whitefly predators were evaluated including, Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Geocoridae), to estimate survivorship and consumption of whitefly nymph, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Our result indicates that while pyriproxyfen had a negligible effect on the predators, cyantraniliprole exposure directly affected H. convergence by reducing survivorship duration and indirectly influenced both predators by reducing prey consumption and altering prey preference. Overall, pyriproxyfen demonstrated minimal impact on predators, while cyantraniliprole adversely influenced mortality and indirect foraging effects under controlled laboratory conditions. Hence, our findings highlight that even highly selective insecticides could have a sub-lethal impact on natural enemies, jeopardizing their contribution to pest control, and warranting future efforts to better integrate them into IPM programs.

State and federally regulated weeds pose significant challenges to agricultural economies worldwide, impacting crop yields, production costs, and overall farm profitability. Some estimates have their economic impact upwards of $30 billion dollars annually. Regulated plants can encroach upon public and private property, and cultural and recreational areas, which not only diminishes their aesthetic appeal and usability, but also displaces other native plants and animals. State and federal regulatory agencies operate within a legal framework for setting rules that allow for the control of regulated plants. Regulatory rules apply measures that help preserve these public and private spaces by addressing infestations of noxious plants. Management strategies of active infestations can range from controlling future or current spread to full on eradication. While eradication of a noxious plant may be the gold standard to strive for, it is also the most time consuming and costliest strategy. Often, two commonly employed solutions, aside from eradication, are; either managing or controlling an infestation. Managing is where the infestation isn’t increasing in geographic area. The periphery is fought to limit further spread. Controlling an infestation goes beyond managing, where a push is made to reduce the geographic area and steers the infested area toward an eradication track. The more stringent (eradication) a strategy becomes, the higher the cost and the longer it will take. The classic invasion curve describes this situation perfectly where the longer an infestation goes before it is identified, the more expensive and longer it will take to eradicate, if at all. Chemical applications, IPM and cultural control mechanisms are used to fight active infestations. Other tools in the regulatory tool bag include inspection of agricultural commodities and issuance of phytosanitary certificates, nursery inspections and certification, active survey and the use of quarantines and limited research permits. North Carolina has multiple active projects working towards eradication and control. Witchweed (Striga asiatica) populations have been present in NC and SC since its introduction in 1955. Witchweed, if left unchecked, has the potential to devastate the midwestern corn belt, which was the primary reason for its regulation. At that time North Carolina had approximately 400,000 infested acres. Today we have 2,000 infested acres. Other noxious weeds on the eradication path are wooly frogsmouth (Philydrum lanuginosum) and yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata). Both species have been aggressively treated in their limited distribution within the state.

Evaluation of Vegetable Soybean Breeding Lines for Yield and Related Traits - GuoLiang Jiang
Could Broccoli's Ancestral Lineage Hold the Key to Increased Fatty Acid Content? - Alaina Kleine
Characterization of A Novel Locus for Fruit Flavor Aroma in Tomato - Qian Feng
Identification and Validation of Novel Resistance Loci to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici Race 3 in Tomatoes - Samuel Ipinyomi
Enhancing Fusarium Wilt Race 2-Resistance and Brix Content in Watermelon through Genomic Selection - Anju Biswas
Introgressing QTL from a Wild Relative to Improve Gummy Stem Blight Resistance in Watermelon - Cecilia McGregor
Genome-wide association study reveals potential loci for powdery mildew resistance in the USDA core collection of Cucurbita pepo - Prerna Sabharwal
BreedwithBIMS (Breeding Information Management System) for Crop Breeders - Ksenija Gasic

Vegetable soybean (Glycine max), also known as edamame, is a specialty soybean that is harvested at R6 growth stage. Vegetable soybean has steadily increased in acreage and market demand although it is relatively new to North America. It is of significance to develop new cultivars that are more adapted to local environment and crop management system to promote specialty crop production and meet the market requirements. In this study, 14 genotypes of vegetable soybean, including 10 breeding lines and 4 check cultivars, were evaluated during 2020-2023 for potential uses as edamame. There were significant differences among genotypes in both fresh pod and mature seed yields, agronomic and seed composition traits investigated. The year effects and genotype x year interactions were also significant in most cases. Fresh pod yield averaged 11,227.5 kg ha-1, ranging 9,800.1 – 13,154.3 kg ha-1, and mature seed yield averaged 2,814.7 kg ha-1, ranging 2,029.2 – 3,175.2 kg ha-1. The average 100-seed weight of 14 genotypes was 26.9 g, ranging 23.1 – 30.1 g. Maturity averaged 153.3 days after planting, ranging 147.1 – 159.5 days. On a dry weight basis, seed protein, oil and sucrose contents averaged 43.5%, 18.7% and 5.0%, respectively. The estimates of broad-sense heritability were medium to high (66.82 – 94.90%) for most of the traits, while the heritability estimates for fresh pod yield and duration from flowering to maturity were relatively low (23.44% and 42.29%). Several breeding lines exhibited good yield, larger seed size, higher contents of protein, oil, oleic acid and sulfur-containing amino acids, suggesting the potential of release and commercial production.

In the pursuit of agricultural productivity, generations of breeding have often prioritized yield-related traits, inadvertently leading to the loss of desirable genetic traits linked to nutritional content. This phenomenon, known as the genetic lag effect, has implications for human health, particularly concerning the availability of essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. As omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for various aspects of human health, including heart health, cognitive function, and hormone regulation, it is imperative to explore alternative sources beyond traditional fish-derived options. The demand for plant-based alternatives is rising due to dietary preferences and concerns over fish oil production, emphasizing the need to investigate alternative sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Broccoli, with its rising consumption and rich nutritional profile, presents a promising avenue for addressing this need. For humans, the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3, is 1:1. Yet, the American diet offers an astonishing 30:1 ratio! Broccoli has a ratio of 1:3 ratio. This is comparable to fish ranging from 1:1 to 1:7. Despite its potential, most broccoli breeding programs have focused primarily on grower-oriented traits rather than those beneficial to human health. Thus, there is an opportunity to enhance the nutritional content of broccoli, particularly its omega-3 fatty acid profile, to offer greater health benefits to consumers. This study investigates the omega-3 fatty acid profiles of 35 lines, 9 elite and 26 landrace broccoli cultivars, to address the pressing need for nutrient-rich foods. Our research employs lipid extraction from various tissues of broccoli plants, including bouquets, stems, and leaves. The lipid sample is screened using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for precise quantification and identification of fatty acids. Preliminary results reveal significant variation in omega-3 fatty acid content, specifically levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) among the broccoli lines studied, highlighting the potential for breeding programs to select and develop varieties with enhanced nutritional profiles. By prioritizing consumer-oriented traits in crop breeding, such as omega-3 fatty acid content, we aim to contribute to developing biofortified broccoli varieties that offer sustainable and health-promoting dietary options. This research underscores the importance of diversifying food sources and prioritizing human health outcomes in agricultural practices to address evolving dietary needs and promote overall well-being.

Fusarium wilt disease caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) is a major threat in tomato-producing regions that can lead to acute yield losses. Host resistance as compared to other control strategies provides an effective and reliable means to contain the spread of the pathogen. Given that genes that confer resistance to all the three known Fol races are single dominant genes, there is a risk of resistance breakdown by the mutating pathogen. Furthermore, in the face of imminent race 4 emergence, building a quantitative and durable resistance shield by pyramiding novel resistant genes in commercial cultivars becomes pertinent. S. pennellii has been previously identified as a repository for resistant genes to Fol3 and recently, two novel loci mapped at chromosomes 3 and 10 were identified from two accessions- LA 1522 and LA 750 respectively using bulk segregant analysis QTL seq. Preliminary analysis was conducted to develop molecular markers for both chromosomes and validate their co-segregation with the region of introgression associated with resistance. We found co-segregating markers for resistance harbored by chromosome 3 and designated the locus as I8. This marker therefore constitutes additional genomic resources for marker-assisted selection of this trait. Although we found markers that co-segregate with resistance on chromosome 10, we provide initial evidence that this resistance is the same with the I6 locus previously identified on chromosome 10 and derived from LA 716 while complementary phenotypic screens showed partial penetrance of this locus. Together, these resistance loci (I6 and I8) could constitute a qualitative shield against the pathogen in commercial cultivars. Efforts are underway to fine map these loci and characterize them under field conditions and against other previously known races.

Complex traits in plants are influenced by many genes, each having a small impact. Using marker-assisted selection (MAS) alone is not sufficient to improve these traits in elite cultivars. Genomic selection (GS) is a promising breeding approach for enhancing complex traits like resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon) race 2 and increasing sugar levels (brix content) in watermelon. In our study, we wanted to see how well GS can predict disease resistance and sugar levels in an interspecific citron melon (Citrullus amarus) by cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) population. We created an F2:3 population by crossing USVL252-FR2 (resistant to Fon race 2, low brix; C. amarus) with ‘Sugar Baby’ (susceptible to Fon race 2, high brix; C. lanatus). We tested disease resistance in a growth chamber and measured sugar levels in a field trial using a randomized complete block design of the F3 families. We resequenced the DNA of 150 F2 plants to identify genetic differences. Disease response was assessed 28 days after inoculation, and sugar levels were measured with a brix meter to gauge sweetness. To predict disease resistance, we used two genomic models - Random Forest and GBLUP - which we found to be effective in previous studies. We compared the performance of univariate models (looking at disease and sugar levels separately) and bivariate models (looking at disease and sugar levels together) to identify the best approach for selecting superior cultivars based on these traits. We assessed model performance using ten-fold cross-validation. Our goal is to focus on these important polygenic traits and select superior genotypes early in breeding to develop watermelon cultivars with improved disease resistance and high sugar content.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is an economically important horticultural crop known for its sweet red flesh and is a popular summer snack. The southeastern US is an important production region for watermelon, but the hot and humid weather is conducive for the development of fungal diseases. Gummy stem blight (GSB), caused by three species of Stagonosporopsis; S. citrulli, S. caricae and S. cucurbitacearum, is an important disease that can cause severe yield losses worldwide under these favorable conditions. Currently, no resistant cultivars are available for this disease and management depends on preventative fungicide spay programs. Host resistance has been previously identified in C. amarus, an inedible crop wild relative of watermelon. However, different Stagonosporopsis spp. isolates elicit different responses in different resistant host genotypes which complicated resistance breeding. To address these issues, we (i) developed a point-of-care assay that can differentiate S. citrulli from the other two species and (ii) introgressed resistance QTL from wild C. amarus into cultivated watermelon. A dipstick-based DNA extraction method was coupled with an S. citrulli specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect as little as 1 pg of DNA with real time fluorescence quantification and endpoint colorimetric detection formats. To address host resistance, we developed high throughput KASP markers spanning the QTL regions, and used marker assisted backcrossing to introgress QTL into the cultivar Crimson Sweet. Eight BC2F3 intogression lines were evaluated in the field for resistance to GSB. Two of the lines showed high levels of resistance to GSB under field conditions. KASP assays were also developed for background selection for known domestication alleles to accelerate selection for fruit quality traits. The developed detection assays, KASP markers and introgression lines can contribute to accelerated breeding for host resistance and general breeding efforts for GSB in watermelon.

Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a significant vegetable crop in the United States with an annual value exceeding $216 million. The production of summer squash is significantly hindered by powdery mildew (PM), a fungal disease caused by Podosphaera xanthii. Management of PM relies on costly and routine application of fungicides. Moderate resistance to PM (designated PM0) in C. okechobeensis is widely deployed in commercial summer squash cultivars. However, it is important to expand the repertoire of alleles against PM in squash to complement and reduce the risk of PM0 resistance breakdown. In the current study, the USDA core collection of C. pepo (n= 207) was evaluated for PM resistance in Florida (greenhouse), New York (greenhouse), and Michigan (field) using a randomized complete block design across three reps, each with five plants. ‘Success PM’ (carrying PM0) and ‘Early Prolific’ Straightneck cultivars were used as resistant and susceptible checks, respectively. Pathogen inoculum was provided through naturally infected plants. At the 6th true-leaf stage, symptom severity data were collected on a scale of 0-100% based on visible pathogen sporulation on the surface of ‘top 4th leaf’, ‘bottom 4th leaf’, ‘stem above 4th leaf’, ‘stem below 4th leaf’, and ‘whole plant’. Across locations, ‘Success PM’ and ‘Early Prolific’ were consistently tolerant and susceptible, respectively. On the other hand, wide phenotypic variation was observed across the C. pepo core collection with accession 189 showing resistance across locations. The multi-location phenotype data was combined with genome-resequencing data (4 million SNPs) for the core collection to conduct a genome-wide association study using three statistical models (MLM, FarmCPU, and Blink). GWAS analysis for the FL dataset revealed significant genomic loci associated with PM resistance for ‘top 4th leaf’ (Chr 11 and 20), ‘stem above 4th leaf’ (Chr 4, 14 and 16), and ‘whole plant’ (Chr 13, 15, 18 and 20). Resistance loci for ‘top 4th leaf’ and ‘whole plant’ co-located on Chr 20, suggesting potential linkage/ pleiotropy for the two traits. For NY, significant hits for PM resistance were detected for the ‘top 4th leaf’ (FarmCPU: Chr 2, 4, 7, 13 and 19; Blink: Chr 3, 4, 5 and 19) and ‘bottom 4th leaf’ (Chr 6, 14 and 19). However, no significant GWAS hits were observed using MI data. The significant loci detected in this study will be validated and deployed in marker-assisted selection to improve PM resistance in squash.

With the continuous development of new scientific technology and methodology, breeding programs are both producing and utilizing a large amount of big data. This requires efficient management systems to keep track of various types of data such as performance, pedigree, geographical and image-based data as well as genotype data. Access to integrated breeding data in a database enhances genetic understanding of important traits and maximizes the marker-assisted breeding utility by breeders. The Breeding Information Management System (BIMS) is a free, open-source, secure and online breeding management system which allows breeders to store, manage, archive, and analyze their private breeding program data that has been available in several crop databases. But what about the crops that do not have a database? We report the utility of a new BIMS website (www.breedwithbims.org) that allows any crop breeders can use BIMS. One of the key features of BIMS is that users can import new trait data via an Android App called Field Book as well as historical data via templates. Field Book app allows breeders to collect phenotype data with less possibility of transcription errors. BIMS is also BrAPI compliant so that breeders can send and receive data from other BrAPI compliant resources including the Field Book App. Potential for streamlining data collection and management for vegetable crops will be presented.

Cultural IPM: Developing a Bilingual Landscaping Basics Booklet - Hannah Wooten
Learning Outcomes in Floral Design - Melinda Knuth
Mentor-Mentee Perspectives And Experiences In A Graduate Scientific Communications Course - Kent Kobayaski
Student Engagement and Learning: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Digital Discussion Tools - Remi Ham
Training the Next Generation of Leaders to Facilitate Successful and Resilient Urban Food Systems - Eleni Pliakoni
Students’ Knowledge of Landscape Sustainability, Soil Quality and Climate Change Across Experiential Learning Courses in Agriculture - I I N Handayani
Evaluating In-person and Online Video Teaching Methods to Introduce Landscape Equipment Operation and Safety - Levi Dreiling
Evaluating Student Understanding of Plant Physiological Processes After Class Presentations - Levi Dreiling

The USDA NIFA has funds for Extension that support more complex projects than typical programs. Since 2021, a multi-county Extension team has developed a UF/IFAS Bookstore publication titled “Basics of Landscaping in Florida, Conceptos Básicos de Paisajismo en Florida”. This pocket-sized, waterproof guide enables multi-lingual landscape teams to effectively communicate essential landscaping best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs promote long term landscape resilience while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. The environmental horticulture industry in Florida is worth over $10 billion annually, employs over 100,000 people, of which, 33% identify as Hispanic/Latino origin. Most horticulture jobs are focused on landscaping for aesthetics which leads to reactionary pest management focused on quick chemical solutions rather than long term economic, environmental, and social sustainability. In Florida, the use of pesticides and fertilizers requires training and professional licensure, yet chemical control and fertilization represent only a fraction of landscape integrated pest management (IPM). Cultural IPM, on the other hand, offers a key advantage: it allows for effective pest management while significantly reducing pesticide use. However, not all industry professionals require a license to perform their duties, and thus, many lack adequate training on the basics of IPM and BMPs. While quality training programs do exist, they may be cost prohibitive or too advanced for landscape professionals early in their careers or for employees performing basic tasks that fall within cultural IPM foundations. Research shows that people typically add more information and overlook subtractive approaches that may actually improve outcomes (Adams, et. al, 2021). The approach to teaching landscape basics is rooted in age old wisdom, from Occam’s Razor, Einstein’s famous quote, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler”, and Lockheed Martin’s “Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)” methodologies. Thus, a more basic bilingual training on landscape best practices and IPM was needed and developed as part of the USDA, NIFA Award No. 2021-70006-35560. This booklet uses heuristic techniques designed to effectively communicate fundamental cultural IPM principles to a broader audience in English and Spanish, avoiding intricate and technical facets of horticulture. The team will disseminate booklets to clientele in 2024 and subsequently offer them for sale in the UF/IFAS Bookstore. This presentation will focus on simplifying horticultural science educational technologies, making them accessible, actionable, and agreeable for Floridians working with landscapes. Funding options, considerations, and experiences developing bilingual training materials will also be shared.

Learning objectives are put into place to measure student conceptualization in classroom activities. However, how effective are these learning outcomes in individualized student activities? Our research will explore how well students expressed learning concepts through in-class floral design construction. The target group is the students in HS 275 Floral Design. To study student understanding, we analyzed each week’s learning objectives by evaluating each student's submitted floral design project photograph. This was done through analyzing our review comments and student reflections of their final project. We will discuss the results of our study about applying teaching strategies that promote conceptualization that can potentially be applied broadly in higher education courses.

TPSS 654 Communications in the Sciences is a required one-credit graduate course in the Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences (TPSS) Department. It covers oral and written communication formats including a CV, thesis/dissertation proposal, scientific journal article, scientific oral presentation, scientific poster, layperson talk, and Scholars Ignite. With 18 students in the class, the instructor found it difficult to provide satisfactory detailed feedback to the students for the seven assignments. The objective was to develop a new course TPSS 711 Special Topics that would enable personalized instruction and mentoring of students on their scientific communications projects. In Spring 2023, five graduate students were registered for TPSS 711—two TPSS students, two NREM students, and one Unclassified student. In Fall 2023, two TPSS graduate students were registered for the course. In Spring 2024, eight graduate students were registered for the course—three TPSS students, three PEPS students, and two HNFAS students. In consultation with the instructor, each student decided on two projects to work on during the semester. The student indicated what specific feedback they were looking for, and the instructor provided individualized assistance with each project. Having this course be TBA (to be announced) regarding meeting dates and times allowed tailoring the course to each student’s schedule. One-to-one meetings enabled more detailed personal instruction that was not possible in the larger TPSS 654 course. Students were more motivated when working on their own projects. Taking TPSS 711 helped me gain insight into how to improve my communication through my writing. I selected two projects that I wanted to improve—my CV and a presentation I was working on—and could meet with the instructor on my own time to ask for guidance on where I could improve. In conclusion, TPSS 711 provided a great opportunity for personalized instruction and sharing. It allowed the instructor to share the many fine points and tips learned over years of studying scientific communications. Being given the option to choose what projects to wanted to work on and what time to meet one-on-one with the instructor made this class very personable. That factor made the quality of TPSS 7111 higher than classes with larger groups since the students were able to spend more time with the instructor.

Peer-to-peer engagement is an impactful way to enrich student learning and the teaching experience, especially in an asynchronous course. Varied online discussion platforms are more readily available to increase engagement, participation, and student learning. However, more information is needed to evaluate whether these discussion platforms enhance engaged learning. This study compares the use of online discussion platforms Packback and Yellowdig, used in sequential years for HS 205 (Sec. 601): Home Food Production - quantifying students' recorded level of participation, engagement with their classmates, and effort put into student posts. In the spring of 2022, Packback was evaluated as an effective class discussion tool for HS 205 (Sec. 601): Home Food Production. Students used Packback as the course discussion forum tool. Each week, they were given instructor-led lead discussion prompts during scheduled weeks and asked to respond to two of their peers. Packback tracked student participation each week and gave students a “curiosity” score. This curiosity score algorithm assessed the effort put into each student’s post. The Packback discussion group had lower full student participation, peer-to-peer engagement, and curiosity/effort scores. In the first week, most students fully participated. But as weeks progressed, the effort put into discussion posting and engagement significantly declined – as low as 65% participation. Beyond answering the discussion prompt, students did not develop their line of inquiry, and engagement was modest – most weeks, students did not fully participate, and the average curiosity score was 66% (the highest participation was 81 and the lowest 40). In the spring of 2023, Yellowdig was used as a digital tool to help create more vibrant, connected learning communities and give students the agency to discuss course topics that are important to them. Using Yellowdig, evidence showed that students became more active participants in the learning process, often exceeding the minimal participation requirement, and played a critical role in constructing knowledge. Crafted course topics provided course relevance and helped students talk about subjects related to the course, but no longer relied on instructor prompts for their discussions each week. With Yellowdig, students in this course performed above average in the number of student connections, the number of discussion posts, the number of reactions and responses given to discussion posts, the total word count average, and the number of multimedia shared (i.e.pictures, videos, weblinks). Furthermore, several students echoed their value of Yellowdig in their end -of-year evaluations.

Kansas State University formally began working in Urban Food Systems (UFS) with the launch of an UFS specialization in the Horticulture graduate program in 2011. In 2013 it expanded to the KSU-Olathe campus in order to be closer partners and other stakeholders in the Kansas City area. This program provides interdisciplinary training that focuses on sustainable urban food production, local food accessibility, food systems project management, grant writing, public and farmer education, and safe food production in an urban environment. Students gain a foundation in horticultural science while studying how the urban food system impacts social and economic development. There are a number of working urban agriculture professionals that do not have formal education or accreditation in these important topics. Therefore, the MS specialization has a thesis and a professional track (report) option that is intended for working professionals. Based on stakeholder feedback and marketing study performed by KSU, it became clear that there is a strong need for this type of education nationally and for working professionals. An online graduate certificate in urban food systems in January 2022 to address this need. The certificate consist of 6 required credits and 6 elective credits from approved courses in plant and agricultural science, leadership and management, sociology, economics and health. Fall 2023, the professional track MS is available 100% online. Graduates of the program are well prepared to work as director/program managers in not-for-profit organizations, city governments, and extension programs in urban districts, facilitating community gardens, urban farming, farmers’ markets, and farm-to-school programs. Details about the curriculum of the MS specialization and the interdisciplinary graduate certificate will be presented. As urban food systems continue to expand across the US and internationally, it will take a diverse group of professionals to address the complex issues that are relevant to this growing discipline.

Higher education institutions play a crucial role in shaping the future by preparing students to address global sustainability challenges. As we incorporate sustainability principles into teaching and research, faculty members are increasingly adopting an interdisciplinary approach. In particular, colleges of agriculture recognize the urgency of addressing soil degradation, climate change, and land management practices—the very threats that jeopardize global sustainability. However, teaching sustainability is no simple task. Students often grapple with the complexities of land degradation, soil health issues, and the impact of global warming on agriculture. Balancing the need to cover sustainability comprehensively while empowering students to find solutions can be challenging. In response to this challenge, a collaborative effort emerged across five different agriculture college courses. These courses leveraged experiential-learning projects focused on soil quality indicators and climate change mitigation as tools for teaching sustainability concepts. Despite varying levels (ranging from 300 to 400), these courses intentionally shared common components and included research projects, shared readings and reflections, student presentations and a symposium for research competition. The study analyzed over 40 research projects on soil quality and 85 student reflections. The results revealed that students not only acquired a deeper understanding of soil quality variations but also recognized how changes in soil health serve as indicators of land degradation or improvement. Moreover, they appreciated the vital role soil health plays in mitigating climate change. This collaborative approach demonstrates the effectiveness of experiential learning in teaching sustainability. By integrating real-world challenges and fostering interdisciplinary connections, higher education institutions can empower students to become informed stewards of our planet’s future.

Universities are adapting their teaching methods to progress with changes in technology. With these shifts in teaching, researchers are interested in which methods are best for certain applications. In the agriculture/horticulture realm, there are many studies describing the effects of online vs traditional in-class learning. Most of these studies focus on plant identification and generic species knowledge of plants. This study's purpose is to determine the efficacy of online vs traditional hands-on learning with eight types of landscaping equipment. The study was completed in the fall semester of 2023 at Kansas State University during the Sustainable Landscape Maintenance class. The class was randomly divided into two groups and exposed to one of two teaching methods (hands-on and online videos). Eight commonly used landscape equipment were taught to the students: power hedge trimmer, rotary push mower, de-thatcher, over seeder, ride-on zero-turn mower, sod cutter, string trimmer, and core aerifier). Both the videos and the in-person teaching covered proper operation and safety for each piece of equipment. One group was given in-person, hands- on learning the first week, while the other group watched online videos over the same four pieces of equipment. The following week, the groups switched teaching method delivery and learned the other four pieces of equipment. The students were given a pre- and post-test to assess their comprehension of the equipment. They also participated in a survey after the experiment to show prior experience on the equipment and comfortability after the labs. Results showed that students learn landscape equipment better in person through hands- on learning, rather than relying only on videos. The survey also showed students prefer hands-on demonstrations to become more comfortable operating these pieces of equipment.

Concepts of plant water use, photosynthesis, and respiration have historically been challenging for undergraduates in introductory horticulture courses. To increase student understanding of these concepts, we conducted a study in a principles of horticultural science course with two lab sections and a total enrollment of 51 students. After traditional lectures of these plant physiological processes concluded, we used a flipped classroom approach with the learners as teachers to increase student learning. Each lab section was divided into six groups, with 12 groups in total. Groups were assigned one of the three topics and presented their topic to two other groups of students. Five knowledge-based questions on each physiological process, 15 questions total, were included on a pre-test prior to hearing lectures. The same 15 questions were given on a post-test following the lectures, but prior to the student presentations. Those 15 questions were also included on the unit exam following the presentations. No significant differences were found between pre-test and exam scores when evaluated for specific topics students presented. However, an 80% overall score increase from the pre-test to the unit exam was reported. This correlates with student responses to a post-survey in which 80% of the students indicated they understood the other physiological processes better after hearing the group presentations. Our results show that a flipped classroom approach of students teaching students can be effective at increasing student understanding of difficult horticultural concepts.