ASHS 2024 Conference

Curated Literature as Continuing Education for Master Gardener Volunteers - Alicia Herzog
A Landscape Performance Evaluation of Sun-Loving Impatiens x hybrida in Mississippi - Scott Langlois
Evaluation of Selected Commercially Available Tabletop Hydroponic Systems and Their Performance on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Growth Characteristics - Leonard Githinji
Needs Assessment Evaluation to Inform Statewide Horticulture Newsletter - Cynthia Domenghini
Master Gardener Volunteers Learn Basic Plant Research Through the A.R.T.S. Rose Evaluation Program - Jeff Wilson

Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) are a highly trained corps of volunteers whose mission is to assist extension agents in providing research-based horticultural information and education to residents. MGV’s accomplish this through participating in a variety of volunteer activities including gardening, youth and adult education, writing articles, testing soil pH, and providing diagnostic services at plant clinics. An objective of this program is that 75% of MGVs will report improved wellbeing as a result of participating in the MGV program. Annual surveys have been distributed from 2019 to 2023 to access the benefits derived from participating in the program both as a volunteer and specifically as a volunteer in a garden setting. Results from 5 years of annual surveys revealed that as a result of participating in the MGV program: 87% (n=168) feel physically healthier; 77% (n=170) experienced reduced levels of stress; 88% (n=171) experienced improved mental health; 78% (n=169) increased social connectedness; 88% (n=171) increased overall life satisfaction; and 91% (n=170) feel they make a difference in their community. When these MGVs were surveyed about their experience specifically volunteering in a garden setting, 90% (n=132) reported improved mental health; 86% (n=136) increased social connectedness; 81% (n=131) increased energy and vitality; 91% (n=132) increased sense of wellbeing; 84% (n=132) improved outlook on life; 96% (n=131) increased physical activity; and 90% (n=131) improved physical health. Volunteers experience improved health and wellbeing from participating in the MGV program and from gardening opportunities the affiliation provides.

African Americans (AA) have a rich history intertwined with agriculture, yet modern agricultural opportunities often elude them. Despite the industry

Therapeutic Horticulture and Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Pilot Study at the University of Florida - Elizabeth Diehl
Integrating Developmentally Disabled Individuals Into the Oklahoma Green Industry Workforce - Mike Schnelle
The Effect of a Plant Distribution and Care Program on First-Year University Student Retention, Levels of Depression, Stress, Anxiety, and Loneliness - Srinivas Reddy Adama
Evaluating the Needs and Barriers of Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers in Southwest Puerto Rico: A Qualitative Approach - Angela Linares Ramirez
Soilborne Disease, Plant-parasitic Nematode, Insect Pest, and Weed Challenges Faced by High Tunnel Growers and Preferred Strategies to Overcome Those Challenges: Preliminary Results from a Kentucky Farmer Survey - Margarita Velandia
Gauging 8th Graders’ Knowledge of Organic Agriculture Production and Labeling Practices - Christine Coker

The specific aims of this pilot study were to 1) determine if and which patients, receiving care for chronic lower back pain (LBP) in the UF Health Comprehensive Spine Center, were interested in therapeutic horticulture to manage LBP, and 2) quantify changes in LBP, functional tasks, and anxiety upon completion of a therapeutic horticulture session. The study hypothesis was that individuals participating in the therapeutic horticulture intervention would demonstrate improvements in spine mobility and physical function as well as a reduction in spine pain severity from pre- to post-session. This was a two-part study with a mixed methods design including cross-sectional survey and pilot experimental components. Results revealed that 68% of patients were interested in learning about therapeutic horticulture for LBP. Among those patients who participated in the intervention, improvements were observed in anxiety, spine flexion, and spine rotation to the left.

Horticulturists throughout the State of Oklahoma have a long history of interacting, mentoring, and often employing individuals with developmental disabilities. Young adults seeking vocational training in western Oklahoma have access to the Center of Family Love, Okarche, OK, whereas individuals and their families enjoy similar training opportunities in eastern Oklahoma utilizing services and programs offered by A New Leaf, Tulsa, OK metropolitan area. While not an exhaustive list of Oklahoma organizations that offer horticultural therapy and employment opportunities for the developmentally disabled, the two aforementioned businesses have a multidecade track record of successfully matching individuals' talents and skills with specific horticultural-type employment. Not only do clients/workers have opportunities to learn more about growing and marketing both ornamental and edible crops, but they also earn wages while being mainstreamed with the “growing public”. An overview of the genesis of these operations and how they have evolved over time will be highlighted. Lastly, examples will be outlined regarding how workers provide a learning opportunity for their clientele (consumers). Specifically, the public is exposed to and thus recognizes often overlooked value in people that have been wrongfully labeled and assumed not capable of commercial horticultural work activities/tasks, successful interaction with the public, and ultimately the ability to often acquire independent living skills.

The retention and recruitment of freshmen students transitioning to higher education or transferring to new institutions represent significant challenges for universities nationwide. Research underscores the mental health challenges encountered by students upon entering higher education, highlighting the necessity for effective resolution strategies. This study aimed to assess the impact of a plant distribution and care program on first-year university student retention, as well as levels of depression, stress, anxiety, and loneliness. The study employed a treatment and control group, both of which underwent pretest and posttest assessments using the DASS-21 and UCLA Loneliness scale, along with demographic information and prior experiences with mental health issues and plants. Recruitment for both groups was conducted through convenience sampling across university students. The treatment group participated in an 8-week program where they received designated plants and were instructed to care for them within their dormitories using plant care tips provided through an online platform. Additionally, they engaged in greenhouse activities. Conversely, the control group underwent pretest and posttest assessments at the same intervals as the treatment group, without any intervention. Results revealed a significant improvement in mental health among participants in the treatment group, despite data collection coinciding with final semester exams. Conversely, the control group exhibited no discernible differences between pretest and posttest assessments. These findings suggest that houseplants may serve as a viable means to mitigate stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness among incoming university students.

According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, the gross value of sales of fruits and vegetables produced in Puerto Rico totaled $52,127,495. Over 60% of these sales were generated in the island’s two main fruit and vegetable-producing regions, namely $25,351,987 in Region 4-Ponce and $7,948,690 in Region 8-San Germán (Census of Agriculture, 2017). This study examined the needs, barriers, and sources of information used by farmers in those regions. We employed a multiple-case research design and conducted in-depth interviews with 15 growers with diverse backgrounds and experiences (e.g., members of agricultural cooperatives, beginning farmers with four years of operation, smallholder farmers with less than 10 acres, farmers with large operations exceeding 250 acres, women-led farms, and farms with different production systems, such as conventional, certified organic, and agroecology). The Theory of Planned Behavior informed the interview protocol to capture attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control affecting farmers’ intentions to continue producing fruit and vegetables in the short and long term. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (UF-IRB: 202102464/ UPRM-IRB: 2023010008), and informed consent was obtained from all participants. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Our preliminary results indicate that the main barriers include issues related to (i) climate variability, (ii) labor, and (iii) market pricing and commercialization. Growers particularly emphasized experiencing crop damage, yield reductions, and sales losses due to climate shocks such as erratic weather patterns, drought, extreme heat, and an increase in the prevalence and severity of insect pests. Concerning labor, growers reported challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified and skilled workers, citing the high cost and administrative burden associated with the H-2A temporary agricultural workers program. Farmers, regardless of scale or production system, expressed difficulties due to recurrent oversupply of similar crops in the market, leading to the acceptance of lower prices. Additionally, growers highlighted issues related to the reliability, efficiency, and lack of distribution channels. Regarding sustainability in their production systems, most participants expressed a need for more information and dissemination of sustainable pest management practices. Notably, farmers’ most frequently utilized sources of information included videos, technical bulletins, and blogs available on the web. Our findings offer valuable insights for designing future outreach programs, developing research priorities, and formulating funding initiatives, with a specific focus on enhancing fruit and vegetable production systems in Puerto Rico.

Small farms in Kentucky use high tunnels (HTs) to help increase farm profitability and resilience and give them the ability to extend their growing season for year-round production of high-value specialty crops. Although HTs are semi-permanent structures, many are never moved due to land constraints, the time and labor required to move them, and because corner posts are often cemented into the ground to secure the structure from weather events. The continuous cropping in non-rotated soil can intensify pathogen, insect pest, and weed population densities. The multiple benefits of HTs may be reduced or disappear when soilborne pest pressure increases. We conducted a survey of Kentucky vegetable growers between January and March 2024 to assess production challenges faced when growing vegetables in high tunnels, specifically those related to soilborne diseases, plant-parasitic nematodes, insect pests, and weeds, and the preferred strategies to manage those challenges. We had a particular interest in assessing farmers' use or willingness to use soil solarization as a strategy to manage these issues in high tunnels. Farmers were surveyed using both web-based and mail versions of the survey. We targeted producers growing high-valued crops in their high tunnels, specifically tomato, lettuce, and leafy greens. Preliminary results suggest that common soilborne diseases faced by survey respondents include Sclerotinia spp. A large percentage of respondents indicated they have not had or they do not know if they have soilborne diseases or plant-parasitic nematodes. Regarding insect pests, the most common pests faced by survey respondents are aphids and whiteflies. Finally, common weed problems faced by survey respondents include pigweed, crabgrass, and chickweed. Common strategies used by respondents to address these problems include fungicides, insecticides, and hand weeding. Regarding soil solarization, only a small percentage of respondents are using or have used soil solarization. Nonetheless, more than 75% of those respondents who are not using or have not used soil solarization are willing to use soil solarization. The two most important reasons for wanting to use soil solarization include interest in using more environmentally friendly practices and the belief that soil solarization might be cheaper and more effective in managing weeds, insect pests, diseases and /or plant-parasitic nematodes in high tunnels.

Pathways2Possibilities (P2P) is an interactive career expo for 8th graders in Mississippi. P2P encompasses 19 career pathways. The Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Pathway focuses on supporting life by ensuring that we are responsibly managing our food production and natural resources. This pathway focuses on preparing students for careers in planning, implementing, producing, managing, processing and marketing of agricultural goods and services. Gulf Coast P2P hosted nearly 7,000 8th graders from 10 Coastal counties in the fall of 2023. from 10 South Mississippi counties. Delta P2P hosted nearly 2,000 8th graders from 10 Delta counties in the spring of 2024. At each event, a six question survey was presented to the students to determine their knowledge of organic agriculture and labeling practices. Questions were posed as Yes or No and were answered by Red (no) or Blue (yes) tickets in opaque boxes. Students were given temporary fruit and vegetable tattoos for participating. The six questions and respective YES responses (by location GC for Gulf Coast and D for Delta) were as follows: 1) Are genetically modified organisms allowed in organic products? GC: 31%, D: 48%; 2) Are organic farmers allowed to use natural methods for pest control? GC: 92%, D: 65%; 3) Are organic farms typically smaller than conventional farms? GC: 63%, D: 65%; 4) Is organic farming regulated by the U.S. government to ensure organic food labels accurately represent the product’s authenticity? GC: 63%, D: 58%; 5) Are organic products labeled with a special certification to help consumers identify them in stores? GC: 81%, D: 79%; and 6) Do certifies organic products have to be produced on a certified organic farm? GC: 53%, D: 62%. Nearly 600 students participated in the Gulf Coast survey and approximately 400 students participated in the Delta survey. Results are mixed as to how much knowledge students have about organic agriculture production and labeling.

Objective: The Horticulture Investment Study seeks to quantify and qualify public and private investments, alongside identifying challenges and opportunities in horticultural research and development, aimed at facilitating high-level policy engagement. This research is led by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, in collaboration with the World Vegetable Center, the One CGIAR Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH), and various university partners. Background: Despite widespread recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable consumption—endorsed by 93% of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines—significant barriers remain. These include limited access, high costs, and entrenched dietary preferences, alongside inadequate global production that disproportionately impacts low-income and Global South populations. Addressing these issues is vital for enhancing nutrition and income, particularly through the empowerment of small-scale farmers in the Global South, where fruits and vegetables often represent women-managed crops. Methods: This study spans several countries including Cambodia, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Benin, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Guatemala, USA, and Germany. It employs a mixed-methods approach, beginning with a Delphi questionnaire distributed among key stakeholders from government, academia, international NGOs, and the private sector. Subsequent in-person workshops facilitate discussions on investment estimates and the dynamics of horticultural investments in each country. The inaugural workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, gathered 18 local experts who provided critical investment insights and validated the use of Delphi and Q methodologies for this study. Impact: The study aims to illuminate the economic and social impacts of investing in fruit and vegetable production, focusing on enhancing accessibility and affordability. It also addresses environmental considerations such as land use, aiming to support sustainable agricultural practices. By bridging gaps in horticultural investment, the study intends to foster supportive environments that enhance fruit and vegetable production and consumption, thus contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Conclusion: This study underscores the critical need for enhanced investment in horticulture to overcome systemic barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption, thereby improving global health and economic outcomes, especially for vulnerable populations in the Global South. The outcomes are expected to guide policy decisions and stimulate further research and development in the horticulture sector.