Studies have been conducted on the preferences and opinions of individuals for garden and landscape spaces with varying amounts of plants (Zheng et al., 2011). However, little data exists on the perceptions individuals hold about the gardeners that grow these garden spaces. An online survey was created containing images that represent three outdoor spaces with three different amounts of plant material and complexity. The images with different amounts of plant material were created with artificial intelligence assisted software to modify the identical base backgrounds. Participants were asked a variety of questions about each space, then about the “gardener” who created the space. The survey contained twenty short answer questions and eighteen sliding scale questions to provide a diverse data set. Participants in the survey were undergraduate students in an introductory horticulture class, high school students in agriculture education classes, and adults training to be Master Gardeners. Data from undergraduate students reveals there was a positive correlation between the amounts of plant material and the respondent’s opinions on the gardener’s level of education, age, socioeconomic status, and gardening experience. Less plant material corresponded to a perception of lower levels of education, age, status, and experience. Thus, respondents consider areas with the highest amount of plant material to be created by more highly educated, older individuals with higher socioeconomic status and more gardening experience. These results allow us to better understand the public’s perception of gardens and gardeners, assisting us in creating more applicable materials for classes and facilitating more productive interactions with the public.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the topic of gardening activities and their impact on stress gained much attention. Undergraduate students often complain of being overwhelmed or stressed, and gardening activities have been shown to reduce stress for some people (Makayla et al., 2023). Therefore, as instructors, we thought it would be interesting to see if undergraduate students realize a benefit from hands-on, horticulture labs. The purpose of this study was to determine if hands-on horticulture activities reduced stress in undergraduate students in a horticulture class at Iowa State University. We investigated the perceived stress of undergraduate students before and after lab activities for Home Horticulture (Hort 121) course. We used a modified ten-question Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure and assess students’ stress levels (Cohen, 1983). Four labs (out of 14) were selected for this study. Each lab lasted 50 minutes and included a hands-on, experiential activity. Three lab sections with approximately 25 students in each section, participated in this study. Two of the labs were administered outdoors and two were administered indoors. Students completed the modified PSS immediately before and after these lab activities. Data were compiled and analyzed in Excel. Preliminary results indicated moderate improvement in stress levels by students in all lab sections. In addition, almost all students enjoyed these lab activities. Future data analysis will determine if there are differences in stress reduction between indoor or outdoor lab activities. The results from this study can give undergraduate students alternative stress management practices to help them thrive in stressful times. Practical and effective stress management skills are important for their academic performance and general well-being.
Media literacy is the ability to decipher a source’s reliability and credibility. In a 2023 Axiom Market survey about home gardeners and vegetables, participants were asked, “what is the most important place to learn about new vegetables?” Only 1% of respondents said university extension service (Axiom, 2023). As online gardening resources continue to grow so does the need for accurate and reliable information. In this study, we surveyed Iowa State University undergraduate students and Master Gardeners on their perceptions of media literacy. The survey was created in Qualtrics and contained ten Likert scale questions, eight multiple choice questions, and five gardening-based case studies. In these case studies participants were asked to rank sources based on their perceived “trustworthiness.” The survey was distributed in April 2024. Across the five case studies, Iowa State University students ranked “.org” and “.edu” sources higher than sources whose domains contained “.com.” Eighty-two percent of undergraduate students responded that they have not shared incorrect information on social media. Eighty-seven percent of students consider themselves confident internet users. Eighty-four percent of students consider themselves to be media literate. Seventy-eight percent of students consider themselves media literate and confident internet users. These results indicate that undergraduate students may not fully recognize the difference between being a confident internet user and being media literate. These data will serve as a pilot to assist with the creation of a media literacy training module for undergraduate students and Master Gardeners to strengthen their critical thinking skills around online gardening resources.
The Carnation Ethylene-responsive element-Binding Protein (CEBP), a nuclear-encoded transcription factor found in plants, is believed to be involved in the senescence of flowers. Previous studies have elucidated the putative role of this protein in the nucleus, however the role of CEBP in the chloroplast remains unknown. An RNAi construct to silence CEBP mRNA expression was developed under control of the Clarkia breweri linalool synthase (LIS) promoter, a flower specific promoter, in addition to Kanamycin resistance. The construct was transformed into E. coli, and then the plasmid containing the construct was then transferred into Agrobacterium. Next, Agrobacterium mediated transformation was utilized to insert the RNAi into the petunias using leaf disk infiltration. Four independent transgenic lineages were transferred from tissue culture to the greenhouse. QRTPCR confirmed expression of the RNAi construct as well as knock down effect on CEBP expression. Senescence timeframes, physiological changes, and downstream effects will be reported.
Microgreens, or very young vegetable seedlings, are an increasingly common appearance in dishes for garnish, flavor, and even nutrient content. As microgreens become more relevant, this study analyzed the optimal density by which to sow a variety of microgreen species as well as the optimal temperatures to store them once harvested. Seeds of arugula, cilantro, red leaf beet, and Russian kale were sown at 5.27g/m2, 10.54g/g/m2, 21.10g/m2, 42.18g/m2, 84.35g/m2, 168.71g/m2, and 337.42g/m2. Sowing density was randomly assigned in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The average height was measured before harvest and fresh weight was determined upon harvest. Fresh weights of microgreens sown at 337.42g/m2 was always more than those sown at any other density. Interestingly, this treatment did not always produce the tallest plants. Lower densities, notably arugula and beet, produced the tallest plants at 21.10g/m2 and 42.18g/m2. Considering cost seed and harvestable yield, optimal sowing densities were for 168.71g/m2, and 337.42g/m2. In a separate experiment the same microgreens were stored in clamshells at 0.0°C, 2.5°C, 5.0°C, 7.5°C, 10.0°C, 12.5°C, and 20°C. Microgreens were observed at 3, 7, 10 and 14 days after harvest and rated on a 1 to 5 scale. Storage at room temperature (20°C) caused severe yellowing and quick decline where none of the microgreens were of acceptable quality at 3 days after harvest. Temperatures below 7.5°C allowed acceptable storage of each of the microgreens for up to one week. Decay was most significant in arugula at two weeks of storage while others only showed moderately better performance.
Heat and drought in cities can be exacerbated by limitations on water availability for irrigation. While many perennials are drought-tolerant, decreases in bloom number and quality are common. This study has two objectives. First, does bloom number in perennials decrease under limited irrigation. Second, how does this affect the number of pollinator visits. Twenty perennials were randomly planted in twelve beds, arranged in a randomized complete block design, with three beds per block. One plant of each perennial species was planted per bed. Beds within each block were randomly assigned to one of three irrigation levels: ET (evapotranspiration) 0.6, 0.3, and 0.0. Pollinators were counted by standing in front of the plant for 60 seconds and counting each pollinator within the canopy. Bloom number was determined by counting the number of blooms on one quarter of the plant and multiplying by four. Across all species, both bloom number and pollinator visits remained the same across all irrigation levels. However, individual species had very different results. Blue mist flower (Conoclinum coelestinum) had more blooms and pollinator visits in the ET 0.6 treatments (119.4 blooms and 1.3 pollinators per plant) than the ET 0.3 treatments (75.6 blooms and 0.6 pollinators per plant), while fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) had more average blooms per plant in the ET 0.3 (64.1) and ET 0 (54.9) than the ET 0.6 (15.9), though a similar average number of pollinators per plant across all treatments. Interestingly, while blooms and soil water content across all species were not correlated, pollinators and soil water content had a moderate, positive correlation (P=0.01, r=0.49).
Plant nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is important in reducing fertilizer costs and mitigating negative impacts on agriculture and the environment. The goal of this research was to differentiate various strawberry cultivars based on their growth on compost versus inorganic nitrogen sources. The hypothesis posits that different strawberry cultivars display varying effects on the soil and plant microbiome. Given the variability in cultivars and their effects on the soil and plant microbiome, it is possible that different cultivars may influence the soil differently. Moreover, plants play a pivotal role in the development of microbiomes, subsequently supporting plant growth. For instance, plants exude amino acids from their roots to foster their beneficial microbiome. This hypothesis was tested by growing 7 cultivars of strawberries for six weeks in a mixture of peat moss and turface with and without added compost and seven replicates. Four of the replicates were used for destructive sampling at the end and three for the microbiome work. The plants were watered daily with a complete soluble fertilizer with and without added nitrogen. Leachate was collected daily and the nitrogen content (loss of nitrogen) determined. Relative growth rate and tissue N uptake was determined for each cultivar at the end of the experiment. To study the microbiome, leaf stamps on agar plates were conducted, enabling the cultivation and analysis of both bacterial and fungal communities associated with the strawberry leaves. This method provided direct insights into the microbial diversity and density present on the plant surfaces. The results of this research revealed that all cultivars grew better on soluble fertilizer than compost but some strawberry cultivars grew better on compost than others. Moreover, the strawberries developed a distinctive leaf microbiome when grown on compost, and variations specific to each cultivar were pronounced. Differential cultivar response to compost and soluble fertilizer supports the hypothesis that different cultivars influence the soil and hence nutrient uptake differently, demonstrating the importance of plant selection for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Further research is needed to determine the exact mechanisms.
The Student Organic Farm Training (SOFT) program, established in 2007, is a student-run organic mini farm that serves as a co-curricular, hands-on learning environment for several classes at the University of Hawaii. The program's three-fold mission is to 1) highlight the role of ecological processes in organic food production through an interactive learning garden, 2) promote community health and sustainability via local food production, and 3) cultivate skills in entrepreneurship, management, and leadership among student participants in relation to agriculture. Key objectives include facilitating peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, increasing student access to affordable local organic produce, and improving student proficiency in regenerative management of horticultural systems. Specific initiatives include developing a themed educational garden, hosting workshops led by faculty/students, providing internships and volunteer opportunities, conducting on-site research, distributing produce to underserved populations, coordinating volunteer workdays, and community outreach through off-site volunteering and attending events/markets. In partnership with Noelani Public Elementary School, SOFT has engaged over 400 students in hands-on STEM learning. Through "soup" and "pizza" themed gardens, these first graders explored topics such as photosynthesis, soil, nutrition, and food safety, fostering a lifelong love for gardening and healthy eating. SOFT’s long-term goals include further integration with university curricula, transitioning to a self-sustaining operation, and expanding the program's scope to incorporate diverse horticultural systems.
Commercial apple cultivars require a pollinizer for cross-pollination to ensure fruit-set yields when planted in contiguous blocks found in modern apple orchards. Pollinizers must have compatible viable diploid pollen and have bloom overlap with the variety grown in the orchard block. Climate change can influence the viability of a pollenizer cultivar by shifting the bloom times of the pollinizers and the commercial apple cultivar, depleting the source of pollen for that block, and decreasing yield potential. 4 commercially available pollenizing crabapple cultivars (Indian Summer, Mt. Blanc™, Mt. Evereste™, Snow Drift) were replicated 5 times in completely randomized design. Pollinizers were analyzed weekly for developmental stages from silver tip to petal fall. 7 apple cultivars were also analyzed for comparison. The stage progression data for each pollenizer cultivar was modeled using growing degrees days base 6.6°C. These models were used to compare the stage progression and bloom dates of the pollenizer cultivars, and compared to the production apple cultivars to assess bloom overlap and determine pollinizer feasibility. All 4 crabapples began to bloom earlier than the scion cultivars leading to little bloom overlap. Indian Summer was the first crabapple to bloom on 3/28 with cumulative growing degree days (GDD) 166.4. The latest to bloom was Mt. Blanc on 4/13 with cumulative GDD 250.1. The commercial cultivars did not begin to bloom until 4/6 with cumulative GDD 199.6 through 4/13 with cumulative GDD 250.1. While the first commercial cultivar to bloom was Gold Rush and most at full bloom around 4/13, at which time all but Mt. Blanc crabapples were past bloom. Results suggest most pollinizer cultivars have poor bloom overlap with commercial cultivars in Kentucky, with Mt. Blanc offering the best, though limited overlap. Furthermore, the crabapple cultivars are seemingly responding to environmental cues such as chilling and GDD accumulation differently to leave dormancy and progress through bloom at a more rapid rate. These early results suggest that the use of crabapple cultivars as pollinizers and their overlap with commercial apple cultivars could be an area of concern as climate change brings earlier springs in major apple producing regions.
