C hronica H ORTICULTURAE A PUBLICATION OF THE I NTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE Volume 50 - Number 3 - 2010 Symposia and Workshops Horticultural Highlights Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants • Fig • Orchid • Loquat • Irrigation of Horticultural Crops • Date Palm • Cucurbit Master of Science in Horticulture: New Approaches in Europe • Guiding Young People to Horticulture • Native Australian Acacias: Unrealised Ornamental Potential • Celebrating 100 Years of Beltsville Agricultural Research • Organic Agriculture: Business is Booming in Nigeria • Horticulture of the Taj Mahal: Gardens of the Imagination • Annatto: A Natural Dye from the Tropics
Transcript
ChronicaHORTICULTURAE
A PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE
Volume 50 - Number 3 - 2010
Symposia and Workshops
Horticultural Highlights
Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants • Fig • Orchid • Loquat • Irrigation ofHorticultural Crops • Date Palm • Cucurbit
Master of Science in Horticulture: New Approaches in Europe • Guiding YoungPeople to Horticulture • Native Australian Acacias: Unrealised OrnamentalPotential • Celebrating 100 Years of Beltsville Agricultural Research • OrganicAgriculture: Business is Booming in Nigeria • Horticulture of the Taj Mahal:Gardens of the Imagination • Annatto: A Natural Dye from the Tropics
Editorial Advisory CommitteeIsabel Ferreira, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Lisbon, PortugalKim Hummer, USDA ARS NCGR, Corvallis, USAHilde Nybom, Balsgard-Dept. Crop Science, Swedish University of AgriculturalSciences, Kristianstad, SwedenRobert K. Prange, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, CanadaAnthony David Webster, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Membership and Orders of Chronica Horticulturae
Chronica Horticulturae is provided to the Membership for free: Individual Membership60 EUR per year (developed countries) or two years (developing countries), 50 EUR peryear/two years for members of affiliated national societies, or Student Membership30 EUR per year. For all details on ISHS membership categories and membershipadvantages, including a membership application form, refer to the ISHS membershippages at www.ishs.org/members.
Payments
All major Credit Cards accepted. Always quote your name and invoice or membershipnumber. Make checks payable to ISHS Secretariat. Money transfers: ISHS main bankaccount number is 230-0019444-64. Bank details: Fortis Bank, Branch “HeverleeArenberg”, Naamsesteenweg 173/175, B-3001 Leuven 1, Belgium. BIC (SWIFT code):GEBABEBB08A, IBAN: BE29230001944464. Please arrange for all bank costs to betaken from your account assuring that ISHS receives the net amount. Prices listed arein euro (EUR) but ISHS accepts payments in USD as well.
Acta Horticulturae
Acta Horticulturae is the series of proceedings of ISHS Scientific Meetings, Symposia orCongresses (ISSN: 0567-7572). ISHS Members are entitled to a substantialdiscount on the price of Acta Horticulturae. For an updated list of available titles, goto www.ishs.org/acta. A complete and accurate record of the entire ActaHorticulturae collection, including all abstracts and full text articles is available onlineat www.actahort.org. ISHS Individual membership includes credits to download 10full text Acta Horticulturae articles. All Acta Horticulturae titles – including those nolonger available in print format – are available in the ActaHort CD-ROM format.
Scripta Horticulturae
Scripta Horticulturae is a new series from ISHS devoted to specific horticultural issuessuch as position papers, crop or technology monographs and special workshops orconferences.
The Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology (JHSB)
The JHSB, a "partner" refereed research Journal of the ISHS, is a leading peer reviewed, citation-rated Journal of international stature, reputation and eminence. Itpublishes high-quality original research findings in horticultural science and biotech-nology to a world-wide audience. JHSB is an English Charity owned by its Trustees forthe benefit of horticultural science and society-at-large, on a not-for-profit basis.Available online at www.pubhort.org
The ISHS has a number of collaboration agreements with other Journals. Additionalinformation can be seen from the PubHort website.
A publication of the International Society forHorticultural Science, a society of individuals, orga-nizations, and governmental agencies devoted tohorticultural research, education, industry, andhuman well-being.
ISHS • 2
� News & Views from the Board3 Farewell from the Outgoing Board, Welcome to the New,
3 The Congress and the Society, A.A. Monteiro4 The New Board of the ISHS9 Newly Elected Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Sections and
Commissions, Kim E. Hummer
� Issues10 Master of Science in Horticulture: New Approaches in Europe,
S. Sansavini16 Guiding Young People to Horticulture, G. McEvilly and D. Aldous
� Horticultural Science Focus19 Native Australian Acacias: Unrealised Ornamental Potential,
K. Ratnayake and D. Joyce
� Horticultural Science News23 Celebrating 100 Years of Beltsville Agricultural Research, S. Yao,
R.J. Griesbach and R.H. Zimmerman28 Organic Agriculture: Business is Booming in Nigeria,
I. Aiyelaagbe, P. Harris, J. Atungwu and V. Olowe
� History30 Horticulture of the Taj Mahal: Gardens of the Imagination,
J. Janick, R. Kamenetsky and Sumangala H. Puttaswamy
� The World of Horticulture34 Annatto: A Natural Dye from the Tropics, F. Leal and
C. Michelangeli de Clavijo36 New Books, Websites37 Courses and Meetings
� Symposia and Workshops38 IInd Int’l Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants39 IVth Int’l Symposium on Fig41 Ist Int’l Orchid Symposium42 IIIrd Int’l Symposium on Loquat44 VIth Int’l Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops45 IVth Int’l Date Palm Conference47 IVth Int’l Cucurbit Symposium
� News from the ISHS Secretariat49 New ISHS Members50 2010 ISHS Horticultural Economics and Management Best
Doctoral Dissertation Award51 Calendar of ISHS Events52 Available Issues of Acta Horticulturae
Cover photograph: Floral imagery made up of stone inlays (pietra dura) inthe Taj Mahal. See article p. 30.
Farewell from the Outgoing Board,Welcome to the New
NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE BOARD
Robert J. Bogers, Jules Janick, Norman E. Looney, Jung-Myung Lee, António A. Monteiro and Ian J. Warrington
This issue of Chronica Horticulturae cele-brates the transfer of the authority to a newBoard that will direct the course of ISHS for thenext four years. Of the outgoing Board, four ofus have served eight years and Jung-MyungLee and António A. Monteiro (ex officio) haveserved four. It is fair to say that despite theexperience of very detailed agendas, demand-ing Board meetings and very long internation-al flights, we have thoroughly enjoyed theexperience and have learned new insights intohorticulture, science, and our Society. Greatchanges to the Society have occurred duringour terms and we are all proud of the success-es we have observed. Nonetheless we are eachmindful of the issues that remain to beaddressed and of the challenges that lie aheadacross all areas of the Society’s activities andendeavors. All of us have openly expressed ourviews about our Society in this column and thisis not the time or place to repeat them. It isappropriate however, to welcome the newBoard (Yves Desjardins, Errol W. Hewett, Kim E.Hummer, António A. Monteiro, Georg J. Nogaand Ian J. Warrington (ex officio)) and we wishthem every success for the term ahead.
At this time we would like also to express ourappreciation and, indeed our admiration, toExecutive Director Jozef Van Assche and hisloyal staff (Dirk Van Holderbeke, PeterVanderborght, Joanna Falleyn, Maria Testor,Steven Franssens, Karen Sniekers and Kelly VanDijck) for their devotion to our Society. In the
Outgoing Board members in front of new ISHS Headquarters at Catholic University of Leuven,from left to right: Ian Warrington, António Monteiro (ex officio, Co-President of IHC2010),Norman Looney, Jung-Myung Lee, Rob Bogers, Jules Janick (Jozef Van Assche, Executive Director).
vast scheme of things, horticultural science isbut a small world, but it is apparent that weare all family. Our service to the Society willcontinue but in very different ways. We look
forward with anticipation to the future, confi-dent that ISHS will continue to move forwardwith confidence and with vigor.
António A. Monteiro, President of ISHS
The Congress and the Society
The IHC 2010 is over and many participantshave considered it a huge success for the ISHS.Besides the high attendance and the excellenceof the programme there were innovative activi-ties and new concepts that are worth followingup. The theme of the Congress, Science andHorticulture for People, was closely related tothe ISHS mission and priorities as I will explainbelow.
Science is the central pillar of the ISHS and itsraison d’être. The Society should continue toinvest on its scientific structure to assure the
delivery of top quality scientific knowledge.We preferred “science” to “horticulturalscience” in the IHC theme because science isuniversal and has no label. A substantial shareof the scientific knowledge presented at theISHS congresses and symposia is produced byscientists that do not consider themselves ashorticultural scientists or are not members ofhorticultural departments. They may havediversified backgrounds such as economy,molecular biology, plant physiology, genomicsand just ignore horticulture. Yet these scientists
come to ISHS meetings because these meet-ings provide a target to their knowledge. Thisis our strength. The ISHS is a magnet thatattracts the best science and makes it availablefor horticultural innovation. The attendance toour meetings is much broader than the socalled horticultural scientific communitybecause the ISHS meetings are a hub wheredisciplinary knowledge is integrated usingholistic approaches. The focal points are theapplied topics of our diversified and highly suc-cessful symposia.
ISHS • 4
The new Board members with their respectiveresponsibilities for the next four years are:
- Professor António A. Monteiro (Portugal);President of the ISHS and Chairperson of theBoard
- Dr. Kim E. Hummer (United States ofAmerica); Vice-President and Vice-Chairperson of the Board, responsible forthe Scientific Activities of the Society
- Prof. Dr. Georg J. Noga (Germany);Treasurer, responsible for the FinancialAffairs of the Society
- Professor Yves Desjardins (Canada);Responsible for Publications
- Prof. Dr. Errol W. Hewett (New Zealand);
On August 24, 2010, at the meeting of the General Assembly, the ISHS members presentconfirmed and inaugurated the new Board of the ISHS. As laid down in the Statutes andin the Rules of Procedure of the Society, the Board is composed of five elected personsand two ex officio members.
The New Board of the ISHS
To keep this dynamic process alive the Board incollaboration with the ISHS ExecutiveCommittee, the core of our scientific structure,has to endeavour efforts to catch the attentionof the best scientists to our symposia and toassure the publication of good science andtechnology in Acta Horticulturae, the flagshipof ISHS publications. However, the ISHS will onlycontinue to be a magnet for science if our activ-ities are well rooted in horticulture and are wellattended by people from the horticulture indus-try and stakeholders. Our meetings without anactive presence of the industry will be a weakmagnet and may lose much of their appeal. Thepresence of potential knowledge users at thesemeetings will turn them into a must to attendby reputed scientists. Then the so-called horti-cultural science is happening.
It is estimated that about one quarter of theattendance to the ISHS meetings comes fromthe industry, but these participants are silentpartners most of the times. They deserve highervisibility and a more active role in the life of theSociety. The Horticulture Brokerage Eventorganised during the IHC 2010 is just an exam-ple of this strategy, which has exceeded ourmost optimistic expectations. The demand forcontacts was huge and we experienced intenseinteraction between knowledge providers andknowledge users.
People is the last word in the IHC theme fol-lowing Science and Horticulture. The ultimateaim of the ISHS is to serve people through hor-ticulture. We are in a very good position toaccomplish this mission since horticulture has atremendous potential to improve the lives and
the livelihoods of distinct types of people allover the world. I am just picking a few examplesof the people that can benefit from horticultureproducts and services.
First of all we have the consumers that buyfruits, vegetables and flowers daily. However,they do not realise the tremendous scientificinvestment behind the products they purchaseto make them fit into their convenience andneeds. Consumers ignore that they are the tar-get of the most important innovations in horti-culture chains. An adequate advocacy strategycan increase the visibility of the role of horticul-tural science in our lives. The target should bethe opinion makers that can influence the per-ception of horticultural science by the generalpublic.
Horticulture industry involves millions of peopleand is regarded as a valuable tool for economicand social development. It is easy to find strik-ing examples of the use of this tool all over theworld. Most horticultural products have highvalue-added components and therefore inten-sive horticulture provides a counterweight toextensive agriculture in terms of local or region-al development. Some forms of horticulture e.g.urban and peri-urban horticulture, vegetableand fruit production for self-consumption andfor local markets, are regarded as very efficientmeans for the development of poor regions.However, the promotion of horticulture in manyof these regions adds to the complexity of hor-ticultural sciences. Biological sciences and grow-ing techniques should be accompanied by cropmanagement and socio-economic sciences for agood understanding of local horticultural sys-
tems. Therefore the diversity of knowledge rep-resented by ISHS sections, commissions andworking groups gives the ISHS the adequatetools to tackle horticulture for development.
The ability for touching people directly is the bigadvantage of the ISHS. People can read ourpublications, attend our meetings, becomemembers of our Society and have access to theknowledge we make available. The ISHS candevelop its own way and find the right partnersto accomplish its mission. Granting access tohorticultural knowledge to the people whoneed it and facilitating the contact betweenthose who need help and those who can helpalleviate the problems is a great contribution todevelopment. PubHort (www.pubhort.org) isalready a powerful tool to disseminate informa-tion, and has a huge potential but clearly otheron-line services can be added. This will provideaccess to better and more diversified benefitsfor the ISHS members.
However, horticulture goes much beyond foodespecially in the developed world. Environmen-tal horticulture, gardening, horticultural thera-py, amenity-horticulture are attracting anincreasing number of people, some of whomare discovering a new relationship with plants.The IHC 2010 colloquium “Plants, People andPlaces” looked into the future and presentedinnovative ideas with the objective of integrat-ing plants in our urban culture. Plants and hor-ticulture should be regarded as a regular com-ponent of our lives as are the performing artsand sports for example. There is a long way togo and so the sooner we start the better.
Secretary, responsible for Innovation,Industry and Insight
- Professor Ian J. Warrington (New Zealand);Co-President of the XXIXth InternationalHorticultural Congress
- Ir. Jozef Van Assche (Belgium), ExecutiveDirector of the ISHS
PROFESSOR ANTÓNIO A.MONTEIRO, PRESIDENT OFTHE ISHS AND CHAIRPERSONOF THE BOARD
António A. Monteiro was born in Batalha,Portugal, in 1951, graduated in Agriculture in
1975, obtained the Ph.D in HorticulturalSciences in 1983, and is presently Full Professorof the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Collegeof Agriculture and Forestry), Technical Universityof Lisbon, Portugal.
His present professional activity includes teach-ing vegetable and ornamental crops at theTechnical University of Lisbon, research on veg-etable breeding and growing techniques, andan active involvement in R&D with the horticul-ture industry. His research interests have includ-ed in the past tomato fruit-setting in non-heat-ed greenhouses, greenhouse ventilation toreduce fungi diseases, characterization andstudy of protected cultivation in mild-winter cli-mates, and vegetable production in general.
Presently he is involved in brassica breedingwith emphasis on the study of the Portuguesecole and turnip landraces, and on resistance tofungi pathogens. He supervised 10 Ph.D. stu-dents and is co-author of more than 60 scientif-ic articles.
A. Monteiro was visiting assistant professor atthe University of Wisconsin-Madison (1987);consultant on protected cultivation for the FAO(1986-91); President of the PortugueseHorticultural Association (1988-92); Director ofthe National Department of Vegetable andOrnamental Crops (1988-92); NationalCoordinator for R&D in Horticulture (1995-96)at the National Institute for Agrarian Research;and Chairman of the Department of Crop andAnimal Science (1992-94) at the College ofAgriculture and Forestry (Tech. Univ. of Lisbon).
He served the ISHS in the position ofChairperson of the ISHS Working GroupProtected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates(1986-94) and Working Group Brassicas (1994-98), and of Board member (1994-02). A.Monteiro is member of the ISHS since 1980,Council member since 1990 and ISHS HonoraryMember since 2002. He is also HonoraryMember of the Spanish Society for HorticulturalSciences and of the Portuguese HorticulturalAssociation.
He was Co-President of the 28th InternationalHorticultural Congress, Lisboa, 2010.
DR. KIM E. HUMMER, VICE-PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHAIR-PERSON OF THE BOARD,RESPONSIBLE FOR THESCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES OFTHE SOCIETY
Kim E. Hummer was born in 1952, received herB.S. in Biology in 1974, her M.S. in Plant and
Soil Science from the University of Vermont in1978, and her doctorate in Horticulture fromOregon State University in 1981. Her expertiseincludes the conservation of fruit, nut, and spe-cialty crop genetic resources. Her presentresearch passion involves the study of ploidy instrawberry species. She also actively studiesgenetics of blueberries, blackberries, raspber-ries, currants, gooseberries, and unusual berrycrops such as blue honeysuckle. During hercareer she has been a participant of more than15 plant collecting and exchange expeditions tolocations including China, India, Italy, Japan,Portugal, Russia, and throughout the UnitedStates including Alaska and Hawaii. She wasselected as Specialty Crop Curator for the USDepartment of Agriculture, AgriculturalResearch Service, National Clonal GermplasmRepository in Corvallis, Oregon in 1987, andbecame Research Leader of that gene bank in1989. In December 2009, she was asked tomanage the Palmer, Alaska, Arctic and SubarcticPlant Gene Bank, in addition to that in Corvallis.
Dr. Hummer is an active member in theAmerican Society of Horticultural Science, andwas selected as a Fellow in 2006. She was thefirst woman president of the AmericanPomological Society (2004-2006), and has beenthe liaison between that society and the ISHS todigitize valuable historical horticultural publica-tions and provide them on-line for the benefitof all horticulturists. In 2006, she chaired theexpert committee that developed the GlobalConservation Strategy for Strawberry, spon-sored by the Global Crop Diversity Trust. In2009, she was recognized by the SverigesLantbruksuniversitet with an honorary doctor-ate in Agronomy. She is the author of morethan 160 scientific journal papers, 13 chapters,and co-wrote or edited 8 books. She has beenthe Chair of the ISHS Commission on PlantGenetic Resources for the past 8 years. During
António A. Monteiro
Kim E. Hummer
Georg J. Noga
that term, she convened or was scientific chairon 5 symposia, and was a member of the scien-tific committee or represented ISHS at 7 addi-tional ones. She also participated on the ISHSpublication committee for the past 4 years. Dr.Hummer is strongly in favor of strengtheningthe scientific aspects of the ISHS, promotinghorticultural science as a career choice, advocat-ing for the importance of horticultural crops toimprove human health and nutrition, andencouraging horticulture and ISHS activitiesthroughout the world.
PROF. DR. GEORG J. NOGA,TREASURER, RESPONSIBLEFOR THE FINANCIAL AFFAIRSOF THE SOCIETY
Prof. Georg J. Noga, born in 1952, studiednutritional sciences and home economics at theUniversity of Bonn. He received his diploma(Dipl. oec. troph.) in 1977 and his Doctor’sdegree in Human Nutritional Sciences (Dr.troph.) in 1980 from the University of Bonnafter completing his thesis in the Institute ofFruit and Vegetable Sciences on peel roughnessand deficiencies in color formation of Satsumamandarins in Western Turkey. He then workedas a staff member and research scientist at theInstitute in Bonn from 1980 to 1990. Duringthis time, he spent his postdoc from 1982 to1983 in Dr. John Bukovac’s laboratory in theDepartment of Horticulture, East Lansing,Michigan State University. In 1991, Georg Nogawas appointed as senior research scientist andin 1994 as head of the postharvest physiologygroup at the Institute of Fruit and VegetableSciences at Bonn University. From 1995 to 1998he was full professor and director of the FruitResearch Institute at Stuttgart-HohenheimUniversity and also head of the Fruit ResearchCenter in Bavendorf/Lake Constance. In 1998,
ISHS • 6
he transferred back to Bonn University andsince then holds the position of Director of theInstitute of Horticultural Science. In 2009, hewas elected as Chairman of the Department ofCrop Sciences and Resource Conservation(INRES). Professor Noga has his major researchfocus on plant stress physiology and fruit quali-ty including nutritional value of horticulturalproducts. He has authored more than 75 scien-tific papers and contributed numerous articlesto professional journals. Georg Noga is alsoenjoying the biodiversity of plants being Vice-Director of the Botanical Gardens of theUniversity of Bonn.
Together with his partners from Rhineland-Palatinate and Juelich Research Center he initi-ated and established KoGa, the Center ofCompetence for Horticulture, in Bonn/Klein-Altendorf in 2002 with the concept of bringingtogether basic science, innovations in technolo-gy, applied research and extension services inone unit. In 2009, he launched the KoGa-African Research Network Initiative (ARNI) asopen structure with highly qualified researchpartners, preferentially Humboldtians, from dif-ferent African countries.
Professor Noga served as Vice-President of theGerman Society for Horticultural Sciences(2000-2002) and as President of the Societyfrom 2002 until 2007 encouraging members tobecome more internationally involved. Underhis presidency, the German Journal“Gartenbauwissenschaft” has been developedinto “European Journal for HorticulturalSciences” (EJHS), which is now being integratedin the ISHS publication platform. Also, he initi-ated the First International Symposium onHorticulture in Europe (SHE), which took placein 2008 in Vienna.
Georg Noga started his activities in ISHS in 2000as delegate of the German Society ofHorticultural Sciences and served as internalauditor for 2 terms until 2010. Professor Nogais strongly supportive of maintaining theachievements and financial resources that havebeen accomplished by the previous ISHS Board.He will dedicate his efforts in strengtheningNational Horticultural Societies in Westerncountries to prevent Horticulture Departmentsfrom being further eroded. Also, he will contin-ue to intensify cooperation with developingcountries through North-South dialogue.
PROFESSOR YVESDESJARDINS, RESPONSIBLEFOR PUBLICATIONS
Prof. Desjardins was born in Montreal, Canadain 1959. He graduated from the University ofGuelph with BS in 1982 and a M.Sc. in 1984.He received a Ph.D. from Laval University in1990 and has been professor at Laval Universitysince 1991.
From 1999 to 2002, he has been Director of theHorticulture Research Centre at Laval University
and also directed the Québec PhytoprotectionNetwork from 1999 to 2003. From 2002 to2007, he was Academic and Internationalaffairs director at the Institute for Nutraceuticaland Functional Food. He is currently the leadscientist of one of the research axis(Characterization of bioactive compounds) ofINAQ, the “Institut de Nutrition Aquitaine-Québec”. He was president of the CanadianSociety for Horticultural Sciences from 2002 to2004.
Prof. Desjardins is still active in research andworks on fruit and vegetables crop physiologyand pursues fundamental work on in vitroplantlets ecophysiology. His laboratory usesfunctional genomic tools like transcriptomics,proteomics, and metabolomics, to study theadaptive phenomena taking place during thetransition from heterotrophy to autotrophy inthe course of acclimatization of tissue culturedplants. Prof. Desjardins has directed several PhDstudents and numerous R&D projects in horti-culture. He is the author of many scientific andtechnical papers dealing with tissue culture andvegetable and fruit physiology and participatedto the writing of many books on the physiologyand acclimatization of tissue cultured plants.Since 1999, he has studied health effects offruit and vegetables. His recent research focus-es on the characterization and extraction ofpolyphenols and particularly proanthocyanidinsfound in blueberries and cranberries and theireffects on cardiovascular diseases, metabolicsyndrome, diabetes and other chronic diseases.He collaborates on numerous projects related tohealth effects of FAV and is involved in a num-ber of clinical trials on the effect of small fruitbioactive compounds (polyphenols) on type-2diabetes.
Prof. Desjardins is a member of ISHS since1986, when he participated to his first IHCmeeting in Davis, California. Since then, he hasattended every IHC meeting. His active involve-ment with ISHS dates back to 1994 where hewas Canadian representative on the Council.From 1996 to 2002, he has been activelyinvolved in the organization of the IHC2002 inToronto, being the Chair of the Scientific TaskForce Committee. In this function, he wasinstrumental in proposing a new structure forthe scientific program of the InternationalHorticultural Congress where Chairs ofSections and Commissions are now closelyassociated with the organization of thematicsymposia. This change has generated muchinterest in the Congress, has provided focusand coherence to the scientific program andcreated a feeling of belonging normally foundin smaller symposia organised by the ISHSaround the world. The same model has sincebeen adopted by the other editions of IHCwith great success.
Prof. Desjardins has been Convener or Co-Convener of many symposia organized by ISHS.For instance, he convened the SecondInternational Symposium on Acclimatization ofTissue Cultured Plants in Merida, Yucatan in2004. He was also actively involved in the plan-ning of the Third International Symposium onAcclimatization of Tissue Cultured Plants inFaro, Portugal in 2007, where he was also theplenary invited keynote speaker. Being involvedin research on health effects of fruit and vegeta-bles, he organized in 2005 the first InternationalSymposium on Health Effects of Fruit andVegetables (FAVHEALTH, Quebec City, Canada)under the auspices of ISHS. The goal of thissymposium series was to create a unique forumfor researchers from different disciplines, likehorticulture, nutrition and health sciences, tomeet formally and bridge the communicationgap between agriculture and medical sciences.The conference also aimed at asserting theleadership of horticultural sciences in an emerg-ing field dominated by medical sciences. TheISHS Quebec City’s meeting was a great successand led to the creation of the ISHS Commission“Fruits and Vegetables and Health” in 2006 ofwhich he became Chair.
Prof. Desjardins believes in improving the over-all quality of the Society’s publications andenhancing the use of information technologiesand computers for publishing and scientificexchanges. Yves and his wife Louise have foursons, Charles, Philippe, Éloi and Clément.
PROF. DR. ERROL W. HEWETT,SECRETARY, RESPONSIBLEFOR INNOVATION, INDUSTRYAND INSIGHT
Professor Errol Hewett has been confirmed as amember of the new Board of ISHS at the recentIHC2010 in Lisbon. He has been replaced as the
Chair of the Commission Education, ResearchTraining and Consultancy, a position he has heldsince 2006, by Dr. David Aldous of Australia.
Dr. Hewett, born in 1942, is Professor Emeritusof Horticultural Science within the Institute ofFood, Nutrition and Human Health at MasseyUniversity, Auckland, New Zealand. Trained as aplant physiologist at the University ofCanterbury and the University College of Wales,and specializing in postharvest physiology andtechnology, he worked for the former DSIRbefore moving to Massey University in 1986. Heis a Past President and Honorary Fellow of theNew Zealand Society of Horticultural Science.He was on the Editorial Board of ScientiaHorticulturae for 12 years and PostharvestBiology and Technology for 10 years. He is cur-rently on the Editorial Board of the New ZealandJournal of Crop and Horticultural Science,International Journal of Postharvest Technologyand Innovation, and Horticulture, Environmentand Biotechnology.
Dr. Hewett has taught classes in postharvestphysiology to senior students and also intro-ductory horticultural botany to first year stu-dents. He has supervised 20 PhD candidatesand several Masters and postgraduate diplomatheses. He was, until 2009, Deputy Chair ofthe Doctoral Research Committee at MasseyUniversity that manages the PhD programmefor more than 1000 PhD students, as well asChair of the Graduate Student AdvisoryCommittee and the International StudentAdvisory Committee at Massey University.
Professor Hewett travels widely to attend con-ferences and has been an invited keynotespeaker at many in different countries. He wason the Scientific Committee of three ISHSKiwifruit symposia including convening themeeting in New Zealand in 1991. He co-con-
vened the 2009 ISHS Symposium “PostharvestPacifica – Managing Quality in Chains” and wasco-convener of ISHS Postharvest Symposia atIHCs in Toronto and Seoul. He has edited or co-edited several Acta Horticulturae. He is a mem-ber of the Board of Trustees of the InternationalTropical and Subtropical Fruit Network (TFNet)based in Malaysia.
Dr. Hewett is actively involved with the fruitindustry in New Zealand developing a manualof best practice for the stone fruit industry, andis an invited member of several review panelsfor the kiwifruit industry as it seeks to continu-ously improve fruit quality. He has undertakeninternational consultancy projects in Pakistanand Albania. As a member of the MartechConsulting Group Ltd., he has co-authored theannual production of ‘FreshFacts’ since 1999,an annual publication that outlines productionand export information on the New Zealandhorticultural industry.
Professor Hewett is passionate in his belief thathorticulture is a key driver for growth and devel-opment in both developing and developedcountries. He is committed to ensuring thatISHS further enhances its position as the pre-mier international organisation representinghorticultural science, and wishes to see muchimproved cooperation and interaction betweenacademia, research institutions and the privatesector world wide.
PROFESSORIAN J. WARRINGTON,CO-PRESIDENT OF IHC2014
Prof. Warrington was born in Timaru, NewZealand in 1946 and has been an active horti-
cultural research scientist for the past 40 years.His research specialty is environmental physiolo-gy and he is well known internationally for hisresearch on apples, kiwifruit, grapes and orna-mental plants.
From 1995 to 2002 he was Chief Executive ofThe Horticulture and Food Research Institute ofNew Zealand (HortResearch), an organisationthat has made major contributions to the high-ly successful horticultural industries of thatcountry. In this position he acted as the inter-face between government, research & exten-sion and growers, in a wide range of mattersrelating to horticultural innovation and develop-ment. Until recently, he was Professor ofHorticultural Science and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Massey University.
Professor Warrington has been widely recog-nized for his achievements including beingmade an Honorary Fellow of the New ZealandSociety for Horticultural Science, a Fellow of theAmerican Society for Horticultural Science andrecently a Fellow of the ISHS. He is also a Fellowof the Royal Society of New Zealand. ProfessorWarrington has served on the Board of theASHS as the International Vice-President andhas actively encouraged international membersto become more involved in the activities of thatSociety.
He is the author of over 130 scientific journalpapers and of many other technical reports,conference papers and popular articles. He hasco-edited the texts “Kiwifruit: Science andManagement” and “Apples: Botany, Productionand Uses”.
An active member of ISHS for over 35 years, Ianhas regularly attended and contributed toCouncil meetings as a country representativesince the Congress in Florence in 1990. He hasbeen involved in organizing or co-organisingISHS symposia and Congress sessions since theCongress in Sydney in 1978. He has been Vice-Chairman of the Fruit Section and arranged thehosting of the Board/Council/ExecutiveCommittee meeting in New Zealand in 1996and of the Board and Executive Committee inThailand in 2009. He was the ISHS Vice-President from 2002 to 2010.
Professor Warrington is strongly supportive ofretaining and strengthening the key featuresthat make ISHS a success including ISHS spon-sored symposia and the Acta Horticulturaeseries, the new look Chronica and theCongress. He is very committed to exploringways in which ISHS can promote the status ofHorticultural Science as a career choice that willencourage young people to become involved asprofessionals in the industry. This includesexploring options for ISHS to further advocatethe importance of horticulture to people’s diets,the quality of their lives and the viability of ruralcommunities. In particular, he is committed toensuring that IHC2014 is an outstanding suc-cess.
Errol W. Hewett
Ian J. Warrington
ISHS • 8
IR. JOZEF VAN ASSCHE,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOROF THE ISHS
Jozef Van Assche was born in Leuven, Belgium,in 1960 and received his Master in Horticulturein 1983 at the Faculty of Agriculture of theUniversity of Leuven. His thesis dealt with‘Economical Aspects of In Vitro Culture’. Hecontinued as a research student at theUniversity of Foreign Studies in Osaka (Japan)and at the University of Tokyo, Faculty ofAgriculture, from 1983 till 1985. He thenworked for ICI-England ‘West Europe and FarEast Marketing Department’ from 1985 till1986. Van Assche became the executive man-ager of a Beverages and Foods Group from1987 till 1993. In 1993 he returned to theworld of science and joined the staff of theISHS. He was appointed Executive Director in1995. He is determined to bring horticultural
science to the benefit of all, includingresearchers in the developing world, andtogether with the ISHS team to serve the hor-ticultural profession as a whole.
Jozef is a keen gardener and enjoys cominghome to his wife Mieke and his three childrenKerlijn, Laureen and Andreas.
Jozef Van Assche
Norman Looney presenting the new Board members at the ISHS General Assembly at IHC2010.
Economics and Management Chair Prof. Dr. Peter P. Oppenheim (Australia)Vice Chair Dr. Peter J. Batt (Australia)
Education, Research Training and Consultancy Chair Assoc. Prof. Dr. David Aldous (Australia)
Fruits and Vegetables and Health Chair Prof. Dr. Olaf Van Kooten (The Netherlands)
Horticultural Engineering Chair Dr. Sadanori Sase (Japan)Vice Chair Dr. Murat Kacira (USA)
Irrigation and Plant Water Relations Chair Dr. Richard L. Snyder (USA)Vice Chair Prof. Dr. Arturo Alvino (Italy)
Landscape and Urban Horticulture Chair Prof. Dr. rer. hort. habil. Gert D. Groening (Germany)Vice Chair Prof. Dr. Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto (Italy)
Molecular Biology and In Vitro Culture Chair Dr. Maurizio Lambardi (Italy)Vice Chair Dr. Bart Panis (Belgium)
Nomenclature and Cultivar Registration Chair Dr. Janet Cubey (UK)Vice Chair Dr. J. Van Scheepen (The Netherlands)
Plant Genetic Resources Chair Dr. Hannah Jaenicke (Germany)Vice Chair Dr. Barbara Reed (USA)
Plant Protection Chair Dr. Chris Hale (New Zealand)Vice Chair Dr. David Hunter (Canada)
Plant Substrates and Soilless Culture Chair Dr. W.R. Carlile (Ireland)Vice Chair Dr. Michael Raviv (Israel)
Protected Cultivation Chair Dr. Nicolas Castilla (Spain)Vice Chair Dr. Josef Tanny (Israel)
Quality and Post Harvest Horticulture Chair Dr. Sirichai Kanlayanarat (Thailand)Vice Chair Dr. Peter A. Toivonen (Canada)
Sustainability through Integrated and Organic Chair Dr. Robert K. Prange (Canada)Horticulture Vice Chair Prof. Dr. Stefaan De Neve (Belgium)
Banana and Plantain Chair Dr. Stephan Weise (France)Vice-Chair Dr. Jim Lorenzen (Uganda)
Citrus Chair Dr. Yair Erner (Israel)Vice-Chair Prof. L. Gene Albrigo (USA)
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Chair Prof. Dr. Akos Máthé (Hungary)Vice-Chair Dr. Ana Maria Barata (Portugal)
Nuts and Mediterranean Climate Fruits Chair Dr. Damiano Avanzato (Italy)Vice-Chair Dr. Gale H. McGranahan (USA)
Ornamental Plants Chair Prof. Dr. Margrethe Serek (Germany)Vice-Chair Dr. J.M. Van Tuyl (The Netherlands)
Pome and Stone Fruits Chair Prof. Guglielmo Costa (Italy)Vice-Chair Prof. Daniele Bassi (Italy)
Root and Tuber Crops Chair Prof. Dr. Noureddine Benkeblia (Jamaica)Vice-Chair Prof. Umezuruike Linus Opara (South Africa)
Tropical and Subtropical Fruits Chair Prof. Dr. Sisir Kumar Mitra (India)Vice-Chair Dr. Víctor Galán Saúco (Spain)
Vegetables Chair Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola (Italy)Vice-Chair Dr. Daniel Leskovar (USA)
Vine and Berry Fruits Chair Prof. Dr. Bernadine C. Strik (USA)Vice-Chair Dr. Nick Dokoozlian (USA)
SECTIONSWe have 10 Sections emphasizing horticul-tural commodities and 14 cross-commodityCommissions whose activities are the key to thesuccess of the ISHS. Our recent ExecutiveCommittee elections, with voting from morethan half of ISHS members, selected popular,dynamic, and energetic Chairs and Vice-Chairswho will guide our scientific program for thenext 4 years. Our Sections and Commissionshave more than 120 active Working Groupswho host periodic symposia that are relevant toour membership and scientists at large. Theproceedings of these symposia are published inthe Acta Horticulturae series, which is a highly-web-visible, frequently downloaded, corner-stone of the Society. Each Acta presents adetailed synopsis of the science in the world onthat topic at that moment. Each manuscriptsubmission is reviewed by at least two membersof the editorial board, revised by the author,and accepted by the editor(s), prior to publica-tion in the Acta.
Chairs and Vice-Chairs of each of the Sectionsand Commissions were recently elected andtheir appointments were officially confirmed bythe ISHS Council at the IHC2010 in Lisbon,Portugal. Additional Sections, Commissions orWorking Groups can be formed when interest isdemonstrated. In the immediate future the sci-entific programme of the Society is poised tomaintain or increase the number of symposiaper annum compared with those in previousyears. In 2006, 32 ISHS symposia produced15,334 Acta pages; in 2009, 41 symposia pro-duced 20,107 pages. Our Acta with their high-ly-cited scientific manuscripts reflect a platformof sound science that is reaching more people inmore countries than ever before. These publica-tions are accessible through the website:www.actahort.org.
Our distinguished Chairs and Vice-Chairs for2010 through 2014 are as follows:
Kim E. Hummer, ISHS Vice President
Newly Elected Chairs and Vice-Chairsof Sections and Commissions
ISHS • 10
Master of Science in Horticulture:New Approaches in Europe
ISSUES
Silviero Sansavini
Higher education among European universi-ties in the agricultural sciences, including horti-culture, is a notable patchwork of curricula. Thelatest expansion of the European Union (EU) to27 member states has brought into sharperrelief the need to harmonize curricula so as tobring the disparate systems of academic titlesinto some semblance of uniformity. This is espe-cially urgent given that there are university sys-tems, such as the Italian, which award degreeswith a legal status whereas others like the UK,award degrees that have a purely academicvalue. These differences can result in equivalen-cy discrepancies and career problems for thosein private professional practices. While there isno central European authority in a position togrant degree reciprocity, the increasing numberof specific bilateral agreements pushing mutualrecognition of post-graduate degrees amongEuropean countries is close to the top of thehigher educational agenda of the EU. Anothercompelling fact underscoring the urgency ofthe issue is the increasing ease with which stu-dents move between countries and universities.This mobility is driven largely by the EU Erasmusstudent-exchange program and the attendant
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) thathave been in place for a number of years. TheEU thus provides students with modest financialaid and a system with which they can receivecredit spent at their home institutions for cours-es taken at cross-border universities.
The EU Commission has tried since the incep-tion of Erasmus (called Socrates in the early1990s) to prod member states into harmonisingtheir curricula and degrees and continues to doso through what is now known as the BolognaProcess, an international agreement with theaim to create the European Higher EducationArea (EHEA) (1999), based on cooperationbetween ministries, higher education institu-tions, students and staff from 46 countries, withthe participation of international organisations.Their website provides information about it. Themodel it chose to emulate in pursuit of this aimwas the UK system of a three-year undergradu-ate, or Bachelor’s degree and usually, at leasttwo additional years for what in the British sys-tem is a research Master’s degree. This was incontrast to the widespread system of five-yearundergraduate degree courses on theContinent. In effect, if we take a degree in agri-cultural sciences as an example, we find thatgraduates under the old system in most univer-sities earned an Agronomy Engineer orAgricultural Sciences degree. While Germany,the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy have fullyadopted the EU model, some countries havedone so with home-grown variations, but havedeveloped also the Bachelor + Master system.France practices both systems and maintainsthe 5 years title of Ingénieur Agronome, whileGreece has also kept a good part of the old sys-tem in place. An important ulterior motive foradopting the relatively new EU model was tohelp stem the student drop-out rate in the firstthree years, and in so doing, give students withthe new Bachelor’s degree a higher entry-profilein the job market.
MASTER’S DEGREE INHORTICULTURE
Despite the Bologna Process and subsequentfollow-up accords, there are still notable dis-crepancies in the comparability and compatibil-ity of standards for this Master of Science (MSc)degree. In effect, while there are very few MScprograms in horticulture per se, there are many
that include disciplines that are related to itmore or less directly. A look at the differencesand, by inference, the similarities is instructive.
Several countries have taken what may becalled a generalist approach to a Master’s pro-gram by incorporating horticulture among a listof different but related subjects. WageningenUniversity (WUR) in the Netherlands is a goodcase in point, having placed Horticulture withinthe courses offered in its Master in PlantSciences. Other countries have opted for whatwe might call a particularistic approach, thename under which horticulture goes by and thesubjects related to it having as many denomina-tions as the imagination of the faculty andadministrative staff can come up with. Take Italyfor example. The two-year Magister program inits universities – corresponding to the MSc pro-gram – has almost a dozen names dependingon university (Bologna alone has four) includingfor example Crop Production Systems, or thosespecifying horticulture within a major field suchas Protected Crops. There are, of course, coun-tries whose universities have a straightforwardMSc in Horticulture, but they are a definiteminority.
Student exercise with loading agarose gel(horizontal electrophoresis analysis).Courtesy of FED-IASMA Doctorate School ofSan Michele all’Adige, Trento.
Optical microscope evaluation of regener-ating tissues. Courtesy of FED-IASMADoctorate School of San Michele all’Adige,Trento.
Furthermore, the term Master has generatedconfusion in the minds of the public since somecountries use other names to indicate what issupposed to be the same or comparabledegree. A Master’s degree is used, perhapsinappropriately, to refer to a semester or one-year cycle of courses specifically designed toenhance a candidate’s chances of securing anentry-level job. Examples of this kind of degreeinclude courses in subjects such as horticulturalproduce, marketing of food commodities, inte-grated crop production, or biological pest con-trol. This kind of degree is recognised in Italy,but is not a pre-requisite for a PhD. Given thatsuch a course is very often commissioned bybanks and foundations linked to them, it shouldmore appropriately be dubbed a Diploma. Thereare several kinds of Masters that are offeredoutside the walls of academe, but this will notbe dealt with here.
Let us examine a more nuanced look at theadvanced-degree system in Europe’s highereducational institutions by considering a novelapproach that has been taking shape over thelast few years, one that appears to be moreconsonant with the objectives and principles ofthe EU. The initiative is called the InternationalMaster’s Program and is being implemented viavoluntary partnership agreements among cross-border universities designed to create a com-mon curriculum of courses that are offered inpackages at the participating institutions andusually taught in English, though the languageof the given host university is often an addition-al option. Students must attend courses in atleast two partner universities, over a period oftwo consecutive years, with other regulationsdepending on the degree course and partnerinstitutions.
A bit of history is in order at this point. The firstembodiment of an internationally oriented MScin Horticulture, albeit not part of the current ini-tiatives, originated a decade ago at HannoverUniversity in Germany. While that Master’s pro-gram did not initially involve partner universi-ties, the program was managed in an interna-
tional way, including the makeup of its examin-ing commission. The Hannover Master thus pro-vided a model for the international initiativeinvolving partner universities that is now mak-ing headway in the EU.
The new International Masters are usually two-year programs of 60 ECTS credits per year withreciprocal recognition by the partner institu-tions’ awarded degree. While each participatinguniversity must manage the costs of the degree,the EU may support the program through a par-ticular selection process that provides yearlygrants to students from developing countries,the aim being to create an average group ofabout 20 foreign students per MSc degreecourse. As the international master’s programsincrease, they should also play a part in hasten-ing social integration within the EuropeanUnion. One barrier here is the plethora of lan-guages spoken within the EU, and the knownfact that people are loath to give up their own.While the International Masters attempt to dis-mantle this barrier by teaching all courses inEnglish, the standard national programs arealmost all taught in the language of the givencountry, two exceptions being the Netherlandsand partially Spain and Italy, which offerMaster’s Degree courses in both English andtheir native languages.
INTERNATIONAL MASTER’SCURRICULA
Wageningen University (WUR), TheNetherlands
This is probably the most popular and broad-based MSc program in Europe today, attractingmany students. There were 33 Master’s Degreecourses in 2009/2010. With such a broad rangeof disciplines providing the structural backboneto the curricula, the idea underlying the pro-grams is to imbue these two-year Masters withthe most advanced professional skills available.There is one Master in Plant Sciences. It includesdisciplines that emphasise multi-functionalagronomy, supply-chain interaction with the
environment, the food industry, and food safe-ty from the viewpoint of consumers. The cours-es mentioned in the overview above togethermake up 48 ECTS credits, which is the amountof courses in any MSc-program at WageningenUniversity. In addition, students practice theskills and knowledge they learned in the cours-es in their second year, when they do their MSc-thesis (6 months) and an academic internship (4months). The general number of studentsattending these courses is between 30-50,while for a specialization like GreenhouseHorticulture it ranges from 15-20. For example,Crop Science has three recognized thesisgroups: Crop and Weed Ecology Systems, PlantProduction, and Biological Farming Systems.These in turn include greenhouse horticulture,natural resources management, plant breedingand genetic resources, plant pathology andentomology, and since 2008, quality and supplyof fruits and berries (developed with the Facultyof Sciences at the University of Copenhagen)(with Leibnitz University in Hannover), and veg-etable production and supply systems. OtherWUR MSc-programs are: Agricultural andBioresource Engineering, Soil Science,Hydrology and Water Quality, Engineering,Plant Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences,Organic Agriculture, Food Safety, FoodTechnology, Food Quality Management,Nutrition and Health, Forest and NatureConservation, Landscape Architecture andPlanning. Then Management of Agro-ecologicalKnowledge and Social Change (MAKS) takesinto account two types of innovations: newtechnology and artefact, and new socio-organi-zational arrangement involving a variety ofsocial actors.
Leibniz Universität, Hannover
The MSc in International Horticulture was inau-gurated in 1997. Since its inception, it has suc-cessfully aimed at attracting students from allover the world who already have a BSc degreein Agriculture, Horticulture, or Economics andare offered a certain number of scholarships,initially provided by the European Union butnow provided by the German AcademicExchange Service (DAAD). The course programis well structured. All of the 40 courses aretaught in English, but there are also Germanprograms for basic knowledge. The main char-acteristic is that these two-year programs aresplit into lectures and research projects, result-ing in full immersion for students who earn halfof their credits from lectures and the other halffrom projects. The final examination is held byan international committee. The major fields areFloriculture, Fruit Science in collaboration withWUR, Genetics, Plant Breeding, Bioinformatics,Horticultural Economics, Horticultural and Agri-Engineering, Plant Pathology, Entomology, PlantBiotechnology, Plant Nutrition, Tree NurseryScience, Vegetable Production. Each MSc stu-dent is assigned a tutor depending on his or hermajor field. Tuition fees currently run to € 400
Graduate student is grinding fruit fleshfor GC analysis. Courtesy of DCA,University of Bologna.
Students of University of Bologna (Biotechcourse) operating in lab. Exercise to extracttransformed plasmids from Escherichia coli.Courtesy of DCA, University of Bologna.
ISHS • 12
per semester plus an enrolment fee of € 240per semester for services such as transportation.Students must also spend a month working asinterns for a private farm or company.
International MSc in Horticulture (IMaHS)
The three original partner institutions of IMaHSare Bologna University (UNIBO), TechnischeUniversität München (TUM) in Munich(Weihenstephan), and BOKU, University ofNatural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, inVienna. Two other Universities, Corvinus inBudapest and Humboldt in Berlin, joined after2008. The program is the result of a joint effortby the five universities through their researchnetwork. The strong integration among theseUniversities provides a wide range of comple-mentary expertises contributing to create a holis-tic education for future graduates. The objectiveof the Master’s course is to develop professionalsable to work in global horticultural markets. Thedistinguishing feature of the program resides inthe fact that all courses are in English and stu-dents must attend at least one semester of thetwo-year curriculum at a participating universityother than his or her home institution.
The system is very flexible and offers an individ-ual profiling with respect to the personal careerof the students. They have the possibility to spe-cialize or to study in a broad sense. Only thecore program of the first semester is obligatoryand is equivalent at each partner university. Thepartners offer their scientific specialities ascourses in a pool where the students can makea rather free choice. UNIBO covers three mainfields: Sustainable Orchard Management andPost-harvest, Monitoring Quality of Productsand Production Systems, and HorticulturalEconomics. The courses offered at TUM covertwo main fields: Environmental Safety andIntrinsic Product Quality. They include specialresearch topics on Energy Use and ProtectedCultivation Systems and Optimisation of PlantMetabolism for Both Plant Resistance andHuman Health. The courses offered at BOKUcover the fields Sustainable Vegetable andOrnamental Plant Management, includingIntegrated and Organic Plant Protection and SoilFertility and Resource Conservation. Humboldt-University of Berlin is focusing on Food QualityMangement and Urban Horticulture and
Corvinus University of Budapest offersSustainable Horticulture.
Finally, all the students must dedicate the wholefourth semester (30 ECTS) to a research orien-tated thesis carried out in one of the five part-ner universities in cooperation with a secondpartner.
The IMaHS has been funded through theEuropean Union Erasmus Mundus grants since2008; the amount of the annual allocation isabout € 21,000, and additional fellowships forinvited international scholars are available. Fororganisational reasons, it was necessary todefine a more restricted curriculum for the stu-dents who receive a scholarship. This ErasmusMundus course program, which is co-ordinatedby Prof. G. Costa, UNIBO, includes only thethree founder members but defines a clearlyregulated study path within the general pro-gram International Horticultural Science.
AGRIS MUNDUS MSc in SustainableDevelopment in Agriculture
The university partners are Montpellier SupAgro,the coordinating institution, WUR, University ofCopenhagen, University College Cork, Universityof Catania, and Madrid Polytech. This two-year
course is linked to the European NaturaUniversity network, which since 1988 hasfocused its activity on rural development andagricultural management for disadvantagedpopulations. There are seven fields of specializa-tion: Crop Production Systems, HorticulturalCrops, Tropical Rural Forestry, Land and WaterManagement, Human Nutrition, Food Systemsand Security, Livestock Production. The mobilitytrack of the program requires one year of studyat a participating university of choice and thesecond at another. Subjects are taught in English,Spanish, Italian, and French. Candidates whosuccessfully complete all requirements areawarded two MSc Degrees, one from each uni-versity, along with a certificate issued by Naturaattesting to the student’s qualifications in sus-tainable development in agriculture.
International Master in Vintage, Vine, Wineand Terroir Management
The partners are Bologna University, ValenciaPolytech University, Corvinus University inBudapest, Bucharest University of AgronomicSciences and Veterinary Medicine, University ofTras-Os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real,Technological Educational Institute of Athens,Sacred Heart University in Piacenza, AngersHigher Agricultural School, coordinating institu-tion (all members of the Erasmus MundusConsortium), South Africa’s StellenboschUniversity, Chile’s Pontifical University, andSwitzerland’s Changins Engineering University.This Master’s program aims to develop interna-tionally trained experts in the wine sector, witha double competency. From the study of wineterroirs to the analysis of consumer behaviour,the comprehensive curriculum combines scien-tific, technological, economic, organisationaland marketing knowledge with field experi-ence. The program is designed to train innova-tive executives and top managers to play anactive part in the enhancing of wines from thetechnical, strategic and commercial points ofview at an international scale. Graduates will beemployable at a manager level in European andinternational companies dealing with the winesector, or can go on for a PhD. The courseadmits 30 students a year who must have aBachelor’s degree and linguistic competence inFrench and English since half the subjects aretaught in each, although they must also learnone other foreign language during their foursemesters. There are 9 core modules offered inat least 3 partner institutions, which changeevery year depending on the rotation set up bythe Course Committee. Candidates who passall modules are awarded the Master’s degreebut it has different types of validity and takesdifferent forms depending on partner countryand the mobility path (student movementamong EU’s higher education institutions).
International Master in Fruit Science (IMFS)
This program is offered by the Faculty of Scienceand Technology at the Free University of Bozen-
Old technical devices for wine production in Trento province. Courtesy of FED-IASMA DoctorateSchool of San Michele all’Adige, Trento.
Student involved in greenhouse experimen-tal trials of potted grapes. Courtesy of FED-IASMA Doctorate School of San Micheleall’Adige, Trento.
Bolzano (FUB) (South Tyrol, Italy) in cooperationwith the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia andCzech Republic’s Mendel University at Lednice-Brno. This two-year program is planned to startin the 2010-2011 academic year and is designedto provide management-level skills and compe-tence for future executives in the fruit industry,worldwide. After one fall semester at FUB, thestudents will join those coming from the twopartner institutions for a common study year,split among the three universities. The syllabusincludes such major fields as advances in fruitcrop management and biotechnology, fruit qual-ity, consumer’s behaviour and human nutrition,ecology and physiology of production systems,and marketing; the core part of the programsubjects is going to be taught in English. Onesemester is devoted to the Master thesis, writtenand discussed in English. The program will deliv-er a joint MSc degree.
NOVA - BOVA Network
This Network is a cooperation program betweentwo groups of Universities, those of the Baltic(BOVA - a Network of Forestry, Veterinary andAgricultural Universities: EMU, EstonianUniversity of Life Science, coordinator; LLU,Latvia University of Agriculture; LZUU, LithuanianUniversity of Agriculture; LUA, LithuaniaVeterinary Academy) and Nordic countries withthe Network NOVA, which includes six universi-ties, HU, University of Helsinki; NLH, AgriculturalUniversity of Norway; SLU, Swedish University ofAgricultural Science; the Agricultural CollegeHvanneyri (Iceland) and Veterinary Scholl,University of Denmark and Norway.
The two Networks started to cooperate since1996 with joint programs of intensive MSccourses, one in “Horticulture” and anotherlinked to EU-Socrates Erasmus program“Management of biodiversity and multifunc-tional landscape”. These joint degree programs(JDP) award academic degrees with legal effectsfor all partner institutions.
NOVA – BOVA Network has produced severalbenefits despite the credit system valid acrossEurope has still some heavy problems for proce-dures, administration rules, financial support,grading schemes.
TEMPUS
Another EU initiative that embraces Master’sdegrees, vocational training, and continuing
adult education is TEMPUS. It is an outreachprogram designed to modernize higher educa-tion and professional training in the surround-ing partner countries of Eastern Europe, CentralAsia, the Western Balkans, and theMediterranean Basin through university cooper-ation projects. The current program is TempusIV (2007-2013) and under it the EU Commissionhas approved 69 projects out of 608 submittedin the 2009 second call for proposals. Whileseveral of these initiatives involve higher educa-tion, the one that started at the beginning of2010 is called Establishing a New Master’sDegree in Sustainable Crop Protection and isaimed at participating Egyptian universities. Theproject is coordinated by Turin Universitythrough its Agrinnova centre for agri-environ-ment innovation and includes as partner institu-tions Italy’s National Research Council, PlantProtection Institute in Bari, Spain’s LleidaUniversity, the International Center forAdvanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies(CIHEAM) at Chania in Greece and sevenEgyptian Universities: Mansoura, Zagazig, AinShams, Suez, Assuit, South Valley and Kafr ElSheikh. The degree course is designed toendow candidates with the knowledge andskills involved in integrated and biological pestmanagement systems for plant protection inline with those same requisites in Europeaninstitutions of higher learning.
MASTER’S DEGREEPROGRAMS BY EUROPEANCOUNTRIES
Belgium
The two universities that organize a Master pro-gram linked to horticulture are KatholiekeUniversiteit Leuven (KUL) and Ghent University.While neither participates in the above interna-tional programs, the MSc degree in horticul-ture-related subjects at both is recognised inter-nationally. In effect, both have a number ofinternationally recognised MSc degrees at vari-ous faculties, with some being taught only inDutch-Flemish and some only in English, andboth use the ECTS credits to further transparen-cy and international mobility. The horticulture-related MSc at each university is a two-yeardegree and has a syllabus centring on crop pro-duction and animal husbandry in the Faculty ofBioscience Engineering. For example, at KUL theclasses are taught in Dutch and include appliedplant biotechnology, foodstuff managementand marketing, plant physiology, plant diseasesand pests, agro-ecology and sustainable man-agement of production systems, applied plantbreeding, development physiology of higherplants, plant nutrition, and crop production sys-tems.
Bulgaria
At Plovdiv Agricultural University there are MScprograms, including horticulture, which allow
the student to continue the training till the PhDprogram.
Czech Republic
At University of Life Sciences, Prague, there is ahorticultural specialization. These students,after the Bachelor’s degree, acquire a broad the-oretical knowledge and practical skills in varioussectors of horticulture, but are also educated inthe subjects with economical and technologicalfocus. They also obtain experience in horticul-tural firms.
Denmark
AARHUS University (Arslev) offers an MSc pro-gram at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciencesdesigned to expand knowledge for efficient andsustainable agriculture for food production. Thecurriculum offers an MSc in Agrobiology, whichincludes horticulture, agro-environmental man-agement, biosystems engineering, molecularnutrition, and food technology. Interested stu-dents can coordinate their thesis work with theDepartment of Horticulture. CopenhagenUniversity has an MSc at the Faculty of LifeSciences in horticulture through a joint programwith Wageningen for the supply and quality ofsoft fruits.
France
The most important initiative is the SupAgroMaster 3A (Agronomie, Agro-Alimentaire) pro-gram at Montpellier. All courses are taught inFrench (with English option) to attract many stu-dents from Francophone Africa. Two mastersare related to Horticulture: “Sepmet” and“Hortimet”. Both require a 2-year course with 4semesters offering a total of 120 ECTS. Duringthe 1st year students spend a semester in acampus (for analyzing the Agriculture process),then they have a semester of optional lecture. Inthe 2nd year they have 30 ECTS of specific lec-tures and the experience of the Master work.There is also a one year course of specialization– “Apimet” – within the 5 years program of theUniversity diploma Ingénieur Agronome. The“Sepmet” (Semences et Plants Méditerranéenset Tropicaux) program has a goal to form a“professional” devoted to the field of breedingand improvement of the main Mediterraneanand tropical crops (including fruits and vegeta-bles). The “Hortimet” program follows the per-spective of Global Hort. The graduates mustknow the whole process chain of production(from cultivar improvement to field manage-ment, storage and transformation, distributionof the produce), rules of the market and its con-trol. “Hortimet” is organized jointly by SupAgro(Montpellier) and Agrocampus Ouest Centre ofAngers. “Apimet” requires 30 ECTS for teach-ing (10 disciplines) and 30 for a final stage. Theaim is to give the student a multidisciplinary andintegrative approach by SupAgro with intensecooperation of the biggest agricultural compa-nies operating at Montpellier in Agropolis andof CIRAD, INRAD, and IRD.
Field experience to evaluate phenotypicalphase and agronomic traits of vineyard.Courtesy of FED-IASMA Doctorate School ofSan Michele all’Adige, Trento.
ISHS • 14
Germany
Apart from those mentioned among the inter-national programs above, MSc programs inGerman are offered in Agriculture at OsnabruckUniversity and in Fruit Science and Viticulture atUniversity of Wiesbaden at Rüsselheim andGeisenheim.
Greece
Two of the five agricultural universities offermaster programs. The one at Athens has anMSc in Modern Systems of Plant Production,Plant Protection and Landscape Architecture,with Horticultural Crops and Floriculture beingone of the four major fields of this degree. Theother at Thessaloniki has an MSc program witheight major fields of study, includingHorticultural Science. The higher education sys-tem in Greece requires prospective candidatesof post-graduate degrees to complete a five-year undergraduate degree, making the lengthof time it takes to complete an MSc or PhD inGreece longer than in other European coun-tries.
Hungary
In addition to the Corvinus participation at theIMaHS program coordinated by Bologna,Debrecen University has an MSc program inAgricultural sciences, with subjects taught inboth Hungarian and English, including environ-mental management, agricultural engineering(also in English), food quality and safety (also inEnglish), livestock science (also in English), cropproduction, horticulture, and plant protectionand nature conservation. A third institution,Kecskemet College, has a specialization pro-gram in horticulture.
Italy
Apart from the international degrees men-tioned above and taught in English, the 23 fac-
ulties of agriculture at the nation’s universitiesoffer roughly 106 two-year Magistral degreeprograms, all of which are taught in Italian, thatfollow the three-year Bachelor’s degrees and areconsidered equivalent to the MSc. While theaverage number of students is about 70 percourse, more than 40% have ten or fewer stu-dents, a trend that could jeopardise the futureof many current programs. Almost all the pro-grams offer degrees in crop production systems,including horticulture, and some even specialisein fruit science, floriculture and viticulture-enol-ogy.
Lithuania
Lithuanian University of Agriculture has anAgronomy faculty that offers four MSc studyprograms in agronomy, agro biotechnology,agro ecosystems and horticulture covering fruitand vegetable crops (the ECTS are 40 per year).Language is only Lithuanian. The LZUU is part ofthe BOVA network for international MSc pro-gram.
Poland
Poznan University of Life Sciences offers a oneand a half year MSc program in Horticulture (93ECTS) with specialization in pomology, floricul-ture, seed science, parks and green areas, land-scape architecture, and plant protection. Allcourses are taught in Polish. The Universityoffers also a one and a half year Master’sDegree in Plant Breeding, Seed Science andTechnology with all subjects taught in English.Warszaw University has also several MSc pro-grams that involve horticulture.
Portugal
There are two Master courses in horticulture: aHorticultural Master in Fruits and Vegetables atthe University of Algarve, Faro; and anIntegrated Fruit Production Master in thePolytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco. Mostuniversities, including the Technical University ofLisbon, offer Master courses in agriculture(Engenharia Agronómica) that include a special-ization in horticulture as part of a 5 year pro-gram but are undergoing a transition to thenew Bologna process of 3+2 years.
Romania
The universities of Bucharest, Craiova and Jasioffer MSc programs that include horticulture; allcourses are taught in Romanian.
Slovenia
The University of Ljubljana, the country’slargest, plans to offer as many as 15 MSc cours-es when all of them will be established. Asidefrom being a partner of the internationaldegree with Bozen and Mendel Universitiesmentioned above, it plans to offer, starting in2010-2011 an MSc in horticulture covering fruitscience, viticulture, vegetable crops, and orna-mental and medicinal plants.
Spain
The most relevant MSc degrees to horticulturehere are those offered at Cordoba, Zaragoza,and Valencia Universities and at the IAMZ(Agronomic Mediterranean Institute ofZaragoza). Cordoba has two Masters running inthe 2009-2010 academic year: one is a two-year and the other a one-year program. The lat-ter focuses on crop production, protection andbreeding and the former on olive grove man-agement and oil technologies and it is jointlywith the IAMZ, the International Olive OilCouncil (IOOC) and four national institutions.The IAMZ is one of the four CIHEAM Centers.The Zaragoza one runs a two-year MSc pro-gram. The first year is basically a suite of train-ing courses that include, for example, plantbreeding, olive grove management and oil tech-nologies (see Cordoba), integrated planting forrural development and environmental manage-ment, foodstuffs and marketing, livestock andfisheries. The second year focuses on a field trialor laboratory experiment depending on themajor field a student chose in the precedingyear; the final thesis must be completed withinfour years. While this degree is officially equiva-lent to standard university MSc in Spain, manyof Zaragoza’s degree courses are jointly run withpartner Spanish universities. The Inter-UniversityMaster has a number of partners includingValencia Polytech (UPV), the home institution,Madrid Polytech (UPM), and Catalonia Polytech(UPC). This MSc focuses on plant breeding, thesyllabus is taught in Spanish, only 30 studentsare admitted per year and the course lasts oneyear or two: candidates with an undergraduatedegree in agronomy or biotechnology can com-plete their requirements in one year whereascandidates of other Bachelors are required tocomplete the two-year program. The degreecourse is designed to train executive and topmanagement professionals for a career in theseed industry and fruit nursery sector, includingmarketing. The syllabus includes about twentysubjects ranging from reproductive biology andmolecular-genetic studies to “in vitro” andtransgenic techniques aimed at conferringresistance, high yields and high fruit quality oncrops. Madrid Polytech University has a two-year degree course since 1990 in Garden andLandscape Master.
Sweden
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences(SLU) offers a number of both one- and two-year MSc degrees. The MSc programs offered atthe Faculty of Landscape Planning, Horticultureand Agricultural Sciences at Alnarp, near Malmöin Southern Sweden, are two five-year programscomprising a three-year Bachelor and a two-yearMSc. Subjects in the Bachelor’s program aretaught in Swedish and the syllabus in theMaster’s program is in English. The two MScdegrees are in Horticultural Science, Biology andLandscape Architecture. The emphasis of theMaster is on Applied Plant Biology, including
Student instruction during a professionaltrip of the Horticulture MSc course atTechnical University of Munich (TUM),Freising, Weihenstephan, Germany.Courtesy of Prof. D. Treutter.
Field visit of cherry covered culture atTechnical University of Munich (TUM),Freising, Weihenstephan, Germany (MSccourse). Courtesy of Prof. D. Treutter.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author warmly thanks Prof. J. Janick, PurdueUniversity, West Lafayette, USA, for editing thetext; Prof. G.R. Dixon, University of Strathclyde,Glasgow and past-Chairman of the ISHS“Commission on Education”, and the follo-wing European colleagues: J. Balas, BOKUUniversity, Wien, Austria; O. Callesen,University of Aarhus, Denmark; R.W. Cameron,University of Reading, UK; H. Dorna, Univ. ofLife Sciences, Poznan, Warsaw, Poland; F.Dosba, University of Montpellier, France; C.Gessler, EHT, Politechnick Zurich, Switzerland;F. Gil-Albert, Universidad Politecnica, Madrid,Spain; W. Keulemans, Katholic University,Leuven, Belgium; G. Kireva, AgriculturalUniversity, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; A. Kuipers and R.J.Bogers, WUR University of Wageningen,Netherlands; A. Manganaris, TechnologicalEducational Institution of Thessaloniki, Greece;D. Marian, University of Debrecen, Hungary; A.Monteiro, Technical University, Lisboa,Portugal; M. Nothnagl, SLU, Fac. LandscapePlanning, Horticulture and Agr. Sciences,Alnarp, Sweden; F. Nuez Viñals, UniversidadPolitécnica de Valencia, Spain; L. Rallo,University of Cordoba, Spain; A. Sasnauskas,Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Lithuania;F. Spinelli, University of Bologna, Italy; F.Stampar, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; JosefSus, University of Life Sciences, Prague, CzechRepublich; M. Tagliavini, Libera Università diBolzano, Italy; D. Treutter, TUM, TechnischenUniversität, Munchen, Germany; F. Toma, Fac.of Horticulture, Bucharest, Romania; G. VégváriGyörgy, Corvinus University of Budapest,Hungary.
REFERENCES
Bogers, R.P. 2007. The future of horticultural sci-ence and education: a European perspective.Chronica Hort. 47(2):4-6.
Cassandro, M. and Cozzi, G. 2008. Cresconocostantemente gli iscritti alle specialistiche.L’Informatore Agrario, Verona 21:34-41.
Dixon, G.R. 2004. A review of horticulture as anevolving scholarship and the implications foreducational provision. Acta Hort. 672:25-34.
plant protection biology, plant breeding andbiotechnology, and plant production and quality.The courses offered are advanced plant breedingand genetic resources, applied plant biotechnol-ogy, environmental issues in crop production,insect chemical ecology, principles of crop phys-iology, applied crop physiology, and the degreeproject for the MSc thesis in horticulture.
Switzerland
The Swiss agricultural science education systemhas as top level the Department of Agriculturaland Food Sciences of the Swiss Federal Instituteof Technology (ETH) in Zürich offering in itsMaster’s curricula some horticultural courseswithout a specific specialization. At a secondlevel several universities of applied sciencesoffer agricultural and environmental educationat Bachelor and Master level. The University ofApplied Sciences Zürich offers a Bachelor ofScience in Environmental Engineering. It is afull-time degree program lasting three yearsand an area of specialization in organic agricul-ture and horticulture is offered. In addition, atLausanne University (DIBMU) a MSc program onPlant Molecular Biology is available.
UK
Several institutions of higher education offerMSc programs. The University of Reading’sCentre for Horticulture and Landscape, Schoolof Biological Sciences, offers a program in hor-ticulture as a preparation for a career in anyaspects of the subject, including specializationin crop production, crop protection, amenityhorticulture and therapeutic horticulture; thedegree can be completed as a full-time studentin 12 months or part-time in 24-36 months.Environmentally desirable production methodsare emphasized. Reading is the only researchuniversity left in Britain still teaching horticultureto both undergraduates and postgraduates.Writtle College, the largest of the old incorpo-rated colleges, is a partner of Essex Universitytoday and offers through it MSc/MA courses ininternational horticulture and MSc degrees inhorticulture (crop production), in postharvesttechnology and in landscape management.Degrees can be completed either on a full- orpart-time basis. The University of Warwick took
over HRI Wellesbourne, started holding coursesthere in 2007 and will integrate the Departmentof Biological Sciences into the new School ofLife Sciences as of October 2010. Of the MScdegrees currently being offered those inEnterprise in Horticulture and Plant Biosciencefor Crop Production are directly related to horti-culture. While it offers a series of qualificationsthat it examines and validates but that aretaught by other institutions, the RoyalHorticultural Society (RHS) offers a Master ofHorticulture that can be completed in three ormore years and is primarily designed for thosealready working in a professional capacity with-in the industry.
CONCLUSIONS
One fact that stands out in this brief survey ofEurope’s MS programs is how so few of themare specifically in horticulture itself. This appearsto reflect several facets of modern post-industri-al society, including the low number of jobs inagriculture per se and the increasing focus ofacademies and the professions on topics suchas plant biology and its link to crop productionsystems, ecology, environmental stewardship,foodstuffs and food safety, and on-farm energyproduction from non-food crops and inputs.Revisiting crop management practices to reducea farm’s carbon footprint is one practical exam-ple.
We are likely seeing a new conceptual frame-work taking shape, one encompassing a multi-functional agricultural industry in which theskills and knowledge base of horticulture are asnecessary as ever, if not more so, in maintainingthe competitive and quality profile of food com-modities in the marketplace. The landscapeunfolding before us also places a great deal ofvalue on the conservation of genetic resourcesand biodiversity, issues that are directly or indi-rectly related to emerging demands for localfoods that are, and have always been, typicallygrown in many areas. There are also certaincommon landmarks in the academic territorywe have charted. Many of the MSc programssurveyed include genetics and biotechnologyapplied to plant breeding, physiology includingnutrition, soil and plant management, quality asa basis for cropping, basic ecology in relation toproduction systems and practices, nutraceutics,foodstuff safety, and the growing popularity oflandscape planning and urban horticulture.
It would appear that the best way forward willbring together universities, research institutions,and private enterprise with an internationalfocus in order to shape a more uniform modelfor a Master’s degree in horticulture. Such aneffort will likely require thinking outside thebox. For example, we might imagine somethingalong the lines of a Euro-Hort Curriculum forpost-graduate education that incorporates thebest of what the Erasmus exchange programhas spawned and incorporating a common coreof MSc and PhD programs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Silviero Sansavini
Dr. Silviero Sansavini isProfessor Emeritus,Dipartimento ColtureArboree, at Universityof Bologna, Italy. Heserved as President ofthe ISHS from 1994 to1998. Email: [email protected]
ISHS • 16
THE CHALLENGE: CONFUSIONREIGNS WHILE OPPORTUNITYKNOCKS
Concerns about declining enrolments in univer-sity courses, raised through several ISHS chan-nels, is certainly applicable to Australia.
Although these declines have been with us forthe last 25 years there have been significantdeclines of between 10-50% in student num-bers (Guisard and Kent, 2009) and graduatessince 2004 (Fig. 2). In addition, courses thatspecify horticulture in their titles or descriptionshave declined (Rayner et al., 2009; McSweeneyet al., 2009).
Although these authors offer many reasons forthese changes, one key factor appears to beoverlooked – namely, how well do we commu-nicate with potential undergraduate students(and their advisors) about the courses on offerand the careers that may eventuate? We wereshocked to discover how difficult it is for high
school graduates with an interest in plants andthe aptitude for university study, to work outtheir options, despite the power of the internet.Horticulture and plant science topics are oftentucked away in agricultural science, agriculturalecology, botany, environmental science, foodtechnology, landscape architecture, agriculturalengineering, as well as biotechnology andother courses. In particular, many courses enti-tled “horticulture” are being replaced by oneswith an “environmental” focus. The education-al paradigm has shifted, yet the need fortrained people remains.
EMPLOYMENT AND CAREEROPPORTUNITIES
In recent years the gross value of Australianhorticultural production has been estimated tobe $AUD8.6 billion, with lifestyle horticultureproducts and services valued at 1% of the grossdomestic product (Haydu et al., 2008) or theequivalent of $AUD5.3 billion. Employment inthis industry ranges from 175,000 to 275,000employees across some 40 individual commodi-ties, such as fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, nuts,turf, nursery and gardens (Agri-Food SkillsAustralia, 2010). Such a valuable marketingchain requires well trained horticultural gradu-
Guiding Young Peopleto Horticulture
Gerard McEvilly and David Aldous
The issue of attracting the next generation of horticulturists to the profession has been regular-ly addressed by ISHS on many levels. This includes the pages of Chronica Horticulturae (R.J.Bogers, 2007; R.P. Bogers, 2007) and at the ISHS Symposia held by the Commission onEducation, Research Training and Consultancy (Rom, 2004; Aldous, 2009), as well as throughan online forum: Future of Horticultural Science within Academia (http://www.ishs.org/future/).While these discussions are important, a practical approach is needed to address this issue. Wehave attempted one approach: the development of an online guide to courses and careers inhorticulture (Fig. 1). This directory is the first of its kind produced in Australia as a source of insti-tutions and careers relevant to horticulture as well as mapping out an appropriate training path-way via a University, trades institute, or private provider (Cooper, 2009). We believe the overallrationale and approach is relevant to all countries.
Figure 1. The cover photo of“Horticultural careers – your guide tocourses in Australia 2010”, features stu-dents from the Queensland Academy ofScience, Mathematics and Technology(Toowong), with Queensland PrimaryIndustries and Fisheries (QPIF) seniorflavour scientist Heather Smyth and for-mer QPIF food scientist Stuart Johnson(http://horticulture.realviewtechnologies.com/?cdn=0&xml=Courses_and_Careers_in_Horticulture).
University of Melbourne
University of Sydney
University of Queensland
Charles Sturt University
University of Adelaide
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Sum
of
hea
d c
ou
nts
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure 2. Total undergraduate student number enrolled in five Australian universities in theField of Education (FOE) “Horticulture.” Data adjusted to reflect the number of studentstransferred from the University of Sydney to Charles Sturt University in 2005 (after Guisardand Kent, 2009). Note that the University of Adelaide in recent times has phased out theirfour year model.
ates as well as technically sound operators tosustain their products and services across boththe domestic and export economy.
ALTERNATIVES TOUNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
Horticulture is taught across two main educa-tional channels in Australia, comprising eitheracademic studies through university and practi-cal or trades-based studies through an alterna-tive system such as the state-based colleges ofTechnical and Further Education (TAFE).Students train, often on a day-release or block-release basis, over several years to attain variouslevels of certification or, ultimately a diploma.Horticulture options are much clearer than withuniversities, with a basic choice of productionhorticulture or amenity horticulture.
Beyond the two options of university or TAFE,there exist many opportunities for horticulture-related training with private or other providers.These cover a vast range of topics and formats,ranging from one-day tuition on particular skillareas to extended training courses in manage-ment. Some schemes are in place to support theneed for lifetime learning and continuous edu-cation programs with many trades-based anduniversity programs having a mandatory periodof industry placement.
DEALING WITH DIVERSITY
It could be argued that the diversity of the hor-ticultural industry precludes any attempt to takea “whole of industry” approach to tackling theissue of attracting the next generation.However, this very diversity guarantees a life-time of opportunities and interest for anyonechoosing horticulture as a career.
The challenge for the compilers of the guidewas to try to encompass this diversity andopportunity in a few pages of editorial thataccompanied the course directory. In addition,an important element was to mention many ofthe varied initiatives across the industry (andextending into agriculture) that already exist tosupport young people through scholarships,mentoring, travel grants and professional devel-opment programs.
METHODOLOGY
Over 2008-09 a survey questionnaire was con-ducted in association with 20 Universities thatoffered agricultural/horticultural/environmentalscience programs in Australia. Initially, the aimwas to publish a simple table of the availablecourses, accompanied by some examples of theareas of study and snapshots about some grad-uates. However, when a major rural publisher inAustralia was approached to publish this fea-ture, a broader approach was suggested. Thisinvolved not only collecting data from these uni-versities on the courses available, but looking ata range of case studies of young people enjoy-
ing a wide range of occupations, from sciencethrough to production, marketing and servicingthe community. The guide also included a num-ber of short interviews with senior industryleaders, capturing their enthusiasm for theindustry and their desire to encourage youngpeople.
THE RESPONSE – AN ONLINEGUIDE FOR SCHOOLGRADUATES
The publication, “Horticultural Careers – YourGuide to Courses in Australia 2010” was pub-lished online in December, 2009 (Fig. 1)(Cooper, 2009). The guide was developed withRural Press Limited, the publishers of theAustralian trade magazines “AustralianHorticulture” and “Good Fruit and Vegetables”,and edited by Brad Cooper and consulting edi-tor Gerard McEvilly. It consists of two sections:the course directory and the editorial sectionproviding commentary. Importantly, the guideextends beyond the university sector to covernon-academic courses provided by governmentand other private training institutes.This highlights a key issue that is often over-looked by forums debating the dearth of horti-culture graduates. Horticulture is an incrediblydiverse area and there are an equally diversenumber of ways to enter the profession and tocontinue building skills and knowledge in thescientific, technical, practical and managerialdisciplines. While the focus of ISHS is on horti-cultural science, the industry served by ISHSmembers requires participants with increasinglysophisticated skills in non-science based disci-plines.The guide provides the name of the institution,entry level and the range of higher education,technical and further education and continuingeducation programs offered in Australia. Thepublishers decided that the primary audiencefor the publication should be high school grad-uates and their parents and career advisors.Online publication overcomes many of the diffi-culties of reaching this target audience and alsoallows for ease of updating. This format alsosimplifies research by users, providing hot linksto all the institutions and to other key referencesources. The link was circulated widely to keystakeholders such as career advisors networksand science teachers associations.However, a key secondary audience is the indus-try itself, which needs to be better informedabout this issue. Thus, a printed copy of the edi-torial section was distributed with copies of thetwo Rural Press Limited publications throughfunding from Horticulture Australia Limited.Horticulture Australia Limited is also the nation-al research, development, and marketingorganisation, which would also publicise theguide through its grower organisation mem-bers. It is expected that future editions could befully commercially funded through advertisingfrom business and educational institutions.
PEOPLE: HORTICULTURE’STOP CROP
The guide describes a range of careers thatrequire good background in horticultural educa-tion and training. Careers can range fromagribusiness through to gardener/groundkeeperto winemaker/wine producer and vineyardmanager. Personnel involved within the foodindustry are often engaged in the production,processing, distribution and sale of fruit andvegetable crops consumed as food or drink. Thelifestyle horticulture group involves those peo-ple and organisations who were engaged in theproduction, sale, and management and market-ing of plants used for environmental, recre-ational and leisure purposes. Another groupingis service and involves those people engaged insupplying non-plant products and services, hor-ticultural education, research and outreach, andthe community at large, such as biological con-trol (Fig. 3) and plant breeders rights (Fig. 4).
INDUSTRY ANDGOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
It was important to recognise and highlightsome of the many large and small-scale pro-grams in place, or under development, toattract and retain young people in horticulture.These range from establishing gardening pro-grams in primary schools through to industrysponsorship of undergraduate and postgradu-ate studies and continuing education. Forexample, the Australasian branch of theProduce Marketing Association has recentlyestablished a “Foundation for Industry Talent”,focussed on assisting commercial businesses toimprove staff recruitment and retention. TheAustralian Nursery and Garden Industry
Figure 3. South Australian industry place-ment students learn about biologicalcontrol.
ISHS • 18
Figure 4. Students study plant breeders’ rights trial clover during their industry placement atthe Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, Launceston, Tasmania.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Gerard McEvilly
Gerard McEvilly (corresponding author; Email:[email protected]), is a freelance consultant,specialising in supply chain and climate changeissues and has teaching responsibilities at the
David Aldous
Association launched a careers and trainingwebsite during 2009. These and other sectoralor regional initiatives are mentioned in theguide. Other recent and related initiativesinclude the Primary Industry Centre for ScienceEducation (PICSE) (http://www.picse.net), a pro-gram that illustrates the connection betweenthe science taught in high schools and the sci-ence used locally in primary industries.
There are many other initiatives within Australiadesigned to attract the next generation ofresearchers, producers, marketers and others tothe horticulture industry. However, this high-lights a further challenge to ensure that theseinitiatives reinforce, rather than confuse, themessage. Recently, the Primary IndustriesEducation Foundation (PIEF) was established inAustralia to optimise the effectiveness and suc-cess of primary industries educational programs(http://www.primaryindustrieseducation.com.au/). One of PIEF’s goals is to provide nationalleadership and coordination of initiatives toencourage primary industries education inschools through a partnership between indus-try, government and educators.
NEXT STEPS
A second edition of the guide was published inSeptember 2010. A link to this guide is availablefrom the authors. This timing will be better suit-ed to the key decision points for Australian stu-dents making subject choices for their closingyears at school, or for those considering post-school education. There are many options forimproving and/or broadening the guide. Futureeditions will be informed by an evaluation ofthe impact of the guide, assessed through feed-back from science teachers and careers advi-sors, through their respective associations.
University of Sydney. He was formerly a seniormanager with Horticulture Australia Limited andis now the Principal of Horticulture Supply ChainServices, 29 Bingara Road, Beecroft, NSW, 2119,Australia.
Dr. David Aldous was Associate Professor inEnvironmental Horticulture, Melbourne Schoolof Land and Environment, The University ofMelbourne-Burnley campus, Richmond, 3121,Victoria, Australia. Currently Adjunct AssociateProfessor, School of Land, Crop and FoodSciences, The University of Queensland, Lawes,4345, Queensland, Australia.
Both authors are members of the OrganisingCommittee for the 2014 InternationalHorticulture Congress, to be jointly hosted byAustralia and New Zealand in Brisbane.
It is hoped that, with the guide now in circula-tion, industry stakeholders will take ownershipof the initiative and ensure that it continues andimproves into the future. It is also hoped thatthis summary of the genesis and developmentof the guide will encourage other ISHS mem-bers to develop similar local products, and toshare similar experiences.
A guide such as this is only one element of astrategy to attract the best talent into horticul-ture. Perhaps its key role is to be a “one stopshop” that can distil the diversity of horticultureinto a few pages and place people on the pathto the information they need. In doing so, it canhelp ensure that our incredibly diverse and com-plex industry sends a clear message to its futuremembers: if you are interested in plants andtheir products, we will help you turn that inter-est into a rewarding career that benefitsmankind.
REFERENCES
Agri-Food Skills Australia 2010.http://www.agrifoodskills.net.au/ (accessedJanuary 18th, 2010).
Aldous, D.E. (ed.) 2009. V InternationalSymposium on Horticultural Research, Trainingand Extension. Acta Hort. 832.
Bogers, R.J. 2007. The future of horticultural sci-ence and education in academia. ChronicaHort. 47(2):3.
Bogers, R.P. 2007. The future of horticulturalscience and education: a European perspective.Chronica Hort. 47(2):4-6.
Cooper, B. 2009. Horticultural careers – yourguide to courses in Australia 2010.http://www.farmonline.com.au (accessedDecember 14th, 2009).
Guisard, Y. and Kent, J. 2009. Optimisation ofundergraduate horticulture course design atCharles Sturt University (Australia): a structurefor the future. Acta Hort. 832:87-94.
Haydu, J.J., Hall, C.R. and Hodges, A.W. 2008.Lifestyle horticulture as an emerging market.Singapore Garden Festival Expo Conference,July 24-26. www.singaporegardenfestival.com/.../SGF%20Expo%202008%20-%202nd%20Announcement%20Brochure.pdf (accessedApril 4th, 2010).
McSweeney, P., Raynor, K., Rayner, J. and Aldous,D.E. 2009. Developments in Australian horticul-tural vocational education. Acta Hort. 832:121-130.
Rayner, J., McSweeney, P., Raynor, K. and Aldous,D.E. 2009. Where to now for horticultural edu-cation in Australia? Acta Hort. 832:185-194.
Rom, C.R. (ed.) 2004. Horticulture higher educa -tion for the 21st century: The case of curriculumchange and degree requirements at theUniversity of Arkansas, USA. Acta Hort. 641:49-56.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors acknowledge the photographs onschools initiatives provided by Assoc. Prof.David Russell, National Director, PrimaryIndustry Centre for Science Education (PICSE),University of Tasmania.
Native Australian Acacias:Unrealised Ornamental Potential
HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE FOCUS
Acacia belongs to family Mimosaceae, whichis treated by some botanists as Mimosoideae, asubfamily of the Fabaceae (Table 1).Mimosaceae consists of 60 genera and over3000 species (Cowan, 2001). Three of the fivetribes comprising the Mimosaceae occur inAustralia; Mimoseae, Acacieae and Ingeae. Theonly representative of Acacieae in Australia isAcacia, but with more than 1000 taxa (Maslin,2001). Acacias have extensive variation in mor-phological, ecological, geographic, biochemicaland genetic attributes, and are distributed in adiverse range of terrestrial habitats. GenusAcacia is further classified into subgeneraAcacia, Aculeiferum and Phyllodineae.Subgenera Acacia and Aculeiferum are largelyrestricted to the northern region of Australia,and are comprised of about 10 species. Within
Kamani Ratnayake and Daryl Joyce
Acacia, commonly known as wattle, is the largest genus of flowering plants in Australia. Over950 species have been identified on the continent, constituting more than half of the 1352species found worldwide (Maslin, 2001; Maslin and Orchard, 2004). Wattles have integratedwith the Australian “identity”, giving rise to symbolic use at national and local communitylevels. A. buxifolia, or its close relative, was incorporated into the Australian Coat of Arms in1912. It was adopted as a symbol of unification because of widespread occurrence of the Acaciagenus across the continent (Fig. 1A, B; World Wide Wattle, 2009). A. pycnantha (Golden Wattle)had long been popularly regarded as Australia’s national flower. It was officially proclaimed hernational floral emblem in 1988 (Fig. 1C; Australian Symbols, 2000). Declaration of the nationalflower was linked to proclaiming September 1st as Wattle Day. The predominant green and goldcolours of wattle foliage and flowers, respectively, are the country’s official national colours(Australian Symbols, 2000). Furthermore, many of the Australian medals ofhonour that recognise achievement or meritorious service feature wattles, e.g. The Order ofAustralia. Some shires around the country, such as Dalwallinu, Hyden and Cootamundra, haveadopted local species of wattle as their floral emblem. In these instances the species are A.anthochaera (Kimberly’s wattle), A. lanei and A. baileyana (Cootamundra wattle), respectively(World Wide Wattle, 2009).
Australia, Acacia flora are dominated by speciesin subgenus Phyllodineae, of which over 700
are endemic to the continent (Horlock et al.,2000; Maslin, 2001). Although there has beena proposal to subdivide Acacia, the decision wasto conserve the name Acacia for species ofAustralian group (subgenus Phyllodineae), withretypification of the species (Maslin et al., 2003;Maslin and Orchard, 2009). Nonetheless, fur-ther splitting of Acacia and name changes arepossible in future (Maslin et al., 2003; Maslinand Orchard, 2004).
In Acacia, individual flowers are arranged in aninflorescence comprising from three florets (e.g.A. lunata) to 130 or more (e.g. A. anceps).Inflorescences are either globular heads (e.g. A.cultriformis) or cylindrical spikes (e.g. A. blakei).Flower colour can vary through cream, pale yel-low to gold, with occasional purple (e.g. A. pur-pureopetala) and red (e.g. A. leprosa) species.The true leaves of Acacia are compound (bipin-nate) leaves; e.g. A. baileyana. However, matureleaves of most acacias are reduced to phyllodes(flattened petioles; e.g. A. holosericea), a xero-morphic adaptation to survive in dry environ-ments. In a few species, cladodes (modifiedstems) function as leaves; e.g. A. glaucoptera(Australian Wattles – Genus Acacia, 2008).
The biological diversity of Australian Acaciaflora represents a resource of economic, envi-ronmental and social utilisation. Aboriginalcommunities use certain Acacia species assources of food (e.g. A. victoriae, A. mur-rayana), medicine (e.g. A. oncinocarpa, A.holosericea) and tools and weapons (e.g. A.anuera, A. mimula). Australian acacias are wide-ly utilised overseas in the form of wood prod-ucts, such as fuelwood (e.g. A. ampliceps, A.maconochieana) and timber products (e.g. A.mangium, A. melanoxylon), as a source of tan-
Table 1. Botanical classification of Acacia.Adapted from Maslin, 2001.
Figure 1. A: The Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms wherein branches of wattle tied with a ribbon frame the shield as an ornamental acces-sory. Reproduced with permission of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. B: A. buxifolia subsp. buxifolia. Courtesy: AnthonyO’Halloran. C: A. pycnantha, Australia’s national floral emblem. Courtesy: Bruce Maslin, World Wide Wattle, 2009. D: Acacia as a filler flower(arrowed) in a floral arrangement. Courtesy: www.zerli.co.il.
DCBA�
ISHS • 20
nin from their bark (e.g. A. mearnsii, A. decur-rens) and for edible seeds (e.g. A. elachantha,A. colei) and fodder (e.g. A. saligna; Searle,2009). There are also environmental benefitsfrom Acacia, such as fixing of atmosphericnitrogen and their being used for soil improve-ment (e.g. A. ampliceps, A. salicina) and landrehabilitation (e.g. A. saligna; McDonald et al.,2001; Maslin and McDonald, 2006).
HORTICULTURAL USES OFACACIA
Various Acacia species are highly prized inAustralia and overseas for their ornamentalvalue as amenity plants (e.g. A. redolens, A.auriculiformis). Rapid growth rates, diversity ofform and habit and spectacular floral displays,often in winter, contribute to their amenity use.Low-growing species, such as A. acinacea andA. drummondii, and prostrate forms of usuallyupright species, such as A. baileyana, are wide-ly grown in gardens (Horlock et al., 2000). Forcut flower and foliage use, the species mostcommonly grown in Australia are A. baileyana(Cootamundra wattle), A. baileyana ‘Purpurea’and A. dealbata, although many others havepotential (Sedgley and Horlock, 1998). Also, oilsfrom flowers and foliage of A. dealbata and A.farnesiana are used in Europe in the manufac-ture of high grade perfume (Maslin and
McDonald, 2006). Nonetheless, the fact thatrelatively few species have been utilised to datesuggests potential applications for many speciesremain unexplored.
ACACIA IN THEINTERNATIONALFLORICULTURE MARKET
Some Australian Acacia species are grown ascommercial cut flower and perfume crops inFrance, Italy, Israel and the USA (Fig. 2).European Acacia cut flower production isbased on selections of the species A. dealbata(‘Mirandole’ and ‘Le Gaulois’), A. retinodes(‘Floribunda’), A. baileyana, A. podalyriifoliaand their natural hybrids (Sedgley and Parletta,1993; Horlock et al., 2000). A. baileyana‘Purpurea’ is grown in Italy for its attractive cutfoliage. Despite the European industry’sdependence on a limited number of speciesgrown under adverse conditions and oftengrafted on A. retinodes rootstock, Acacia hasproved popular. Cut Acacia flowers are mar-keted collectively during the European autumnand winter under the name ‘Mimosa’ (Sedgleyand Parletta, 1993). While Acacia products aredistributed to markets throughout Europe, lit-tle in terms of quantity is sent to the USA andJapan. The Japanese market has shown inter-est in Acacia, but is reluctant to source
European products that arrive in inferior condi-tion due to the 24 hour transit time (Horlock etal., 2000).
AUSTRALIA’S STRENGTH INHORTICULTURE
Worldwide exports and imports of floriculturalproducts exceed US$ 9 billion (Bester et al.,2009). In the fashion-driven world floricultureindustry, unusual and exotic products readilygain attention (Gollnow et al., 2003). Exportpotential lies in Australia’s unique native flora,which is exotic to the international floriculturemarket. Up to 95% of Australian flowerexports consist of Australian natives plus pro-teaceous flowers of South African origin.Worldwide production of Australian nativespecies is estimated to be worth about A$ 400million per year, with Australia’s share onlyaround A$ 50 million (Gollnow et al., 2003). Inthis context, Australia can potentially both pro-claim national identity and enhance her cutflower exports through offering a range ofAcacia species. The number and volume ofAcacia species grown and marketed on thedomestic market are insignificant at present.However, longstanding success as a cut flowerin Europe suggests commercial potential forcut flowers and foliage of this genus inAustralia. This is particularly so when tradition-al limitations of the European industry, such aslack of species diversity and sub-optimal grow-ing conditions, are considered. There has beenrecent expanding interest within Australia inproduction of Acacia cut flower and foliagespecies (Horlock et al., 2000). Acacia speciesare most likely to be used as fillers in floralarrangements (Fig. 1D). Optimal growing con-ditions suggest easy cultivation because nolarge investments are necessary for environ-mental modifications. The rich geneticresource presents an opportunity to exploitdesirable traits to maintain market interest, likenovel flower/foliage characteristics. For export,Australian-grown cut flower Acacia specieswould arrive on the Japanese, European and
Figure 3. Some Australian Acacia species identified as promising cut flower and foliage crops in addition to those species in Fig. 2. A: A. buxifolia.B: A. cultriformis. C: A. pravissima. D: A. merinthophora. E: A. floribunda. F: A. lanigera. Courtesy: A, B, D: Tony Slater; C, E: Australian NationalBotanic Gardens; F: Anthony O’Halloran.
Figure 2. Cut flower Acacia species popular in Europe. A: A. dealbata. B: A. retinodes.C: A. baileyana. D: A. podalyriifolia. Courtesy: A and D: Australian National Botanic Gardens;B and C: Tony Slater.
Figure 4. Additional Australian Acacia species with possible cut flower and foliage potential.A: A. myrtifolia. B: A. perangusta. C: A. rossei. D: A. glaucoptera. E: A. acinacea.F: A. macradenia. G: A. decora. H: A. spectabilis. I: A. vestita. J: A. purpureopetala.K: A. mountfordiae. Courtesy: A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I, K: Australian National Botanic Gardens;G: Queensland Herbarium; J: Bruce Maslin.
US markets during their spring, summer andautumn seasons. In market research conduct-ed in 1997, Japan was identified as the biggestpotential market for Australian grown acacias(Horlock et al., 2000). A short air travel time ofaround 12 hours represents a potential com-petitive advantage over European producersfor the Japanese market.
Acacias selected for assessment of their cutflower and/or foliage potential include specieswith ball-shaped flowers without strong scent,long thin strappy leaves, reasonably long vaselives and visual appeal even when the flowerswilt. Such attributes are sought by Japaneseimporters and florists (Horlock et al., 2000). Inthis context, A. baileyana, A. baileyana‘Purpurea’, A. buxifolia (box leaf wattle), A. cul-triformis (knife leaf wattle), A. pravissima(Ovens wattle), A. merinthophora (zig zag wat-tle), A. retinodes (silver wattle, swamp wattle),A. lanigera (woolly wattle), A. podalyriifolia(Queensland silver wattle) and A. floribundahave been short-listed as promising (Horlock etal., 2000; Figs. 2 and 3). Other species consid-ered worthy of inclusion are A. decora, A.cometes, A. glaucoptera, A. acinacea, A. nota-bilis, A. vestita, A. myrtifolia, A. purpureopeta-la, A. mountfordae, A. macradenia, A. peran-
gusta, A. rossei and A. spectabilis (Sedgley andParletta, 1993; Williamson, 1996; Fig. 4).
POSTHARVEST CONSTRAINTS
Acacia species that have a postharvest life of ≥7 days for local markets and ≥ 10 days forexport markets are potentially suitable as cutflowers and foliage (Horlock et al., 2000).However, inherently short vase life is character-
istic of many attractive Acacia species, includ-ing the well-known A. baileyana. Flowers andfoliage on many species desiccate quickly, ren-dering cut stems unattractive within 2 to 6days (Williamson and Milburn, 1995; Jones etal., 1998). Rapid decline in postharvest wateruptake is a major cause of short Acacia vaselife (Rappel, 1985; Williamson and Milburn,1995; Damunupola, 2009). Underlying mecha-nisms may involve vascular blockage by cavita-tion and physiological wound healing process-es. Microbial stem-end blockage is also a prob-able contributory factor. Wound responses andhealing perhaps entail gum deposition, tyloseformation and/or wound induced suberisationand lignification of cell walls in and around thexylem. Acacia species are widely known to pro-duce gummy exudates with carbohydrates astheir major constituent (Anderson and Dea,1969). However, it is yet to be determinedwhether physiological processes or microbialproliferation at the stem end and in the vasesolution is the primary determinant of poorpostharvest water relations in cut Acaciastems. Since early studies by Rappel (1985) andWilliamson (1996), research focused on under-standing physico-chemical phenomena occur-ring in cut Acacia stems in terms of implica-tions for postharvest longevity has maintainedslow momentum. Postharvest treatments withpulse and vase solution additives have beenassessed for selected Acacia species andrealised varying degrees of success. Forinstance, cut A. amoena stems stood in 10 mMcitric acid showed a 1.6-fold increase in vaselife over stems in distilled water (Williamsonand Milburn, 1995). Pre-transport pulsing with0.01% Agral + 200 mg.L-1 aluminium sulphatefor 16 h at 10°C was effective in extending thepostharvest life of cut A. retinodes stems(Jones et al., 1998). These authors suggestedthat postharvest treatments for cut Acaciastems should be applied in the first 2 to 3 daysafter harvest for maximum efficacy. Williamsonet al. (2002) screened a range of chemicalcompounds [viz. ascorbic acid, citric acid,abscisic acid (ABA), cycloheximide (CHI) andsalicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM)] as vase solu-
tion additives for A. baileyana. Citric acid at 5mM gave the maximum vase life, equating toa 1.7-fold increase over control stems indeionised water. Damunupola et al. (2009)evaluated S-carvone, a monoterpene from car-away and dill seeds known to inhibit suberinformation, as a vase solution additive.However, this wound response inhibitor didnot extend the longevity of A. holosericea cutfoliage at either 0.318 or 0.636 mM. Despitethe promise of effective postharvest treat-ments (e.g. citric acid), the exact mechanismsof inherently short vase life in Acacia remainelusive. A. holosericea (Fig. 5) has recentlybeen adopted by the Centre for NativeFloriculture (Joyce and Turner, 2007) as a‘model’ species with which to investigatepostharvest biology and technology in detail
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Kamani Ratnayake
Kamani Ratnayake is currently a PhD candidate atThe University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.She is a lecturer attached to the Department ofHorticulture and Landscape Gardening,Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. Kamaniattained an Australian Government sponsoredEndeavour Postgraduate Award and joinedUQ’s Centre for Native Floriculture researchgroup in 2008. Her current research is focusedon understanding mechanisms towardsimproving the postharvest water relations ofAustralian native Acacia species. Email:[email protected].
Daryl Joyce (corresponding author) is Professorand Director of the Centre for NativeFloriculture at the School of Land, Crop andFood Sciences, The University of Queensland,Gatton QLD 4343, Australia. He works onmaintaining and extending the postharvest lon-gevity of horticultural crops. Much of Daryl’swork is with ornamentals, particularly nativeAustralian species. He is interested in develop-ing technical solutions to applied problemsbased on understanding biological mecha-nisms. Phone: +61 (0)7 5460 1725, Fax: +61(0)7 5460 1112, Email: [email protected].
Daryl Joyce
REFERENCES
Anderson, D.M.W. and Dea, I.C.M. 1969.Chemotaxonomic aspects of the chemistry ofAcacia gum exudates. Phytochemistry 8:167-176.
Australian Symbols. 2000. Awards and NationalSymbols Branch of The Department of PrimeMinister and Cabinet, Barton, ACT, Australia.
Australian Wattles - Genus Acacia. 2008. AustralianNational Botanic Gardens. Accessed 01.03.2010.http://www.anbg.gov.au/acacia/
Bester, C., Blomerus, L.M. and Kleynhans, R. 2009.Development of new floriculture crops in SouthAfrica. Acta Hort. 813:67-71.
Cowan, R.S. 2001. Mimosaceae. In: A.E. Orchardand A.J.G. Wilson (eds.), Flora of Australia Volume11 A, Mimosaceae, Acacia part 1. ABRS/CSIROPubl., Melbourne, Australia.
Damunupola, J.W. 2009. Xylem flow in cut Acaciaholosericea stems. Ph.D. Thesis. The Univ.Queensland, Gatton, Australia.
Damunupola, J.W., Qian, T., Muusers, R., Joyce,D.C., Irving, D.E. and Van Meeteren, U. 2009.Effect of S-carvone on vase life parameters ofselected cut flower and foliage species.Postharvest Biol. Technol. 55(1):66-69.
Gollnow, B., Lidbetter, J. and Worrall, R. 2003.Growing Australian native flowers commercially.New South Wales Department of Primary Indus-tries. Accessed 29.01.2010. http://www. dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/horticulture/floriculture/australian-south-african/growing-commercially
Horlock, F., Faragher, J. and Jones, R. 2000. Acaciacut flower and foliage production manual. RuralIndustries Research and Development Corpo -ration, Barton, ACT, Australia.
Jones, R., Horlock, F. and Faragher, J. 1998.Postharvest handling of cut Acacia branches. ActaHort. 464:253-257.
Joyce, D.C. and Turner, C. 2007. Developing a com-mercial floriculture activity in a research environ-ment and supply chain context. Acta Hort.755:45-54.
Maslin, B.R. 2001. Introduction to Acacia. In: A.E.Orchard and A.J.G. Wilson (eds.), Flora ofAustralia Volume 11 A, Mimosaceae, Acacia part1. ABRS/CSIRO Publ., Melbourne, Australia.
Maslin, B.R. and McDonald, M. 2006. Australianwattles: An overview. In: Acacia 2006 - Knowingand growing Australian wattles. 25-28 August2006, Melbourne, Australia.
(Damunupola, 2009; Damunupola et al.,2009). Stem hydraulic conductance is beingcharacterised, including anatomical features ofxylem conduits, by light and scanning andtransmission electron microscopy (Damunu-pola, 2009). Further microscopical and histo-chemical studies are underway to localise andidentify the nature of vascular occlusion in thisspecies. Concurrently, efficacies of alternativepostharvest treatments are being assessed. Forinstance, provision of certain inorganic cationsas either a postharvest pulse treatment or vasesolution additive improved the vase life of cutA. holosericea foliage by around 2.7-fold overdeionised water controls. Vase life extensionwas accompanied by higher water uptakerates for the cut stems. Work is underway tooptimise treatments and discern mechanisms
of action of effective Cu2+ and Ag+ cations.
CONCLUSION
Australian native Acacia cut flowers and foliageremain a relatively underexploited resource forboth export and domestic market opportunities.Very limited information on agronomic andpostharvest practices has been published forAcacia to date. Being the major drawback, shortpostharvest life, in particular, needs to be over-come. Postharvest research focused on waterbalance and its regulation promises to elucidatemechanisms underlying short Acacia vase life.Based on R & D initiatives, marketing opportuni-ties are likely to increase in the future as grow-ers apply findings to genotype selection and pre-and postharvest management practices.
Maslin, B.R. and Orchard, T. 2004. Proposed namechanges for Acacia and how these might affectAustralian species. Australian Plants 22(180):300-303.
Maslin, B.R. and Orchard, T. 2009. Acacia - the finaldecision. World Wide Wattle. Accessed 20.02.2010.http://www.worldwidewattle.com/infogallery/nameissue/decision.php
Maslin, B.R., Miller, J.T. and Seigler, D.S. 2003.Overview of the generic status of Acacia(Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). Australian Syste-matic Bot. 16:1-18.
McDonald, M.W., Maslin, B.R. and Butcher, P.A. 2001.Utilisation of Acacias. In: A.E. Orchard and A.J.G.Wilson (eds.), Flora of Australia Volume 11 A,Mimosaceae, Acacia part 1. ABRS/CSIRO Publ.,Melbourne, Australia.
Rappel, L. 1985. The factors leading to senescence incut flowers of Acacia. B.Sc. (Hons.) Thesis. Univ.New England, Armidale, Australia.
Searle, S. 2009. Traditional uses of Australianacacias. World Wide Wattle. Accessed 01.03.2010.http://www.worldwidewattle.com/infogallery/utili-sation/aboriginal.php
Sedgley, M. and Horlock, F. 1998. Acacias (cut flowersand foliage). Rural Industries Research andDevelopment Corporation. Accessed 04.08.2005.http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/handbook/acacias/html
Sedgley, M. and Parletta, M. 1993. Australian acaciashave huge potential as cut flowers. Australian Hort.91(2):24-26.
Williamson, V. 1996. Physiological and microbiologicalprocesses of cut flower senescence in twoAustralian native genera, Acacia and Boronia. Ph.D.Thesis. Univ. New England, Armidale, Australia.
Williamson, V.G. and Milburn, J.A. 1995. Cavitationevents in cut stems kept in water: Implications forcut flower senescence. Scientia Hort. 64(4):219-232.
Williamson, V.G., Faragher, J., Parsons, S. and Franz, P.2002. Inhibiting the postharvest wounding respon-se in wildflowers. Rural Industries Research andDevelopment Corporation, Kingston, ACT,Australia.
World Wide Wattle. 2009. Department ofEnvironment and Conservation, Shire of Dalwallinu,CSIRO, Government of Western Australia. Accessed09.02.2010. http://www.worldwidewattle.com
Celebrating 100 Years of BeltsvilleAgricultural Research
HISTORY
The value of United States exports exceededimports for the first time in late 1850s.Approximately 75% of these exports were agri-cultural products. Agricultural production wasclosely tied to the economic health of thenation. During our Civil War (1861-1865),major agricultural shortages threatened oureconomic health. Two major factors were thecause of the shortages. First, the war caused asignificant reduction in farm labor, for over halfof the farmers and farm laborers became sol-diers. Second, the nation depended upon theexport of crops that were exclusively grown inthe South, such as sugar and cotton. Productionof these crops virtually stopped during the war.
Stephanie Yao, Robert J. Griesbach and Richard H. Zimmerman
For the past century, the historic research facility now known as the Henry A. Wallace AgriculturalResearch Center (BARC) at Beltsville, Maryland, has played an important role in advancing agri-cultural science and improving people’s lives worldwide. This center, which had its beginnings onacreage of the former Walnut Grange plantation in Beltsville, is operated by the AgriculturalResearch Service (ARS), the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture (USDA). The arrival of BARC’s centennial anniversary marks a significant momentin its history, serving as an opportunity to commemorate past research accomplishments thathave contributed to BARC’s reputation and success as a world leader in agricultural research.
Because of these facts, Abraham Lincoln calledfor the establishment in 1862 of a Departmentof Agriculture to help restore agricultural pro-duction. Initial studies by the USDA focused onthe immediate need to develop alternativecrops (i.e., sorghum as a substitute for sugarcane; flax as a substitute for cotton; etc.) andprovide information to farmers for increasingproductivity (i.e., improved methods of cultiva-tion; better varieties; etc.).
In 1867, William Saunders, the USDA’s firstbotanist and landscape architect, establishedthe broad goals for horticultural research. Thesegoals were to: 1) procure seeds, cuttings, bulbsand plants from foreign and domestic sourcesand test their merits in various local conditions;2) hybridize or culture plants of superior traits;
3) test products in varied cultures and theeffects of pruning and other manipulations ontrees and fruits; 4) investigate disease and insectpests; 5) thoroughly test all seed samples andother plant propagation materials; 6) cultivatehedge plants and show their usefulness; 7) col-lect and cultivate the best fruit trees and plants;8) plant a collection of choice shrubs, gardens,and landscape scenery; and 9) erect greenhous-es for display of exotic plants and teach the bestand most economical constructing, heating andmanaging of such buildings.
After the Civil War, the activities of the USDAwere expanded. Thirty-five acres of land lyingbetween 12th and 14th streets andConstitution and Independence Avenues in theDistrict of Columbia were assigned to theDepartment. At the south end of this land, theAgricultural building was constructed. A largeconservatory for maintaining tropical econom-ic plants was erected next to the building in1871. Because of an increased need forresearch fields, Arlington Farm ExperimentStation was established at the turn of the cen-tury across the Potomac River in Virginia.Research greenhouses were constructed in1902 at the District of Columbia site and in1910 at the Virginia site.
Meanwhile, the USDA also purchased land atthe Walnut Grange plantation in Beltsville,Maryland. Dairy and animal husbandry researchwere relocated to this site in 1910, marking thebeginning of BARC. Three years later, the DairyBarn became the first building to be construct-ed in BARC and is the site of the first researchactivity. For the next 20 years, the USDA contin-ued to gradually acquire surrounding land, con-structing permanent buildings and small animaland poultry houses.
Prior to 1935, most research programs at theUSDA were extension oriented. One of theresults of the 1935 Bankhead-JonesCongressional Act was to provide approximate-ly $10 million toward “research into the lawsand principles underlying basic problems ofAgriculture in its broadest aspects” (Ling,1935). Based upon this funding, Secretary ofAgriculture Henry A. Wallace moved researchprojects from experiment stations in surround-ing areas to Beltsville, effectively creating theNational Agricultural Research Center. TheNational Agricultural Research Center is nowknown as the Henry A. Wallace BeltsvilleAgricultural Research Center (BARC).
Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, ca. 1950.
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Although plant research in Beltsville did notbegin until the mid 1930s, USDA plant scienceresearch dates back to the 19th century.Starting first on the National Mall, then movingto the Arlington Farm Experiment Station andfinally settling in the western part of the BARCcampus, USDA scientists have made significantcontributions to advance horticultural research.In fact, nearly all USDA research conductedtoday throughout the United States originatedat BARC. Here, in this article, we highlight justa few accomplishments of BARC scientists.
PHOTOPERIODISM ANDPHYTOCHROME
Photoperiodic research was one of the first proj-ects at BARC to benefit by the Bankhead-JonesAct. Previous research at Arlington Farm in1918 by physiologist Wightman W. Garner andbotanist Harry A. Allard discovered that changesin the daylength controlled flowering in tobac-co and soybeans. They coined the term “pho-toperiodism” and classified the floweringresponse of many horticultural crops as requir-ing either short days or long days for flowering(Garner and Allard, 1920).
This research provided the basis for Furman L.Mulford to cooperate with Allard on developingthe first garden chrysanthemums that wereboth winter-hardy and early flowering. All ofthe early flowering selections made by Mulfordwere further evaluated for winter hardiness atlocations in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Woodward,Oklahoma; and Ithaca, New York. BeforeMulford’s research, nearly all commercialchrysanthemums were short-day plants thatflowered in winter and were not winter-hardy(Mulford, 1939).
In 1936, botanist Harry A. Borthwick and phys-iologist Marion W. Parker were hired to contin-ue the work of Garner and Allard. They con-structed special dark chambers with modifiedbenches that rolled on railroad tracks. Thesebenches could easily and quickly move largenumbers of plants into and out of the dark.Using these chambers, they discovered that ashort flash of low-intensity light during thenight prevented flowering of short-day plants(Parker and Borthwick, 1940).
This discovery provided horticulturist Neil W.Stuart of the Ornamentals Laboratory with thebasic information needed to develop a practicalmethod for regulating the flowering ofChrysanthemum (Stuart, 1943). Based uponthese results, Kenneth Post at Cornell Universityand Vernon Gifford at Ohio State University alsodeveloped year-around production protocols forthe crop.
After World War II, chemist Sterling B.Hendricks joined the team. Hendricks’ expertisein spectrophotometry was used to design a spe-cial spectrograph to test the effects of differentwavelengths of light on the photoperiodicresponse. This instrument allowed the team todetermine that flowering was controlled by redlight. In 1951, Eben H. Toole and Vivian K. Tooleof the Seed Laboratory provided expertise onthe photoperiodic response of seeds during ger-mination. Together they determined that far-redlight could reverse the effects of red light(Borthwick et al., 1954).
In 1957, physiologist Robert J. Downs, horticul-turist Albert A. Piringer, biophysicist Warren L.Butler, biochemist Harold W. Siegelman andagricultural engineer Karl H. Norris joined theteam. The team reasoned that the photoperiod-ic response needed to be mediated by a pig-ment that had to exist in two interconvertibleforms, one absorbing red light (Pr) and the otherabsorbing far red light (Pfr). In 1959, the teamfinally detected the photoperiodic pigment, call-ing it “phytochrome” (Butler et al., 1959).
This brief history of the discovery of photoperi-odism and phytochrome shows the type ofgroundbreaking research performed at BARC.Most projects involve an interdisciplinaryapproach with a team of scientists workingtogether for a long period of time to solve amajor problem. Hans Mohr of the University ofFreiburg, a postdoctoral fellow with the team,stated that “The mode of cooperation among
the Beltsville group opened my eyes to the ben-efits of teamwork.”
BLUEBERRY
In 1906, Frederick V. Coville began a breedingprogram to domesticate highbush blueberries.He began selecting blueberries from the wild in1908, with his first selection being ‘Brooks’from New Hampshire. A year later, Covilleadded a lowbush blueberry from NewHampshire named ‘Russell’ to his collection.
According to field diaries, Coville first attempt-ed to self-pollinate ‘Brooks’ in 1909 and 1910,but the flowers set poorly and no seedlingsresulted. Two years later, cross pollinations of‘Brooks’ and ‘Russell’ were successful in produc-ing offspring, establishing interspecifichybridization as the foundation of the blueber-ry breeding program (Eck and Childers, 1966).
After reading about Coville’s breeding efforts,Elizabeth White invited Coville to Whitesbog,New Jersey, to continue his research on landthat she provided. This fortuitous partnershipproduced thousands of seedlings from nativeNew Jersey wild blueberry selections, greatlyexpanding the material in the blueberry collec-tion. Cultivars selected by Coville and collectedby White include ‘Rubel,’ a variety still grownfor freezing.
Besides breeding, Coville established the cultur-al requirements (i.e., acid soil, winter chilling,etc.) and propagation methods for the crop. Hisinitial breeding program focused on improvingfruit flavor, fruit size and foliage retention.Coville’s first cultivar was named ‘Pioneer’because it was the first blueberry cultivar devel-oped as a result of artificial hybridization. Healso released ‘Cabot’ and ‘Katherine’ in 1920.Together, these three cultivars served as the
Wightman W. Garner (left) and Harry A.Allard (right) view trees grown under differ-ent photoperiods in the 1920s.
Harry A. Borthwick (left) and Sterling B.Hendricks (right) examine chrysanthemumsgrowing under different wavelengths oflight , ca.1950.
Frederick V. Coville examines blueberryseedlings in breeding plots, ca. 1930.
basis for establishing the modern United Statesblueberry industry.
After Coville’s death in 1937, George M.Darrow assumed leadership of USDA blueberrybreeding. Darrow expanded the breeding pro-gram by developing cooperative efforts forbreeding and evaluation with many state exper-iment stations (i.e., Massachusetts, Maine, WestVirginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Michigan,New Hampshire, Florida, and Minnesota). Thesecooperative agreements have helped in thedevelopment of cultivars adapted to differingenvironmental conditions. The most notablecultivar Darrow helped develop is ‘Bluecrop,’which was released in 1952 and is still the lead-ing blueberry cultivar in the world.
Donald H. Scott took over the program afterDarrow’s retirement in 1957. Scott continuedthe cooperative research with the state experi-ment stations. As leader of the Small FruitsInvestigations group, Scott focused on seed ger-mination and further improving the breedingprogram. In 1965, he also hired Arlen D. Draper,who would later take over breeding efforts.
Draper is perhaps best known for his use of wildgermplasm. Working with Scott and Gene J.Galletta, Draper employed various strategies toincorporate desirable traits found in wild blue-berries into the cultivated blueberry, such as lowchilling requirement (for Southern growers) andimproved fruit quality. A number of cultivarsbeing grown today were developed and/orselected by Draper. Notable cultivars include‘Duke,’ one of the first large-fruited early sea-son cultivars widely planted throughout theUnited States; ‘Legacy,’ a popular, high-yieldingcultivar; and ‘Elliott,’ a late-ripening cultivar thatproduces large fruit.
Through the years, several BARC scientists haveplayed a role in the program. Mark Ehlenfeldtand Jeannine Rowland currently oversee breed-ing efforts at BARC for the Northeast region.The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) alsoconducts blueberry research at laboratories inPoplarville, Mississippi, for Southeast produc-tion and Corvallis, Oregon, for the PacificNorthwest region. All locations use moleculartechnology to identify useful traits like diseaseresistance found in wild germplasm to developnew cultivars that meet growers’ and con-sumers’ needs.
Today, all of the highbush blueberry cultivarsgrown in the United States and some cultivarsgrown elsewhere in the world have BARC culti-vars in their pedigree. Several BARC cultivarsare, or have been, grown as the industry stan-dard.
TOMATO
Whether for processing or fresh market, toma-to growers face numerous problems caused bydisease, pests and varying weather conditions.When Frederick J. Pritchard began breedingtomatoes at Arlington Farm in 1915, his focus
was to develop disease-resistant cultivars. Thefirst cultivars he released in 1918 – ‘Norton,’‘Columbia’ and ‘Marvel’ – were not resistantbut tolerant to fusarium wilt, a disease thatenters the plant through the roots and clogs upthe water-conducting vessels of the roots andstems.
Seven years later, in 1925, the breeding pro-gram introduced ‘Marglobe’ to Florida. Thisimportant cultivar possesses practically com-plete field resistance to “nail head rust” and iscredited with saving the tomato industry insouth Florida. It soon became the most widelyused tomato in the United States and is stillused as an heirloom home garden tomato.
In 1923, William Porte and Sears P. Doolittletook over leadership of the breeding program.They made extensive crosses between the culti-vated tomato and related wild species in aneffort to improve disease resistance. In 1941,growers were able to reap the benefits of Porteand Doolittle’s hard work when the scientistsreleased ‘Pan American,’ the first cultivar resist-ant to fusarium wilt. Throughout the 1950s, thescientists released three more fusarium wilt-resistant cultivars: a yellow-fruited garden culti-var named ‘Sunray;’ a pink-fruited fresh marketcultivar named ‘Pinkshipper;’ and a pear-shapedprocessing cultivar named ‘Roma’ that is stillpopular today. In fact, most of the fusarium-resistant cultivars currently grown can attributetheir resistance to early research conducted atBARC.
Resistance to verticillium wilt was combinedwith fusarium resistance in the 1960s with therelease of ‘Porte’ and ‘Enterpriser.’ These newcultivars were released by Raymon Webb, whowas also instrumental in developing machine-harvestable tomatoes. These types of tomatoesmust be high yielding, firm, crack resistant andstore well. In 1968, ‘Harvester’ and ‘Parker’became the first tomatoes that could be har-
vested by a machine and contained resistanceto fusarium and verticillium wilts. ‘Mars,’ alsoreleased in 1968, possessed the attributes of‘Harvester’ and ‘Parker’ plus resistance to grayleaf spot.
In 1971, Allan Stoner and Thomas Barksdaletook over the program. Although previousreleases made important headway in helpingprotect the tomato industry, much researchremained to be done to combine resistance tomultiple diseases into one single breeding lineor variety. In the 1970s, the scientists releasedfive important cultivars with various combina-tions of resistance to fusarium and verticilliumwilts, gray leaf spot, early blight, tobacco mosa-ic virus, the carmine spider mite and the potatoaphid. These cultivars – ‘Merit,’ ‘Potomac,’ ‘RedRock,’ ‘Chef’ and ‘Arc’ – are credited with sav-ing the tomato processing industry in the east-ern United States (Stoner, 1977).
Several BARC cultivars are, or have been, grownas the industry standard. However, muchresearch remains to be conducted. Perhapsmost important is the ability to produce high-yielding, high-quality fruit under a wide rangeof environmental conditions. John Stommel isfocusing on developing tomato germplasm withenhanced fresh- and processing-market quality.He aims to identify genes that contribute tofruit quality, particularly those that control fruitfirmness attributes and carotenoid content.
NEW GUINEA IMPATIENS
Impatiens are popular plants. They bloom con-tinuously during the warm weather, contrastingcolorful flowers against dense foliage thatremains compact throughout the summer.Unlike other flower species, impatiens thrive inthe shade. They keep themselves well groomedby sloughing off dead flowers, leaves andbranches, and they tolerate air pollution well.
William Porte and the ‘Pan American’ toma-to, ca. 1950.
H. Marc Cathey (left) and Toru Arisumi(right) with New Guinea impatiensgermplasm, ca 1970.
ISHS • 26
During the 1970s, the most common marketvarieties were hybrids of the African species(Impatiens sultani) or the Indian species (I. bal-samina). As popularity of the plant grew amongAmerican gardeners, breeders and the horticul-tural industry saw an opportunity and a desireto increase the variety of impatiens on the mar-ket.
Therefore, in 1970, USDA plant collectorsHarold F. Winters and Joseph J. Higgins traveledto New Guinea on an expedition to collect morespecies of Impatiens. The two men sent back 25species from the highlands of Australian NewGuinea and one species from the Indonesianisland of Java. Two species from Celebes,Indonesia arrived later.
After nearly 2 years in quarantine, BARC’s PlantIntroduction Station in Glenn Dale, Maryland,sent cuttings from these plants to research insti-tutions, commercial growers, amateur breedersand Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square,Pennsylvania, which co-sponsored the expedi-tion. A team was established with Toru Arisumiat BARC, Robert Armstrong at LongwoodGardens and Joseph Weigle at Iowa StateUniversity to develop commercially acceptablecultivars from the wild germplasm.
Arisumi was responsible for the basic research.While the New Guinea-Indonesian collectionprovided a wealth of new and unusual plantmaterial for breeders, the mature plants had atendency to become tall and spindly and lostlower foliage as they aged. Furthermore, theseplants were poor seed producers, making themdifficult to propagate.
Arisumi overcame some of these drawbacks byhybridizing. In the mid-1970s, he introducedseveral new cultivars with names like ‘Aloha,’‘Pee Gee,’ ‘Cascade,’ and ‘Sweet Sue.’Although they were continuous bloomers andmore compact than their forebears, most had tobe propagated by cuttings.
The crossing studies produced a picture ofimpatiens’ probable evolutionary history. Thestudies also exposed problems that had to besolved before the New Guinea species could becrossed with their distant relatives from Africaand India. Arisumi determined the genetic rela-tionships among the New Guinea species andother Impatiens species and developed embryorescue procedures for creating interspecifichybrids and their subsequent colchicine treat-ment to increase their fertility (Arisumi, 1985).
In this way, ‘Sweet Sue’ was born. Released toflorists and nurseries in 1976, this ever-bloom-ing beauty contrasted large, bright-orangeflowers against variegated leaves of green withyellow centers. A cross between a New Guineahybrid and a Celebes species, ‘Sweet Sue’ setseed well and was the first introduction fromthe New Guinea-Indonesian collection to breedtrue from seed.
Recently, a novel cultivar of New Guinea impa-tiens with striped flowers, known as “flowerbreak,” was developed by BARC scientists
Ramon Jordan and Mary Ann Guaragna. Theyalso discovered that this new cultivar was infect-ed with a new virus, which they namedImpatiens flower break virus (IFBV). Whenhealthy impatiens of several different cultivars,including ‘Sweet Sue,’ were manually inoculat-ed with the virus, the plants became infectedand a novel “flower break” symptom appeared.These scientists have developed a screeningassay for detection that is currently being com-mercialized.
OTHER SIGNIFICANTACCOMPLISHMENTS
BARC has many more accomplishments in thehorticultural field. Some of the more significantones include:
Strawberry Improvement
In 1910, Walter van Fleet began breedingstrawberries at Glenn Dale. His research formedthe basis for an expanded strawberry improve-ment program started in 1920 by George M.Darrow. The objects of the project were toimprove fruit characters for specific uses and toproduce plants adapted to different climates.Through the years, several BARC scientists haveplayed a role in the program (i.e., Donald Scott,John Maas, Gene Galletta, Stan Hokanson, andKimberly Lewers). The uniqueness of the pro-gram was that it was national in scope andinvolved cooperative breeding and trialingefforts with several different USDA and stateexperiment stations (i.e., USDA-Wyoming,USDA-Oregon, USDA-Mississippi, NorthCarolina, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington).Disease resistance, especially for red stele rootrot, became the initial breeding emphasis. Theteam released the first “multiple-race,” redstele root rot-resistant cultivars. All the red stele-resistant cultivars grown today have BARC culti-vars in their pedigree. Several BARC cultivars(‘Surecrop’ released in 1956, ‘Earliglow’released in 1975, and ‘Allstar’ released in 1981)
are, or have had, significant impact on theindustry in the Eastern U.S. (Galletta et al.,1997).
Potato Improvement
In 1910, C.F. Clark began breeding diseaseresistant potatoes. Because of the economicimpact of viral diseases, the initial breedingfocused on the development of virus resistantgermplasm. The first virus tolerant cultivars(‘Chippewa,’ ‘Houma,’ and ‘Katahdin’) werereleased in the late 1930s. This germplasm wasdistributed to state cooperators. In the 1930s,F.J. Stevenson assumed leadership of the pro-gram and, since then, several BARC scientistshave played a major role in the program (i.e.,Raymon Webb, Steven Sinden, Robert Goth andKathleen Haynes). The potato improvementprogram was national in scope and involvedcooperative breeding and trialing efforts withseveral different state experiment stations (i.e.,Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, New York,North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida,Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maine, Colorado, andLouisiana). Over half of the potatoes grown inthe US today are cultivars released from thiscooperative research program. Two BARC culti-vars (‘Kennebec’ released in 1948 and ‘Atlantic’released in 1976) are, or have been, grown asthe industry standard for potato chip quality.
Genetic Concepts
In 1921, Sewall Wright working in the Bureauof Animal Industry at BARC published a series ofpapers which introduced for the first time pathcoefficient analysis. In these papers, he alsointroduced the concept of random genetic drift.These genetic concepts became the foundationfor modern plant and animal breeding (Russell,1989).
Storage Life of Flowers
In 1940, David V. Lumsden, R.C. Wright, T.M.Whiteman and J.W. Byrnes reported that ethyl-ene decreased the storage life of cut-flowers.
F.J. Stevenson holds fruits of potatogermplasm, ca. 1950.George M. Darrow examining strawberry
Theodore Diener in front of an electronmicrograph of potato spindle tuber viroid,ca 1980.
REFERENCES
Arisumi, T. 1985. Rescuing abortive Impatienshybrids through aseptic culture of ovules. J.Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 110:273-276.
Asen, S. 1976. Known factors responsible for infi-nite flower color variation. Acta Hort. 63:217-223.
Borthwick, H.A., Hendricks, S.B., Toole, E.H. andToole, V.K. 1954. Action of light on lettuce seedgermination. Bot. Gaz. 115:205-225.
Butler, W.L., Norris, K.H., Siegelman, H. andHendricks, S.B. 1959. Detection, assay and pre-liminary purification of the pigment controllingphotoresponsive development of plants. Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. 45:1703-1708.
Eck, P. and Childers, N.F. 1966. Blueberry Culture.Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NewJersey. p.66.
Galletta, G., Maas, J., Finn, C., Smith, B. andGupton, C. 1997. The USDA strawberry breed-ing program. Fruit Varieties J. 51:204-210.
Garner, W.W. and Allard, H.A. 1920. Effect of therelative length of day and night and other fac-tors of the environment on growth and repro-duction in plants. J. Agr. Res. 18:553-606.
Grove, M.D., Spencer, G.F., Rohwedder, W.K.,Mandava, N.B., Worley, J.F., Warthen Jr., J.D.,Steffens, G.L., Flippen-Anderson, J.L. and CookJr., J.C. 1979. Brassinolide, a plant growth-pro-moting steroid isolated from Brassica napus pol-len. Nature 281:216-217.
Kaplan, J.K. 1992. A blooming industry.Agricultural Res. 40:4-7.
They further found that the reduction in life didnot depend upon temperature and that thecommon practice of storing cut-flowers withfruit at low temperatures could lead to reduc-tion in flower longevity.
Pointsettias
During the 1950s and 1960s, geneticist RobertN. Stewart developed diploid poinsettia linesfrom commercial polyploids. These diploidswere then used to develop germplasm with sig-nificantly improved keeping quality. At thistime, horticulturist H. Marc Cathey began stud-ies on the use of photoperiodic lighting andgrowth regulators in improving the commercialproduction of the crop (Kaplan, 1992).
Biochemistry of Flower Color
From the mid-1950s to the late 1970s, a broadinterdisciplinary team composed of physiologistSam Asen, biochemist Harold W. Siegelman,horticulturist Neil W. Stuart, geneticist Robert N.Stewart and agricultural engineer Karl H. Norrisdesigned instruments to measure in situflavonoid content of flowers and compare thesemeasurements with in vitro data. The resultsshowed that flower color was the result of acomplex, pH dependent, physical interactionbetween anthocyanin and co-pigment mole-cules. This research provided a foundation uponwhich all current flower color studies are based(Asen, 1976).
Discovery of Brassinosteroids
In 1970, J.W. Mitchell, N.B. Mandava, J.F.Worley, J.R. Plimmer and M.V. Smith reported inNature that the pollen from the rape plant con-tained a new plant growth stimulating sub-stance. Subsequently, the research team, whichinvolved collaboration between ARS scientists inseveral locations, demonstrated that this newsubstance could enhance crop yield, crop effi-ciency and seed vigor. These data provided theimpetus to assemble a very large team ofpathologists, physiologists, biochemists,chemists, and chemical engineers to isolate andidentify the growth substance. The team startedwith 300 pounds of bee-collected rape pollenand identified the growth substance as asteroidal lactone. This chemical was unique andresulted in the discovery of a new class of phy-tohormones called the brassinosteriods (Groveet al., 1979).
Discovery of Viroids
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, W.Raymer and M. O’Brien of the Potato DiseasesLaboratory studied an unusual disease calledpotato spindle tuber. They concluded that thedisease causing agent was a very unusual virus.In the mid-1960s, Theodore Diener of the PlantVirology Laboratory joined the team as anexpert on viruses. Diener determined that thedisease agent was much smaller than anyknown virus; was not large enough to self-repli-
cate; and did not contain a coat protein. In1971, Diener reported on the discovery that thepotato spindle tuber disease was caused by anew class of virus-like pathogens called“viroids.” Diener then cooperated with R.Lawson of the Floral and Nursery CropsLaboratory to discover that chrysanthemumstunt disease was also caused by a viroid. Whilepotato spindle tuber was not an economicallyimportant disease, chrysanthemum stunt wasan economically devastating one. The discoveryof the cause of chrysanthemum stunt led to thedevelopment of a fast and reliable test for thedisease. Because of this test, chrysanthemumstunt is now only rarely encountered (Diener,1971).
CURRENT AND FUTURERESEARCH
Today, ARS, of which BARC is a key part, con-ducts research to develop and transfer solutionsto agricultural problems of high national priori-ty and provides information access and dissem-ination to: (a) ensure high-quality, safe food,and other agricultural products; (b) assess thenutritional needs of Americans; (c) sustain acompetitive agricultural economy; (d) enhanceU.S. natural resources and the environment;and (e) provide economic opportunities for ruralcitizens, communities, and society as a whole.The research priorities include: (a) climatechange; (b) food safety; (c) children’s nutritionand health; (d) international food security; and(e) bioenergy research.
ARS employs approximately 2,100 permanentfull-time scientists and approximately 3,300technical and support staffs who conductresearch at more than 100 locations. Researchprojects are grouped into 22 NationalPrograms under the four broad pillarsof Animal Production and Protection;Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality; NaturalResources and Sustainable AgriculturalSystems; and Crop Production and Protection(http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs.htm). Research at BARC involves 21 of the 22National Programs.
The Office of National Programs in Beltsville,MD coordinates the scope and objectives ofAgency research projects, while eight AreaDirectors implement research projects at thelocations in their geographic areas. All researchprojects undergo a mandatory 5-year peerreview and assessment cycle to ensure account-ability in meeting the changing needs of cus-tomers and stakeholders; the Office of ScientificQuality Review convenes panels of industry anduniversity scientists to review research progress,evaluate the 5-year research proposals, andevaluate the scientific qualifications and abilitiesof agency researchers. The process is structuredto ensure quality, impact, and research rele-vance.
ISHS • 28
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Stephanie Yao
Stephanie Yao is Public Affairs Specialist,Information Staff, USDA Agricultural ResearchService, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD20705, USA. Email: [email protected]
Robert J. Griesbach is Deputy AssistantAdministrator for Technology Transfer, USDAAgricultural Research Service, 5601 Sunnyside
Robert J.Griesbach
Richard H.Zimmerman
Ling, C.L. 1935. Increased funds for federal hor-ticultural activities. Florists Exchange 134:13-14.
Mitchell, J.W., Mandava, N.B., Worley, J.F.,Plimmer, J.R. and Smith, M.V. 1970. A newfamily of plant hormones from rape pollen.Nature 281:216-217.
Mulford, F.L. 1939. New chrysanthemums. USDACir. 528.
Parker, M.W. and Borthwick, H.A. 1940. Floralinitiation as influenced by photosynthesisduring the induction period. Bot. Gaz.102:256-268.
Richard H. Zimmerman retired from USDAAgricultural Research Service at the end of 1999after 35 years as a research scientist at theBeltsville Agricultural Research Center. Email:[email protected]
Organic Agriculture: Business isBooming in Nigeria
Isaac Aiyelaagbe, Phil Harris, Jonathan Atungwu and Victor Olowe
The Department for Innovations, Universitiesand Skills (DIUS), UK is funding a collaborativeproject between the University of Agriculture,Abeokuta, Nigeria and Coventry University, UKthrough its Educational Partnerships in Africa(EPA).
The project aims to build capacity of youngNigerian graduates in organic agriculture andequip them with entrepren0eurial skills, whichenable them to start their organic businesses,thus becoming job creators rather than jobseekers.
Although Nigeria has abundant potential toexploit the lucrative international trade inorganic produce, it has been unable to access itdue to low awareness on the merits of organicproduce, shortage of local skilled personnel inorganic farming and the absence of an organ-ised market for organic produce.
The project named the ‘Work, Earn and LearnProgramme’ (WELP) targeted young Nigeriangraduates building on their knowledge in agri-culture, their energy and resourcefulness as wellas their desire to take a hold of their future.
A third of the applicants for the WELP wereselected ensuring balance for gender and
WELP graduates selling some of their organic produce.
national spread. The trainees undertook a 4-week intensive residential training course in thetheory of organic agriculture followed by a 3-week attachment on private farms to acquirework experience in true life situations. Theirfarm attachment helped to hone their skills infarm management and customer relations.Thereafter, five outstanding WELP graduateswere sponsored on 2-week overseas trips toexperience the market end of organic agricul-ture with regards to production and producehandling.
Next came the big challenge: putting knowl-edge to work by starting their own businessesbacked by free advisory services by the WELPand partner farmers (who hosted the WELPgraduates during their farm attachements).Eight WELP graduates have taken up the chal-lenge. One is growing organic plantains andfluted pumpkin, one produces local leafy veg-etables, three are growing exotic vegetables forgroceries, one has set up her snailery and twoare growing organic maize for pop corn andlivestock feed. WELP graduates have becomeemployers of labour, take management deci-sions, and have increased local awareness onthe merits of organic farming. They take pridein spending their own hard earned money.Although it has been a lot of hard work, busi-ness in organic farming is booming!
A WELP graduate marketing her organicvegetables.
Organic plantain produced by one of theWELP graduates.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Isaac Aiyelaagbe Phil Harris
JonathanAtungwu
Victor Olowe
Isaac Aiyelaagbe is Professor of Horticulture at theUniversity of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Hespecialises in fruit science and organic agricultureand coordinates the West African Network onOrganic Agriculture, Research and Training(WANOART). Email: [email protected]
Phil Harris is Professor of Plant Science in theDepartment of Geography, Environment andDisaster Management of Coventry University, UKand Head of International Development for theFaculty of Business, Environment and Society. Hespecialises on tropical crop development, sustai-nable agriculture and agroforestry. Email:[email protected]
Jonathan Atungwu is Senior Lecturer andNematologist in the Department of CropProtection, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,Nigeria and National Coordinating Scientist,Organic Agriculture Project in Tertiary Institutionsin Nigeria (OAPTIN). He specialises in organiccontrol of pests and diseases. Email:[email protected]
Victor Olowe is Professor and Head of CropResearch Programme, Institute of Food Security,Environmental Resources and AgriculturalResearch (IFSERAR), University of Agriculture,Abeokuta, Nigeria. He specialises in agronomyof tropical grain legumes and developmentof organic standards in crop production. Email:[email protected]
Encouraged by the success of their colleagues,two more WELP graduates will be setting uptheir own businesses: One in organic yoghurtproduction, and another in organic honey mar-keting.
The benefits have not been one-sided: TheWELP lecturers have learnt a lot helping to putknowledge to work in organic agriculture; theyare upgrading their lecture notes in readinessfor the next batch of trainees. The partner farm-ers who hosted the WELP trainees are excitedabout what they learnt from the students dur-ing their stay and have extended an open invi-tation to the next batch of WELP trainees. Sothe WELP programme is making a positive dif-ference in food security and improved liveli-hoods in Nigeria. WELP has demonstrated thatgiven the right environment, young graduatescan be gainfully self employed.
The WELP project was sponsored by theDepartment of Business, Innovations and Skills,UK.
www.actahort.org+47,000 articles on-line
ISHS • 30
Should guilty seek asylum here,Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,All his past sins are to be washed away.The sight of this mansion creates sorrowingsighs;And the sun and the moon shed tears fromtheir eyes.In this world this edifice has been made;To display thereby the creator’s glory.
Shah Jahan
HISTORY
The Taj Mahal (Crown of the Palace) located inAgra, India, is a domed mausoleum of whitemarble (Fig. 1). Construction was begun about1632 and completed about 1652 by the
HISTORY
Horticulture of the Taj Mahal:Gardens of the Imagination
Jules Janick, Rina Kamenetsky and Sumangala H. Puttaswamy
The 17th century mausoleum in Agra, India, known as the Taj Mahal, has been long consideredone of the most, if not the most, beautiful building, in the world. The structure is part of a largecomplex of buildings and gardens encompassing 1.7 hectares. Although usually considered interms of its architecture, the building and grounds are rich in horticulture. The gardens in thePersian style, although considerably altered from the original, are justly famous. The external andinternal walls are profusely ornamented with bas reliefs and stone inlays of flowers and plantsthat combine Persian, Indian, and Western influences. Ornamental geophytes are a prominentpart of floral imagery. The architecture, garden, and decoration of the Taj Mahal are consideredthe pinnacle of Indo-Mughal art.
Moghul emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666), liter-ally King of the World (Begley and Desai, 1989)who reigned from 1628 to 1658. Shah Jahan(Fig. 2A) was the great, great, grandson ofZahir-ud-din Muhammad known as Babur (theTiger), invader of India from Central Asia, anddescendant from both Timur (Tamerlaine) andGenghis Khan of Mongolia, hence the dynasticname Mughal. Jahan’s mother was a Hinduprincess of Jodhpur. Shah Jahan’s empire at thetime of his death comprised 90% of presentday India. He became fabulously wealthy and isbest known for the many buildings and monu-ments he created in Agra, Delhi, and Lahore.Soon after the Taj Mahal was completed Jahanbecame ill and was placed under house arrestby his son in the Agra fort. Subsequent divisionof the riches of his Kingdom led to the downfallof the Mughal dynasty.
The Taj Mahal was constructed as a mau-soleum for his second wife, Arjumand BanuBegum, who was to be known as MumtazMahal (Exalted One of the Palace) (Fig. 2B).Born 1593 and married 1612, she died inchildbirth in 1631 after bearing her 14th child.The court historian commented on her deathin the extravagant, florid, style of Persian poet-ry as follows:
She brought from the groin of the exalted kingFourteen royal issues into the worldOf these, seven now adorn ParadiseThe remaining seven are the candles of govern-ment.When she embellished the world with thesechildren,She waned like the moon after fourteen.Where she brought out the last single pearl,She then emptied her body like an oyster
(Begley and Desai, 1989)
The extravagant building representing anearthly paradise honoring a lost love has cap-tured the romantic imagination of poets andthe public while the name Taj Mahal hasentered popular culture epitomizing opulence,beauty, and devotion. Its architectural reputa-tion continues to soar. Although pictures of thebuilding are general knowledge, viewing it forthe first time is an experience beyond all expec-tations.
The Taj Majal represents the culmination of theIndo-Mughal style. However, while earlierMughal buildings are usually red sandstone theTaj Mahal is white marble inlaid with colored
Figure 1. The Taj Mahal. Photo by Jules Janick.
Figure 2. Shah Jahan (A) and his wifeMumtaz Mahal (B) (Pal et al., 1989).
and semi-precious stones. The chief architectwas the Persian Ustad Ahmad Lahouri. Its deco-ration makes extensive use of calligraphy andfloral imagery and is greatly influenced byPersian paintings reflecting a special interest ingardens and plants.
HORTICULTURE
The Garden
The main complex is based on a 300 m2 plotwith 16 sunken flower beds (parterres) dividedby walkways and flowing water that is typical inPersian gardens (Fig. 3). The main axis is dividedby a long pool that wonderfully reflects thestructure. The pool is lined on each side withabout 80 columnar cypresses. Walkways arefound on each side of the cypress strips. Thecharbagh garden (a garden based on four ele-ments) was inspired by the Persian gardensintroduced by Babur, symbolizing the four flow-ing rivers of mystical Islamic texts. In Persia, par-adise is described as an ideal garden of abun-dance with four rivers flowing from a centralspring or mountain. The river Yamuna behindthe structure shows evidence of a MoonlightGarden (Mahtab Bagh) on the other side. Earlyaccounts of the garden describe a profusion ofvegetation including roses, daffodils, and fruittrees, but the plantings were altered during areconstruction by Lord Curzon, British viceroy ofIndia (1899-1905) and lawns became the mainfeature.
Decorations
The exterior and interior of the marble structureis ornamented with calligraphy, abstract forms,and plant motifs. Passages from the Qur’an areused as decorative elements. The calligraphywas created by the Persian calligrapher AbdulHaq from Shiraz, Persia in 1609 and the text isinlaid in jasper or black marble. Abstract geo-metric forms are used throughout, particularlyherringbone inlays. Floors and walkways usecontrasting tiles in tessellation patterns.
Floral imagery is presented in two forms: stoneinlays (pietra dura) and bas relief sculpture(dados) carved in the marble. Both are a mix-ture of stylized and naturalistic depictions.These decorative forms are found on both theinside and outside walls and spandrels of thestructure, the marble screen surrounding ceno-taphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, andthe cenotaph itself. The analysis below bearsheavily on the architectural historian Ebba Koch(2006). The plant identification is our bestinterpretation; we encourage comments.
Stone Inlays. The exterior decorations aremade up of colored stone inset in the whitemarble of the structure, but the interior decora-tions include inlays of precious and semi-precious gemstones. The origin of the pietradura appears to be derived from Florentineinlays of the Renaissance (Koch, 2001). There
are two types of floral inlays. One is based oncomplex repeating designs of highly stylizedflowers, stems and leaves, often used as bor-ders (Fig. 4). The other represents entire plants.Although they are stylized, some are naturalisticenough to permit botanical identification, butmany are not and may be considered fantasyplants (e.g. Fig. 4F left, 5D,F). Muslim traditionforbids elaborate decoration on graves, so thecrypts are plain but the bases and casket areelaborately decorated with pietra dura. Thecenotaphs are enclosed by elaborately decorat-ed marble screens. Although many floral inlaysare difficult to identify with botanical precision,various species are suggested including bell-flower, chrysanthemum, columbine, crownimperial, daffodil, gloriosa, honeysuckle, variouslilies, lotus, pomegranate, poppy, primrose,tulip, and windflower.
Bas Reliefs. The dados typically show plants inflower growing in a mound of soil (Fig. 6) or asflowering stems in urns (Fig. 7A). The plantsappear somewhat naturalistic with extraordi-nary detail in some flowers but closer examina-tion indicates that the plants are stylized withmirror symmetry and executed with consider-
Figure 3. Garden design of the Taj Mahal(Koch, 2006).
Figure 4. Floral inlays: (A) Liliaceae, tulip(Tulipa sp.) or lily (Lilium sp.);(B) Ranunculaceae, windflower (Anemonesp.) or buttercup (Ranunculus sp.), Notesmall fruit of pomegranate (Punica grana-tum); (C) columbine (Aquilegia sp.);(D) honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.); (E) bell-flower (Campanula sp.) or windflower(Anemone rivularia); (F) left unknown,right lotus (Nelumbo nucifera); (G) centralflower chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)plus Siroi lily (Lilium mackliniae).
B
E
D
C
A
F
G
ISHS • 32
Figure 6. Floral base reliefs or dados. (A) dzokou lily (Lilium chitrangadae), (B) spider lily(Pancratium sp. ); (C) windflower (Anemone sp.) with tulips (Tulipa sp.) at base; (D) glory lily(Gloriosa sp.); (E) crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis); (F) tulip (Tulipa sp.) in the center andin descending order: unknown, leaf of grape (Vitis sp.), windflower (Anemone sp.), daffodil(Narcissus sp.), and sea lily (Pancratium sp.) with plant of windflower at the base of the urn.
able freedom resulting in depictions that arebotanically imprecise. For example, the leavesand the flowers are often of different species(Fig. 8); and some plants have flowers of differ-ent kinds such as Fig. 6C, which has flowers ofboth windflower and tulip. Many of the dadosare repeated in different locations and somestrips show a series of alternating plants.
There is strong evidence that the dados wereinfluenced by Western images as a result ofMughal contacts with Europeans (Skelton,1972; Koch, 2001). There was a Portuguesedelegation to the Mughal court as early as1573, which resulted in the dispatch of an artdelegation to Goa in 1575. Jesuit missionariesbought engravings by Flemish artists as early as1580, which were exhibited, collected andcopied. One engraving dated 1635 (Fig. 7B) by
A B C
D E F
the Flemish artist Claes Jansz bears an inscrip-tion based on Isaiah 40:6, 8: All flesh is grass,oh human being, it does not bring fame/Andyour beauty is like a flower. The engraving isremarkably similar to the dado that appears ineight corners of the tomb chamber (Fig. 7A).However, the vanity theme of the engraving istransformed to a depiction of Paradise, symbol-ized in the Qur’an as a garden rich with flower-ing plants.
In the engraving, the predominant species inthe center is a crown imperial with a tulip onthe left side and an iris on the right. The dadoincludes two plants of daffodil growing on amound of soil on each side of the urn contain-ing flowering stems in mirror symmetry domi-nated by a lush iris (Oncocyclus group) in thecenter, quite similar to the one in the engraving,followed on either side in descending order byvarious flowers described in the figure captionof Fig. 7A.
BOTANY OF THE FLORALIMAGERY
The floral decorations reflect the extent of flori-cultural knowledge in the Mughal period. Most
Jules Janick is the James Troop DistinguishedProfessor at Purdue University, West Lafayette,Indiana, USA. He is currently Science Editor ofChronica Horticulturae.Email: [email protected]
Rina Kamenetsky is a Researcher with a specialtyon ornamental geophytes, AgriculturalResearch Organization, The Volcani Center andProfessor of the Hebrew University ofJerusalem, Israel.Email: [email protected]
Sumangala H. Puttaswamy is a Researcher in flo-riculture at the Indian Institute of HorticulturalResearch, Hessaraghatta, 560089, Bangalore,India. Email: [email protected]
Figure 8. Iris dados: (A and B) flowers and leaves are naturalistic; (C) iris flower with leaves ofdicotyledonous plant.
Figure 7. (A) Dados of cut stems in anurn: iris in the center, and in descendingorder on either side are columbine, daf-fodil, columbine, windflower, tulip,windflower, poppy capsule, delphinium.There are two daffodil plants on eitherside of the urn. (B) Engraved flowers inan urn of the Flemish artist Clades Jansz,1635. Top three flowers from left to rightare tulip, crown imperial, and iris. Othersinclude columbine, bellflower, centaurea,various lilies, peony, rose, and poppycapsule.
of the plants that make up the floral imagery ofthe mausoleum are indigenous to India and theMideast and represent plants frequently illus-trated in Persian paintings and rugs. The maingroup of plants are ornamental geophytesincluding crown imperial, iris, various lilies, daf-fodil, and tulip, plants indigenous to and highlyregarded in the Irano-Turanian floristic region.We were tempted to include fuchsia (Fig. 4C,Fig. 7A, third stem from the iris) based on pre-vious suggestions (Kennedy, 2007). However,fuchsia is indigenous to the New World, andwas unlikely to have been grown in Persia orIndia in the 17th century. It is possible that theimages of fuchsia could have been derived fromWestern sources, but the earliest image of fuch-sia we have located is by Charles Plumier in1703, which rules it out. There are many plantswe failed to identify and some may be fantasy
plants based on artist’s imagination or compos-ites influenced by Western florilegia. A quanti-tative and qualitative analysis of the floral
A
B
A B C
imagery of the Taj Mahal will require a completedetailed photographic survey of the internaland external structure.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jules Janick RinaKamenetsky
Sumangala H.Puttaswamy
REFERENCES
Begley, W.R. and Desai, Z.A. 1989. Taj Mahal, theIllumined Tomb: An Anthology of SeventeenthCentury Mughal and European DocumentarySources. University of Washington Press, Seattleand London.
Kennedy, T. 2007. The notion of hierarchy: The‘Parchin Kari’ Programme at the Taj Mahal.Archnet-Int. J. Arch. Res. 1(1):105-121.
Koch, E. 2001. Shah Jahan and Orpheus: The pie-tre dure decoration and the programme of thethrone in the Hall of Public audiences at the RedFort of Delhi. Mughal Art and Imperial Ideology;Collected Essays. Oxford University Press, NewDelhi.
Koch, E. 2006. The Complete Taj Mahal: and theRiverfront Gardens of Agra. Thames & Hudson,Ltd, London.
Pal, P., Leoshko, J., Dye III, J.M. and Markel, S.1989. Romance of the Taj Mahal. Time BooksIntl., New Delhi.
Plumier, C. 1703. Nova plantarum americanarumgenera. Joannem Boudot, Parisiis. Plate 14,p.14-15.
Skelton, R. 1972. A decorative motif in Mughalart. Aspects of Indian Art. Papers presented in aSymposium at the Los Angeles County Museumof Art, Oct. 1970, Brill, Leiden.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We thank Judith Taylor, Jaap van Tuyl, and YuvalSapir for helpful assistance with the manu-script.
ISHS • 34
HISTORICAL AND BOTANICAL
The historical evidence indicates a wide distribu-tion and cultivation throughout all the warmand humid American tropics well before the
Annatto: A Natural Dye from the Tropics
THE WORLD OF HORTICULTURE
Freddy Leal and Claret Michelangeli de Clavijo
Annatto is a Neotropical species and it was one of the first cultivated plants in the Amazon basinand later dispersed by the Amerindians to the rest of South America, Central America and theCaribbean. Since pre-Columbian times, American natives have known about the use and valueof the annatto. Annatto is known, by the names of onoto, bija, achiote, urucu, among others.“Anoto” and “onoto” are Caribbean voices; “bija” or “bixa” are insular Caribbean (Taino) voic-es spoken in La Hispaniola; “achiote” is coming from the Nahuatl language and “urucú” is aGuaraní word used in Brazil.
Initially, it was used primarily for religious, supernatural ceremonies, but also as body paint dur-ing times of war and as a protection for mosquitoes. Thanks to its wide human dispersion,indigenous people had a reliable source to paint their bodies. The use of annatto as a food col-orant and for staining baskets, potteries and hammocks had a later development. With time,medicinal use for the leaves, buds and seeds were developed for a multitude of conditions.Currently, dye extracted from annatto finds its place in the food, confection, cosmetics andclothing industries. Because of its multiple uses and the substitution of the synthetic colorantsfor natural ones in the food industry, annatto planting and production has increased internation-ally in recent times.
arrival of Columbus, and subsequently distrib-uted to all humic tropic and subtropics world-wide thanks to the Spanish and Portugueseconquerors and explorers of the 15th and 16thcenturies. Annatto was unknown to Europeans
until the voyages of Christopher Columbus(Colón, 1498). During October 12, 1492, hemade the first historical reference about theannatto and its seed used as a dye, after reach-ing San Salvador Island (Watling Island in theBahamas).
Annatto belongs to the family Bixaceae. This isa monotypicous family of one to four speciesaccording to the botanical authority, whose nat-ural distribution is restricted to tropical Americaand the Antilles, with one species Bixa orellanaL. naturalized in all world tropics. Baer (1976)considered that the genus Bixa is of about fivespecies: 1. Bixa orellana; 2. Bixa urucurana; 3.Bixa platycarpa; 4. Bixa arborea; 5. Bixa excelsa.
The genus probably originated in the slopes ofwestern Andes between the Huallaga-UcayaliRiver, and the Madre de Dios-Madeira River,because most of the valid species are presentthere. In later times, Amerindians distributedannatto to the north towards Central Americaup to Mexico; to the northeast toward theOrinoco and the Amazon basins, all the way tothe Caribbean (Antilles); and to the southeast,towards Bolivia, Paraguay and southeasternBrazil.
Annatto culture as a perennial in the humictropics confers potential for use as a source ofincome for small producers. In fact, it growswell in marginal lands, as a fence crop, andrequires few inputs, although it is fairly laborintensive; since annatto has a center of origin inSouth America, a selection of promising typesand cultivars is quite feasible.
In tropical countries, local demands are satis-fied by the small productions coming fromscattered orchards or from plants growing inassociation with fruit crops. There are no reli-able statistics of world production and com-merce. A conservative figure of the world pro-duction is of about 7,000 to 10,000 t, most ofit coming from Brazil (Arkcoll, 1990). There areonly three major exporter countries: Peru,Kenya and Brazil, but the latter is a majorimporter too. Countries with small productionsincluded: Dominican Republic, Colombia,Ecuador, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Guatemalain the western hemisphere; Côte d’Ivoire andAngola in Africa; and India, Sri Lanka, Thailandand the Philippines in Asia (Green, 1995). Theprincipal importer countries are India, Japan,Turkey, Russia, Argentina, Canada, U.S.A.,Switzerland and the European Union. In thesemarkets, the largest demands for annatto arein the seed extract form for use in the foodindustry. The use of seed extracts depends on
Annatto botanical features: A. Flower buds, B. Flowers, infrutescens and pollinators, C. Seedsinside capsule, D. Aril covering the seed.
the food product and on the pigment solubili-ty. International market prices for seeds andextracts are variable from year to year and areoften very difficult to obtain. World interna-tional market prices for 2006 oscillated fromUS$ 1.0 to 1.3 per kilo.
USES
Annatto produces the most commonhydrophilic and oily dyes (bixin and norbixin)used in the food, bakery, cosmetics and dyeingindustries, with ample use in sausages, dairyproducts such as cheese, butter, margarine, icecreams; cereals, snacks, doughs, wafers, oils,
Annatto cultivar infrutescens: A. ‘Yellow green’, B. ‘Spiny brown’, C. ‘Indio’, D. ‘Bico de pato’,E. ‘Ornamental red’, F. ‘Chino’ (spineless), G. ‘Yellow’.
sauces, dry and smoked fishes, pickles, pre-served meat, lipsticks, shoeshines, varnishes,fiber dyes, etc. Annatto seeds are also use in thepoultry industry to prepare feed for egg layinghens. Annatto had also been introduced into alllower elevations tropical regions as an orna-mental plant.
HORTICULTURE
Annatto has a large adaptation to different cli-mates and soils, with precipitation and mini-mum temperatures being the principal factorsthat affect production. Annatto grows from sealevel up to 1,200 m of altitude; requires about600 mm of precipitation provided that rains arewell distributed during the year. Sandy-loamsoils with good drainage and medium to highfertility with low aluminum levels with a pHbetween 5.5 to 7.0, are best suited for annatto.
Annatto is susceptible to the presence of somepests and diseases; in addition, it is an alloga-mous plant, so there are enormous variations inyields per plant and seed quality as well as dis-ease resistance. Due to the short juvenility peri-od of the seedlings, sexual propagation is the
A B
C D
E F
G
most common and economic way to propagateannatto. Annatto could be propagated asexual-ly through budding, cuttings or air layering, butfew growers, if any, use asexual propagation.
If the orchard is well-managed fruit productioncan start from two years of age, but the largestproduction is generally between 4-5 years. Inall tropical producing countries, growers haveplanted a mixture of types with the subsequentvariation in yields due to the lack of cultivars.The first crop yields around 300-400 g/plant2-3 years after planting, but after six years yieldvaries between 1,500-2,000 kg of dry seedsper ha. Besides yields, growers must take intoconsideration bixin percentage, seed moisturecontent, odor, and presence of impurities, for-eign materials, molds, overall presentation andpacking before offering the product to theindustry.
Annatto commercial development:A. Annato nursery, B. Commercial orchard,C. Annatto tree in full production.
B
A
C
ISHS • 36
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Freddy Leal ClaretMichelangelide Clavijo
Freddy Leal is a Horticulturist at the UniversidadCentral de Venezuela, Facultad de Agronomíaworking with tropical fruits. Apartado Postal4736, Maracay, Aragua, 2101A, Venezuela.Email: [email protected]
Claret Michelangeli de Clavijo is a Horticulturist atthe Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultadde Agronomía, Centro de Investigaciónes deBiotecnología Agrícola (CIBA) working in PlantBiotechnology. Apartado Postal 4579, Maracay,Aragua, 2101A, Venezuela.Email: [email protected]
REFERENCES
Arkcoll, D. 1990. New crops from Brazil. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.), Advances in new crops. TimberPress, Portland, Oregon. p.367-371.
Baer, D.F. 1976. Systematics of the genus Bixa and geography of the cultivated annatto. Ph.D. Dissertation,University of California, Los Angeles. 252p.
Colón, C. 1498 (?). Diario de a bordo. Rei Andes. Santa Fé de Bogotá. (1992). 352p.Green, C.L. 1995. Natural colourants and dyestuffs. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Even if annatto has been cultivated in theAmazon basin for thousands of years, it is stillan underdeveloped crop, but it has a significantcommercial potential, because it is the secondmost important dye worldwide. This potential isgoing to continue to develop if growers andagricultural investors dedicate more resourcesto research. Research is urgently needed tosolve many problems, either by geneticimprovements or those related to managementpractices, pest and diseases control, aiming toincrease yields and pigment quality. In addition,annatto could be adapted to multiple croppingwith fruit crops and pastures, so growers wouldnot have to risk income on one single crop dueto market fluctuations. Annatto world produc-tion derives from seedling trees, so many of thelimitations in annatto production could beovercome by the use of asexual reproduction.
The expanding of the annatto industry willoccur if demand continues to rise in industrialcountries, as it seems to be, and if no other nat-ural dyeing product is developed. Growersneed to develop new orchards, of high yieldingplants and high quality bixin cultivars, so inter-national markets can be satisfied.
BOOK REVIEWS
The books listed here are non-ISHS-publica-tions. For ISHS publications covering theseor other subjects, visit the ISHS websitewww.ishs.org or the Acta Horticulturaewebsite www.actahort.org
Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and theScience. Eric Block. Foreword by E.J. Corey.2010. RSC Publishing, Cambridge, UK. 454p.ISBN 978-0-85404-190-9 (hardback). $49.95/ £29.95. www.rsc.org
Garlic is one of those vegetable crops for whicheveryone has an opinion, often without com-promise or equivocation, and almost everyonethinks they know something about garlic, andto some extent the other alliums. This engag-ingly written comprehensive treatise on garlicand other alliums provides those who reallywant to know the facts and history of this fas-cinating collection of crops an opportunity todo so.
In the first 60 pages of this book the authorcovers the natural geographic origins, botany,and history of cultivation of the alliums up tomodern times, and a fascinating review of the
New Books, Websites
role alliums have played in the written, visual,and architectural arts. The next 160 pages pro-vide an extensive and detailed treatment of thechemistry behind the lasting impression thesecrops have on consumers and the last 100pages of text provide an extensive evaluation ofthe real and imagined health, medicinal, andpest repelling properties of alliums. This book isfilled with numerous facts about garlic andother alliums. Do you know the origins of pun-
gency and tearing response of alliums? Whatrole have new developments in organic analyti-cal chemistry played in broadening our under-standing of allium chemistry? Can garlic treattuberculosis? What did U.S. Grant say aboutonions as he was moving troops in the U.S. CivilWar? Where is it illegal to eat onions whileattending church? Can garlic repel birds? Themiddle two chapters on allium chemistry pro-vide a very thorough overview of the complexorganic chemistry behind the organoleptic mys-tique of alliums. While the detailed chemistrywill exceed the comprehension of those withouta few college courses in organic chemistry, thissection is largely written as it happened histori-cally, and liberally laced in the chemistry we findthe faces and personalities of the scientists whowere making these discoveries, photos of theequipment they used, and comments by theauthor about the correct and the erroneousconclusions they drew about the data they wereinterpreting. This makes for exciting readingthat engages the reader with a clear sense ofthe thrill and exasperation that can come withdoing scientific research. This is exciting notonly to the established researcher, but also tothe less-seasoned reader who has not had thisexperience. Even an advanced high school stu-
dent could read and enjoy this book, and per-haps be tantalized to a career in science.
Both the style and substance of presentationmakes this book easy to read. It is very well illus-trated and has an extensive bibliography ofnearly 70 pages. Each chapter has several quo-tations from famous and not-so-famousauthors about garlic, onions, or their attention-getting odoriferous properties, and humor isinterjected in anecdotes and even chapterheadings like “Allicin Wonderland”.Appendices list major flavor precursors ofdiverse Allium species, antibiotic and anticar-cinogenic properties of alliums, and present 27color plates of Allium by the 19th century scien-tist and artist Ludwig Reichenbach. The index isextensive and well-organized.
Garlic and other alliums have not only beenimportant in agriculture and human health, butthey have also captured the attention of civiliza-tions since their first cultivation. Eric Block hastaken the broad range of lore and science sur-rounding the alliums and compiled it into a veryinformative and readable book.
Reviewed by Philipp Simon, USDA, ARS,University of Wisconsin, USA
Plant Nutrition of Greenhouse Crops. CeesSonneveld and Wim Voogt. 2009. Springer.431p. ISBN 978-90-481-2531-9 (hardcover).€ 149.95 / £ 135.00 / US$ 199.00.www.springer.com
Written by two of the world’s leading authori-ties on plant nutrition in soilless growing sys-tems, this book is a comprehensive, detailedtreatise on fertilisation and nutrient relation-ships in growing media and hydroponics. Thereis also a surprising amount of detail on soil-based systems of growing in glasshouses, giventhat the authors extol the benefits of raisingplants in soilless systems. Introductory chapterson greenhouse horticulture and fertilisers/soilimprovers are followed by accounts of soil solu-tions (which also includes much detail on sub-strate solutions), substrate and soil testing,water uptake and salinity effects: the last men-tioned is, as expected, particularly noteworthyin the light of Dr. Sonneveld’s vast experience inthis area. Rather more specific topics of crop
responses to variations in ionic concentrationsin media, and calcium nutrition follow. At thisstage in the book, a diversion into the effects ofsterilisation procedures, mainly in soil, is taken.A basic account of substrates is then given, fol-lowed by several chapters on nutrients and fer-tigation in soilless culture, substrates and soils.These latter chapters give a thorough overviewof plant nutrition in glasshouse crops.
Throughout, the authors have drawn on theirvast experience to compile detailed evaluationsof research and development into the nutrition-al aspects of glasshouse culture: from mathe-matical calculations and formulae for waterrelations to critical evaluation and interpretationof nutrient interactions in soil, substrates andhydroponic systems. In this sense the book is ofmost value to research workers in soilless cul-ture and substrate methods of growing underglass, and students on final year horticultureand applied plant science courses.
The text should have been proof-read for gram-mar and English in a far more rigorous fashion,and the publishers must take some responsibili-ty for this, bearing in mind the cost of the book.Nevertheless this book is likely to form the stan-dard reference work on plant nutrition inglasshouse crops for many years. The reviewerlooks forward to a grammatically correct secondedition!
Reviewed by Bill Carlile, Bord na Móna, Ireland
The following are non-ISHS events. Make sure to check out theCalendar of ISHS Events for an extensive listing of all ISHS mee-tings. For updated information log on to www.ishs.org/calendar
KAVB Symposium: Plant names, global challenges, 11-13 October 2010,Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Info: Mrs. Saskia Bodegom, email:[email protected]
Conference on Innovative ideas in pest and weed control in field vegeta-
Courses and Meetingsbles, 25 November 2010, Harpenden, UK. Info: Bernadette Lawson,Association of Applied Biologists, The Warwick Enterprise Park,Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF, UK, Phone: +44 (0) 2476 575012,Fax: +44 (0) 1789 470234, Email: [email protected], Web:www.aab.org.uk
2nd International Research Conference on Huanglongbing (HLB), 10-14January 2011, Orlando, FL, USA. Info: www.irchlb.org
NEW TITLES
Hennecke, Stefanie and Gröning, Gert (eds.).2010. Kunst - Garten - Kultur (Art-Garden-Culture). Dietrich Reimer Verlag, Berlin,Germany. 319p. ISBN 978- 3-496-01423-2. (inGerman). € 39,00 (Germany) / € 40,10(Austria) / SFr 61,90 (Switzerland).
Palaniswami, M.S. and Peter, K.V. 2008. Tuber &Root Crops. Vol. 9. Horticulture Science Series.New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi, India.510p. ISBN 8189422537. US$ 99.95.
Pauly, Philip J. 2008. Fruits and Plains. TheHorticultural Transformation of America.Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, USA /London, UK. 352p. ISBN 9780674026636(hardcover). $42.00 / £31.95 / € 37.80.www.hup.harvard.edu
Peter, K.V. (ed.). 2008. Underutilized andUnderexploited Horticultural Crops. Vol. 3. NewIndia Publishing Agency, New Delhi, India.468p. ISBN 8189422855. US$ 120.00.
Peter, K.V. (ed.). 2008. Underutilized andUnderexploited Horticultural Crops. Vol. 4. NewIndia Publishing Agency, New Delhi, India.440p. ISBN 8189422901. US$ 120.00.
Pradeepkumar, T. 2008. Management ofHorticultural Crops. Vol. 11. HorticultureScience Series. New India Publishing Agency,New Delhi, India. 1012p. ISBN 8189422499.US$ 119.95.
Sheela, V.L. 2008. Flowers for Trade. Vol. 10.Horticulture Science Series. New IndiaPublishing Agency, New Delhi, India. 391p. ISBN8189422510. US$ 99.95.
Tesi, Romano. 2010. Orticoltura MediterraneaSostenibile (in Italian). (SustainableMediterranean Vegetable Production). PatronEditore Bologna, Italy. 503p. ISBN 978-88-555-3062. € 42. www.patroneditore.com
Valsalakumari, P.K. 2008. Flowering Trees. Vol.12. Horticulture Science Series. New IndiaPublishing Agency, New Delhi, India. 306p. ISBN8189422502. US$ 95.50.
ISHS • 38
SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS
Section Medicinal and AromaticPlants
Second Int’l Symposium on Medicinal andNutraceutical Plants
The 2nd International Symposium onMedicinal and Nutraceutical Plants (ISMNP) washeld from 25-27th November, 2009 at All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), NewDelhi, India. The symposium was organized bythe Nutrition and Phytomedicine Laboratory,Department of Physiology, AIIMS, New Delhi incollaboration with ISHS. The event was attend-ed by more than 70 participants from morethan 20 countries. During the conference par-ticipants had the opportunity to exchange theirviews and to explore possibilities of future inter-disciplinary collaborations.
The aim of this 3-day symposium was to providea common efficient academic platform to thepersons/groups involved in research on variousaspects of medicinal and nutraceutical plants.Apart from horticultural scientists and botanists,the symposium was attended by scientists /groups from modern medicine, Ayurveda, andother systems of medicine, and by analyticalchemists from all over the world. AIIMS is a pre-miere medical institute of India with the mottoto achieve excellence in medical education,research and patient care and organizing thesecond ISMNP in this institute was a greatopportunity to bring about an integratedapproach to highlight the role of medicinal andnutraceutical plants in modern day medicine. Inthe second ISMNP, invited guest lectures by emi-nent scientists were arranged to cover differentaspects such as, growing of medicinal andnutraceutical plants, methodologies for extrac-tion of chemical constituents, investigation ofmedicinal properties in experimental models,and use of medicinal and nutraceutical plants inmodern medicine. The guest lectures were fol-lowed by parallel oral and poster presentationsessions. The participants had the opportunityto interact with the presenter after every pres-entation and they enjoyed the scientific sessionsas this was an interdisciplinary forum to inte-grate almost every aspect of medicinal andnutraceutical plants.
During the symposium, participants presentedresearch papers and discussed topics rangingfrom cultivation conditions to improve qualityand yield, genetic modification to improve yield
Mr. S.K. Shah, ISHS representative, present-ing the ISHS medal and certificate to Prof.S.C. Mahapatra, Symposium Convener, 2ndISMNP-2009.
Participants of 2nd ISMNP-2009 after valedictory ceremony.
Opening and lamp lighting ceremony, fromright to left: Prof. R.C. Deka, Director,AIIMS, Prof. Rani Kumar, Dean (Academics),AIIMS, Mr. S.K. Shah, ISHS representative,Prof. S.C. Mahapatra (lighting lamp),Convener and Dr. R.K. Yadav, FinanceSecretary, 2nd ISMNP.
CONTACT
Prof. S.C. Mahapatra, MD, Nutrition andPhytomedicine Laboratory, Dept. of Physiology,All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), New Delhi, 110029, India, email:[email protected]
of medicinally important chemical constituents,extraction methodologies, in vitro assessmentof antimicrobial properties, animal model exper-iments to investigate different clinically impor-tant topics such as diabetes, antioxidants, anti-cataract, immunology and clinical trial results ofpatients and healthy individuals.
On 26th November, Swami Ramdev, highlyrespected Yoga guru of India gave a live demon-stration of Yoga, which the participants enjoyedthe most. The participants had the opportunityfor informal interactions during the conferencegala dinners on 25th and 26th November.
The valedictory session and closing ceremonywere from 12:30 to 1:30 pm on the last day ofthe symposium. The main outcome of the sym-posium was a consensus among the partici-pants that there should be interdisciplinary closecollaboration between scientists involved inplant cultivation, extraction and analysis ofchemical composition, pharmacologists andmedical doctors for a better future to meetthe modern medical challenges. It was agreedupon that the 3rd ISMNP will be held in Brazilunder the leadership of Prof. Narendra Narain([email protected]).
The IV International Symposium on Fig wassuccessfully organized from 29 September to 3October, 2009 by the National School ofAgriculture of Meknès (ENAM), Meknès(Morocco) under the auspices of the MoroccanMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAPM),the International Society for HorticulturalScience (ISHS) and the Centre for AdvancedMediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM).
The symposium was supported by differentorganizations such as ‘Wilaya de Meknès-Tafilalet’, ‘Crédit Agricole du Maroc’, ‘CentreRégional des Investissements de Meknès-Tafilalet’, ‘Agence pour le Développement desProvinces du Nord’, ‘Coopération TechniqueBelge’, ‘Groupe Aicha’, ‘Groupe Brahim Zniber’,‘Groupe Tizi de Meknès’ and ‘GroupePépinières Chaymae’.
The inaugural session started with a welcomelecture by Prof. Dr. Boulif Mohamed, Director ofENAM, in which he welcomed the participantsand gave a general view about ENAM. The sec-ond presentation was made by Prof. Dr.Messaoudi Zerhoune, Convener and Chairmanof the Symposium, who extended his thanksand gratitude to all participants particularlythose coming from abroad. He also thanked theISHS and the fig scientific community for allow-ing ENAM to organize this symposium andCIHEAM and other supporting organizations forthe financial support brought to this event. Hisspecial thanks went also to the Scientific andOrganizing Committee members. He under-lined the importance of this meeting in improv-ing and exchanging scientific and technicalinformation in the domain of fig growing.
Finally, he presented the overall program andactivities scheduled for the symposium. Thethird presentation was made by Prof. Dr. UygunAksoy, ISHS representative, who gave a short
Participants of the Symposium.
Professor Dr. Uygun Aksoy (right), ISHS rep-resentative, handing out the ISHS medaland certificate to Professor Dr. MessaoudiZerhoune (left), Symposium Convener.
Opening ceremony.
ISHS • 40
CONTACT
Prof. Dr. Messaoudi Zerhoune, Department ofArboriculture-Viticulture, Ecole Nationaled’Agriculture de Meknès, B.P. S-40, 50000,Meknès, Morocco, GSM: 00 212 (0) 6 61 35 3653, Fax: 00 212 (6) 5 35 30 02 38, Email:[email protected]
history about the international symposium onfig and addressed the main ISHS activities sinceits creation. She also invited the participants tojoin ISHS in order to give more strength to thissociety. The fourth speech was made by Dr.Antonio Lopez, CIHEAM representative, whofocused on the importance of such kind ofmeeting in exchanging scientific and technicalinformation on species particularly those culti-vated in the Mediterranean basin and addressedthe efforts of CIHEAM in supporting organiza-tion of such events around the world within theframework of CIHEAM mission. The last speechwas given by Mr. Bourfoun, Moroccan Ministryof Agriculture and Fisheries representative, whothanked the fig scientific community for allow-ing the organization of this symposium anddetailed some of the characteristics of fig sectorin Morocco. At the end of this session, Prof. Dr.Uygun Aksoy handed out the ISHS medal andcertificate to Prof. Dr. Messaoudi Zerhoune torecognize his service to the ISHS as Convener ofthis Symposium.
The symposium was attended by more than130 participants from 23 different countries (ofwhich 70 participants came from Morocco). Atotal of 67 papers were presented for the occa-sion: 46 oral communications and 21 posterpresentations.
The scientific program of the symposium cov-ered four topics namely 1- Fig industry over theworld, 2- Genetic resources, Germplasm char-acterization, Molecular markers utilization andBiotechnology, 3- Crop production and pestmanagement and 4- Postharvest, transforma-tion, valorization and economics. Six, 25, 24,and 12 communications were presented for thefirst, the second, the third, and the fourth top-ics, respectively.
During the symposium, technical visits wereorganized to the national collection of figs host-ed by the National School of Agriculture(Meknès), to two nurseries for fig plant produc-tion, to a fig orchard owned by Aicha society inthe Sais Plateau and to Al Kifane fig drying unitin the area of Moulay Driss Zerhoune.
Social events were also organized such as visitsto Volubilis archeological site in Moulay DrissZerhoune and different places in the ancientMedina of Meknès.
The last session of the program was devoted tothe evaluation of the symposium and the desig-
nation of the country where the fifth edition ofthe symposium will be held. During this session,participants highlighted the importance ofthese kinds of meetings in spreading andupgrading knowledge in regard to fig growingand developing collaborative research on fig.They also recommended the necessity tostrengthen information exchange between theISHS Figs Working Group members. Therefore,five sub-commissions were created within thegroup. These sub-commissions are as follows 1-Genetic resources, Germplasm characterization,Molecular markers utilization andBiotechnology, 2- Crop production, 3- Pestmanagement, 4- Transformation and valoriza-tion and 5- Marketing and economics. The par-ticipants to the symposium decided that Dr.Moshe Flaishman will act as the Chairperson ofthe Figs Working Group for the four next yearsand the fifth edition of the InternationalSymposium on Fig will be organized in 2013conjointly by the University and the CIHEAM ofBari (Italy) with Professor Dr. Resta (University ofBari) and Dr. Albaiano (CIHEAM of Bari) actingas Co-Conveners.
Messaoudi Zerhoune
Visit of the participants to Volubilis archeological site (Moulay Driss Zerhoune).
Orchids are among the most diverse andlargest plant families, growing on all continentsexcept Antarctica. Orchids are also among themost widely cultivated ornamentals, commer-cially grown for cut flower production, as pot-ted flowering plants, and less often, for theirdecorative foliage. The I International OrchidSymposium (IOS), held in Taichung, Taiwan fromJanuary 12-15, 2010, was the first worldwidescientific conference devoted specifically toorchids. There were 172 participants from 18countries, including academics, government sci-entists, commercial growers, and hobbyists.
The IOS was held at the National Museum ofNatural Science and was co-organized by Yung-I Lee (Botany Department, National Museum ofNatural Science) and Erik Runkle (Departmentof Horticulture, Michigan State University). Theywere assisted by a fine team of Taiwanese col-leagues and staff, who with the OrganizingCommittee, made all of the local arrangements,coordinated registration, and ensured a flawlesssymposium.
Three days were devoted to scientific presenta-tions, which included 39 oral presentations (13of which were invited speakers) and over 50posters. The featured invited speaker was Dr.Joseph Arditti, Professor Emeritus fromUniversity of California – Irvine, who presentedan informative yet entertaining (and slightlyrisqué) presentation on sexual and clonal prop-agation methods for orchids. A wide range oftopics were discussed, including: orchid anato-my and morphology, ecology, genetics andbreeding, micropropagation and seed germina-tion, production (including pest and virus con-trol), postharvest and marketing, and biotech-
nology. The abstract book has been posted onthe IOS website and is available to all athttp://hrt.msu.edu/ios.
Following the meeting, there was a one-daytechnical tour. Participants visited In-CharmOrchids Laboratory, a specialized Paphiopedilumgrower; Ching Hua Orchids, a large commercialgrower of multiple orchid genera; and green-houses at Taiwan Orchid Plantation, which fea-tures modern Phalaenopsis plant cultivation andcut flower production. In conclusion, a visit wasmade to the Floriculture Research Center, whichperforms breeding and environmental controlresearch on a wide range of Oriental ornamen-tal plants.
Social activities included a welcome receptionthat featured a traditional 12-course Chinesedinner and a Farewell Party at the adjacentTropical Rainforest Greenhouse. During thefarewell party, a large buffet of foods and bev-erages were served and participants couldobserve hundreds of flowering orchid plantsthat were being judged for a local competition.
There was a graduate student poster competi-tion in which the American Orchid Society pro-vided honorariums for first, second, and thirdprize. Posters were evaluated by members ofthe Scientific Committee and by invited speak-ers. The first, second, and third place winnerswere Yu-Lin Chung (National Cheng KungUniversity, Taiwan), Dong Poh Chin (ChibaUniversity, Japan), and Yun-Ru Luo (NationalCheng Kung University), respectively.
A business meeting of the ISHS Orchid WorkingGroup was led by Dr. Richard Criley (Chair ofISHS Section Ornamental Plants). At the meet-ing, Dr. Apiradee Uthairatanakij (King
CONTACT
Dr. Erik Runkle, Department of Horticulture,Michigan State University, A288 PSSB, EastLansing, MI, 48824, USA, email:[email protected]
Dr. Yung-I Lee, Botany Department, NationalMuseum of Natural Science, N0 1, Kuan-Chien Rd., Taichung 404, Taiwan, email:[email protected]
Participants take a break at the Taiwan Orchid Plantation during the technical tour. From left toright: Yung-I Lee (Co-Convener), Kee-Yoeup Paek, Yoonjin Kim, Erik Runkle (Co-Convener), andJoseph Arditti (featured invited speaker).
The technical tour featured visits to sever-al commercial orchid producers in Taiwan,including here at the Taiwan OrchidPlantation in Tainan County.
Participants of the IOS review the scientificposter presentations and discuss the infor-mation.
Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thailand)was elected Chair of the Orchid Working Group(replacing Yung-I Lee) and Dr. Fure-Chyi Chen(National Pingtung University of Science andTechnology) was elected Vice-Chair (replacingErik Runkle). In addition, a team of delegatesfrom Thailand agreed to host the II InternationalOrchid Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand, withdates to be determined.
Erik Runkle and Yung-I Lee
ISHS • 42
Section Pome and Stone FruitsThird Int’l Symposium on Loquat
The Third International Symposium on Loquatheld 3-6 May, 2010, in the historical cityAntakya, the capital of Hatay Province, Turkeywas extremely successful. The symposium wasorganized by the Department of Horticulture,Faculty of Agriculture, University of MustafaKemal under the auspices of the InternationalSociety for Horticultural Science (ISHS). Thesymposium attracted 62 participants (53 for-eign, 9 domestic) from 14 countries (Albania,China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Libya,Pakistan, Spain, Syria, Turkey and the USA) ascompared to 20 foreign participants from 7countries in the I International LoquatSymposium held in Spain (2002) and 25 foreignparticipants from 7 countries in the IISymposium held in China (2006). The increasein participation and number of countries indi-cates that loquat is a rising fruit species!
The Symposium consisted of 8 sessions:Germplasm, Genetics, Breeding andBiotechnology, Production and Marketing,Orchard Design and Management, Biology andPhysiology, Cultivars, Rootstocks andPropagation, Post-Harvest Physiology, Handlingand Processing. There were 44 invited and con-tributed oral presentations and 43 posters.
Two and a half days were devoted to scientificsessions and 1.5 days to a cultural trip to thehistorical places of Antakya City and a technicalexcursion to Tarsus. The opening ceremony
started with a welcome address by Prof. Dr. A.Aytekin Polat, Convener of the Symposium, inwhich he extended his thanks and gratitude tothe participants and the members of theScientific and Organizing Committees. The sec-ond presentation by Prof. Dr. Jules Janick, ISHSrepresentative, presented information aboutISHS activities followed by presentation of theISHS medal to A. Aytekin Polat, Convener of theSymposium.
After the welcoming ceremony, Jules Janick(USA) gave the keynote address entitled
Participants of the Symposium.
Jules Janick (right) handing over the ISHSmedal to Symposium Convener A. AytekinPolat (left).
Tarsus Governor presenting plaques to invited presenters. From left to right: M. Agusti, A.Aytekin Polat (Convener), M. Gödekmerdan (Governor of Tarsus), J. Janick (ISHS representative),W. Yongqing.
Business meeting of Working Group on Loquat unanimously supporting Sicily bid for thesymposium in 2014.
CONTACT
Prof. Dr. A. Aytekin Polat, Mustafa KemalUniversity, Faculty of Agriculture, Dept. ofHorticulture, Antakya Hatay, 31034, Turkey,Phone: (90)326 2455845/1088, Fax: (90)3262455832, email: [email protected][email protected], web: http://loquat2010.mku.edu.tr/
“Prediction for the Loquat Improvements in theNext Decade”. Dr. Janick underlined that theproduction of the seedless loquat is expected torevolutionize the loquat culture in the nextdecade. In the first session on Germplasm,Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, the invit-ed speaker, Prof. Shunquan Lin (China), present-ed a lecture on the “Origin and Evolution ofEriobotrya - Based on the Identified Fossils ofRosaceae and the Geographical Distribution ofthe Wild Loquat Species”. In the fifth and sixthsessions on Biology and Physiology, the invitedspeakers, Prof. Manuel Agusti (Spain) and Prof.Xuming Huang (China), presented a lecture on“Fruit Physiology: Control of Growth andDevelopment” and “Fruit Creasing Disorder inLoquat: Occurrence and Mechanisms”, respec-tively. In the last session on Post-HarvestPhysiology, Handling and Processing, the invitedspeaker, Prof. Sisir Mitra (India), presented“Recent Development of PostharvestTechnology of Loquat”.
During the symposium several importantaspects of Eriobotrya culture, biology andgenetics were discussed. There were severalpresentations regarding the evolution of theEriobotrya species and their evaluation for uti-lization as rootstocks. The formations of newtriploids were promising as they have attractive,large seedless fruits following GA application.
We were very fortunate to have supports of theMediterranean Agronomic Institute ofZaragoza/CIHEAM, and the Scientific andTechnical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).During the meeting and city tours, hospitalitywas generously supported by Antakya Tradeand Industry Chamber, Antakya AgricultureChamber, Antakya Commodity Exchanges,Mediterranean Exporter Unions, Governor ofTarsus and Municipality of Tarsus, Fresh Fruitand Vegetable Commissioner Association ofTarsus, Simge Market, lnci Bulgur, and HasCoach Company. There were splendid gala din-ners and participants enjoyed the rich variety of
the cuisines from Turkey, the Middle East, andEurope, as well as music and dancing at thefinal dinner.
There was a one-day field excursion to Tarsus,Mersin where symposium participants werewelcomed by folk dances. In the Tarsus part ofthe symposium, Drs. Janick, Yongqing andAgusti delivered presentations on loquat cultureand future predictions as well as basic biologyand physiology of the loquat. Later, severalloquat orchards were visited with local produc-ers. The participants also visited historic andtouristic places in Tarsus. At the end of the day,the participants enjoyed their dinner at thebeautiful Tarsus Falls.
The Working Group on Loquat had a businessmeeting on the last day and chose a venue forthe next symposium. The Fourth InternationalLoquat Symposium will be held in Sicily, Italy in2014, hosted by Dr. Francesca Barone.
At the end of the last day afternoon session, theclosing ceremony was held, led by A. AytekinPolat, and Jules Janick, who summed up thescientific achievement of the Symposium andthe fellowship of horticulture. At the end of thesymposium, a basket prepared by theOrganizing Committee containing Turkish sou-venirs were given to all participants. The basketincluded dried apricot, halvah, hazelnut, mixednuts, pistachios, raisin, red hot chili pepper,Turkish delight and some local sweets.
In conclusion, the symposium gave a greatopportunity to the researchers from differentcountries to present the results of their work, toshare their experience, to establish close rela-tions, and to discuss the possible developmentof activities regarding biotechnological studieson loquat. During the symposium, the partici-pants and accompanying persons enjoyed sev-eral social events. Feedback from the partici-pants indicated that they enjoyed the technical-ly informative, warm and friendly feeling of theevent. The photo gallery of the event is availableon the official web site of the symposiumhttp://loquat2010.mku.edu.tr/
The Proceedings of the Symposium will be pub-lished as a volume of Acta Horticulturae.
A. Aytekin Polat
ISHS • 44
The Sixth International Symposium onIrrigation of Horticultural Crops was organizedin Viña del Mar (Chile) on November 2-6, 2009by the Universidad de Talca, Instituto deInvestigación Agropecuarias (INIA) and ComisiónNacional de Riego (CNR) under the auspices ofthe Ministry of Agriculture and ISHS. This sym-posium was convened by Dr. Samuel Ortega-Farias from Universidad de Talca, Dr. GabrielSellés from INIA and Mr. Nelson Pereira fromCNR. The opening message was done by Mr.Nelson Pereira, Executive Director of CNR, who,in the name of the Agricultural Ministry, indicat-ed the relevance of irrigation in Chile and its keyrole in the Chilean agricultural development.
This symposium brought together over 180 par-ticipants who had the opportunity to attend 6keynotes, 107 oral and 73 poster presentations.In addition, 3 field trips were organized to visitimportant zones of vegetable crop production,fruits exportation, and crop and wine produc-tion industries. The scientific programaddressed the following themes: a) Recentadvances in crop coefficients and horticulturalcrop evapotranspiration, b) Plant-water rela-tions and physiological indicators for irrigationmanagement, c) Irrigation scheduling using soilwater content measurements, d) regulated
Section Pome and Stone Fruits –Section Vine and Berry Fruits –Commission Irrigation and PlantWater Relations
Sixth Int’l Symposium on Irrigation ofHorticultural Crops
deficit irrigation and oxygation, e) Irrigation sys-tems, water management and productivity, andf) Climate change impact on irrigation practices.
The keynote presentation by Nelson Pereiraaddressed the “Advances in irrigation in Chile”.This presentation indicated that the Chileangovernment has made an important investmentto increase the irrigated agricultural land, rein-force irrigation infrastructure, and improve theirrigation security, water quality, and the wateruse efficiency of irrigation systems.
The advances in crop evapotranspiration (ETc)studies were addressed by keynote speaker Dr.Richard Allen, who presented the new “hybrid”methods employed for estimating crop waterrequirements and irrigation scheduling thatcombine some of the useful ‘conservative’ fea-tures of the crop coefficient and reference evap-otranspiration (ETo) with direct physiologicalmodels. Advances continue to be made in mod-eling bulk surface conductance, combination ofsoil evaporation with transpiration, and adjust-ing vapor pressure and temperature of the equi-librium boundary layer. Finally, procedures con-tinue to evolve to ‘condition’ the ‘non refer-ence’ weather data measured in many environ-ments so that it better represents the referencecondition.
The presentation made by Dr. Elías Fereres on“Designing and managing deficit irrigation (DI)in fruit trees and vines” indicated that knowl-
From right to left: Dr. Samuel Ortega-Farias(Convener); Raúl Ferreira (ScientificCommittee member); Dr. Hérnan Paillan(Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Science,Universidad de Talca); Dr. Gabriel Sellés(Convener); Dr. Isabel Ferreira (ScientificCommittee member); Mr. Nelson Periera(Executive Director of CNR); Mrs. VeliaArriagada (Organizing Committee member).
Tablegrape vineyard (El Maitenal), Aconcagua Valley, Valparaiso Region.
CONTACT
Dr. Samuel Ortega-Farias, Casilla 747, Talca,Chile, email: [email protected]
Dr. Gabriel Selles, Instituto de InvestigacionesAgropecuarias, Santa Rosa, 11610 Santiago,Chile, email: [email protected]
edge of the yield response to water deficits atthe different developmental stages is essentialto design DI strategies, in addition to the levelof anticipated water supply. Equally importantto plan the deficits and their intensity, is toknow well the water holding capacity of theroot zone, and the expected ETc rate. Also hemade reference to new sensors and approachesthat are now available to provide feedback onirrigation management.
The paper “Improvement of water use for agri-culture at catchment level under drought condi-tions” presented by Dr. Bernard Itier comparesthe relative advantages of improvements inpractices and changes in cropping systems pat-terns in order to manage water resources atcatchment basin level and thus preserve thecropping systems over the long term.
Dr. Claudio Stockle in his keynote paper on“Impact of climatic change on irrigated agricul-ture” indicated that irrigated production,changes in water demand and water supply canbe critical. Furthermore, population increase,energy price increase, decreasing groundwaterlevels, and competing demand for surface andground water by multiple sectors will interactwith climate change to produce a “perfectstorm” affecting water supply for irrigation.
The keynote paper “Sustainable use of water inagriculture: recycling of sewage” by Dr. JoséMaría Quiroga focused on beneficial and advan-tages of wastewater reuse. The paper present-ed the different stages in the implementation of
a wastewater reuse system, reclaimed waterregulations and quality criteria.
Dr. Theodore C. Hsiao presented an overview ofthe potential use of FAO model AquaCrop formanaging irrigation and productivity of vegeta-bles. This presentation described features of theAquaCrop model and its potential applicationto vegetable crop production and irrigationmanagement.
The standard of presentations during the con-ference was outstanding, creating continuousvibrant discussion. Feedback from delegates hasbeen very positive and many new stimulatingideas have evolved from the symposium. Theseand much more will provide the impetus forfuture irrigation research and the potential for
The Fourth International Date PalmConference was held under the High Patronageof His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed AlNahayan, President of United Arab Emirates, inAbu Dhabi, UAE on 15-17 March 2010. Theconference was organized under the auspices ofUAE University, in cooperation with Ministry ofPresidential Affaires, Khalifa International DatePalm Award, and Date Palm Friends Society.
The Fourth International Date Palm Conferencewas attended by Government officials, repre-sentatives of education and training institutions,scientists, technicians and private date growers.The conference was attended by approximately400 participants representing the following 42countries: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Australia,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada, China, CostaRica, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan,KSA, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco,Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman,Palestine, Pakistan, Qatar, Spain, Sudan, Syria,
Section Tropical and SubtropicalFruits
Fourth Int’l Date Palm Conference
Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA and Yemen.Representatives from the following internation-al organizations were present: Food andAgriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO), United Nations Development Program(UNDP), United Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP), United Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organization (UNIDO),International Society for Horticultural Sciences(ISHS), Arab Authority for AgriculturalInvestment and Development (AAAID), ArabOrganization for Agricultural Development(AOAD), Association of Agricultural ResearchInstitutions in the Near East & North Africa(AARINENA), International Centre forAgricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICAR-DA), and International Center for BiosalineAgriculture (ICBA).
The conference was co-sponsored by severalinstitutions including Al Dhahra AgriculturalCompany, Department of Municipalities andAgriculture / Agriculture Sector, Abu Dhabi
Food Control Authority, Abu DhabiMunicipality, Ministry of Environment andWater, Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage, LiwaDates Festival, Date Palm Global Network(DPGN), International Center for GeneticEngineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), FAO,UNDP, UNEP, and ISHS.The opening ceremony was attended by H.E.The former President of Namibia, theirExcellencies Minister of Agriculture of Jordanand Sudan, several deputy ministers of Namibia,Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, H.E. Sheikh AbdallahBin Khalid Al Khalifa / Chairperson of Board ofTrustees of Issaa Cultural Center / Bahrain,Chancellor of University of California Davis,USA (UCD), President of University of Bahrain,and Directors Generals, CEOs, and 40Ambassadors.The head of the Organizing Committee, Dr.Abdelouahhab Zaid, presented the welcomingremarks. He stressed that this FourthInternational Date Palm Conference was held to
international collaboration. The nextInternational Symposium on Irrigation ofHorticultural Crops will be in Germany.
Samuel Ortega-Farias and Gabriel Sellés
ISHS • 46
show-case UAE’s achievements in date palmproduction. The Chancellor of UCD delivered akey-note speech to scores of people interestedin agriculture generally, and date palm cultiva-tion specifically, from both the public and pri-vate sectors.
The Fourth International Date Palm Conferencecalled attention to an important crop with sig-nificant production and marketing andaddressed the networking needs of a uniquecohort of scientists. It was appropriately locatedin an important date producing country, and itwill greatly enrich the world literature devotedto date palm through publication of the pro-ceedings in Acta Horticulturae.
All presentations at the Fourth InternationalDate Palm Conference succeeded in achievingthe objective to share the information of variousdate palm fields with the conference partici-pants. The main topics of the conference aresummarized as follows:
1. Current Status of Date Palm Cultivation inthe World.
2. Date Palm Research and Development.
3. Date Palm Protection: Focus was on the mostimportant diseases and pests.
4. Date Palm Processing and Marketing.
5. Organic Date Palm.
6. Substitutes for Methyl Bromide.
Conference participants found the one day PostConference Tour (18 March, 2010) very usefuland instructive. The conference was qualified ashighly professional and well prepared.
The conference was a great success that washeld with the aim of: Providing an opportunityfor updating scientific information on differentaspects of date palm production, propagation,protection, and marketing; Comparing therecent experiences in the United Arab Emirateswith those of other date growing countries;and Fostering international technical coopera-
CONTACT
Prof. Dr. A. Zaid, Date Palm Research &Development Programme, United NationsOffice for Project Services – UNOPS, UAEUniversity, P.O. Box 81908, Al Ain, United ArabEmirates, email: [email protected]
Opening speech by Conference Convener Dr. A. Zaid.
H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and ScientificResearch, Chancellor of UAE University, attends the conference opening ceremony.
Poster session.
tion on different aspects of date palm produc-tion chain.
The conference’s recommendations were to:
� Create the Khalifa Chair for Date Palm in UAEUniversity to promote research and studies inthe field of cultivation of palm and produc-tion of dates.
� Issue a scientific journal published twice ayear (under the supervision of the GeneralSecretariat of the Khalifa International DatePalm Award, in collaboration with the DatePalm Global Network). That journal will bededicated to publishing bilingual Arabic andEnglish scientific research on the develop-ment of date palm.
� Intensify the scientific and technical coopera-tion between the various factors involved inthe development of date palm, by encourag-ing the exchange of information and experi-ences. In this regard, the InternationalConference series on Date Palm can be con-sidered a model where valuable opportunitiesfor the desired exchange are created and thelatest achievements in various aspects of agri-culture, manufacture and trade of date palmexhibited.
� Launch a campaign of specialized workshopsin the Arab region and the world to discussthe issues and local problems related to culti-vation and production of date palm, throughbroader participation of global quality experi-ences in the transfer and adaptation of tech-nical knowledge.
The 4th International Cucurbit Symposiumwas held in Changsha, Hunan, China onSeptember 21-24, 2009. This symposium wasorganized by Hunan Agricultural University,Hunan Cucurbit Research Institute, HunanAdministration of Foreign Experts Affairs, theChinese Society for Horticultural Science(CSHS), and the People’s Government ofChangsha County of Hunan. In total, 101 regis-tered cucurbit experts and researchers from 19countries together with their Chinese counter-parts attended the 4-day symposium. Thetheme of the symposium was “Human Healthand Cucurbits”.
Section VegetablesFourth Int’l Cucurbit Symposium
China is the largest country for cucurbit cropproduction and consumption in the world. Thiswas the first time that an international cucurbitsymposium, hosted by the International Societyfor Horticultural Science (ISHS), took place inChina. The symposium was an important eventin Changsha and China. Vice Governor ofHunan Province Xu Minghua declared the open-ing of the 4th International CucurbitSymposium. Presidents of the Chinese Societyfor Horticultural Sciences, Hunan AgriculturalUniversity and Huazhong Agricultural University,and representatives of the Ministry ofAgriculture, Administration of Foreign ExpertsAffairs and ISHS participated in the opening cer-emony. After the opening ceremony, Prof.Mingzhu Wu, Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie andDr. Xiuxin Deng made keynote speeches. Therewere 46 oral and 169 poster presentations dur-ing the symposium. These covered the newestresearch and development in the areas ofgenetic improvement & breeding, productiontechniques & crop physiology, bio and abio-stress management, postharvest, and biotech-nology.
The presentations discussed methods and tech-nologies of cucurbit genetic improvementthrough germplasm/native genetic variation uti-lization, ploidy manipulation, mutation induc-tion, genomic tool deployment in breeding andbiotechnology. Presentations also shared tech-niques and methods of production improve-ment through reducing bio-stress (viruses,fungi, bacteria and nematodes) and abio-stress(fertilization, irrigation, temperature, light,
salinity, cultural method, protected productionand mulching production). Grafting is a uniquetechnique of enhancing genetic potential ofcucurbit cultivars and increasing ability of com-mercial cultivars resistant to bio-stress and toler-ant to abio-stress. New grafting methods wereintroduced and discussed by Dr. Richard Hasselof Clemson University during the symposium.Many presentations, led by the keynote speech-es of Perkins-Veazie and Deng, discussed thehealth compounds offered by cucurbit crops.The messages of health benefits provided bycucurbits were well delivered and received dur-ing the symposium. During the closing remarksDr. Xingping Zhang of Syngenta Seeds request-ed all cucurbit experts and scientists to do theirjob to educate our society, funding agents andpolicy makers of the benefits that the cucurbitindustry offers to economy improvements ofthe countryside and human wellbeing.
Presentations were judged by participants fortheir scientific merit and clarity of presentation.Four oral presentations were given the “out-standing oral presentation” award and 16poster presentations were given the “outstand-ing poster presentation” award, based on thevotes received at the end of the scientific pro-grams. The award receivers well represented thetechnical and geographical areas of cucurbitresearch.
Participants of the Symposium.
Dr. Richard L. Hassell visiting the vegetablebase in Hunan Agricultural University.
Prof. Kazim Abak, Chair of the ISHSWorking Group on Cucurbitaceae (right),handing over the ISHS medal and certifi-cate to Prof. Xiaowu Sun, SymposiumConvener (left).
ISHS • 48
CONTACT
Professor Xiaowu Sun, Hunan AgriculturalUniversity, Changsha, Hunan, China, email:[email protected]
Dr. Sun’s team (the Executive Secretariat of the Symposium).
The symposium provided numerous opportuni-ties for participants to share up-to-dateresearch information, discuss techniques andconcerns with colleagues from around theworld, and get to know the Chinese culture.The traditional performances of Hunan charac-teristics started at the welcome reception ban-quette, and the group dancing ended at thelong farewell dinner with a lot of fun. Groupdinners certainly provided a lot of opportunitiesfor participants to do their networking anddevelop friendships.
The midweek tour included a production visit toGanshan Township of Changsha County and avariety display visit to the experimental stationof Hunan Agricultural University. The uniquetrellis + grafting production and long seasonwatermelon production under plastic tunnelwere well displayed and initiated a lot of discus-sions during the tour. Many varieties displayedat the experimental stations allowed partici-pants to see the diversity of cucurbit varieties,
particularly watermelon and cucumbers. Theprofessional tour was very well organized andparticipants were grateful for the unique oppor-tunity of learning and exchanging ideas.Participants further experienced the splendidHunan hospitality during the tour, lunch at theuniversity dining hall and dinner at the famousculture show restaurant.
Another key feature of the symposium was theparticipation of the 20 cheerful and helpful stu-dents from Hunan Agricultural University as vol-unteer conference staff. They were therebecause of their love of people and science, andEnglish language skills. Many of them workedextra long hours to help the participantsthroughout the symposium. This is a veryunique way to engage our future young cucur-bit scientists. They were very inspired by whatwas discussed and presented at the symposium.They asked Dr. Xingping Zhang to speak at thestudent science corner of Hunan AgriculturalUniversity after the symposium.
This was a notably successful symposium thatleft a lot of good memories and truly providedan effective platform for networking, and espe-cially for foreign scientists the symposium gavethe opportunity to get to know Hunan cultureand Chinese cucurbit industry. The participantswere grateful for the excellent organization ofthe symposium by Dr. Xiaowu Sun and his team.The 5th International Cucurbit Symposium willbe held in Egypt in 2013.
Xiaowu Sun
The Journal of Horticultural Science& Biotechnology
ISHS is pleased to welcome the followingnew members:
NEW INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS:
Australia: Mr. Mike Brown, Paul Casey, Dr.Cassandra Collins, Mr. Deryk Dorjee, Mr. RolfeEllem, Mr. Matthew Kleyn, Mr. Ian Logan, Mr.Adrian Rakimov, Mr. David Rickards, Dr. GarthSanewski, Dr. Brady Smith, Mr. Marcus vanHeijst, Mr. Qingfeng Xie; Barbados: Dr.Rajendra P. Maurya; Belgium: Dr. PeterBleyaert, Dr. Peter Melis, Dr. Geert Potters, Dr.Tom Van Delm, Mr. Koen Willekens; Brazil:Prof. Dr. Wilson Itamar Maruyama, DimasMenezes, Cristiane Pandorfi, Prof. CelsoPommer, Johannes van Leeuwen, Prof. Dr.Pablo Forlan Vargas; Canada: Mr. David Brault,Mr. Réjean Demers, Dr. Norman Goodyear, Mr.Carl Lammens, Mr. David Nogas, Ms. JenniferWacasey, Mr. Wayne Zimmerman; Chile: Mr.Felix Rene Acosta Barraza, Mr. Matias Alamos,Mr. Mauricio Frias, Annemarie Kamp; China:Prof. Dr. Qixian Lai, Prof. Dr. Weihong Luo, BiaoWang, Dr. Ning Yu, Prof. Yongbing Yuan;Chinese Taipei: Yuno Animal, Mr. Brian BohrJiun Chen, Mr. Sheng Yang Li, Prof. Dr. Jeng-Jung Shyr; Egypt: Dr. Faida Sharara; Estonia:Krista Tiirmaa; France: Mr. Cedric Abriat, Ms.Marike Brezillon, Anne-Laure Ms. Girard, Dr.Sonia Hallier, Dr. Céline Hamon, Ms. MarjolaineMeyer, Mr. Emmanuel Pajot, StephaneThurière; French Polynesia: Leon Mu;Germany: Stefan Hölzl, Dr. Martin Nickol,Dominik Otto, Dr. Christian Patermann;Greece: Mr. Nick Betinis, Dr. StefanosHatzilazarou, Mr. Ioannis Minas, Dr.Athanassios Molassiotis, Ms. Dimitra Tsamaidi,Dr. Pavlos Tsouvaltzis; Guatemala: Mr. EdgarBarillas Cabrera; Guyana: Mr. BasudeoDwarka; Hungary: Mr. Gábor Füredi, ZsofiaZiaja; India: Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Mr. YayatiBapat, Dr. Prerak Bhatnagar, Prof. Dr. F.A.
FROM THE SECRETARIAT
New ISHS Members
Nehvi, Mr. Shishir Nevatia, Mr. RajathRamachandra, Dr. Rup Kumar Roy, Prof. BharatChandra Saha, Dr. Shafiq Wani; Indonesia:Ms. Nelly Tanoto Sukardi, Erina Sulistiani, Mr.Dudin Supti, Sudarisman Suyoko; Iran: Prof.Seyed Najmmaddin Mortazavi, Dr. HomaRajaei; Ireland: Mr. thomas shaughnessy, Mr.Torsten Weigelt; Israel: Prof. Dan Eisikowitch,Haim Elhar, Dr. Gal Sapir; Italy: Dr. FerdinandoCossio, Dr. Enrico Maria Lodolini, Prof.Francesco Marra, Assist. Prof. Paola Minardi,Prof. Dr. Davide Neri, Tabacchicoltori Veneti;Japan: Dr. Shuichi Iwahori, Mr. HirotakaYamamichi, Chokei Yoshida; Jordan: Ms.Hongping Li, Dr. Osama Najdawi; Kenya: Dr.Patrick Ajwang, Dr. Jan Low; Korea (Republicof): Prof. Young Yeol Cho, Dr. Cheol Ho Kim,Ms. Ji-Hyun Kim, Prof. Dr. Wan Soon Kim, Mr.Sukin Oh; Kuwait: Dr. Mashel Aldabbous;Latvia: Daina Feldmane, Valda Laugale, Dr.Liga Lepse, Ms. Dace Megre; Malawi: Dr.Patience Chipungu; Malaysia: Dr. NathanKumarasamy; Mexico: Dr. Javier ZaragozaCastellanos Ramos, Dr. Manuel Gonzalez, Dr.Lilia Mendez, Dr. Ma. Del Carmen Ojeda;Morocco: Mr. Lahcen El Youssfi, Ms. MaryamMaïche; Netherlands: Dr. Akin Akinrogunde,Ir. Bart Boevé, Mr. Peter Boskamp, ElizabethElberse, Mr. Thon Huijser, Mr. Uko Reinders, Dr.Carin van der Lans; New Zealand: WendyBoswinkel-Matthews, Mr. Lester Brewer, Mr.John Clark, Mr. Stacy Goldsworthy, Mr. PernellHartley; Nigeria: Semeton Amosu, Ms.0luwakemi Esuola, Emmanuel Okogbenin;Norway: Dr. Muath Alsheikh, Mr. Bent Isaksen,Mr. Jarl Markus Pettersen, Dr. Anne-Berit Wold;Peru: Mr. Piero Dyer; Philippines: Ms. Mariesol Villalon; Portugal: Ms. Dália Rosa AlvesCarvalho, Ms. Sílvia Azevedo, Prof. Jose Grego;Romania: Radu Einholt, Dr. Vasile Lazar, Prof.Dr. Danut Nicolae Maniutiu, Dr. Rodica MariaSima; Saudi Arabia: Prof. Dr. AbdulrahmanAlmoshileh; Serbia: Prof. Dr. Branko
Marinkovic; South Africa: Ms. Anne-MarieGreen; Spain: Dr. Maria Josefa Bernalte García,Ms. Marise Borja, Mr. Jesus Diez, Mr. JoseManuel Estevez Caparros, Dr. David González-Gómez, Ms. Berenice Güerri-Agulló, Mr.Ricardo Rodriguez, Dr. Shantanu D. Wankhade;Sweden: Ms. Emma Naqvi; Thailand: Mr.Chanon Tanateeranan; Tunisia: Dr. HoucineKhatteli, Ms. Amel Lachkar; Turkey: MuzeyyenAbdulhamit, Dr. Emine Tanriver, Ms. CerenUnek; United Kingdom: Manuela Donetti,Ms. Fardusa Elmi, Mr. Nigel Frith, Mr. ChristianGoodliff, Prof. James Hitchmough, Ms. LouiseMackay, Mr. Rob Moss, Mr. Nick Speakman,Ms. Camilla Strawbridge, Mary Ms. Worrall;United States of America: Sharon Anderson,Randy Baldwin, Mr. Marc Bauduy, Ellen Bauske,Thomas A. Bewick, Guihong Bi, Paul Bially,Richard Bowman, Mary Currie, Mr. AngelosDeltsidis, Judy Devine, Mr. Rishi Diwan, Ms.Kelly Haar, Mr. Roger Haring, Michael Higaki,Matthew Hughes, Brian Jackson, Peter Jensen,Ka Yeon Jeong, Dr. Judy Johnson, LanceJohnson, Ms. Ming-Wei Kao, Kenneth Kilner,Brian Krug, Prof. Joyce Latimer, ChadwickLedgett, Ms. Michelle Leinfelder, Dr. WansangLim, Mr. Francisco Loayza, Niels Maness, Mr.Timothy Martonik, Prof. Gloria Moore, KathyMusial, Paul Penza, Jeffrey Price, Mr. BruceProck, Dr. Christopher Ramcharan, StephanRogers, Charles Rohla, Dr. Paul Rood, Dr. LuisA. Sanchez, Liliana Scarafia, Ms. RachelSchmidt, John Smit, Mr. Richard Smith, Ms.Irina Stoenescu, Dr. Alan Taylor, Dr. Nigel Taylor,Ken Tilt, Ms. Mary van Ryn, Mr. Diego Viteri,William Wallace, Alfred Williams, Assist. Prof.Shengrui Yao, Yanmin Zhu; Vietnam: Dr. MaiS. Dam; Virgin Islands: Dr. Jeanne DaltonJustice
CARMINE DAMIANO
Carmine Damiano recently retired from his duty.After his degree in 1967, Dr. Damiano spent aperiod of research at the University of Naples,specialising in cytology and cell physiology. Hespent almost all his career at the IstitutoSperimentale per la Frutticoltura in Rome and afew years at the Ornamental Plant ResearchInstitute in Sanremo, serving as Director of thePropagation Section for more than 15 years, asDirector of the Research Station of Caserta from
2004 to 2008, and concluding his career asDirector of the Centro per la Ricerca inFrutticoltura (CRA). His main interest was in nonconventional breeding, tissue and embryo cul-ture and micro-propagation. Author of morethan 300 scientific contributions, Dr. Damiano isa leading scientist of many national and interna-tional research projects. He is ISHS membersince 1976 and served as Chair of the ISHSCommission Biotechnology, and as Coordinator
of the WG on Propagation and Nursery of theItalian Society for Horticultural Science (SOI). Heis an esteemed scientist and research partner ofa multitude of universities and research centersthroughout the world. We recognize the valueof his contribution to horticultural research,being sure he will continue to assist young sci-entists in his field.
Paolo Inglese, SOI President
ISHS • 50
The International Society for HorticulturalScience Best Doctoral Dissertation Award is givento foster and disseminate research inHorticultural Economics and Management. It ispresented annually to the person who has sub-mitted the best doctoral dissertation for which adoctoral degree has been granted.
The ISHS Commission Economics and Manage-ment is pleased to announce the winner of theBest Doctoral Dissertation Award for 2010 is Dr.Marcus Mergenthaler of the University ofHohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
A summary of Dr. Mergenthaler’ dissertation ispresented below
THE FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION INVIETNAM: CHALLENGES FOR THE HORTICUL-TURAL SECTOR POSED BY EXPORTS AND BYCHANGING CONSUMER PREFERENCES.
Food systems are in a process of profoundchanges on a global scale. Multinational foodprocessing and retailing companies spread glob-ally. This trend is driven by changing consumerdemand for food with new safety and qualityattributes and by liberalized trade and invest-ment policies. While the influence of the publicsector has gradually diminished, private compa-nies bring about new approaches in supply chaingovernance including private food safety andfood quality standards. These developmentshave important implications for all stakeholdersinvolved in food supply chains, including small-holder farmers in developing countries.
In an empirical analysis, a dataset of 50Vietnamese fruit and vegetable processing firms
2010 ISHS Horticultural Economics andManagement Best Doctoral DissertationAward
is employed. In a basic model specification, weexplain the export status of a processing firm bya logistic regression approach. Significant positiveimpacts of QAPs on international market accessare detected. The results in a disaggregatedmodel show that the type of QAP differentiatesbetween OECD and non-OECD markets. Whilethe overall probability of exports at a given QAPstatus does not vary much at different levels ofdomestic sales, the relative probability of OECDversus non-OECD-exports decreases exponential-ly, particularly for firms with international QAPs.
Demand elasticities for high-value horticulturalproducts are estimated and demand projectionsare made based on a survey of 499 householdsin Vietnam’s two major cities. Disaggregatedexpenditure elasticities for fresh fruits and veg-etables from emerging supply chains are signifi-cantly higher than the aggregate elasticity. This
applies in particular for modern retailers andnon-traditional imports. Likewise, these elastici-ties are higher than the disaggregated elasticitiesfor products from traditional supply chains.Purchased quantities of fresh fruits and vegeta-bles from modern supply chains are projected togrow rapidly over the coming years. Growth isparticularly high for products from modernretailers, but also for imports from non-neigh-boring countries.
Contingent valuation methods are employed toestimate willingness-to-pay for innovative horti-cultural products. We exploit the potential togain a more functional understanding of foodattribute valuation and the underlying psycho-logical process by employing a mediation frame-work that explicitly considers consumer percep-tions. This framework was first developed withinpsychological research and recently applied in ananalysis of consumer attitudes towards agro-biotechnology. Based on models consideringsocio-demographic and media predictors as wellas consumer perceptions as mediators, we esti-mate the mean WTP for the food safety attributeto be 60% and for convenience to be 19% high-er than the current market price of the respectivevegetables.
The results of these studies have important impli-cations for the horticultural industry and for ruraldevelopment strategies in poor countries.Increasing export and domestic consumerdemand for highvalue agricultural productsoffers new income earning opportunities, provid-ed that actors in the food systems manage toadapt properly to the new market conditions.
ISHS HORTICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENTBEST DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AWARD
The ISHS Commission Horticultural Economics and Management is pleased to announce that nominations for the Best Doctoral Dissertation inHorticultural Economics and Management are now being sought. To be eligible for the 2011 award, nominated dissertations must report astudy, for which a doctoral degree was awarded in the year ending 31st December, 2010.
Applications close March 1, 2011.
Details of the award may be found by visiting:
www.ishs.org/awards/cmem
Dr. Peter Oppenheim (left) handing over theBest Doctoral Dissertation Award to Dr.Marcus Mergenthaler (right) at IHC2010.
For updates and more logon to www.ishs.org/calendar. To claimthe reduced registration for ISHS members make sure tomen tion your membership number when registering and ensureyour ISHS membership is current. If in doubt: check your mem-bership status online at www.ishs.org/directory/
YEAR 2010
� October 11-14, 2010, Bleiswijk (Netherlands): InternationalConference on Organic Greenhouse Horticulture. Info: Dr. Carinvan der Lans, Research Organic Protected Horticulture, WageningenUR Greenhouse Horticulture, Postbox 20, 2665 ZG, Bleiswijk,Netherlands. Phone: (31)317-485516, E-mail:[email protected] Web: http://www.organicgreenhousehorticulture.com/
� October 17-22, 2010, Agadir (Morocco): VII InternationalCongress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal. Info: Dr. AkkaOulahboub, Moroccan Assoc. Cactus Development, Av. MohamedBeLaarbi Alaou, BP 6598, Rabat Instituts, Rabat, Morocco. Phone:(212)537776450, Fax: (212)537774667, E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.cactus-congress.com/
� October 25-28, 2010, Leesburg, Virginia (United States of America):International Workshop on Biological Control of PostharvestDiseases: Challenges and Opportunities. Info: Dr. MichaelWisniewski, Usda-Ars, 2217 Wiltshire Road, 25430 Kearneysville,United States of America. E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Samir Droby, Aro, The Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6, 50250 BetDagan, Israel. E-mail: [email protected] Web:http://www.bard-isus.com/ws/ph/
� November 21-25, 2010, Campinas (Brazil): I InternationalSymposium on Genetic Research of Bamboos and Palms and IIIInternational Symposium on Ornamental Palms. Info: Dr.Antonio Fernando Tombolato, Instituto Agronomico, Avenida Barãode Itapura 1481, Caixa Postal 28, 13012-970 Campinas SP, Brazil.Phone: (55)1932415188, Fax: (55)1932417570, E-mail: [email protected] or Prof. Kathia Pivetta, Rodovia Carlos Tonanni, Km5, Departamento de Horticultura, 14870-000 Jaboticabal, Brazil.Phone: (55)163232500, Fax: (55)163224275, E-mail:[email protected] Web: http://www.infobibos.com/symbampalm/
� November 22-26, 2010, Kingston (Jamaica): I InternationalSymposium on Tropical Horticulture - TropHort2010. Info: Prof.Dr. Noureddine Benkeblia, The University of the West Indies,Department of Life Sciences, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica.Phone: (1)8769271202, Fax: (1)8767024203, E-mail: [email protected] Web:http://ocs.mona.uwi.edu/ocs/index.php/th/th1
� November 23-26, 2010, General Roca (Rio Negro) (Argentina): XIInternational Pear Symposium. Info: Dr. Enrique E. Sanchez, INTAAlto Valle, Casilla de Correo 782, 8332 General Roca, Rio Negro,Argentina. Phone: (54)29414439000, Fax: (54)2941439063, E-mail:[email protected] Web:http://www.inta.gov.ar/altovalle/Pears2010/index.html
� December 5-9, 2010, Dakar (Senegal): International Symposiumon Urban and Peri-Urban Horticulture in the Century of Cities:Lessons, Challenges, Opportunities. Info: Dr. Remi Nono-Womdim, FAO-AGP, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153, Rome,Italy. Phone: (39)0657052772, Fax: (39)0657056347 E-mail sympo-sium: [email protected] Web: http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/core-themes/theme/hort-indust-crops/isd/en/
YEAR 2011
� March 14-17, 2011, Salatiga (Central Java) (Indonesia): IInternational Symposium on Sustainable Vegetable Productionin South-East Asia. Info: Prof. Dr. Stefaan De Neve, University ofGent, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium. E-mail: [email protected] or Dr. Sri Rochayati, Indonesian Soil ResearchInstitute, Jl. Juanda, Bogor, Indonesia. E-mail: [email protected] symposium: [email protected] Web:http://www.vegsea2011.ugent.be/
� March 19-23, 2011, Davis, CA (United States of America): IInternational Symposium on Wild Relatives of Subtropical andTemperate Fruit and Nut Crops. Info: Dr. Mallikarjuna Aradhya,USDA Germplasm Repository, One Shields Avenue, University ofCalifornia, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America. Phone: (1)530-752-6504, Fax: (1) 530-752-5974, E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Daniel Kluepfel, USDA ARS - 378 Hutchison Hall, Dept.PlantPathology, Univ. Ca, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616,United States of America. E-mail: [email protected] Web:http://www.wildcrops2011.org/
� March 24-26, 2011, Djerba (Tunisia): IV International Symposiumon Medicinal and Aromatic Plants SIPAM2011. Info: Dr. HoucineKhatteli, Institut des Régions Arides, Route de Djouf, Km 22,5, 4119Médenine, Tunisia. Phone: (216)75633121, Fax: (216)75633006, E-mail: [email protected] or Dr. Mohamed Neffati, Institut desRegions Arides (IRA), Route de Djorf Km 22,5, 4119 Medenine,Tunisia. Phone: (216)75633839, Fax: (216)75633006, E-mail: [email protected] E-mail symposium: [email protected] Web:http://www.sipam.ira.rnrt.tn/
� April 4-7, 2011, Adelaide (Australia): International Symposium onOrganic Matter Management and Compost Use in Horticulture.Info: Mr. Johannes Biala, PO Box 74, Wynnum Queensland 4178,Australia. Phone: (61)7-39011152, Fax: (61)7-33962511, E-mail:[email protected] Web: http://compost-for-horticulture.com/
� May 8-12, 2011, Volterra (Italy): VIII International Workshop onSap Flow. Info: Prof. Dr. Luca Sebastiani, S.S.S.U.P. Sant Anna, PiazzaMartiri della Libertà, 33, 56127, Pisa, Italy. Phone: (39)050883111,Fax: (39)050883495, E-mail: [email protected] or Dr. RobertoTognetti, Universitá degli Studi Molise, Dipartimento STAT - Univ. delMolise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, Italy. Phone:(39)0874404735, Fax: (39)0874404678, E-mail: [email protected] orAntonio Motisi, Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Facolta di Agraria,Univ. Di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 11, 90128 Palermo, Italy. Phone:(39)0917049021, Fax: (39)0917049025, E-mail: [email protected] symposium: [email protected] Web:http://www.sapflow8th.sssup.it/
� May 15-19, 2011, Puebla (Mexico): II International Symposium onSoilless Culture and Hydroponics. Info: Dr. María de las NiRodríguez Mendoza, Area de Nutriciòn Vegetal. IRENAT, Colegio dePostgraduados, Montecillo, Texcoco Edo. Méx, 56230, Mexico.Phone: (52) 595 95 51030, Fax: (52) 595 95 1 01 98, E-mail:[email protected] E-mail symposium: [email protected] Web:http://www.soillessculture.org/
For updates logon to www.ishs.org/calendar
NEW
NEW
ISHS • 52
Available numbers of Acta Horticulturae (in print). Theseas well as all other titles are also available in ActaHortCD-rom format. For detailed information on price andavailability, including tables of content, or to downloadan Acta Horticulturae order form, please check out the‘publications’ page at www.ishs.org/acta/ or go towww.actahort.org
Acta Acta Title ActaNumber Price (EUR)
870 V International Symposium on Rose Research andCultivation 74
869 IX International Protea Research Symposium 63868 VI International Symposium on Mineral Nutrition of Fruit
Crops 101867 V International Symposium on Brassicas and XVI
International Crucifer Genetics Workshop, Brassica 2008 62866 I European Congress on Chestnut - Castanea 2009 150865 IV International Symposium on Acclimatization and
Establishment of Micropropagated Plants 92864 III International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical
Fruits 112863 III International Symposium on Longan, Lychee, and other
Fruit Trees in Sapindaceae Family 139862 XIV International Symposium on Apricot Breeding and
Culture 132861 VI International Walnut Symposium 109860 IV International Symposium on Breeding Research on
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - ISBMAP2009 68859 International Symposium on Molecular Markers in
Horticulture 94858 III International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2008 108857 IX International Controlled Atmosphere Research
Conference 111856 International Symposium on Vegetable Safety and Human
Health 69855 XXIII International EUCARPIA Symposium, Section
Ornamentals, Colourful Breeding and Genetics - Part II 75854 XIII International Conference on Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants 41853 International Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants - SIPAM2009 100852 IV International Symposium on Ecologically Sound
Fertilization Strategies for Field Vegetable Production 85851 II International Symposium on Papaya 130850 III International Symposium on Saffron: Forthcoming
Challenges in Cultivation, Research and Economics 79849 II International Symposium on Guava and other Myrtaceae 94848 II International Humulus Symposium 80847 IX International Symposium on Postharvest Quality of
Ornamental Plants 92846 VII International Workshop on Sap Flow 90
845 VII International Congress on Hazelnut 164
844 IV International Chestnut Symposium 103
843 International Symposium on Soilless Culture andHydroponics 89
842 VI International Strawberry Symposium 210
841 II International Symposium on Human Health Effects ofFruits and Vegetables: FAVHEALTH 2007 134
840 I International Jujube Symposium 119
839 I International Symposium on Biotechnology of FruitSpecies: BIOTECHFRUIT2008 150
838 Workshop on Berry Production in Changing ClimateConditions and Cultivation Systems. COST-Action 863:Euroberry Research: from Genomics to SustainableProduction, Quality and Health 64
837 Asia Pacific Symposium on Assuring Quality and Safety ofAgri-Foods 89
836 XXIII International Eucarpia Symposium, SectionOrnamentals: Colourful Breeding and Genetics 75
835 International Symposium on Source-Sink Relationships inPlants 53
834 III International Late Blight Conference 61
833 IV International Symposium on Persimmon 82
832 V International Symposium on Horticultural Research,Training and Extension 61
830 IV Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes 149
829 VI International Symposium on In Vitro Culture andHorticultural Breeding 97
828 International Symposium on Recent Advances in BananaCrop Protection for Sustainable Production and ImprovedLivelihoods 97
827 IX International Conference on Grape Genetics andBreeding 132
826 I International Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Conferenceon Culinary Herbs 100
825 I Balkan Symposium on Fruit Growing 125
824 International Symposium on Application of PrecisionAgriculture for Fruits and Vegetables 92
823 XI International Symposium on the Processing Tomato 68
822 VI International Pineapple Symposium 81
821 International Symposium on Tomato in the Tropics 67
820 VIII International Mango Symposium 161
819 International Symposium on Growing Media 2007 102
817 I International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe 89
816 IV International Phylloxera Symposium 44
814 XII EUCARPIA Symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics 178
812 III International Symposium on Acclimatization andEstablishment of Micropropagated Plants 123
811 VI International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal 98
810 IX International Vaccinium Symposium 186
808 II International Symposium on Tomato Diseases 100
For an updated list of all titles (in print or ActaHort CD-romformat) logon to www.actahort.org
