College of Agricultural Sciences

Using green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) trees as a model for fast-growing shade trees, the objective of this study was to determine whether N application rate and fertilizer type differentially influence cold tolerance of green ash.

The objectives of this study were to determine whether bud necrosis in green ash was associated with tree N status, and whether green ash trees containing the same amount of N from different types of fertilizer exhibited similar amounts of bud necrosis.

This study was conducted to 1) evaluate whether simple linear regression in combination with reflectance sensitivity analysis can be used to determine optimal wavelength (OW) for Chl assessment using reflectance; and 2) evaluate the importance of using OW in the development of Chl-related reflectance indices.

Research was conducted using evergreen and deciduous Rhododendron cultivars. The objectives of this research were to determine whether N-availability in the growing medium alters (A) the rate of uptake of other nutrients; (B) allocation of other nutrients between different plant structures; and (C) plant demand for other nutrients as reflected in ratios of N to other nutrients (N-ratios).

A report based on a survey conducted in Australia of 171 blueberry growers in four Australian states to collect detailed information on cultural practices that have been shown to effect the infection of commercial plantings with ericoid mycorrhizal fungi (EMF).

Deciduous and evergreen cultivars of container-grown Rhododendron were used to determine whether spraying plants with urea in the fall altered 1) uptake of nutrients other than N in the year of application and the following growing season; and 2) allocation of nutrients other than N in the year of application and the following growing season.

The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) how rate of N application during the vegetative stage of production influences plant growth; 2) whether plant N content before cold storage influences plant growth and flower development during forcing; and 3) whether urea sprays in the fall increase N storage before cold storage and plant growth and flower development during forcing.

The intent of the study was to expand current knowledge of nitrogen (N) uptake and allocation by container-grown Rhododendron by characterizing the plant growth, the extent of N uptake, and the changes in N storage that occur during the autumn and winter.

Using deciduous and evergreen cultivars of container-grown Rhododendron, the objectives of this study were to determine: (i) whether N application rate during the growing season influenced plant response to foliar urea application in the Autumn; and (ii) whether plant N status in the Winter influenced plant reliance on fertilizer for growth the following Spring.

The information provided by this study will aid in the development of fertilizer management strategies for container nursery production practices that will decrease fertilizer use and production costs, improve plant quality, while minimizing N losses to the environment.