If you missed the distance education panel at our Department of Horticulture seminar Monday, your can view the video:

October 6
A-134 Barton Lab and via Polycom to Plant Science 404

2 p.m.: Structural dynamics at the berry color locus in grape
Silvia Vezzulli
Fondazione Edmund Mach
Research and Innovation Centre
Genomics and Biology of Fruit Plants Department
Structural Genomics Group
San Michele all’Adige Italy

3:30 p.m.: Comprehensive investigation of fruit quality towards the development of new valuable tools for marker assisted breeding in apple
Fabrizio Costa
Istituto Agrario
San Michele all’Adige, IT

Nina Bassuk‘s work with CU-Structural Soil was profiled in the Sept. 27 Cornell Daily Sun: The Scientist: Prof. Bassuk ’74 Brings Trees, Greenery To Urban Areas.

Bill Miller‘s ‘toil-free tulip planting’ technique was featured at syracuse.com. For more on the practice, see Plant more tulips with less effort.

The September issue of eCALSconnect features many horticulture-related stories, including:

• New student-built Sod Sofas Adorn Ag Quad
• Helping Golf Courses Go Green
• New Cornell Raspberry Variety Extends Harvest into November
• ‘Plant Inventor’ Makes Black-and-White Cucumbers

Alan Taylor reports: Kyle Arvin is leaving Cornell and resigned as Director of the New York State Seed Testing Laboratory effective October 7, 2011. The Interim Director of the Seed Laboratory will be Michael Loos. Michael came to the lab about two years ago from Ohio State University Extension and has a Masters degree in Botany from Cleveland State University.

The September 27 edition of Picture Cornell featured a shot of the sod sofa constructed by the Art of Horticulture class.

From Marcia Eames-Sheavly:

As part of their semester-long service learning experience, on the first day of fall students in HORT 1110 (Collaboration, Leadership & Career Skills in the Plant Sciences) planted mums at Ithaca Children’s Garden. View more pictures at the ICG Facebook page.

From Sept. 23 Cornell Chronicle article, NYC press luncheon features expert on how climate change affects crops.

“At an Inside Cornell media event Sept. 20 in New York City, David Wolfe (right) reviewed how quickly the globe is warming and how New York can better prepare. …

“The situation is complicated for agriculture, Wolfe noted, where enormous expense and risk are involved in changing a crop to correspond with a changing climate. Dairy cows and cabbage, both of which represent huge markets for New York, prefer cooler temperatures … . Cornell is developing web-based decision tools, he told the reporters, to assist farmers with such complex questions as deciding on when to invest in a new field drainage system or the right time to change a perennial crop.

“Inside Cornell is a quarterly series presented by Cornell’s Division of University Communications and its Press Relations Office in Ithaca. The series provides an opportunity for the media to meet and discuss ideas with Cornell experts.”

Read the whole article.

View new climate change factsheets.

Climate change webinar Sept. 26 for CU and CCE staff.

Cornell climate change website.

If you missed one of our Department of Horticulture seminars, chances are good that you can view it online. Two of the first three this fall are available:

• Reproductive development in Cucumis – Floral sex expression and fruit development – Rebecca Grumet, professor, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University
• Industrial peatland restoration: how to overcome abiotic filters impeding revegetation – Line Rochefort,  professor in plant ecology, Laval University

Archived seminar videos, including some Dreer Seminars and other special programs, are available on our seminar videos page.

The Cornell Climate Change Program Work Team (PWT) has released the first two factsheets in its new series, Climate Change Facts:

The Earth’s Changing Climate
2 pages. A primer on climate science.
Art DeGaetano, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Farming Success in an Uncertain Climate
Details the challenges farmers can expect to face and potential solutions.
David Wolfe, Dept. of Horticulture

The factsheet series and other resources are available through the PWT’s Cornell Climate Change website.

From Betsy Lamb:

NYS Integrated Pest Management Program’s IPM In-depth programs are on the road and around the state again this fall:

• October 20
  CCE Saratoga County
  Ballston Spa
• October 27
  CCE Ontario County
  Canandaigua

Programs will feature hands-on activities focusing on greenhouse viruses, thrips and monitoring media salts and pH. DEC and CNLP credits are provided for each session.

More information.

The Emerging Turf War Over Anti-Soil Compaction Systems (Sept. 15, The Atlantic – Cities website) explains CU-Structural Soil and other solutions for supporting sidewalks and healthy tree root growth.

“Ten years ago, Bassuk developed CU-Structural Soil to help street trees survive in soil that’s been compacted by traffic and construction. When dirt gets packed too tight, air and water can’t flow down to the roots. Often that means the roots head off on their own expeditions for nutrition and room, tearing up sidewalk on the way, or the tree dies out and the city spends time and money replacing it. CU-Structural Soil is a mix of dirt and rocks designed to bear the load of pavement and whatever rolls across it, while leaving enough open space underground for tree roots, air and water. It’s since been licensed and sold to builders and landscapers across the U.S. and Canada.” Read the whole article.

More information about CU-Structural Soil.

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‘Plant inventor’ engineers black-and-white cucumbers, pear-flavored melons (Sept. 19, Cornell Chronicle) profiles Michael Mazourek, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, and his efforts to develop designer vegetables and fruits, including black-and-white cucumbers, pear-flavored melons and ‘Habanada’ peppers — low-heat but flavorful habanero chilis. “Beyond the funky flavors and colors, Mazourek’s vegetables have practical purposes: nutritional content, disease and pest resistance, and suitability for organic and regional growing conditions.”

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Department chair Marvin Pritts received an ‘Award for Excellence in Teaching and Commitment to Students’ September 18 from the Tri-Council and Order of Omega (the fraternity and sorority leadership council).

Special Seminar:
Habitat Studies in the Search for Future Urban Trees
Wednesday, Sept. 21
12:15 p.m.
Kennedy Hall 461

In the search for knowledge and experience of future urban trees and their tolerance for different habitats, Henrik Sjöman from the Swedish University of Agricultural Science has been studying trees in central China and in eastern Europe in matching habitats with inner‐city environments. Through this dendroecological approach it is possible to predict the use‐potential of the species and genotypes for different urban habitats.