A watering can sprays water over lush green plants in a sunlit greenhouse setting.
Growers perceive automating irrigation as helpful, yet adoption levels are stagnant. There is a need for more research to understand nursery producers’ hesitations. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05748-25 #HortTechnology
Dr. Esther Nampeera conducts a detailed evaluation of leafy amaranth plants to assess their growth characteristics.
Amaranth is an important leafy vegetable in East Africa. This research will help smallholder farmers improve seed germination and increase leaf yields.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05736-25
Control (untreated) and Lalrise Vita–treated French marigolds (T. patula ‘Durango Yellow’) grown under different fertilizer rates (50, 150, 300, and 600 mg·L−1 N). Photos show representative plants at 4 weeks after transplant.
Researchers found that the commercial biostimulant Lalrise Vita can be used to produce high-quality crops with reduced fertilizer inputs. #HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05831-25
Representative images of excavated and cleaned root masses for crape myrtles planted without root manipulation (A: Control); four knife cuts into the root ball (B: 4-Cut), root ball base severed (C: chop), and hand-teased (D: Butterfly) at the conclusion of the study spanning 28 Apr 2023 through 15 Oct 2024 in Hammond, LA, USA.
Pre-plant root-manipulation practices did not affect the establishment or growth of Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’ in an 18-month post-installation study period. #HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05794-25
High tunnels at Lepp Farms in Abbotsford, Canada, with bare-ground alleyways between strawberry tabletops on 27 Apr 2023 (left) and with grass alleyways in Jun 2024 (right).
Case study published in #HortTechnology will help strawberry growers in western Canada and similar climactic areas improve fruit quality and yield, reduce pesticide usage, and support long-term sustainability for protected strawberry cultivation. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05761-25
Light arrangement for the growth chamber. Light-emitting diode (LED) lights were installed in the middle of the chamber to provide sufficient light for two benches, or experimental blocks.
Retrofitting decommissioned shipping containers offers a flexible, cost-effective solution for controlled-environment agriculture, applicable across diverse research and crop cultivation.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05767-25
#ControlledEnvironment #plantscience
Vibrant close-up of fresh cherry tomatoes, showcasing their juiciness and bright red color.
Researchers evaluated the practices currently used in tomato high tunnels and identified practices that distinguish high-yielding tunnels from those with lower yields.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05779-25
#plantscience #horticulture
Strawberry cultivars grown on white and black plastic mulch in this study.
Mulch color and cultivar affects strawberry yield, harvest duration, runner production, and winter hardiness.
Find practical guidance on cultivar and mulch selection in #HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05781-25
#plantscience
A tall amaranth plant with bright red flowers reaching towards the blue sky in Palos Heights, IL.
Scientists investigated the horticultural impacts of pesticide application and storage time of seeds on the production of Amaranthus as a leafy vegetable. Under high tunnel conditions, treated plants had higher leaf production.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05736-25
#plantscience
Vertical close-up shot of fresh organic cauliflower with green leaves.
Surface covering and root-zone cooling improved the quality of cauliflower seedlings significantly in tropical nurseries.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05754-25
#horticulture
Representative ‘E3 Easy Wave Red’ and ‘Pretty Flora Red’ petunias (Petunia ×hybrida) drenched with 90 mL aliquots of solution containing deionized water (0 mg·L–1; untreated) or 25, 50, 75, 100, or 200 mg·L–1 ethephon.
The Ohio State University researchers found ethephon substrate drenches to control growth of two seed petunia cultivars.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05771-25
#horticulture #nurserycrops
Plug structural integrity photos from a stratification experiment with herbaceous cuttings.
Recent propagation substrate research at Cal Poly focused on stratification and unrooted cuttings. Hoover et al. observed reductions in plug structural stability with stratification but no negative root growth effects.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05739-25
#horticulture
Golf course by the sea with green fairway and sandy bunkers under a cloudy sky.
Researchers assessed long-term trends in irrigation volume, water sources, irrigated acreage, and management practices across US golf courses from 2005 to 2024.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05716-25
‘Mini Blues’ highbush blueberry after renovation. 2 Dec 2021.
‘Mini Blues’ highbush blueberry continues to perform well with reduced labor practices and does not need to be pruned using conventional techniques.
#HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05745-25
Phosphorus (P) levels (A) standard plant leaf P content, (B) soil P content, (C) leaf sap P concentration from New Age Laboratories, and (D) leaf sap P concentration from NovaCropControl. The red line represents the bottom of the optimum range, and the green line represents the top of the optimum range of the respective nutrient from each methodology. In sap analysis graphs, + represents nutrient excess and – represents nutrient deficiency, based on nutrient mobility.
Can sap analysis reveal citrus nutrientional needs better than conventional methods? UF/IFAS tested it on 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit in Florida 🍊Results show promise and pitfalls. #HortTechnology https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05697-25
#plantscience
Image description The effect of a jumping worm (Amynthas spp.) infestation on potting media in a nursery container located at the Horticulture Research Center of the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Depicted are castings and their effect on the overall substrate texture as a result of the jumping worms consuming the organic material within the container.
Researchers evaluated various chemical and biological control methods that can potentially control jumping worms of the Amynthas genus in container-grown horticultural commodities.
Learn more in #HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#horticulture
Strawberry plants
The addition of far-red light was found to be beneficial in indoor production of short-day strawberry cultivars for preventing semidormancy and enhancing yield and fruit quality.
#HortTechnology #plantscience
doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
Popillia japonica damage to 'Ruby Queen' red beet that has been treated with acifluorfen (left) compared with the control (right).
Acifluorfen can effectively control Powell amaranth in red beets, although application timing is crucial to minimize crop injury and yield reduction.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#plantscience
hole punching attachments for onion planting
Twin-row planting arrangements can potentially be used to increase production of high-value bulb sizes in short-day onions.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#plantscience
Tomato seedling
Nanoparticles have been shown to enhance salinity and drought stress tolerance in various crops. Researchers examined their potential to enhance thermotolerance. Nanoparticles did not improve the overall thermotolerance in tomato seedlings.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#plantscience
Comparison of wheat through unfiltered, Tijn, and Bioshield lenses.
Blue light is emitted by computer screens, the sun, and electric lights. Most blue-blocking lenses minimally blocked blue photons from standard LEDs and minimally altered color perception.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
Tomato seedlings
New report in #HortTechnology can help #organic producers assess their growing media and nutrient management for transplant production and identify ways to improve nutrient availability. www.doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
Flooded landscape
Methodologies reported in this work provide low technology, low input methods for screening landscape plants for tolerances to various flood environments that induce hypoxic soil conditions.
#HortTechnology www.doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#horticulture
Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica 'Bobzam' BobbeeTM) microcuttings, retip cuttings, and plantlets.
Fruit-bearing female northern bayberry plants are highly sought after for landscaping purposes. Rooted microcuttings direct from tissue culture could be used to provide three harvests of retip cuttings. #HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#horticulture
Pear trees
Researchers show that pear dormancy and cold hardiness can be at least partially altered by hormone plant growth regulator application.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#plantscience #horticulture
A vibrant field of pumpkins at sunset in Maple Ridge. BC, evoking a warm autumn atmosphere.
To help minimize unused space in pumpkin fields during the season and after harvest, interseeded clover can work as a cover crop without impacting pumpkin yield.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#horticulture
Apple trees
In a high-density apple orchard study a greater number of lateral branches (feathers) and feathers bent below horizontal had a significant economic benefit.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#horticulture #apple
A setup for leaf photosynthesis measurement using a portable photosynthesis system in a growth chamber and light measurement by a spectroradiometer.
A revised photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) definition to include far-red photons (ePAR) is essential to obtain accurate light compensation point values, particularly under FR-rich light conditions.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#greenhouse #plantscience
chart of products used in the study
Slow seed germination and seedling growth cause the slow field establishment of kentucky bluegrass. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms can potentially accelerate kentucky bluegrass establishment in the field. #plantscience #turfgrass
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
Decaying peaches
Postharvest sanitation and disease management is critical to the fresh produce industry. High-oxygen water combined with ozone were studied as an alternative to chemical treatments on fresh peaches.
#HortTechnology doi.org/10.21273/HOR...
#plantscience
