Gregory E. Welbaum

• Ph.D. M.S. UC Davis
• Professor (Full) at Virginia Tech

Edamame (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a specialty soybean newly grown in the United States that has become the second most widely consumed soy food (25,000–30,000 tons annually). Poor crop establishment caused by soilborne diseases is a major problem limiting edamame production in the U.S. This study investigated 24 edamame cultivars/lines to determi...

Arthraxon hispidus is an introduced, rapidly spreading, and newly invasive grass in the eastern United States, yet little is known about the foundational biology of this aggressive invader. Germination responses to environmental factors including salinity, pH, osmotic potential, temperature, and burial depth were investigated to better understand i...

Edamame (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), a specialty soybean prized for its nutritional value and taste, has witnessed a surge in demand within the U.S. However, subpar seedling stands have hindered its production potential, necessitating increased inputs for farmers. This study aims to uncover potential physiological factors contributing to low seedling...

New from CABI ! HB | 9781789243246 | £120.00 £96.00 | €140.00 €112.00 | $160.00 $128.00 EBook | 9781789243253 | £45.00 £36.00 | €50.00 €40.00 | $60.00 $48.00 EBook | 9781789243260 | £45.00 £36.00 | €50.00 €40.00 | $60.00 $48.00 sales@cabi.org KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE Book Category: Production and Technology Author Gregory E Welbaum, Virginia Tech Univer...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LEGISLATIVE IMPETUS The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was tasked with commissioning a study to “field test the effectiveness of using halophytes growing in biochar-amended soil to capture and remove salt from highway and parking lot stormwater runoff” per Virginia General Assembly HB29 Item 377 #2h for the Co...

The sweet-basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) fruit/pericarp produces mucilage that engulfs the fruit and seed within minutes of hydration. Seed mucilage is produced by plant species that have adapted to arid, sandy soils. This study was conducted to determine how basil-seed mucilage improves ecological fitness. A second objective was to find ways to remov...

Vegetable soybean or edamame is a specialty soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Unlike grain-type soybean (mainly for oil and source of protein in animal feeds), edamame pods are harvested at a green and immature stage, and beans are consumed by humans as a vegetable. While originally from China, edamame has recently gained much-increased popularity...

Extreme cold plays a key role in the range boundaries of plants. Winter survival is central to their persistence, but not all structures are equally susceptible to frost kill and, therefore, limiting to distributions. Furthermore, we expect intraspecific variation in cold tolerance both within and among tissue types. In a laboratory setting, we det...

Low phytic acid (LPA) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] genotypes reduce indigestible PA in soybean seeds in order to improve feeding efficiency of mono-and agastric animals, but often exhibit low field emergence, resulting in reduced yield. In this study, four LPA soybean varieties with two different genetic backgrounds were studied to assess their...

Low tunnels covered with spun-bonded fabric (row covers) provide season extension for vegetable production and also afford a physical barrier against airborne insects and other non-soil pests. Brussels sprouts, Brassica oleracea L. group Gemmifera (Brassicaceae), is a popular vegetable in local markets in Virginia; however, unprotected field produc...

Low tunnels (LTs) enhance vegetative growth and production in comparison with open field, but it is not known whether nitrogen (N) requirements and use efficiency increase or decrease for optimal crop performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine differences in N requirement, uptake, and use efficiency in basil grown under LTs...

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is an extensively studied RNA virus known to infect tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and other solanaceous crops. TMV has been classified as a seedborne virus in tobacco, with infection of developing seedlings thought to occur from contact with the TMV-infected seed coat. The mechanism of TMV transmission through seed was stud...

Farmers use low tunnels (LTs) covered with spunbonded fabric to protect warm-season vegetable crops against cold temperatures and extend the growing season. Cool season vegetable crops may also benefit from LTs by enhancing vegetative growth and development. This study investigated the effect of the microenvironmental conditions under LTs on brusse...

Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) caused by Acidovorax citrulli is one of the most important bacterial diseases of cucurbits worldwide. However, the mechanisms associated with A. citrulli pathogenicity and genetics of host resistance have not been extensively investigated. We idenitfied Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum as surrogate hosts for...

Abstract: Foodborne illnesses have been a heavy burden in the United States and globally. Many medicinal herbs have been cultivated in the US and many of which contain antimicrobial compounds with the potential to be used for food preservation. Methanol/water extracts of pomegranate peel (“PP”, Punica Granatum L.), Chinese gallnut (“CG”, Galla chin...

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) solutions (0, 0.5, or 1.0%) were applied to cantaloupe (“Athena” and “Hale's Best Jumbo” cultivars) rind plugs, either before or after inoculation with a broth culture of Salmonella Michigan (10⁹ CFU/mL) and held at 37°C for 1 or 24 hr. Rind plugs were diluted, shaken, and sonicated, and solutions were enumerated. Tex...

Since the surfaces of cantaloupes are highly rough or irregular, bacteria can easily attach and become difficult to remove. Appropriate postharvest washing and sanitizing procedures can help control Salmonella and other pathogens on cantaloupe or other melons during postharvest operations. Delmopinol hydrochloride (delmopinol) is a cationic surfact...

Evaluation of organic fungicides for management of pumpkin diseases, 2016. The trial took place at a commercial farm in Rockville, VA. The soil was a Cecil fine sandy loam. Herbicide and fertilizer were applied according to Virginia Cooperative Extension recommendations. Additional hand-weeding was performed weekly as needed. Five rows of cultivar...

Seeds are the starting point for crop production in much of the world. This chapter covers the principles required to intentionally produce seeds capable of germination to grow a new generation of flowering plants. Flower pollination, fertilization, and embryo development in both self- and cross-pollinated plants is discussed for desiccation tolera...

Fast germination and vigorous early seedling growth are essential for establishment of pepper (Capsicum annuum), a warm season crop that germinates poorly under cold conditions. Three experiments compared effects of seed treatments on ‘California Wonder’ bell pepper seed germination percentage, mean time to germination (MTG), seedling emergence in...

Thermogradient tables were first developed in the 1950s primarily to test seed germination over a range of temperatures simultaneously without using a series of incubators. A temperature gradient is passively established across the surface of the table between the heated and cooled ends and is lost quickly at distances above the surface. Since temp...

Background: Listeria monocytogenes represents high risk for consumers, since it can grow under refrigeration and acidic environments by developing acid tolerance response (ATR). Objective: The aim of this work was to study the growth and survival of ATR L. monocytogenes strain Scott A in media acidified with malic acid, lactic acid, or blueberry ex...

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a warm-season herbaceous plant typically propagated from seed. Establishment of direct-seeded basil is oen difficult because seed germination may be limited, particularly in cold soils. To determine base, optimum, and ceiling germination temperatures and possible genetic variation, seeds of six cultivars of sweet...

To maintain high yields under an increasingly hotter climate, high temperature resilient peanut cultivars would have to be developed. Therefore, the mechanisms of plant response to heat need to be understood. The objective of this study was to explore the physiological and metabolic mechanisms developed by virginia-type peanut at early growth stage...

This comprehensive new textbook uses a scientific approach to explain the principles of modern conventional and sustainable vegetable production. The book describes the basic botany of vegetables, environmental requirements for successful growth and development, mineral nutrition, field establishment, harvesting, and post-harvest handling practices...

Fresh blueberries are commonly stored and transported by refrigeration in controlled atmospheres to protect shelf life for long periods of storage. Ozone is an antimicrobial gas that can extend shelf life and protect fruit frommicrobial contamination. Shelf life of fresh highbush blueberries was determined over 10-day storage in isolated cabinets a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

This book contains 22 chapters focusing on some of the current and traditional issues surrounding vegetable production, handling and consumption and vegetable safety. Chapters on the requirements for plant growth and development are presented and some of the more serious vegetable pests are discussed. Chapters on less traditional vegetables, such a...

Seed maturity at harvest is one important factor that determines quality. Separating low-vigor developing seed from bulk-harvested lots is difficult because they oen have the same physical characteristics as fully mature high-vigor seed. Non-destructive sorting based on chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) has the potential to remove low-vigor immature s...

The Virginia-Carolina region is the most important peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production region for the large-seeded, virginia-type peanut in the United States, but 85% of the production is rainfed and predisposed to water deficit stress. The mechanisms virginia-type peanut uses in response to drought stress are poorly understood. We evaluated se...

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is mostly grown under rainfed production with water deficit being the major limiting factor. Several physiological characteristics have been proposed as surrogates for yield and genotypic selection under water deficit in arid climates, but their suitability for selection under sub-humid rainfed production where water de...

Acidovorax citrulli causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) of cucurbits, a serious economic threat to watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and melon (Cucumis melo) production worldwide. Based on genetic and biochemical traits, A. citrulli strains have been divided into two distinct groups: group I strains have been mainly isolated from various non-watermelo...

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that represents a high risk for consumers because it can grow under refrigeration conditions and can also develop acid tolerance. Fresh blueberries are hand-picked, packed, and transported under refrigeration without receiving a microbial inactivation treatment. The aim of this work was to study the su...

Sucrose concentrations in mature culm tissues of sugarcane, Saccharum spp. hybrids, approach one molar. Significant concentrations appear in both the symplastic and apoplastic compartments of the culm tissue. Apoplastic storage of sucrose in sugarcane apparently evolved to allow storage of extraordinarily high concentrations of sucrose without gene...

The Virginia-Carolina (VC) region including Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, is the most important peanut production region for the large-seeded, virginia-type peanut in the United States. In recent years, an increased frequency of drought and heat episodes was observed in the VC-region. Because limited information is available on the...

Bacterial diversity of seeds, transmission of bacteria from seed to phyllosphere, and fate of seed-transmitted bacteria on mature plants are poorly characterized. Understanding the dynamics of microbial communities is important for finding bio-control or mitigation strategies for human and plant pathogens. Bacterial populations colonizing spermosph...

Recent disease outbreaks associated with vegetables, especially fresh spinach, have alarmed consumers, caused economic losses for vegetable producers, and raised questions about how pathogens are transmitted. Little is known about bacteria associated with seeds and the contributions of the seed to the endophytic and epiphytic communities of the lea...

This Acta combines papers prepared from invited oral, volunteered oral, and poster presentations from three separate sessions at the IHC 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal. These sessions include seminars entitled: Sm 12 “Molecular Profiling of Microbial Communities Associated with Seeds” and Sm 14 “Environmental Issue in Turfgrass Management”. The third ses...

The seed industry is moving toward more realistic testing programs procedures soil and other substrates that mimic soil rather than paper based methods. We have developed a thermogradient table to test seed and seedling growth over a broad range of temperatures in soil or other media. The tables can also be used to test effects of temperature on so...

Obligate root parasitic plants of the Orobanchaceae do not germinate unless they chemically detect a host plant nearby. Members of this family, like Orobanche, Phelipanche and Striga, are noxious weeds that cause heavy damage to agriculture. In spite of their economic impact, only a few light microscopical studies of their minute seeds have been pu...

Modern molecular ecology techniques were used to demonstrate effects of plant genotype and environmental conditions prior to harvest on the spinach epiphytic bacterial community. Three cultivars of spinach with different leaf topographies were collected at three different periods during the fall growing season. Leaf surface topography had an effect...

There is a numerous and diverse bacterial community residing on the phylloepiphytic surface of plants. Some of these bacteria are pathogenic, while others benefit plants by providing additional nutrients and competing with plant pathogens for space and nutrients. The members of these communities are likely to be established early in plant developme...

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is used horticulturally as an ornamental and agronomically as an animal feedstock and a putative bio-energy crop. Genetic transformation, using somatic embryogenic (SE) callus derived from mature seeds, is one strategy for improving switchgrass traits. A superior switchgrass line, HR8, was developed in this study u...

Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is a warm-season, frost-sensitive crop that germinates poorly at low temperatures. The cold-sensitive cultivar 'Noy Yizre'el' (NY) and the cold-tolerant cultivar 'Persia 202' (P-202) were compared at 15 and 25°C to determine how seed-coat anatomy and O2 uptake affected low-temperature germinability. A Clark-type oxygen e...

To investigate the changes in bacterial diversity on fresh spinach phyllosphere associated with storage at refrigeration temperatures.   Community structure and population dynamics of spinach phylloepiphytic bacteria associated with packaging and refrigeration of ready-to-eat fresh produce were evaluated using pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplic...

Few studies have compared the growth and yield of commercial edamame (Glycine max) cultivars in the mid-Atlantic United States. This study determined yield potential, yield components, and lipid and protein contents of five edamame cultivars [BeSweet 292 (BS292), BeSweet 2015 (BS2015), BeSweet 2001 (BS2001), Midori Giant (MG), and Sunrise (SR)] gro...

The growing popularity of edamame in the US is largely due to its purported health benefits from antioxidants and isoflavones. Most previous studies have measured antioxidant capacity and isoflavone content of fully mature, dry, grain or agronomic soybeans. The purpose of this study was to measure the antioxidant and isoflavone contents of five com...

Inability to culture microbes has limited the advancement of seed microbial ecology. DNA-based identification of seed microbiata and thus detailed studies of seed microbial ecology are now routine. The purpose of this seminar was to report results of recent studies using innovative techniques to study endophytic and epiphytic microbial communities...

Desiccating and germinating seeds are particularly prone to oxidative stress. Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most abundant and ubiquitous antioxidants in plants. To better understand GSH's role in developing and germinating seeds, wildtype (WT) and a line of seed antisense for glutathione reductase 2 (anGR2), one of two glutathione reductase (GR)...

Seven primocane fall-bearing raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) cultivars, Nova (red), Dinkum (red), Heritage (red), Autumn Britten (red), Josephine, Anne (yellow), Fall Gold (yellow) were analysed for potential health promoting properties including their inhibitory effect on starch and fat digestive enzymes, antioxidant activities, and phenolic compositi...

Michelia yunnanensis Franch. is a Chinese endemic ornamental shrub with potential for greater utilization as a landscape and medicinal plant if propagation was less difficult. Seed development and breaking of seed dormancy were investigated to improve propagation of M. yunnanensis. No fresh seeds germinated when tested at the time of dispersal. New...

Most seed technologists and other seed industry professionals have little spare time to devote to professional development. A leave of absence to take college courses is not an option for most technologists or their employers. Yet new developments in seed biology make continuing education more important than ever. To help working seed industry prof...

Little information is available about how farmers in transition to organic practices should manage short- and long-term N fertility. The objectives of this research were (1) to evaluate the leguminous cover crops lablab (Dolichos lablab L.). soybean (Glycine max L.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) and a mixture Of sunn hemp and cowpea (Vigna sine...

Priming commercial growing media and soils with dilute sugar solutions was investigated as a means of stimulating beneficial microflora to improve transplant productivity. Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) seedlings were grown in soilless growing medium primed with equal volumes of 50 mM sucrose or trehalose. After priming, the time when 50% of plants showe...

There are no standardized procedures for sanitizing orchid seeds for propagation by tissue culture and there is insufficient information about the optimum stage of orchid seed development for best germination. Phalaenopsis amabilis flowers were hand-pollinated and fruits harvested 90, 105, and 120 d after pollination (DAP) for seed developmental an...

Online chapter on broccoli production published as part of the online CABI Crop Protection Compendium, password protected: (https://www.cabi.org/products-and-services/publishing-product/online-resources/)

Seeds of parasitic plants in the genus Orobanche require a chemical signal in order to germinate.The seeds are, however, receptive only after several days of conditioning in the presenceof water, when metabolic activities take place. Using differential display polymerasechain reaction (PCR) analysis, 62 gene fragments were differentially expressed...

This is a chapter on cabbage production published online as part of the CABI Crop Protection Compendium, password protected at: https://www.cabi.org/products-and-services/publishing-product/online-resources/

Orchids are important ornamental, food, and medicinal plants. Orchid germplasm preservation is important because some species are endangered due to loss of habitat and human predation. Very few of the world's genebanks are involved in orchid preservation. Orchid germplasm preservation is a priority for the USDA Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center in...

Weed suppression and nitrogen (N) management present the greatest challenges to organic growers. Cover crops, the strategic use of tillage, and multiple nitrogen sources are being investigated in order to develop integrated management practices. Combinations of legume and grass cover crops are being utilized as alternative N sources and as tools fo...