Youping Sun

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Researcher at Texas AgriLife Research Center at El Paso

Reclaimed water provides a sustainable and economical alternative for landscape irrigation, but its elevated salinity can negatively impact sensitive plant species. This study evaluated the salinity tolerance of two widely used ornamental grasses, Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) and Pennisetum alopecuroides (fountain grass), under three electrica...

Water scarcity is a pressing issue in Utah and the Intermountain West. There is a growing interest in exploring alternative water sources for landscape irrigation. However, alternative water sources often contain elevated levels of salts, such as NaCl, which can negatively affect plant growth and development. This study investigated the effect of s...

Snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. Ex Hook.) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub. It fixes nitrogen in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria and plays a crucial role in soil-building. However, the effective induction of nodules in snowbrush ceanothus using soil containing Frankia sp. remains unclear. Therefore, the growth and nodula...

Snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. Ex Hook.) is an evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and creamy white flowers. It is a nitrogen-fixing species that enhances soil fertility through nodulation. This study evaluates the effects of various nitrogen concentrations on the growth and development of C. velutinus. Seedlings transplanted in...

‘Coy’ alder-leaf mountain mahogany ( Cercocarpus montanus ) is a new cultivar developed from a species native to the western United States with potential for use in xeriscaping, rock gardens, and water-efficient landscaping. However, efficient propagation methods are not well developed for it. In this study, cutting propagation of ‘Coy’ alder-leaf...

Penstemon, with more than 250 species native to North America, holds significant aesthetic and ecological value in Utah, supporting diverse pollinators. Despite their significance, the survival of penstemon is threatened by challenges such as habitat loss, climate change, and Utah’s naturally high soil salinity. To address these challenges and unde...

Maple syrup is a well-known natural sweetener made from the sap harvested from maple trees ( Acer sp.). The North American scientific literature regarding maple syrup has predominantly originated in the Northeastern United States and Canada. However, the range of this Holarctic genus extends across the continent and all species produce sap with the...

Penstemons are a diverse group of flowering plants valued for their ability to enhance the visual appearance of urban landscapes. Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth ‘Novapenblu’ (rock candy blue ® penstemon) and Penstemon strictus Benth ‘Rocky Mountain’ (rocky mountain beardtongue) are widely used in landscapes, but their tolerance to soil salinity rem...

'Wonderful' pomegranate (Punica granatum) is currently the industry-standard cultivar, accounting for more than 90% of all commercially planted trees. The purpose of this study was to determine the response of 'Wonderful' pomegranate trees to a range of salinity by irrigating them with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 d...

Increased urban and suburban populations in the arid western United States have resulted in more water demand; however, water availability in the region has become limited because of inadequate precipitation. Recent droughts have led to restrictions on irrigating landscape plants. Garden rose ( Rosa × hybrida ) is commonly used as flowering plants...

Native plants are of great value in landscape maintenance. Despite their importance in the landscape, the salt tolerance of most native plants has received little attention. The present research was designed to assess morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of four Utah-native plants [ Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick), Cercoca...

Available water for urban landscape irrigation is likely to become more limited because of inadequate precipitation and the ever-increasing water demand of a growing population. Recent droughts in the western United States have also increased the demand for low-water-use landscapes in urban areas. Penstemon species (beard-tongues) are ornamental pe...

Albizia julibrissin (mimosa tree) and Sophora japonica (Japanese pagoda tree) are drought-tolerant landscape plants; however, salinity responses of these two species are not well documented. The objective of this study was to investigate the morphological and physiological responses of these two species to three salinity levels in greenhouse condit...

Many arid lands across the globe are experiencing more frequent and extreme droughts due to warmer temperatures resulting from climate change, less predictable precipitation patterns, and decreased soil moisture. Approximately 60–90% of household water is used for urban landscape irrigation in the western United States, necessitating the establishm...

Hydrangeas are popular landscape plants that are widely grown in many parts of the world. The objective of this study was to evaluate the salinity tolerance of three novel Dichroa × hydrangea hybrids [ Dichroa febrifuga ‘Yamaguchi Hardy’ × Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hamburg’ (YH × Hamburg), Dichroa febrifuga ‘Yellow Wings’ × Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nigr...

Weedy rice grows competitively with cultivated rice and significantly diminishes rice grain production worldwide. The different effects of Cu-based nanomaterials on the production of weedy and cultivated rice, especially the grain qualities are not known. Grains were collected from weedy and cultivated rice grown for four months in field soil amend...

Reclaimed water provides a reliable and economical alternative source of irrigation water for landscape use but may have elevated levels of salts that are detrimental to sensitive landscape plants. Landscape professionals must use salt-tolerant plants in regions where reclaimed water is used. Ornamental grasses are commonly used as landscape plants...

Pomegranate is a drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant crop. Its fruits contain high levels of phytochemicals that have many health benefits. Pomegranate has the potential to be an alternative crop in areas where water availability is limited, such as west Texas. However, more than 500 pomegranate varieties are estimated to exist worldwide, and little...

A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the relative salt tolerance of 11 cultivars of hydrangea: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Ayesha’, ‘Emotion’, ‘Mathilda Gutges’, ‘Merritt’s Supreme’ and ‘Passion’; H. paniculata ‘Interhydia’ and ‘Bulk’; H. quercifolia ‘Snowflake’; H. serrata ‘Preciosa’; and H. serrata × macrophylla ‘Sabrina’ and ‘Selina’. Plants we...

More than half of residential water in Utah is used for landscape irrigation. Reclaimed water has been used to irrigate urban landscapes to conserve municipal water. High salt levels in reclaimed water may pose osmotic stress and ion toxicity to salt-sensitive plants. Viburnums are commonly used landscape plants, but salinity tolerance of species a...

Viburnums are widely used in gardens and landscapes throughout the United States. Although salinity tolerance varies among plant species, research-based information is limited on the relative salt tolerance of viburnum species. The morphological and growth responses of 12 viburnum taxa to saline solution irrigation were evaluated under greenhouse c...

The comparative toxicity of nano/bulk cupric oxide (CuO) and ionic copper (Cu) in Rosie and Green bok choy (Brassica rapa) varieties, with higher and lower anthocyanin contents, respectively, was investigated. Both phenotypes were cultivated for 70 days in natural soil amended with nano CuO (nCuO), bulk CuO (bCuO), and Cu chloride (CuCl2) at 75, 15...

With the exponential growth of nanomaterial production in the last years, nano copper (Cu)-based compounds are gaining more consideration in agriculture since they can work as pesticides or fertilizers. Chinese scallions (Allium fistulosum), which are characterized by their high content of the antioxidant allicin, were the chosen plants for this st...

Tatarian dogwood ( Cornus alba ) is an ornamental shrub with white fruits, creamy-white flowers, and red stems in fall through late winter and is widely used in residential landscape, public parks, and botanical gardens. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to characterize the survival, morphological, aesthetic, and physiological responses of...

Sego Supreme TM is a designated plant breeding and introduction program at the Utah State University Botanical Center and the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping. This plant selection program introduces native and adapted plants to the arid West for aesthetic landscaping and water conservation. The plants are evaluated for characteristics such a...

Ornamental grasses are commonly used in urban landscapes in Utah and the Intermountain West of the United States. The relative salt tolerance of Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. (purple love grass), Miscanthus sinensis Andersson ‘Gracillimus’ (maiden grass), Panicum virgatum L. ‘Northwind’ (switchgrass), and Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Na...

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the relative salt tolerance of pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) cultivars. Twenty-two pomegranate cultivars were irrigated weekly with a saline solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 10.0 dS·m –1 for 4 weeks and subsequently with a saline solution at an EC of 15.0 dS·m –1 for another 3 weeks...

Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) cultivars (‘Alamo’, ‘Cimarron’, ‘Kanlow’, ‘NL 94C2-3’, ‘NSL 2009-1’, and ‘NSL 2009-2’) were evaluated for salt tolerance in two separate greenhouse experiments. In experiment (Expt.) 1, switchgrass seedlings were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m⁻¹ (control) or a sali...

Marigolds (Tagetes sp.) are ornamental plants with fine-textured, dark green foliage, and yellow, orange, or bicolored flowers. The relative salt tolerance of eight marigolds [‘Discovery Orange’, ‘Discovery Yellow’, ‘Taishan Gold’, ‘Taishan Orange’, and ‘Taishan Yellow’ african marigold (Tagetes erecta); ‘Hot Pak Gold’, ‘Hot Pak Orange’, and ‘Hot P...

Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to examine the growth and mineral nutrition of four leafy vegetables in a nutrient film technique (NFT) system with water with low to moderate salinity. In Expt. 1, a nutrient solution was prepared using reverse osmosis (RO) water and treatments consisted of supplementing with RO water, tap water, or nutrie...

Because of limited supply of high-quality water, alternative water sources have been used for irrigation in water-scarce regions. However, alternative waters usually contain high salt levels, which can cause salt damage on salt-sensitive plants. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the relative salt tolerance of 10 common ornamental taxa to...

Relative salt tolerance of eight Berberis thunbergii (japanese barberry) cultivars (B. thunbergii ‘Celeste’, ‘Kasia’, ‘Maria’, ‘Mini’, and ‘Talago’; B. thunbergii var. atropurpurea ‘Concorde’, ‘Helmond Pillar’, and ‘Rose Glow’) was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. Plants were irrigated with nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC)...

Several studies have explored the effects of copper nanoparticles (NPs) in different edible plants. However, no studies on bell pepper (Capsicum annum L) plants have been reported. In this study, plants were grown for a full life-cycle assessment (90 days of exposure) in natural soil amended with nano CuO (nCuO), bulk CuO (bCuO), and an ionic coppe...

Background Symplocos paniculata, asiatic sweetleaf or sapphire berry, is a widespread shrub or small tree from Symplocaceae with high oil content and excellent fatty acid composition in fruit. It has been used as feedstocks for biodiesel and cooking oil production in China. Little transcriptome information is available on the regulatory molecular m...

Soil organic matter plays a major role in determining the fate of the engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the soil matrix and effects on the residing plants. In this study, kidney bean plants were grown in soils varying in organic matter content and amended with 0–500 mg/kg cerium oxide nanoparticles (nano-CeO2) under greenhouse condition. After 52...

Southern U.S. states such as Texas experience high temperatures and intense solar radiation during the summer production season. Use of shadecloth is common in Spain and other Mediterranean countries and is becoming popular with homeowners or small-acreage farmers in Texas. Little information is available on the applicability of using shadecloth on...

Micropropagation and production of Veratrum californicum is most successful when using a premixed Murishage and Skoog basal medium with vitamins and a 5-week subculture cycle at 16 °C for multiplication. These culture conditions provide the best percent survival after acclimatization in the greenhouse. However, clone response to temperature and lig...

Salt tolerance of six Lamiaceae ornamental species was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. Rooted cuttings were transplanted into 3.8 L (1 gal) pots and grown for three weeks in the greenhouse before treatment. Plants were then irrigated six times with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or a saline solu...

Asteraceae is one of the largest plant families with many important garden ornamental species. Salt tolerance of 10 aster perennials was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment, including the following: damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana), gregg’s mistflower (Eupatorium greggii), shasta daisy (Leucanthemum ´superbum ‘Becky’), blackfoot daisy (Melampodiu...

The effect of surface or lattice modification of nanoparticles (NPs) on terrestrial plants is poorly understood. We investigated the impact of different zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs on green pea (Pisum sativum L.), one of the highest consumed legumes globally. Pea plants were grown for 65 d in soil amended with commercially available bare ZnO NPs (10 nm),...

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivars (“Albion”, “Benicia”, “Camarosa”, “Camino Real”, “Chandler”, “Radiance”, and “San Andreas”) were evaluated for salt tolerance in a greenhouse environment. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.1 dS·m⁻¹ (control) or a nutrient solution with the addition of...

Salt tolerance of seven Texas Superstar (R) perennials Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (Turk's cap), Phlox paniculata 'John Fanick' ('John Fanick' phlox), Phlox paniculata 'Texas Pink' ('Texas Pink' phlox), Ruellia brittoniana 'Katie Blue' ('Katie Blue' ruellia), Salvia farinacea 'Henry Duelberg' ('Henry Duelberg' salvia), Salvia leucantha (me...

Cotton is an economically important crop with multiple uses as fiber, biofuel, food, and feed, and drought is one of the most limiting factors in cotton production. In this study, Gossypium hirsutum ‘Acala 1517-99’, G. barbadense ‘PHY 76 Pima’ and their cross-breeding line ‘Q1735-4’ were grown in a greenhouse to characterize their growth and physio...

The goal of this experiment was to evaluate the efficiency of foliar application of dikegulac sodium on increasing the lateral branching of ‘Merritt’s Supreme’ bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). Plants were grown in greenhouses at two locations including El Paso, TX and Kosciusko, MS. Two weeks before application of dikegulac sodium, half o...

Excessive salinity in soil and irrigation water in combination with waterlogging in coastal regions can significantly reduce the productivity of many agricultural crops. To evaluate the plant growth responses to simulated seawater (SSW) flooding, seedlings of 10 vegetables (broccoli, chinese cabbage, chinese greens, cucumber, eggplant, kale, radish...

Information about changes in physiological and agronomic parameters through the life cycle of plants exposed to engineered nanoparticles (NPs) is scarce. In this study, corn (Zea mays) plants were cultivated to full maturity in soil amended with either nCeO2 or nZnO at 0, 400, and 800 mg/kg. Gas exchange was monitored every 10 days, and at harvest,...

. The performance of biocontainers as sustainable alternatives to the traditional petroleum-based plastic containers has been researched in recent years due to increasing environmental concern generated by widespread plastic disposal from green industry. However, research has been mainly focused on using biocontainers in short-term greenhouse produ...

Containers made from natural fiber and recycled plastic are marketed as sustainable substitutes for traditional plastic containers in the nursery industry. However, growers’ acceptance of alternative containers is limited by the lack of information on how alternative containers impact plant growth and water use (WU). Weconducted experiments in Mich...

As high-input systems, plant production facilities for liner and container plants use large quantities of water, fertilizers, chemical pesticides, plastics, and labor. The use of renewable and biodegradable inputs for growing aesthetically pleasing and healthy plants could potentially improve the economic, environmental, and social sustainability o...

The green industry has identified the use of biodegradable containers as an alternative to plastic containers as a way to improve the sustainability of current production systems. Field trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of four types of 1-gal nursery biocontainers [keratin (KR), wood pulp (WP), fabric (FB), and coir fiber (Coir)] in...

As the green industry is moving toward sustainability to meet the demands of society, the use of biocontainers as alternatives to petroleum-based plastic containers has drawn significant attention. Field trials of seven plantable biocontainers (coir, manure, peat, rice hull, soil wrap, straw, and wood fiber) were conducted in 2011 and 2012 at five...

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) varieties were evaluated for salt tolerance in a greenhouse setting. Switchgrass ‘Cimarron’, ‘NL 94C2-3’, ‘NSL 2009-1’, ‘NSL 2009-2’ , ‘Kanlow’, and ‘Alamo’, five seedlings per pot, were irrigated with nutrient solution at electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m-1 (control) or salt solution at EC of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m-...

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an economically important crop with mutiple uses as fiber, biofuel, feed, food, and medicine. In this tudy, a breeding line with potential drought tolerance, ‘Q1735-4’, developed by New Mexico State University from a cross of ‘Acala 1517-99’ and ‘Pima Phy 76’, together with its parents were grown in a greenhouse. T...

Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz. is a high-value timber plant and popular landscape species in China. It is an endangered species due to over-harvesting and inefficient propagation systems. Immature zygotic embryos from a 20-year-old tree were cultured on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium containing 2.0 mg·L-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), and 51% of...

Studies were conducted at the University of Kentucky to evaluate side wall water loss and substrate temperature of quart size alternative containers derived from paper, card board, peat, cow’s manure, rice hull or coir, bio degradable plastic, and plastic (control). An environmental chamber controlled for temperature and relative humidity was used...

As the green industry is moving towards sustainability to meet the demands of society, the use of biocontainers (plant-based containers) as alternatives to petroleum-based plastic containers has drawn significant attention. Field trials of seven plantable biocontainers (coir, manure, peat, rice hull, soil wrap, straw, wood fiber) were conducted in...

Birch (Betula nigra) bare root liners were planted into two types of fiber containers (seven gallon, Kord® Fiber Grow, Western Pulp) and one plastic container (seven gallon, GL 2800, Nursery Supplies® Inc), which were used as the production pots in a pot-in-pot production system (PIP). Production pots were inserted into a GL 6900 (15 gallon) socket...

Earth-Kind® is a special designation given to select rose cultivars with superior stress tolerance (heat, drought, and pest tolerance) and outstanding landscape performance. The responses of Earth-Kind® roses to high salinity stress are unknown. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate 18 Earth-Kind_ rose cultivars (Belinda's Dream, Cecile Brun...

Salt tolerance of ten sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties (‘1790E’, ‘BTx642’, ‘Desert Maize’, ‘Macia’, ‘RTx430’, ‘Schrock’, ‘Shallu’, ‘Tx2783’, ‘Tx7078’, and ‘Wheatland’) was evaluated in two greenhouse experiments. In the first experiment, sorghum were sown in substrates moistened with either nutrient solution (no addition of salts, cont...

There is lack of information about the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on cucumber fruit quality. This study aimed to determine possible impacts on carbohydrates, proteins, mineral nutrients and antioxidants in the fruit of cucumber plants grown in soil treated with CeO2 and ZnO NPs at 0- 800 mg/kg. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was...

With the dramatic increase in nanotechnologies, it has become increasingly likely that food crops will be exposed to excess of engineered nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, cucumber plants were grown to full maturity in soil amended with either CeO2 or ZnO NPs at concentrations of 0, 400 and 800 mg/kg. Chlorophyll and gas exchange were monitored a...

Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the salt tolerance of five cultivars (‘Brigham’, ‘Energia’, ‘Hale’, ‘Memphis’, and ‘Ultra dwarf’) and one hybrid (‘HCastor’) of castor (Ricinus communis L.) by germinating seeds in saline substrate and irrigating plants with saline solutions. Seeds were sown in substrate that was moistened with...

Horticulture industry professionals and consumers are interested in biodegradable pots as alternatives to plastic pots given their perceived environmental sustainability. The impact of biopots on plant performance and pot degradability after being planted in landscapes has been investigated in Texas, Mississippi, Illinois, Kentucky, and West Virgin...

This one-factor completely randomized experiment was conducted in Michigan, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas, in order to test plant growth and water use in containers made from material other than virgin plastic. From July 2011 to June 2012, Euonymus fortunei ‘Roemertwo’ were planted in three types of #1 (~3.8 L) containers (treatments) and evalua...

Biocontainers are being considered as more environmentally sustainable alternatives to plastic containers. However, the use of biocontainers may have unforeseen challenges including increased water use and poor durability in long-term nursery production settings. The objective of this research was to investigate the suitability of using biocontaine...

The greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the salt tolerance of six castor (Ricinus communis L.) cultivars (‘Brigham’, ‘Energia’, ‘Hale’, ‘HCastor’, ‘Memphis’, and ‘Ultra dwarf’). Plants were irrigated with nutrient solution at electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.40 dS∙m-1 or saline solution at EC of 10.0 dS∙m-1 for 69 days. All plants irri...

The current study was conducted at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington in conjunction with locations at Mississippi, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia under the USDA–SCRI program. Buxus x Green Velvet 'Boxwood’ were planted in four types of #1 (~3.8 L) containers (treatments): 1) polyethylene PF400-SM (control) (Nurs...

Symplocos paniculata (Thunb.) Miq. (sapphire berry) is a deciduous shrub with showy white flowers and blueberry-like fruits. The fruit oil is used both as an edible oil and in the biodiesel industry. Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis is needed to provide source tissue for genetic transformation. Disinfested mature zygotic embryos were cu...

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (sorghum) is one of most promising bioethanol crops because it is well adapted to semi-arid region where soil salinity is high and groundwater with high salinity is the major water source. Large variation in salt tolerance exists among sorghum genotypes. To provide additional information about such variation, the relativ...

Corymbia ptychocarpa (F. Muell.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson (swamp bloodwood), a member of Myrtaceae, is native to northwestern Australia. Swamp bloodwood was introduced into China for ornamental landscape use because of its unique leaves and beautiful terminal inflorescences. An efficient micropropagation protocol is needed for the mass propagatio...

Corn lily or California false hellebore (Veratrum californicum Durand), a perennial species native to the western United States, produces several alkaloid compounds. A derivative of these alkaloid compounds, primarily veratramine and cyclopamine, shows promise as a therapeutic agent for treatment of a variety of tumor types. Here we report the firs...

Ornamental chile peppers are popular bedding plants. As high-quality water supply becomes limited in many parts of the world, alternative waters such as municipal reclaimed water is encouraged to be used for landscape irrigation. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative salt tolerance of 10 cultivars of ornamental chile peppers by irrig...

The growth and physiological responses of four maize inbred lines (CUBA1, B73, B5C2, and BR1) and four sorghum hybrids (SS304, NK7829, Sordan 79, and KS585) to salinity were determined. Fifteen days after sowing, seedlings were irrigated with nutrient solution (control) at electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.5 dS m−1 or saline solution at EC of 8.0 d...

The rapid development of nanotechnology will inevitably release nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment with unidentified consequences. In addition, the potential toxicity of CeO(2) NPs to plants and the possible transfer into the food chain are still unknown. Corn plants ( Zea mays ) were germinated and grown in soil treated with CeO(2) NPs at 40...

Veratrum californicum, anative of the western United States, has long been used in herbal medicine and now also has potential pharmaceutical uses. As a result of a projecte dincreasing demand for V. californicum biomass for pharmaceutical purposes, the development of a chilling protocol for enhanced cultivation efficiency is needed. To study the ef...

Zelkova sinica Schneid. is a popular landscape plant in China because of its wide adaptation, strong disease resistance, large crown, and beautiful fall color. Immature embryos from Z. sinica seeds were cultured on woody plant medium (WPM) supplemented with 4.5 μM 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA) and 5.4 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to induce callus,...

Winter injury to the root systems of fruit trees can cause significant tree losses and yield reductions in the northern regions of the United States and Canada. To compare the root and trunk cold temperature tolerance, a series of experiments were conducted using ungrafted apple rootstocks. 'Geneva® 11' (G.11), 'Geneva® 30' (G.30), 'Geneva® 41' (G....

Ilex glabra (L.) A. Gray (inkberry) has been successfully micropropagated using nodal segments containing one axillary bud. However, genotype variation in tissue culture shoot proliferation and rooting has not been studied. ‘Leucocarpa’, ‘Pretty Boy’, ‘Pretty Girl’, and ‘Shamrock’ inkberry were cultured on MS + 90 mM sucrose using nodal segments wi...

Ethephon was sprayed on Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch (poinsettia) ‘Sonora Jingle’ and ‘Sonora White’ to control their height and produce more compact potted plants. The results showed that Ethephon could effectively control the growth of ‘Sonora Jingle’ and ‘Sonora White’ poinsettia. Height was reduced by was 33.4 ± 0.8% for ‘Sonora Jin...

To evaluate the cold hardiness of Ilex glabra (L.) A. Gray (inkberry) cultivars and provide growth and cold-hardiness data for growers as references for production and marketing, field trials and laboratory tests were conducted in 2007–2008 and 2008–2009. Plant survival was 72 and 93% for the 2007 and 2008 planting, respectively. Ilex glabra ‘Shamr...

Ungrafted clonal apple rootstocks were stored at 1 °C until controlled exposure of the trunk and shoots to -12, -15, -18, -21, -24 and -27 °C in Dec. 2009. To protect roots from cold temperature injury, the roots were insulated by peat-based media inside a Styrofoam container. Temperature of the media remained above -1 °C during exposure to subzero...

Pollinosis, a pollen-induced allergy, is one of the most common climate-sensitive diseases. It usually happens during the period of April and May in Changchun, Jilin, China. To better understand the allergen of pollinosis, five slides mounted with a liquid of 1:1:1 (v/v/v) ethanol, glycerin, and water were placed on the top of 8 randomly selected b...

Nodal segments containing one axillary bud (1 to 1.5 cm) were disinfected using 10% bleach and were established on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without hormones at 27 8C and with a 16-h photoperiod. The sprouted shoots (~1.0 cm) were cultured on a MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (KIN), or zeatin (ZT) at 2.3, 4.5,...

Ilex glabra (Inkberry) is a native evergreen shrub with dark green foliage and compact habit. This shrub has gained popularity in the northern landscapes of the United States and more nursery growers would like to produce it. To better understand genetic relationships among inkberry cultivars and selectively breed superior cultivars, a group of 48...