UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A $20,000 gift from the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association will fund ornamental horticulture research in Penn State's department of horticulture. The gift -- the third and final installment of a $60,000 research grant -- was presented to Penn State at the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Conference, held recently at University Park.

"To conduct ornamental horticulture research, we rely on the support of the industry and active contributors like PLNA," says Jim Sellmer, assistant professor of ornamental horticulture in the College of Agricultural Sciences. "Without this kind of support, we would not be able to directly address issues affecting the ornamental industry."

Current research includes studies of foliar tissue analysis as an indicator of plant nutrition and as a tool in nutrient management planning for nurseries. Researchers also are evaluating the effects of composted organic waste on soil quality and plant growth in field nursery production, as well as screening common landscape trees for susceptibility to Asian longhorn beetle. In addition, scientists are evaluating management practices for "pot-in-pot" nursery production, a hybrid production system that uses in-ground containers for plant production.

Researchers believe the results of these studies will enable growers of ornamentals to improve production efficiency. EDITORS: Contact James Sellmer by phone at 814-863-2250 or by e-mail at jcs32@psu.edu.

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Contact:

Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #173