Research

The UMass Floriculture team conducts research on a variety of subjects related to the greenhouse industry. Subjects include plant nutrition and nutrient-use efficiency, recycling cranberry waste as a growing media, water quality in crop production, biological control of insects, plant disease problems, postharvest physiology and the development of new crops.

Research has been conducted at the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst, and in partnership with growers at commercial greenhouses throughout Massachusetts. Listed below are articles that summarize results from some of the research.

Nursery

•  Comparing Production Systems for New England Nurseries

Energy

• Hashemi M., Weis S. Carlevale J., Bodzinski E. and Cavanagh A. 2011 Heating your greenhouse with grain corn; hybrid yield evaluation

Growing Media

• Cox D. 2014 Can Raising the Level (ppm N) of Liquid Organic Fertilizers Optimize Plant Growth Relative to Chemical Water-soluble Fertilizer?
• Cox D. 2013 Response of 'First Lady' Marigolds to Plant Extract Fertilizers, Granular Organic Fertilizers, and Biochar
• Cox D. 2013 Response of 'Ringo 2000' Seed Geraniums to Plant Extract and Granular Organic Fertilizers
• Cox D. and T. Eaton 2011. Organic Fertilizer Use Leads to Different Growth Response, Nutrient Use, and Nitrogen Leaching by Marigold 'First Lady'
• Cox D. 2010. Calibrachoa Response to Chemical and Organic Fertilizers
• Cox D. 2009. Nitrogen and Water Loss by Leaching from Different Composted Cranberry Pomace Media
• Cox D and P.Lopes. 2007. Growing Calibrachoa and Geranium in Cranberry Pomace Mixes
• Cox D. 2008. How Does Petunia Perform in Cranberry Pomace Compost Media?
• Cox D. 2008. Salvia Grows Well in Cranberry Pomace
• Cox D. 2009. Organic Fertilizers and Soilless Media Show Promise

Plant Nutrition

• Cox D and L. Judd. 1995. New Guinea Impatiens: Watch Out for Soluble Salts
• Zandvakili, O.R., A.V. Barker, M. Hashemi and F. Etemadi. 2019. Lettuce Growth and CO₂ Emission with Organic Fertilizers Under Greenhouse Conditions

Height Management

• Cox D. 1999. Late Season Application of Bonzi to Control Stretch of Poinsettia
• Cox D. 2003. Subirrigating Seed Geraniums with Bonzi

Biological Control

• Hoddle M.S., Van Driesch R.G. and J.S. Sanderson assisted by S.Roy, T.Smith and P. Lopes. 2002 .A Grower's Guide to Using Biological Control for Silverleaf Whitefly on Poinsettias in the Northeast United States
• Lyon S., Van Driesch R.G., Smith T., Lopes P., Sanderson J., MacAvery S., Rusinek T. and Couch G. 2000. Western Flower Thrips Biological Control in Spring Bedding Plants: Which Formulation of Mites is Best?
• Lyon S. and R. Van Driesch. 2003. Massachusetts Grower Achieves Whitefly Control on Poinsettia With Biological Control at $0.10 a Plant - As Cheap as Pesticides and a Lot Easier

Postharvest Physiology

• Han S. Using Coralbells as Cut Flowers

Water Quality

• Cox D., Lopes P., and T. Smith 2006. UMass Extension Floriculture Water Quality Project: I. Salinity, Sodium and Chloride
• Cox D., Lopes P., and T. Smith 2006.UMass Extension Floriculture Water Quality Project: II. pH, Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, and Other Elements

Pathology

• Wick R. and J. Benton. 1998. Survey of Pythium Isolates for Resistance to Subdue (metalaxyl)

Other Sources of Floriculture Research

Floriculture InfoSearch Search engine designed for floriculture information from the scientific literature, trade and association magazines/websites, NC State University, and the American Floral Endowment Floriculture Archive (repository of literature dating back to the 1800s).