Washington, DC —The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) granted $425,000 to research endeavors throughout the U.S. for 2008. The selected research projects for the year focus on industry priority issues resulting in problem-solving solutions and techniques.

HRI continues efforts to broaden research activities through continued collaboration with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative. Looking to the future, HRI will continue to expand the funding base for nursery research by pursuing such appropriate external funding opportunities as competitive grants from USDA and other federal agencies. HRI’s vision is to become the nursery and landscape industry’s research and development (R&D) national leader. In keeping with this vision, HRI will identify and support research opportunities that have direct industry focus, with potential commercialization outcomes that may offer a financial return on investment for HRI.

HRI was established in 1962 as the research affiliate of ANLA. HRI’s mission is to direct, fund, promote and communicate horticultural research, which increases the quality and value of ornamental plants, improves the productivity and profitability of the nursery and landscape industry, and protects and enhances the environment. HRI has directed more than $4.9 million of industry funds to more than 600-research projects covering the full range of production, environmental and business issues important to the trade. HRI is an IRS-recognized 501(c) (3) tax-exempt research and educational foundation.

RESEARCH GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS 2008

Research funding is subject to institutional and researcher contractual agreements with HRI.

$75,000—Development of Alternative Container Substrates a Block Grant

Auburn University, AL and USDA-ARS, MS

(Drs. Gene K. Blythe, Charles Gilliam, and Glenn Fain)

$33,000—Development of New Landscape Plants for all Regions of North America

Landscape Plant Development Center, MN

(Dr. Harold Pellett)

$25,000—Development of New Technologies for the Detection of Phytophthora in Ornamental Nurseries

University of California—Riverside

(Dr. Michael Coffey)

$25,000—Web-based Decision Support Model for Container Production

University of Florida

(Dr. Thomas Yeager)

$24,000—Deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks for Real-Time Water and Nutrient Management

University of Maryland

(Drs. John D. Lea-Cox, Andrew G. Ristvey, David S. Ross and George Kantor)

$24,000—Evaluation and Commercialization of Bioplastic Pots

Iowa State University

(Dr. William Graves)

$23,500— Implementation of RFID System Using Containers and Tags to Improve Nursery Production Efficiency

California Polytechnic State University— San Luis Obispo

(Dr. Shaun F. Kelly)

$20,000— Biodegradable Container Business Plan

(Investigator To Be Determined)

$20,000—Sustainable Sites Initiative

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, TX

(Dr. Steve Windhager)

$18,000—Reducing Over-wintering Costs of Containerized Plant Production: Maximizing Root Hardiness, Media Selection and Insulation in the Nursery

Cornell University, NY

(Dr. Nina Bassuk)

$16,000—Interactive Impacts of Salts and Surfactants in Recycled Wastewater on Landscape Plants

Colorado State University

(Dr. Yaling Qian)

$15,000— Development and Testing of Non-Invasive Euonymus alatus and Buddleia davidii

University of Minnesota

(Dr. Alan Smith)

$15,000—Evaluation of the Invasive and Noxious Weed Species Propagule-Bank in Ohio Nurseries, Landscapes and Natural Areas

The Ohio State University

(Dr. Hannah Mathers)

$15,000—Management of Diaprepes Root Weevil in Ornamental Nurseries

University of Florida and University of California—Davis and Riverside

(Drs. Catharine Mannion and Jim Bethke)

$12,500—Online Access for the Journal of Environmental Horticulture

University of Maryland

(Drs. John D. Lea-Cox)

$11,000—Controlled Release Fertilizer Winter Release Effect on Plant Uptake and the Environment

Oregon State University and The Ohio State University

(Drs. James Owen, Jr. and James Altland)

$10,000—Identification of Christmas Trees with Superior Needle Retention

Washington State University

(Dr. Gary A Chastagner)

$10,000—Breeding New Nursery Crops

North Carolina State University

(Dr. Thomas G. Ranney)

$10,000—SNA Research Conference

$5,000— Developing the Landscape Potential of Native Plants

Landscape Plant Development Center, MN

(Dr. Harold Pellett)

$5,000—The Appeal of Biodegradable Packaging to Floral Consumers

University of Tennessee

(Dr. Charles R. Hall)

HRI Scholarship for 2008

The following scholarships are available for 2008. Scholarship applications are due by April 1, 2008. Visit: www.anla.org/research/scholarships/index.htm for complete details.

$4,000—Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship

$3,500—Timothy Bigelow and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship

$2,500—Spring Meadow Nursery Scholarship

$1,500—The Muggets Scholarship

$1,500—The Usrey Family Scholarship

HRI was established in 1962 as the research arm of ANLA. HRI’s mission is to direct, fund, promote and communicate horticultural research, which increases the quality and value of ornamental plants, improves the productivity and profitability of the nursery and landscape industry, and protects and enhances the environment. HRI Endowment Fund is a HRIEF is an IRS-recognized 501(c) (3) tax-exempt research and educational foundation.