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Record of the Year 2011-2012 An account of activities and accomplishments of the staff of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station during the year, for the use and advantage of the citizens of Connecticut. THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Record of the Year 2011-2012 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, founded in 1875, was the first state agricultural experiment station in the United States. The Station has laboratories, offices, and greenhouses at 123 Huntington Street, New Haven 06511, Lockwood Farm for experiments on Evergreen Avenue in Hamden 06518, the Valley Laboratory and farm on Cook Hill Road, Windsor 06095, and a research center in Griswold and Voluntown (on Sheldon Road). Station research is conducted by members of the following departments: Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Genetics, Entomology, Forestry and Horticulture, Environmental Sciences, and Plant Pathology and Ecology. The Station is chartered by the Connecticut General Statutes to experiment with plants and their pests, insects, soil and water and to perform analyses. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 BOARD OF CONTROL 6 STATION STAFF 7 PLANT SCIENCE DAY 2010 11 EVENTS HELD AT THE STATION 14 Bed Bug ForumVI 14 Workshop on Bed Bugs for Recycle and Reuse Industries 14 AgriScience Fair 14 EVENTS HELD AT THE VALLEY LABORATORY 14 Christmas Tree Twilight Meeting 14 Nursery and Landscape Research Tour 15 Workshop on “Identification, Assessment and Management of Soilborne Plant Pathogens in Vegetable Production Systems 15 Annual Tobacco Research Meeting 15 Spotted Wing Drosophila Workshop 16 THE STATION IN THE COMMUNITY 16 East Rock Festival 2011 16 Two Bedding Plant Meetings Held 16 Tobacco Research Meeting at Suffield Vo-Ag Center 17 New Haven Public Schools Science Fair at Yale University 17 THE STATION OUT OF STATE Eastern Plant Board Meeting Held in Burlington, Vermont 17 DONATIONS MADE TO THE COMMUNITY 18 Valley Laboratory 18 Lockwood Farm 18 LOCKWOOD LECTURES 18 Dr. Gary W. Miller 18 Dr. David R. Houston 18 AWARDS GIVEN TO STATION STAFF 19 EXPERIMENT STATION ASSOCIATES 21 Behind the Scenes Tour – Three Wholesale Nurseries 21 White Flower Farm, Freund’s Farm, Laurelbrook Farm 21 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 3 SCIENTIFIC OFFICERSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS ON STATE, NATIONAL, OR REGIONAL COMMITTEES 22 Department of Analytical Chemistry 22 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 22 Department of Entomology 23 Department of Environmental Sciences 24 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 25 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 27 Valley Laboratory 28 LECTURES, SEMINARS, AND INTERVIEWS 30 ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE 97 Department of Analytical Chemistry 97 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 110 Department of Entomology 115 Department of Environmental Sciences 129 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 150 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 165 Valley Laboratory 181 BULLETINS 199 TECHNICAL BULLETINS 200 SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL ARTICLES PUBLISHED DURING 2011-2012 201 Department of Analytical Chemistry 201 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 202 Department of Entomology 202 Department of Environmental Sciences 203 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 204 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 205 Valley Laboratory 207 4 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 INTRODUCTION Each year brings new challenges to scientists and other staff members in our agency. A fungus, (Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum), new to the United States and detected in Connecticut during October of 2011, caused heavy mortality of boxwood plants in our nurseries and landscape settings. Stop sale notices were issued to businesses that had infected plants. The infected plants were destroyed by burial or incineration. Experiments on fungicide control were initiated to develop a control strategy. The diagnostic laboratory in the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology kept up with heavy demands to identify fungus infections. In another important program, there has been extensive monitoring for the emerald ash borer (Agrilus plannipennis), an important insect pest of ash trees, at more than 100 sites in the state. A solitary wasp (Cerceris fumipennis), which hunts beetles in the family Buprestidae (including the emerald ash borer), is the main focus of the bio-surveillance effort. The hot summer of 2012 caused a heavy buildup of mosquitoes infected with the West Nile encephalitis virus. There were at least seven human cases. A new formulation was developed to control bed bugs, and a provisional patent application was filed. Analytical chemists were busy testing foods for unwanted chemicals. New knowledge has been gained on evaluating grape cultivars, a variety of niche crops for growers, and monitoring for powdery mildew infections in vineyards. A new project was started on growing hops for the microbrewery industry. Biochemists made new discoveries on the development of plant leaves and photosynthesis. Good progress has been made on improving our buildings. The architectural plans for the Jenkins-Waggoner Laboratory are in the final stages. Construction has started on the Griswold Laboratory, and the pre-design phase plans for the Valley Laboratory renovations are nearly complete. The Experiment Station’s outreach and service components complement the research programs by providing new information to our state residents. More than 22,000 people received answers to their questions, and there were more than 2 million page views on our website. New facts sheets were posted on a regular basis. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 5 BOARD OF CONTROL The management of The Station is vested in a Board of Control as specified in Section 22-79 of the General Statutes of Connecticut. The members of the Board of Control as of June 30, 2012 were: Governor Dannel P. Malloy, President Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky Mr. Terry Jones, Vice President Dr. Stephen L. Dellaporta Mr. Paul Larson, Secretary Ms. Joan Nichols Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Johan C. Varekamp Norma O’Leary, who served on the Board of Control for16 years, retired on January 17, 2012. Her position was taken over by Joan Nichols on January 18, 2012. The Board of Control met on August 3, 2011, October 18, 2011, January 17, 2012, and April 17, 2012. 6 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 STATION STAFF The Experiment Station exists to advance scientific knowledge, and that advance depends completely upon the quality and dedication of its staff. The following was the staff of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station as of June 30, 2012. ADMINISTRATION Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Vice Director Michael Last, Chief of Services Dianne Albertini Vickie Bomba-Lewandoski Joan Ives-Parisi Lisa Kaczenski Roberta Milano-Ottenbreit Kathryn Soleski ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Dr. Jason C. White, Department Head Terri Arsenault William A. Berger Roberto de la Torre Roche Dr. Brian D. Eitzer Dr. Lester Hankin, Emeritus Dr. Walter J. Krol Dr. MaryJane Incorvia Mattina, Emeritus Craig L. Musante Kittipath Prapayotin-Riveros John Ranciato Dr. Christina S. Robb BIOCHEMISTRY & GENETICS Dr. Neil A. McHale, Department Head Carol R. Clark Dr. Douglas W. Dingman Regan Huntley Dr. Richard B. Peterson Dr. Neil P. Schultes Dr. Israel Zelitch, Emeritus BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE Bancroft Nicholson, Supervisor Ron LaFrazier Gloria Mach Miguel Roman Michael Scott The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 7 ENTOMOLOGY Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Department Head Elizabeth E. Alves Dr. John F. Anderson, Distinguished Scientist Tia Blevins Mark Creighton Bonnie L. Hamid Rose Hiskes Morgan F. Lowry Dr. Chris T. Maier Michael J. Misencik Dr. Gale E. Ridge Dr. Claire E. Rutledge Stephen J. Sandrey Dr. Victoria L. Smith Dr. Kimberly A. Stoner Heidi Stuber Peter W. Trenchard Michael P. Vasil Tracy Zarillo ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Dr. Theodore G. Andreadis, Department Head Dr. Phillip M. Armstrong Angela B. Bransfield Gregory J. Bugbee Chia-Ying Chen Shannon L. Finan Jordan Gibbons Dr. Melissa C. Hardstone Dr. Mark R. June-Wells Dr. Charisma V. Lattao Dr. Goudarz Molaei Dr. Joseph J. Pignatello John J. Shepard Michael C. Thomas Dr. Charles R. Vossbrinck FORESTRY & HORTICULTURE Dr. Jeffrey S. Ward, Department Head Joseph P. Barsky Joan Bravo Dr. Martin P. N. Gent - Emeritus Dr. David Hill - Emeritus Dr. Abigail A. Maynard 8 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 Dr. William R. Nail Michael R. Short Dr. Paul E. Waggoner, Distinguished Scientist Dr. Scott C. Williams GRISWOLD RESEARCH CENTER Robert Durgy LOCKWOOD FARM Richard M. Cecarelli, Farm Manager Rollin J. Hannan, Jr. Michael McHill PLANT PATHOLOGY & ECOLOGY Dr. Sharon Douglas, Department Head Dr. Sandra L. Anagnostakis Dr. Donald E. Aylor, Emeritus Sandra E. Carney Dr. Wade H. Elmer Dr. Francis J. Ferrandino Mary K. Inman Dr. Yonghao Li Dr. Robert E. Marra Pamela Sletten Peter W. Thiel VALLEY LABORATORY Dr. James A. LaMondia, Department Head Dr. John Ahrens - Emeritus Jane Canepa-Morrison Dr. Carole Cheah Dr. Richard Cowles Jeffrey M. Fengler Dr. Dewei Li Dr. Todd L. Mervosh James Preste Thomas M. Rathier, Emeritus Diane Riddle Michelle Salvas The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2011-2012 9 10 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the
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