The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
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THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Record of the Year 2005-2006 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, founded in 1875, was the first 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, and the Valley Laboratory and farm on Cook Hill Road, Windsor 06095. Station Research is conducted by members of the following departments: Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Genetics, Entomology, Forestry and Horticulture, Plant Pathology and Ecology, and Soil and Water. The Station is chartered by the Connecticut General Statutes to experiment with plants and their pests, insects, soil and water and to perform analyses. 2 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 BOARD OF CONTROL 6 STATION STAFF 7 PLANT SCIENCE DAY 2005 10 EVENTS HELD AT THE STATION 18 Visit by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro 18 Plant Science Day in the Spring 18 EVENTS HELD AT THE VALLEY LABORATORY 19 Nursery and Landscape Research Tour 19 Christmas Tree Twilight Meeting 19 Meeting for Beginning Farmers 19 Organic Seed Partnership, Seed Production and Cleaning Workshop 20 Community Farm Coalition Meeting 20 Tobacco Research Meeting 20 STATION PARTICIPATION AROUND THE STATE 21 Connecticut Flower and Garden Show 21 Fairfield Annual Garden Expo 21 Farm Tour of Tobacco Road Farm 21 CPTV Family Science Expo 21 DONATIONS MADE TO THE COMMUNITY 21 Produce Donations from Lockwood Farm 21 Produce Donations from Valley Laboratory 22 LOCKWOOD LECTURE 22 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION RECEIVED BY STATION STAFF 22 EXPERIMENT STATION ASSOCIATES 23 THE PRESS SPEAKS 24 THE PUBLIC SPEAKS 29 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 3 SCIENTIFIC OFFICERSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS ON STATE, NATIONAL, OR REGIONAL COMMITTEES 43 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 43 Department of Entomology 43 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 44 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 45 Department of Soil and Water 46 Valley Laboratory 47 LECTURES, SEMINARS, AND INTERVIEWS 49 ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE 91 Department of Analytical Chemistry 91 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 100 Department of Entomology 105 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 122 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 136 Department of Soil and Water 155 Valley Laboratory 167 STATION BULLETINS 189 SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL ARTICLES PUBLISHED - 2005-2006 190 Department of Analytical Chemistry 190 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 190 Department of Entomology 190 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 193 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 194 Department of Soil and Water 196 Valley Laboratory 198 4 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 INTRODUCTION During the past year, there were numerous advances in scientific knowledge. Thousands of state residents received information on trees, crops, medically important arthropods, insect and plant pathogen pests, invasive plants, and soil analyses. New equipment was purchased for the Department of Analytical Chemistry, and persons were trained to participate in the Food Emergency Response Network. Hundreds of food samples were tested for unwanted chemicals. Staff members who work in diagnostic laboratories in the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology are officially contributing to the National Plant Diagnostic Network. Molecular testing of plant tissues for the DNA of the organism that causes Ramorum blight (Sudden Oak Death) is being relied on to detect the plant pathogen. Forests are surveyed for emerging pest problems. Research programs, which have high public interest, are being further developed. Soybeans and rapeseed are being grown for possible biodiesel fuel production in the state. These plants offer added value because they can be used for feedstock, as cover crops, fertilizer, or to control plant parasitic nematodes. Community gardens are providing urban and suburban residents with fresh vegetables. Moreover, more than 110,000 mosquitoes were analyzed for West Nile and other encephalitis viruses during this reporting period. New crops, such as personal-sized watermelons, jilo, plums, grapes, and calabaza squash, are being evaluated at both research farms. Scientists and other staff members have been very active in enhancing our outreach programs. Numerous scientific publications report on new findings. Articles are written for the public as well as scientists. Hundreds of talks and interviews were given to civic groups and reporters to disseminate new technological information. The Station’s popular website received more than 1.3 million successful hits. This Record of the Year reports on a wide range of research topics of interest to a broad base of stakeholders and clearly demonstrates the dedication of the staff. The report has a new look with color pictures to enhance interest. Louis A. Magnarelli Director The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 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, 2006 were Governor M. Jodi Rell, President Commissioner F. Philip Prelli Norma O’Leary, Vice President Dr. Stephen L. Dellaporta Leon Zapadka, Secretary Terry Jones Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Johan C. Varekamp The Board of Control met on August 3, 2005, October 19, 2005, January 24, 2006, and April 19, 2006. There were several changes to the Board of Control in 2005-2006. John Lyman, III and Dr. Donald Oliver retired from the Board. Mr. Lyman was replaced by Terry Jones. Dr. Oliver was replaced by Dr. Johan C. Varekamp. A new Commissioner of Agriculture was named in 2005 –F. Philip Prelli. Norma O’Leary replaced Mr. Lyman as Vice- President of the Board. Leon Zapadka replaced Norma O’Leary as Secretary of the Board. 6 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 STATION STAFF The experiment station exists to advance the frontiers of knowledge for mankind, and that advance depends completely upon the quality of its staff. The following was the staff of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station as of June 30, 2006. ADMINISTRATION Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Vice Director Michael Last, Chief of Services Dianne Albertini Vickie Bomba-Lewandoski Joan Bravo Joan Ives-Parisi Lisa Kaczenski Roberta Milano-Ottenbreit Kathryn Soleski ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Dr. MaryJane Incorvia Mattina, Department Head Terri Arsenault Dr. Brian D. Eitzer Dr. Lester Hankin, Emeritus William Iannucci-Berger Dr. Walter J. Krol Craig L. Musante Melissa L. Perrotti Mamie O. Pyles Dr. Christina S. Robb Dr. David E. Stilwell BIOCHEMISTRY & GENETICS Dr. Neil A. McHale, Department Head Dr. Johan R. Barker-Astrom Carol R. Clark Dr. Douglas W. Dingman Regan Huntley Cynthia Musante Dr. Richard B. Peterson Dr. Neil P. Schultes Dr. Israel Zelitch, Emeritus BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE Bancroft Nicholson, Supervisor Kareem Dixon Alfred Gagliardi Gloria Mach Ralph Russell Michael Scott The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 7 ENTOMOLOGY Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Department Head Elizabeth E. Alves Dr. John F. Anderson, Distinguished Scientist Dr. Anuja Bharadwaj Rosemarie J. Bonito Dr. Carole Cheah Alyson A. Florek Terrill D. Goodman Bonnie L. Hamid Ira J. Kettle Morgan F. Lowry Dr. Chris T. Maier Tia M. Mastrone Michael J. Misencki Tanya Petruff Angela B. Penna Gale E. Ridge Dr. Claire E. Rutledge Stephen J. Sandrey Eleanor Clare Secker-Walker Dr. Victoria L. Smith Dr. Kimberly A. Stoner Heidi Stuber Erin S Sturgis Peter W. Trenchard Michael P. Vasil Kenneth A. Welch Tracy Zarillo FORESTRY & HORTICULTURE Dr. Jeffrey S. Ward, Department Head Joseph P. Barsky Dr. Martin P. N. Gent Dr. Abigail A. Maynard Dr. William R. Nail Michael R. Short Dr. Paul E. Waggoner, Distinguished Scientist Scott C. Williams LOCKWOOD FARM Richard M. Cecarelli, Farm Manager Rollin J. Hannan, Jr. Heide Mizak PLANT PATHOLOGY & ECOLOGY Dr. Donald E. Aylor, Department Head Dr. Sandra L. Anagnostakis Dr. Matthew T. Boehm Mary K. Boucher 8 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 Sandra E. Carney Jason Corwin Dr. Sharon M. Douglas Dr. Wade H. Elmer Dr. Francis J. Ferrandino Evan M. Lowery Dr. Robert E. Marra Brian T. Skelly Pamela Sletten Peter W. Thiel SOIL & WATER Dr. Theodore G. Andreadis, Department Head Dr. Phillip M. Armstrong Gregory J. Bugbee Dr. Robert S. Capers Kirsten Deeds Shannon L. Finan Dr. Charles R. Frink, Emeritus Dr. Seokjoon Kwon Dr. Michelle D. Marko Dr. Goudarz Molaei Dr. Joseph J. Pignatello Roslyn S. Selsky John J. Shepard Michael C. Thomas Dr. Charles R. Vossbrinck Dr. Jason C. White VALLEY LABORATORY Dr. James A. LaMondia, Department Head Timothy M. Abbey Jane Canepa-Morrison Dr. Richard Cowles Jeffrey M. Fengler Rose T. Hiskes Richard W. Horvath Dr. Dewei Li Dr. Todd L. Mervosh James Preste Thomas M. Rathier John S. Winiarski The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – Record of the Year 2005-2006 9 PLANT SCIENCE DAY 2005 An extremely hot, humid day was on tap for Plant Science Day 2005. 1,017 visitors participated in the day’s activities at Lockwood Farm. There was good attendance at the following short talks and demonstrations: Gregory J. Bugbee