THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Record of the Year 2009-2010 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. 2 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 BOARD OF CONTROL 6 STATION STAFF 7 PLANT SCIENCE DAY 10 EVENTS HELD AT STATION 13 Lockwood Lecture – Dr. Clive A. Edwards 13 Lockwood Lecture – Dr. Kevin T. Smith 13 Farm to Chef Program 13 Sigma Xi Poster Conference 14 CGGA-CAES-UCONN Diagnostics Workshop 14 Governor Rell visits the Station 14 EVENTS HELD AT VALLEY LABORATORY 14 Twilight Meeting of CT Christmas Tree Growers 14 Nursery an Landscape Research Tour 15 Biological Control Workshop 15 EVENTS HELD AT LOCKWOOD FARM 15 Soils Workshop 15 2009 Green Expo 16 Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro Visits Lockwood Farm 16 THE STATION IN THE COMMUNITY 16 Bringing Back the Eastern Bluebird 16 Girls and Science Mentorship Program 17 Tobacco Research Meeting - Suffield Vo-Ag Center 17 Connecicut Flower and Garden Show 17 Display Presentation at Peabody Museum 17 New Haven Public School Science Fair 2010 18 Norwalk-Wilton Tree Festival 18 PRODUCE DONATIONS MADE TO THE COMMUNITY 18 Lockwood Farm 18 Valley Laboratory 19 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION RECEIVED BY STATION STAFF 19 EXPERIMENT STATION ASSOCIATES 20 2010 Annual Meeting 20 Field Trip to the Connecticut Science Museum 20 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 3 SCIENTIFIC OFFICERSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS ON STATE, NATIONAL OR REGIONAL COMMITTEES 21 Department of Analytical Chemistry 21 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 21 Department of Entomology 22 Departent of Environmental Studies 23 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 24 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 25 Valley Laboratory 26 LECTURES, SEMINARS AND INTERVIEWS 28 ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE 92 Department of Analytical Chemistry 92 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 109 Department of Entomology 115 Departent of Environmental Studies 133 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 149 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 167 Valley Laboratory 193 SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL ARTICLES PUBLISHED 2009-2010 214 Department of Analytical Chemistry 214 Department of Biochemistry and Genetics 214 Department of Entomology 214 Departent of Environmental Studies 217 Department of Forestry and Horticulture 218 Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology 220 Valley Laboratory 222 4 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 INTRODUCTION Staff members at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) conduct research and provide services for state residents. The main core program areas are agriculture (includes food safety), forestry, public health, and water and soil quality. During the recent legislative session, a patent bill for the CAES passed and was signed by Governor Rell. Effective on October 1, 2010, this law gives the CAES scientists authority to seek patents, licensing agreements, and trademarks. Legal protection will be sought for new cultivars of strawberry and tobacco plants, which are resistant to insect pests and disease problems. Analyses of seafood samples from the oil-spill area of the Gulf of Mexico, a collaborative effort with the US Food and Drug Administration, had a major impact by allowing previously closed fishing areas to be re-opened. Intensive surveys continue to monitor for the Asian longhorned beetle and Emerald ash borer, major tree pests currently present in nearby areas of Massachusetts and New York State, respectively. West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis viruses were isolated from mosquitoes. Research and educational programs are being developed to address bed bug infestations in homes, hotels, and apartments. Finally, more efficient methods of controlling invasive aquatic plants in lakes and ponds have been developed to restore water quality. The older buildings located on the New Haven campus need attention. $1.26 million in state bond funding was allocated for architectural design for the Jenkins-Waggoner Laboratory. Other funds were secured to correct roofing and other building problems in the Osborne Library and Johnson-Horsfall Laboratory. The CAES outreach programs and website have been enhanced to facilitate the transfer of new scientific information to the public. During this reporting period, there were 1,322,425 page views. Of these, 378,184 (29%) page views were recorded for CAES publications. The average duration of visits was about 14 minutes. Staff members gave 1,050 talks and interviews to civic groups and the media, and two Open House events were held to give hundreds of state residents an opportunity to meet scientists, hear presentations on scientific advancements, see experimental plots and laboratories, and to make comments on research and public outreach programs. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 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, 2010 were Governor M. Jodi Rell, President Commissioner F. Philip Prelli Mr. Terry Jones, Vice President Dr. Stephen L. Dellaporta Mr. Paul Larson, Secretary Ms. Norma O’Leary Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Johan C. Varekamp The Board of Control met on August 5, 2009, October 14, 2009, January 19, 2010, and April 6, 2010. 6 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 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, 2010. ADMINISTRATION Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, Director Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Vice Director Michael Last, Chief of Services Dianne Albertini Vickie M. Bomba-Lewandoski Tess Foley Joan Ives-Parisi Lisa Kaczenski Roberta Milano-Ottenbreit Kathryn Soleski ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Dr. Jason C. White, Department Head Terri Arsenault William A. Berger Dr. Brian D. Eitzer Dr. Lester Hankin, Emeritus Dr. Walter J. Krol Dr. MaryJane Incorvia Mattina, Emeritus Craig L. Musante 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 Ronald LaFrazier Gloria Mach Miguel Roman Michael Scott Nicole Wachter The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 7 ENTOMOLOGY Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, III, Department Head Elizabeth E. Alves Dr. John F. Anderson, Distinguished Scientist Dr. Anuja Bharadwaj Tia Blevins Bonnie L. Hamid Rose Hiskes Ira J. Kettle 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 Shannon L. Finan Dr. Melissa C. Hardstone Dr. Mark R. June-Wells Dr. Charisma V. Lattao Dr. Goudarz Molaei Angela Penna 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 Dr. William R. Nail Michael R. Short Dr. Paul E. Waggoner, Distinguished Scientist Dr. Scott C. Williams 8 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 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 Diane Riddle Michelle Salvas Dr. Hugh Smith The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station | Record of the Year 2009-2010 9 PLANT SCIENCE DAY 2009 The weather for Plant Science Day was warm and threatening. Severe thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon, but they didn’t occur. Attendance was very good – 1,048 visitors, including 210 children. The following short talks and demonstrations were all very well attended: