American Floral Endowment Update - Fall 2003
American Floral Endowment Update - Fall 2003
The American Floral Endowment is the largest private funding source for scientific research for the floriculture industry. Dr. Gus De Hertogh, Endowment Research Coordinator, is a retired floriculture professor and international researcher. He helps the board to more fully understand the scientific research projects, follows up with technical questions, and is a resource to the industry on behalf of the Endowment.
Research project applications had been suspended for one year due to poor investment performance. That suspension has been lifted, and the board will again receive pre-proposals. Preproposals are due August 1, 2004. They will be reviewed at the September 2004 board meeting. Full proposals will be due on November 30, 2004, and final selections/allocations will be made at the January 2005 board meeting.
2003 - 2004 Funded Research Projects
Post Production Studies
- Anti-Senescent Ethylene Antagonist - Pirrung, Duke University; Bleecker, Univ. of Wisconsin - $20,000
- Floriculture Genomics - Jones, Ohio State Univ. - $15,000
- Floriculture Genomics Tools - Clark, Univ. of Florida - $20,000
- Handling New Cuts - Dole, N.C. State - $15,000
- Preventing Leaf Yellowing - Reid, Univ. of California - $15,000
- Flowering Pand Post Production - Nell, Univ. of Florida - $15,000
Disease Ñ Soil Borne
- Phytophthora Diversity - Benson, N.C. State - $15,000
- Microbial Inoculants vs. Pathogens - Elliot, Univ. of Conn. - $20,000
- Management of Fusarium - McGovern, Unv. of Florida; Elmer, Conn. Ag. Exp. St.; Geiser, Penn State - $25,000
Disease Ñ Air Borne
- Managing Powdery Mildew - Hausbeck, Michigan State Univ.; Daughtrey, Cornell Univ. - $30,000
Production Technology/Protocols
- Clerodendrum Potted Plants - Kuehny, Louisiana State - $15, 000
- Potted Ornamental Gingers - Criley, University of Hawaii; Kuehny, Louisiana - $10,000
Post Production Studies
- Fresher Cut Flowers - Feid, Univ. of California - $30,000
- Quality Cut Flowers - Nell, Univ. of Florida - $30,000
Flora-Links a Central Source for Research
One year ago, the American Floral Endowment launched a new website, www.floralinks.org, solely devoted to floricultural research. This site, initiated at the urging of Endowment Trustee Jim Leider, is designed to provide rapid access to available websites that have been developed and are maintained by Land-Grant Universities, the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, and various segments of the industry. Subject categories range from bedding plants to weed control and cover all aspects of floriculture.
When a new website has been identified, the Endowment reviews its content and places the site in one or more of Flora-LinksÕ 28 categories, e.g. disease, insects, etc. Flora-Links now hosts more than 360 links and serves more than 1,400 users per month.
The Endowment invites you to visit www.fiora-links.org. If you have suggestions to improve the linkages or to add additional sites, contact Steven Martinez at afe@endowment.org or by telephone at 618-692-0045.
