Research in the Department of Horticulture
Our scientists in Ithaca, Geneva and other locations around New York conduct research that is broad and diverse. It runs the gamut from the basic molecular and physiological research through theoretical and applied field and ecosystem research to plant-human interaction. It also covers a broad range of plant types, including fruits and vegetables, landscape plants, turfgrasses, woody plants and more.
Follow links to faculty profiles from our research focuses below, or view:
- List of faculty with research focuses
- Graduate student research (recent theses and dissertations)
- Research Honors Program (opportunities for undergraduate research)
Horticulture production and management
- Agroforestry, biomass and forest farming (Mudge, Smart)
- Floriculture production (Bridgen, Mattson, Miller)
- Fruit production – tree fruits and berries (Hoying, Lakso, Merwin, Pritts, Robinson)
- Plant breeding (Bridgen, Brown, Cousins, Fazio, Griffiths, Reisch, Smart, Weber)
- Postharvest management (Watkins)
- Season extension (Pritts, Wien)
- Seed science and technology (Taylor)
- Turfgrass (Kao-Kniffin, Rossi, Petrovic)
- Urban horticulture (Bassuk, Kao-Kniffin, Whitlow)
- Vegetable production (Bjorkman, Halseth, Rangarajan, Reiners, Wien)
- Viticulture (Bates, Cheng, Lakso, Martinson, Merwin, Vanden Heuvel)
- Weed science (Bellinder, Kao-Kniffin)
Biology of horticultural crops
Environmental stewardship
- Biocontrol (Harman, Kao-Kniffin)
- Bioremediation and habitat restoration (Harman, Whitlow)
- Climate change (Wolfe)
- Soil health (Drinkwater, Wolfe)
Plants and human well-being
- Ethnobotany (Mt. Pleasant)
- Garden-based learning (Bushway, Eames-Sheavly)
- Public garden leadership (Rakow, Skelly)