The perception of a long-term cost advantage of synthetic infill turf systems relative to natural grass systems has contributed to a rise in their popularity in the USA. However, few comprehensive cost assessments of natural grass and synthetic infill systems exist. There are also no studies looking at interactions between...
A series of field experiments conducted at the Lewis-Brown horticulture farm at Oregon
State University evaluated the performance of four preemergence herbicides in simulated
ornamental shrub beds. Two natural products, corn gluten meal (CGM) and
meadowfoam seedmeal (MFS), were used along with two synthetic products, prodiamine
purchased under the trade...
Tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.] is an important forage and turf grass seed crop in Oregon. Use of the stem-shortening plant growth regulator (PGR) trinexapac-ethyl (TE) has gained broad acceptance by tall fescue seed producers in Oregon and elsewhere world-wide as an economical agent of seed yield enhancement through...
Landscape plants are highly diverse and nursery producers often grow thousands of taxa to satisfy the varied needs and aesthetic tastes of consumers. Related to this diversity, ornamental plant breeders must be nimble and diverse in their approach. Two seemingly disparate studies were conducted to investigate improving ornamental shrubs –...
As ornamental container nurseries face diminishing water allocations, many are looking to automated irrigation solutions to increase their water application efficiency. This thesis presents the findings of a study conducted at a commercial container nursery to determine 1) whether a capacitance or load cell sensor was better suited for monitoring...
The experiment was conducted to compare multiple pest (weed, soil arthropod and diseases) suppression by cereal cover crops in 'Selva' and 'Totem' strawberry. In addition, perlite was used to compare improvement of soil and root aeration which might modify strawberry black root rot complex. Small-seeded summer annual weeds were suppressed...
In an experimental field study, populations of gray-tailed voles (Microtus canicaudus) were exposed to a commercial formulation of vinclozolin, a fungicide effective for disease control on ornamental plants, turf grasses, and fruits and vegetables. Vinclozolin has been shown in laboratory experiments to behave as an androgen antagonist, impairing the reproductive...