Horticulture Students, Faculty Recognized at ASHS Regional Meeting

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The team of Ann Bell, Katelyn Bishop, Jillian Dibiase and Morgan Humphrey, coached by University Professor Curt Rom, placed second in one contest and third in another at the American Society for Horticultural Sciences Southern Region meeting.

Several students and faculty members in horticulture won awards and were recognized at the recent American Society for Horticultural Sciences Southern Region meeting in Atlanta.

Individually, senior Megan Joe won the student undergraduate poster contest and was second in the J.B. Edmond Undergraduate Paper Contest. Joe's paper was "Impact of Bine Training Number on Yield and Plant Growth of Six Hop Cultivars in Arkansas." Her poster was "Cultivar and Bine Training Number Impacts on Harvest Attributes of Arkansas-Grown Hops."

Ann Bell, an honors student, was elected to the secretary position with the ASHS Southern Region Affiliated Collegiate Branch for 2024-25.

In team competition, the group of Bell, Katelyn Bishop, Jillian Dibiase and Morgan Humphrey placed second in the Fruit Crops Judging contest and third in the Trees, Shrubs and Ornamentals Plant Identification competition.

Students also toured and networked with other students at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Students were accompanied by teaching associate professor Garry McDonald and University Professor Curt Rom.

Cooperative Extension specialists Amanda McWhirt and Aaron Cato, instructor Taunya Ernst and research scientist Renee Threlfall co-authored "What is Wrong With My Blackberry? Identifying Fresh-Market Blackberry Disorders," which won a Blue Ribbon Publication award. McWhirt, Cato and Ernst are members of the faculty in the Department of Horticulture, and Threlfall the Department of Food Science, all in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

In addition, Cato and horticulture assistant professor Matt Bertucci chaired and moderated sessions at the conference, while McWhirt led the Southern Fruit Workers meeting.

The department offers concentrations in areas of sustainable horticulture, landscape and ornamentals, production and turfgrass science.

ASHS represents a broad cross-section of the horticultural community — scientists, educators, students, landscape and turf managers, government, extension agents and industry professionals. Members focus on practices and problems in horticulture: breeding, propagation, production and management, harvesting, handling and storage, processing, marketing and use of horticultural plants and products.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.