Breathtaking Scenery; Awesome Results

CALS’ Department of Horticultural Science was well-represented among winners at the recent 44th Annual Meeting of the Plant Growth Regulation Society of America, held amid the breathtaking scenery and summer sunshine of Anchorage, Alaska.

The annual conference, which took place Aug. 6-10, provides students and others interested in plant growth regulation with the opportunity to present scientific research, exchange ideas and review presentations from leaders in the applied, basic and commercial fields of plant growth regulation.

The department’s own Dr. Chris Gunter was the society’s president and therefore presided over the meeting. Gunter was joined by students Josh Henry (PhD candidate) and Paul Cockson (BS candidate, Horticulture Minor), who received student travel awards to present their novel research on plant growth regulation.

Paul also won first place in the research poster competition. He submitted research posters for the Comparison of Foliar Sprays for Coleus Growth Control and The Use of Benzyladenine and Ethephon to Increase Rhizome Production of Sansevieria Laurentii.

Josh received this year’s student travel award for research on Comparison of Ornamental Pepper Ripening Enhancement with Ethephon Applied as a Spray or Drench and Hosta Shoot Enhancements with Benzyladenine Sprays or Drenches. However, this is not Josh’s first PGRSA Conference: He was also awarded the 2016 Outstanding Student Paper and Poster Award for Phosphorus Restriction as an Alternative Method of Growth Control for Petunia.