Welcome to the K-State Olathe Horticulture Center's quarterly newsletter. To read each article, just click on the + symbol to the right of the headline. Hover over photos to read the caption. If you prefer a printable copy of the newsletter, click HERE for a pdf of this edition.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. These materials may be available in alternative formats. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, J. Ernest Minton, Director
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. These materials may be available in alternative formats. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, J. Ernest Minton, Director
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE RESEARCH UPDATE
While our Director, Dr. Cary Rivard is on sabbatical, we’ll use this space to brag a bit.
First, congratulations are in order for Dr. Rivard for his promotion to Full Professor! And second, along with running a research center, delivering programs as the state Extension vegetable specialist, advising graduate students, and helping teach classes, Dr. Rivard, his colleagues, and the graduate students who conduct research at OHREC also write, edit, and submit articles to scholarly, peer-reviewed journals across the globe. Peer review is the foundation of scientific research. The peer review process subjects the authors’ data and process methods to the scrutiny of other experts in the field, encouraging authors to produce high-quality research that will advance the field of science – in this case horticulture science. Following are some of the journal articles he and his graduate students had published in 2020 and 2021. Enjoy the reads.
First, congratulations are in order for Dr. Rivard for his promotion to Full Professor! And second, along with running a research center, delivering programs as the state Extension vegetable specialist, advising graduate students, and helping teach classes, Dr. Rivard, his colleagues, and the graduate students who conduct research at OHREC also write, edit, and submit articles to scholarly, peer-reviewed journals across the globe. Peer review is the foundation of scientific research. The peer review process subjects the authors’ data and process methods to the scrutiny of other experts in the field, encouraging authors to produce high-quality research that will advance the field of science – in this case horticulture science. Following are some of the journal articles he and his graduate students had published in 2020 and 2021. Enjoy the reads.
- “Reducing Postharvest Losses of Spinach Stored at Nonoptimum Temperatures with the Implementation of Passive Modified Atmosphere Packaging,” Konstantinos G. Batziakas, Shehbaz Singh, Kanwal Ayub, Qing Kang, Jeffrey K. Brecht, Cary L. Rivard, Eleni D. Pliakoni; HortScience, Volume 55: Issue 3, March 2020
- “Reducing preharvest food losses in spinach with the implementation of high tunnels,” Konstantinos G. Batziakas, Cary L. Rivard, Helena Stanley, Asterios G. Batziakas, Eleni D. Pliakoni; Scientia Horticulturae, Volume 265, 30 April 2020, 109268
- “Impact of modified atmosphere packaging and ozonated water on the shelf life, quality, and safety of vegetables stored at non optimum temperatures,” Helena Stanley, Konstantinos G. Batziakas, Sara E. Gragg, Cary L. Rivard, Eleni D. Pliakoni; Journal of Postharvest Technology, Volume 8, Number 3, July 2020
- “Reducing postharvest food losses in organic spinach with the implementation of high tunnel production systems ”, Konstantinos G. Batziakas, Helena Stanley, Asterios G. Batziakas, Jeffrey K. Brecht, Cary L. Rivard, Eleni D. Pliakoni; Agronomy for Sustainable Development, Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 40, 42, 28 October 2020
- “Effect of High Tunnel Coverings on Antioxidants of Breaker and Light Red Tomatoes at Harvest and during Ripening,” Kelly M. Gude, Channa B. Rajashekar, Brianna Cunningham, Qing Kang, Weiqun Wang, Myungjin Lee, Cary L. Rivard, and Eleni D. Pliakoni, Agronomy, Volume 10, Issue 11, November 2020
- “Quality of day-neutral strawberries grown in a high tunnel system,” Kelly Gude, Helena Stanley, Cary L. Rivard, Brianna Cunningham, Qing Kang, Eleni D. Pliakoni, Scientia Horticulturae, Volume 275, 3 January 2021, 109726
- “The role of grafting for local tomato production in high tunnels,” L.J. Meyer, H. Pontes-Chiebao, E. Pliakoni, M.M. Kennelly, K.A. Garrett, and C.L. Rivard; ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1302: II International Symposium on Vegetable Grafting, 14 January 2021
- “Evaluating Capsicum and Solanum rootstocks for fresh-market bell pepper production,” D.E. Loewen, E. Pliakoni, and C.L. Rivard, ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1302: II International Symposium on Vegetable Grafting, 14 January 2021
TURFGRASS PROGRAM UPDATE
Jack Fry honored with GCSAA’s First Ever Outstanding Contribution Award
Article from GCM
A fixture in turfgrass education, the scientist and researcher has influenced the expertise and career paths of many in the golf industry.
Jack Fry, Ph.D., professor and turfgrass Extension specialist at Kansas State University, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Contribution Award from GCSAA. Fry was recognized during the Opening Session of the 2022 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show on Feb. 8 in San Diego.
The Outstanding Contribution Award, new this year, recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the GCSAA membership through outstanding contributions to the golf course industry. The contribution must be significant in both substance and duration, and it may be or have been regional in nature.
“Dr. Fry is highly deserving of our inaugural Outstanding Contribution Award,” says Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “During the nearly four decades that he has been involved with GCSAA, he has bettered the professional lives of superintendents through his teaching, research, and Extension work. His service has been invaluable to the game, the industry and GCSAA members.”
Fry took his childhood interest in plants to Kansas State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture. His studies at K-State led him into turfgrass science and initiated his first connection with GCSAA when he received an undergraduate scholarship from the association in 1982.
“That early connection (with GCSAA) was so important to me,” Fry says. “At that young age, I got to know people in the industry and see how really broad it is.”
Fry would go on to earn his master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Maryland and then his doctorate in turfgrass management from Colorado State University. After a four-year stint as an assistant professor at Louisiana State, Fry returned to K-State to teach in 1991.
In 1998, the same year he began teaching GCSAA seminars, Fry took a lead role in developing K-State’s golf course management concentration in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources. In 2020, he transitioned from teaching to his current role for the university, a position that combines research and Extension to the commercial turf industry. Over the years, Fry has advised more than 400 students, many of whom have gone on to careers in the golf course industry.
Outside the classroom, Fry’s environmental turfgrass research has focused on maintaining turf with fewer inputs. Much of the research was done with golf course superintendents in mind and was funded by golf organizations such as GCSAA, the Kansas GCSA, the Heart of America GCSA and the USGA. Fry is also a prolific writer, authoring the textbook “Applied Turfgrass Science and Physiology” and a regular column in GCSAA’s GCM magazine. Fry’s work earned him the Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award from the Crop Science Society of America in 2011, and he was named fellow of the CSSA a year later.
While Fry has earned industry accolades individually, he is quick to recognize those who have helped him along the way, which include his mentors Bob Carrow, Ph.D., Pete Dernoeden, Ph.D., and Jack Butler, Ph.D.; his many colleagues at Kansas State; his students; the superintendents he has worked with; GCSAA and its Kansas and Heart of America affiliated chapters; the USGA; others in the industry; his parents; and, most important, his wife, Nathalie.
“It’s all about a team approach to success in a career, regardless of the position,” Fry says. “It’s been a team that has allowed me to be successful. Thank you to GCSAA and its members and those involved in the nomination (for the Outstanding Contribution Award). I appreciate all of them.”
Editor’s note: Jack Fry is a frequent contributor to GCM. Read some of his most recent articles: The icing on the turf, The art of managing turf density, and MLSN: A better approach to turf nutrition.
Article from GCM
A fixture in turfgrass education, the scientist and researcher has influenced the expertise and career paths of many in the golf industry.
Jack Fry, Ph.D., professor and turfgrass Extension specialist at Kansas State University, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Contribution Award from GCSAA. Fry was recognized during the Opening Session of the 2022 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show on Feb. 8 in San Diego.
The Outstanding Contribution Award, new this year, recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the GCSAA membership through outstanding contributions to the golf course industry. The contribution must be significant in both substance and duration, and it may be or have been regional in nature.
“Dr. Fry is highly deserving of our inaugural Outstanding Contribution Award,” says Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “During the nearly four decades that he has been involved with GCSAA, he has bettered the professional lives of superintendents through his teaching, research, and Extension work. His service has been invaluable to the game, the industry and GCSAA members.”
Fry took his childhood interest in plants to Kansas State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture. His studies at K-State led him into turfgrass science and initiated his first connection with GCSAA when he received an undergraduate scholarship from the association in 1982.
“That early connection (with GCSAA) was so important to me,” Fry says. “At that young age, I got to know people in the industry and see how really broad it is.”
Fry would go on to earn his master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Maryland and then his doctorate in turfgrass management from Colorado State University. After a four-year stint as an assistant professor at Louisiana State, Fry returned to K-State to teach in 1991.
In 1998, the same year he began teaching GCSAA seminars, Fry took a lead role in developing K-State’s golf course management concentration in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources. In 2020, he transitioned from teaching to his current role for the university, a position that combines research and Extension to the commercial turf industry. Over the years, Fry has advised more than 400 students, many of whom have gone on to careers in the golf course industry.
Outside the classroom, Fry’s environmental turfgrass research has focused on maintaining turf with fewer inputs. Much of the research was done with golf course superintendents in mind and was funded by golf organizations such as GCSAA, the Kansas GCSA, the Heart of America GCSA and the USGA. Fry is also a prolific writer, authoring the textbook “Applied Turfgrass Science and Physiology” and a regular column in GCSAA’s GCM magazine. Fry’s work earned him the Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award from the Crop Science Society of America in 2011, and he was named fellow of the CSSA a year later.
While Fry has earned industry accolades individually, he is quick to recognize those who have helped him along the way, which include his mentors Bob Carrow, Ph.D., Pete Dernoeden, Ph.D., and Jack Butler, Ph.D.; his many colleagues at Kansas State; his students; the superintendents he has worked with; GCSAA and its Kansas and Heart of America affiliated chapters; the USGA; others in the industry; his parents; and, most important, his wife, Nathalie.
“It’s all about a team approach to success in a career, regardless of the position,” Fry says. “It’s been a team that has allowed me to be successful. Thank you to GCSAA and its members and those involved in the nomination (for the Outstanding Contribution Award). I appreciate all of them.”
Editor’s note: Jack Fry is a frequent contributor to GCM. Read some of his most recent articles: The icing on the turf, The art of managing turf density, and MLSN: A better approach to turf nutrition.
Mark Willmore Inducted Into The KGCSA Hall of Fame for 2021
The Kansas Golf Course Superintendents Association developed a Hall of Fame Award for the purpose of recognizing individuals who have provided extraordinary service and dedication to the Association and its members. Mark Willmore, turfgrass research technician at K-State OHREC, received the Hall of Fame award at the KGCSA meeting in October 2021. The late Cliff Dipman, former GC Superintendent at Manhattan Country Club and former research technician at KSU Rocky Ford Turf Research Plot, was the first recipient of this award.
Mark received the award for service to the Association; his high level of volunteer leadership; length of service to the association the lasting impact of his service to the association; and his high degree of personal commitment and personal sacrifice to the association. Congratulations Mark!
K-State’s Sodcast
Check out K-State’s Sodcast: Interviews with Turf and Landscape Professionals This year, interviews were done with landscape and turf professionals who have been supportive of K-State. These were not done to advertise their businesses, but to provide useful information to others in the industry. The interviews run no longer than 20 minutes – great information that comes back from these professionals. Check out one of them, or all of them by clicking on links below.
Ted Wilbur, May, 2021: Ted, co-owner of Sod Shops in Wichita, KS, provides an overview of his experience in sod production.
https://youtu.be/3pv7IPQLbKk
Loren Breedlove, June, 2021: Loren, former golf course superintendent at Kansas City Country Club, talks about the 42 years he spent employed at one golf course. https://youtu.be/Us8o-avvBvQ
Holly Dickman, August, 2021: Holly is a K-State Horticulture alumnus who currently serves as the Water Conservation Specialist in Hays, KS of water-saving strategies, and how they have impacted Hays. https://youtu.be/Y29o3T96Q2U
Larry Ryan, September, 2021: Larry provides an overview of the changes in Ryan Lawn and Tree over the years, and how we can move the turf and landscape industry forward from a positive perspective. https://youtu.be/7vw7U2xyJqU
Doug Melchior, Manager of Golf and Grounds, Overland Park, KS. Hear how Doug has progressed through his career and deals with a very high number of golfers across the courses. https://youtu.be/skJOnX7J8eM
Resources for Turf and Landscape Information at K-State
If you’re looking for information on managing turf and landscpaes in Kansas, there are several resources and social media sites with which you should be familiar.
K-State Turf and Landscape Website: www.ksu.edu/turf
The website offers information on undergraduate education at K-State, extension articles, research reports, and much more.
Visit the K-State Turf and Landscape blog to find more articles related to turf and landscape: https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/
Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the most recent news: https://www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
Please like and follow the K-State Turf and Landscape Team on Twitter: @KSUTURF
The Kansas Golf Course Superintendents Association developed a Hall of Fame Award for the purpose of recognizing individuals who have provided extraordinary service and dedication to the Association and its members. Mark Willmore, turfgrass research technician at K-State OHREC, received the Hall of Fame award at the KGCSA meeting in October 2021. The late Cliff Dipman, former GC Superintendent at Manhattan Country Club and former research technician at KSU Rocky Ford Turf Research Plot, was the first recipient of this award.
Mark received the award for service to the Association; his high level of volunteer leadership; length of service to the association the lasting impact of his service to the association; and his high degree of personal commitment and personal sacrifice to the association. Congratulations Mark!
K-State’s Sodcast
Check out K-State’s Sodcast: Interviews with Turf and Landscape Professionals This year, interviews were done with landscape and turf professionals who have been supportive of K-State. These were not done to advertise their businesses, but to provide useful information to others in the industry. The interviews run no longer than 20 minutes – great information that comes back from these professionals. Check out one of them, or all of them by clicking on links below.
Ted Wilbur, May, 2021: Ted, co-owner of Sod Shops in Wichita, KS, provides an overview of his experience in sod production.
https://youtu.be/3pv7IPQLbKk
Loren Breedlove, June, 2021: Loren, former golf course superintendent at Kansas City Country Club, talks about the 42 years he spent employed at one golf course. https://youtu.be/Us8o-avvBvQ
Holly Dickman, August, 2021: Holly is a K-State Horticulture alumnus who currently serves as the Water Conservation Specialist in Hays, KS of water-saving strategies, and how they have impacted Hays. https://youtu.be/Y29o3T96Q2U
Larry Ryan, September, 2021: Larry provides an overview of the changes in Ryan Lawn and Tree over the years, and how we can move the turf and landscape industry forward from a positive perspective. https://youtu.be/7vw7U2xyJqU
Doug Melchior, Manager of Golf and Grounds, Overland Park, KS. Hear how Doug has progressed through his career and deals with a very high number of golfers across the courses. https://youtu.be/skJOnX7J8eM
Resources for Turf and Landscape Information at K-State
If you’re looking for information on managing turf and landscpaes in Kansas, there are several resources and social media sites with which you should be familiar.
K-State Turf and Landscape Website: www.ksu.edu/turf
The website offers information on undergraduate education at K-State, extension articles, research reports, and much more.
Visit the K-State Turf and Landscape blog to find more articles related to turf and landscape: https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/
Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the most recent news: https://www.facebook.com/KSUTurf
Please like and follow the K-State Turf and Landscape Team on Twitter: @KSUTURF
BACKYARD GARDEN ACTIVITY
Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners - We are back in the garden! We had 36 volunteers on our first workday of the year on Wednesday, March 16. We started the day with pesticide safety training and then began spring cleanup in the various garden beds. We have also started vegetables and flowers in the OHREC greenhouse this month.
One goal for the spring is completing replacement of the deer fence surrounding the garden which we started last fall. Work began on the project on March 5 and was completed on March 29.
One goal for the spring is completing replacement of the deer fence surrounding the garden which we started last fall. Work began on the project on March 5 and was completed on March 29.
Photos: Extension Master Gardeners volunteers and helpers have been working to replace the perimeter fence and gates at the Backyard Demonstration Garden.
OHREC ACTIVITIES
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New Center Operations Supervisor
New year, new Farm Manager. Join us as we welcome Ben Burgert who joined OHREC on January 3 as Center Operations Supervisor (aka farm manager). Ben was most recently employed by KAT Nursery in Olathe. His orientation has been inspecting and repairing all the mowers and carts to get ready for summer growing season. Ben is also a bonafide “plant guy” so he fits right in at OHREC. |
14,011 Pounds of Produce Donated to After the Harvest
More than 6,000 pounds of watermelon, supplemented with kale, Swiss chard, collards, tomatoes, and peppers added up to 14,011 pounds of fresh produce grown at OHREC in 2021, harvested by After the Harvest (ATH) volunteers, and donated to ATH for distribution to kitchens and food pantries across northeast Kansas and the KC metro area. ATH has been an OHREC partner for many years. Volunteers glean after the harvest, picking what’s left in farmers’ fields and picking up already harvested leftover produce. The gleaned produce is distributed to agencies that serve hungry people, primarily in Greater Kansas City. ATH also partners with Harvesters-The Community Food Network to distribute gleaned produce to a broader geographic area.
More than 6,000 pounds of watermelon, supplemented with kale, Swiss chard, collards, tomatoes, and peppers added up to 14,011 pounds of fresh produce grown at OHREC in 2021, harvested by After the Harvest (ATH) volunteers, and donated to ATH for distribution to kitchens and food pantries across northeast Kansas and the KC metro area. ATH has been an OHREC partner for many years. Volunteers glean after the harvest, picking what’s left in farmers’ fields and picking up already harvested leftover produce. The gleaned produce is distributed to agencies that serve hungry people, primarily in Greater Kansas City. ATH also partners with Harvesters-The Community Food Network to distribute gleaned produce to a broader geographic area.
