Profile

Areas of Interest

• Whole-tree physiology
• High efficiency orchard systems
• Incorporating automation/mechanization in fruit production systems
• Environmental control of fruit quality
• Pollination biology/artificial pollination systems

Educational Background

• PhD, Whole-tree physiology, Washington State University
• M.Sc., Postharvest physiology, University of Guelph
• B.Sc., Horticultural Science and Business, University of Guelph

Teaching Responsibilities

• HORT 508 – Research Orientation and Presentation
• HORT 509/510 – Horticulture Seminar
• HORT 421/521 – Fruit Crops Management

Current students

• Sarah Gruntmeir, MS student (Robotic pollination, intra-cluster variability in apple fruit quality)
• Haydn Lenz, MS student (Mechanically-assisted harvest systems for tree fruit, sweet cherry and cider apple)
• Jon Magby, PhD candidate (Sweet cherry hardiness/dormancy)
• Juan Munguia, MS student (Strategies for reducing Calcium-related disorders in apple)

Former students

• Brent Arnoldussen, PhD 2021
  Dissertation title: “Plant-based dispersions are a novel class of sprayable frost protectants for fruit crops”
• Katie Taylor, M.S. 2019
  Thesis title: “Advancing artificial pollination systems in sweet cherry”
• Probir Das, MS in Ag. 2016
  Thesis title:  “Precision pollination in tree fruit”
• Jacqui Gordón, MS 2016
  Thesis title:  “The effects of mechanical pruning on yield, fruit quality and vegetative growth in apple and sweet cherry”
• Nadia Valverdi, MS  2015
  Thesis title: “The role of near-harvest irrigation on sweet cherry fruit quality”
• Nathan Brugnone, MS in Ag., 2015
  Thesis title: “Development of a suspension media for tree fruit pollen”
• Lu Zhang, PhD 2014.
  Dissertation title:  “The pistil’s role in determining sweet cherry fruit set”
• Suzanne Niemann, MS 2014
  Thesis title:  “The efficacy of a solid set canopy delivery system for applying plant growth regulators in sweet cherry and apple”
• Antonia Sanchez-Labbe, MS 2013
  Thesis title:  “Optimizing establishment and maintenance of sweet cherry trained to the Upright Fruiting Offshoots architecture”
• Erick Smith, PhD, 2010.
  Dissertation title:  “Abscission, storability, and fruit quality of mechanically harvested fresh market quality stem-free sweet cherries”
• Rolando Martin, MS, 2008
  Thesis title:  “Causes of, and practical strategies for, reducing sweet cherry polycarpy”
• Brett Adams, MS, 2008
  Thesis title: “A sweet cherry planting system comparison involving virus effects with multiple genotypes”
• Alejandro Antunez, Ph.D., 2006
  Dissertation title:  “The impact of deficit irrigation strategies on sweet cherry physiology and spectral reflectance”
• Olivia Lenahan, M.S., 2005.
  Thesis title:  “Crop load manipulation in sweet cherry: Physiological effects and horticultural benefits of chemical thinning and gibberellic acid”