ASHS 2025 Conference

Developing integrated pest and pathogen management approach for controlled environment horticulture crops is of major impotance to safeguard growers interest, and community health and sustainability. The abilty to control temperature, light and to some extent humidity, creates optimal conditions for crop growth. However, the same suitable environment creates favorable opportunities for insect pest population growth, their associated viral diseases and fungal pathogens. Growers often rely on chemical insecticides to control CEH pests, leading to selective pressure and development of insecticide resistance in major CEH pests, such as aphids, thrips and whitelfies. This highlights the fact that insecticides are not reliable long-term pest control solution. Therefore, CEH specific effective pest and pathogen management approaches are urgently needed to move towards sustainable CEH crop production nationwide.

Speakers:

• Samantha Wilden, Cornell University
• Arash Kheroiding, Texas A&M AgriLife
• Krishna Bhattarai, Texas A&M AgriLife
• Erich Schoeller, University of Georgia
• Ruchika Kashyap, University of Georgia
• Andrew Ogden, University of Georgia
• Azlan Zahid, Texas A&M  AgriLife

This session is being co-sponsored by Viticulture and Small Fruits (VSF) and American Pomological Society (APS)

As climate conditions continue to shift, heat stress poses a significant challenge to fruit production, affecting both yield and quality. This session will explore the physiological and biochemical responses of fruit crops to extreme temperatures, highlighting the key impacts on growth, composition, and overall marketability. Experts will discuss innovative mitigation strategies, including vineyard, berry, and orchard management techniques aimed at reducing heat stress impacts. Attendees will gain insights into practical, science-based approaches to safeguard fruit production in the face of increasing heat stress.

Speakers:

• Lee Kalcsits Associate Professor, Tree Fruit Physiology Endowed Chair of Tree Fruit Environmental Physiology and Management Programmatic Lead, Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center Washington State University, Department of Horticulture 
• Lisa Wasko DeVetter Associate Professor, Small Fruit Horticulture Department of Horticulture College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University NWREC
•  Everett P. Layton Ashmore, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Viticulture and Enology College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Dave Bryla Research Horticulturist USDA-ARS Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit, Corvallis, OR

The need to improve crops has never been critical with the rising population and climate change resulting in high abiotic stress and disease pressures in production areas. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches have been implemented in the context of plant breeding and crop improvement. Modern AI tools hold the promise of accelerating the development of resilient, higher-yielding, and more sustainable horticultural crops, by rendering a deeper understanding of complex genetic systems and phenotypes, and how these interact with their environment to express desirable traits. As an approach, AI is an important component of the plant breeding toolbox which may now currently be an indispensable addition to modern vegetable breeding programs. For example, AI allows for the prediction of phenotypic values through genetic markers, and this allows plant breeders to perform selection even before the trials are conducted in the field. The ASHS Vegetable Breeding and Interest Group seeks to provide research updates from experts who have worked on the applications of AI in crop breeding and genetic improvement. The workshop will provide a summary of various AI methodologies, recent advances, and render opportunities for future collaboration and research directions in the implementation of AI in vegetable breeding programs. Objectives 1. Summarize the different AI approaches used in breeding and genetic improvement of various traits in vegetables 2. Provide the attendees with recent advances in AI for plant breeding 3. Discuss future research directions and applications of AI in plant breeding programs The workshop will be conducted during the annual ASHS meeting (July 28- August 1, 2025) in New Orleans, Louisiana. The workshop will be in-person. Audience: The workshop will be open to all ASHS attendees (both public and private sectors) and will be interactive.

Moderators: Dennis Lozada, New Mexico State University
Devi Kandel, Langston University

Speakers:

• Cheryl Dalid, University of Florida - Leveraging Phenomics and Genomics Data in Strawberry Breeding
• Stephen Ficklin, Washington State University - Towards Identification of Biomarkers for Environmentally-controlled Traits
• Madhi Haghshenas-Jaryani, New Mexico State University - AI-enabled Agricultural Robots and Intelligent Machines for Precision Farming of Chile Pepper Cultivation in New Mexico
• Tanzeel Rehman, Auburn University - AI-Driven High-Throughput Phenotyping for Assessing Physiological Stress in Blueberry
• Kevin Wang, University of Florida - AI-Powered Phenomics: Accelerating Breeding Across Horticultural Crops
  

The session will feature presentations focused on the development and application of biotechnology in horticultural plants, followed by an open discussion on the topic and Plant Biotechnology Interest Group's business meeting.

Welcome and Opening (5 minutes)
Invited Oral Presentation (30-45 minutes)

• Speaker: Dr. Yosvanis Acanda, Simplot Company

Open Discussion (30 minutes)
Award Session (10 minutes)
Interest Group Business Meeting (30 minutes)

Luke Concollato will provide an introduction to new, intuitive platform for digital phenotyping and integration of environmental data. Luke Concollato will introduce the program and give instructions on how this platform can be used for specified organization of data and ultimately, breakthroughs in plant science.

This is a pre-recorded Zoom webinar that will be shown at the Hort Theater.

Coordinators/Moderators:
Wagner A. Vendrame
Amir A. Khoddamzadeh

Members of the Interest Group will give a brief overview of the research they are conducting on orchids. Followed by a general discussion on potential collaborations.

The horticultural industry has been moving towards sustainable practices, and industry is no exception! Come to this Interest Group session to learn about how industry is assessing and implementing sustainability practices, and how you can partner with industry in these initiatives.

Roundtable discussion following with Q&A.

Covid has greatly impacted the learning style of the college student population. The Covid generation experienced limited in person student and teacher contact and in some cases incompletion of high school requirements. In addition, isolation among other things has caused a rise in student depression and anxiety. Higher ed educators must face the challenge of teaching and facilitating this generation of students by cultivating a learning environment that allows them to thrive.  Many universities have professionals focusing on teaching a new generation of learners. The proposed professional interest group session will focus on tools for students learning, strategies for helping students learn hard content, and relevance of the teaching methods used for teaching Horticulture related topics.

The session will open with an overview of the current climate of learning and teaching different generations and the key difference from Carl Krieger, Director, Residential Education Vice Provost for Student Life, Purdue University followed by a presentation from Sam Wortman, Associate Professor UNL his talk titled ‘Market-based competitions for developing horticultural entrepreneurs and innovators’ will cover how Authentic performance tasks are an important tool for engaging students in higher-order thinking. Dr. Wortman has developed several market-based competitions as authentic performance tasks for horticulture students at the University of Nebraska where they identify a market opportunity, develop a budget, grow or develop the product, and market the product to customers or investors at simulated plant sales, farmer's markets, and pitch competitions. In this presentation, Dr. Wortman will share details of how each competition is structured and evidence for their effectiveness in preparing the next generation of local food system entrepreneurs and innovators. A round table discussion will follow the presentations and facilitate the discussion of techniques, practices, and experiences of horticulture educators in attendance.
Round table topics will include:
1. Methodology and measuring impact
2. Empathetic teaching
3. Hands on or experiential learning

Moderator:
Dr. Moriah Bilenky, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Horticulture
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Purdue University

Speakers:

• Carl Krieger, Director, Residential Education Vice Provost for Student Life
• Sam Wortman, Associate Professor UNL

Focus on the role of National Clean Plant Networks and other agencies (potentially including private parties), and discuss best practices.

Join this open forum discussion to interact with your peers while exploring current issues facing consumer horticulture research and programming both nationally and internationally. The board of the Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardener Interest Group will serve as hosts for the session. The purpose of the discussion is to network with peers and to stay current in this evolving field of work. Climate change, soil erosion and quality, invasive species and preservation of native plants and food deserts are all open for discussion. Target audience issues such as generation differences in information sources and engagement are also important topics. All those working in any aspect of the field of consumer horticulture are encouraged to participate. Different perspectives from a broad stakeholder group with varying viewpoints are need for impactful and rich dialog.

Speakers:
Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardner (CHMG) Interest Group Board
Gerald Burgner, Chair, Texas A&M
Natalie Bumgarner, Vice Chair, University of Tennessee
Ruth Carll, Secretary, Rutgers