ASSOCIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS
The Penn State Poa annua breeding project is currently involved with research projects in other laboratories that represent collaborative research efforts but which I am not the Principle Investigator. These include the following:
- Anthracnose disease resistance - Dr. Peter Landschoot's lab is developing screening techniques for anthracnose disease. He has screened one of our selections that demonstrated field resistance and which continues to show high levels of resistance to many pathogenic strains of anthracnose under his tests.
- Hyperodes weevil tolerance - This collaborative research effort with Dr. Paul Heller is in its formative stage. Dr. Heller has identified and collected a highly susceptible strain from a fairway in PA. Currently, my project is propagating this susceptible strain and I look forward to performing a forced feeding trial in the summer of '97 or perhaps '98 to screen for resistant greens-types.
- Heat tolerance - A recent reorganization in the Department of Agronomy at Penn State has allowed an interested physiologist, Dr. Dan Knievel to shift some of his research efforts over to turf. Specifically, he will be investigating heat tolerance and some aspects of cold tolerance at the cellular level beginning in the summer of 1997.
- Micronutrient requirements - Dr. Charles Mancino has initiated a project to examine the micronutrient uptake requirements of greens-type Poa annua. My project has provided his lab with plant material and we look forward to his results.
- Herbicide tolerance and susceptibilities - In collaboration with Dr. Thomas Watschke, this research effort is going to require a large quantity of plant material. Currently there is no available plant material for this specific research topic. As plant materials become available I look forward to begin this important research for both the control and the management of greens-type Poa annua.