Page 75 - Free State Spring 2023_WEB

Isabel Emanuel, the 2019 recipient of the MANTS scholarship, assessing fruit rot disease on winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’) at the Ohio
Agricultural Research Development Center in Wooster, OH.

The aim of my work was to identify which environmental, I have gained while pursuing my degree to improve the
and fruit physiological factors were associated with green industry by reducing disease-related crop loss.
symptom development. Additionally, the project identified What piece of advice do you think would be helpful
several genetically resistant winterberry cultivars and for others following in your footsteps?
developed an early-season preventative fungicide spray
program which is effective at reducing late-season During my project, my advisor and I hosted annual
disease. Ultimately, the results of my work will inform the zoom webinars with growers where we presented
creation of an integrated disease management plan my research progress and discussed problems they
which nursery growers can implement to prevent crop were having in their fields. This meeting not only allowed
loss. Following graduation, I plan to continue working growers to learn about and implement our research-
on preventing disease-related crop loss in Maryland and based suggestions immediately, but it also allowed us
Delaware via a post-doctoral position at the University of to receive feedback on the success/feasibility of these
Delaware. practices in large-scale commercial nursery settings.
Discussions of their experiences also helped guide the
What would you like MNLGA members to know about formation of my future research questions. Therefore,
their investment in you?
my advice would be to stay in touch with growers and/
I would like MNLGA members to know that I appreciate or industry personnel as much as you can because their
the support I have received and how it has helped me experiences and advice are very valuable.
further my research. I plan to continue utilizing the skills (continued on next page)

Get Active. Stay Involved. • SPRING 2023 75