Leadership Awards
Presented at the
33rd National Congress on Agricultural Plastics
November
3, 2006,
San Antonio, Texas
Congress organizers strive to
offer the highest level of presentations by researchers,
educators, and industry representatives. The Society recognizes
authors who are judged as having prepared the highest quality
paper by the presentation of the Best Paper Award.
Robert
C. Hochmuth
Florida Extension Programs Help
Vegetable Growers Using Plasticulture To Improve Water
and Nutrient Management
Bob Hochmuth is a Multi-County
Extension Agent with the University of Florida. He is located
at the North Florida Research and Education Center - Suwannee
Valley. In his position he supports the commercial vegetable
extension programs in nine counties in the Suwannee Valley
area near Live Oak, Florida. The overall responsibility
is the development and implementation of educational programs
for commercial vegetable producers that will increase their
knowledge of production of vegetables, incorporating principles
of efficiencies, profitability, and environmental awareness.
Bob’s areas of specialization
include: Agricultural Productivity and Education; Crop
Growth, Improvement, Nutrition, and Production; General
Horticulture; IPM; Irrigation; Methyl Bromide Alternatives;
Soil Fertility - Irrigation and Plant Nutrition; Sustainable
Agriculture; Plasticulture; Alternative Crops; Hydroponics;
Small Farms; Organic Farming; Drip Irrigation; Greenhouse
Crops; and Vegetable Production.
In addition to the research
reported in his award winning paper, Bob’s current
projects include: alternative vegetable crops, hydroponics,
methyl bromide alternatives, and variety evaluations.
He received both his B.S. and M.S from the University
of Maryland.
Presented in recognition of
work that broadens the importance of ASP through exemplary
research and developmental efforts that have contemporary
and future impacts to the field of plasticulture.
Dr. Dennis Decoteau
Dr. Dennis Decoteau is a professor
of horticulture and plant ecosystem health in the Departments
of Horticulture and Plant Pathology at Pennsylvania State
University, and is past Department Chair . He received
his PhD in the Plant and Soil Science Department at the
University of Massachusetts in 1984 and then accepted a
postdoctoral position at Purdue. In 1985 he moved to Clemson
University as an assistant professor, steadily progressing
through the ranks, ending his time there in 1997 as Chair
of the department. From Clemson he was recruited to Penn
State.
His primary area of research
has been on the effect of light quality on plant growth
and development. In 1986, he published the first research
(Proc. Natl. Agr. Plastics Congr., Vol. 19) demonstrating
that colored plastic mulches could affect not only soil
temperature and root function, but could directly affect
growth and development (morphogenesis) as well. Subsequent
studies by Decoteau and co-workers demonstrated that certain
types of reflective red mulch could often increase the
early yield of trellised tomato. This pioneering work has
helped stimulate additional work with colored and reflective
mulches that have resulted in reflective mulch applications
that increase crop yields and promote fruit coloration.
Dr. Decoteau has also examined the spectral properties
of greenhouse coverings a topic of increasing importance
for the industry.
He helped promote plasticulture
to the general public when he served as Associate Editor
and Columnist for The Agri-Plastics Report. Recently, Dr.
Decoteau has written an undergraduate text on Vegetable
Crops that is being widely adopted by Horticulture Programs
throughout the U.S. This textbook contains an excellent
chapter on extension of the growing season that will help
introduce students to plasticulture research.
Recognizing exceptional or special
activity by an ASP member, beyond the typical membership
responsibilities.
Dr. Henry Taber
Dr. Henry Taber
received his Ph.D. at Purdue in 1972, and is currently
a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State
University where has served for the past 29 years. He teaches
plant nutrition and his research with vegetables has dealt
primarily with nutrition, drip irrigation and use of plastic
mulches and low tunnels to obtain earlier maturity and
improve yields of warm season crops.
Dr. Taber has been
an ASP Board member and officer of the organization, moving
up the leadership track to become president for 2005 and
2006. He has also been a long-standing member and contributor
to ASP, having published several articles in the Proceedings,
moderated paper sessions at National Agricultural Plastics
congresses, and served on numerous committees in the Society.
In 1997-98, Dr. Taber served
as the Editor for the Proceedings, an arduous task given
the more than 70 papers included in the 27th Proceedings.
He also served as Congress Chair for the 32nd Congress,
again taking responsibility for assimilating the papers
and facilitating the planning of the event.
He has also
advanced the status of plasticulture through his affiliations
with the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS),
North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association, and
American Society for Agronomy, Soil Science Society of
America (SSSA).
His dedication to the American
Society for Plasticulture and his willingness to invest
time, expertise, and enthusiasm in the Society make us
grateful and happy to present him with the Distinguished
Service award at this Congress.
