Growing healthy food & beautiful communities

Research in the Department of Horticulture is in collaboration with the College of Agriculture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Scientists in our department conduct research in ornamental, landscape, controlled environment, and fruit and vegetable production.
Vertical farms trailer
Our research areas

row2

Below are our faculty and their areas of work:

  • Dr. Paul Bartley: landscape environmental stewardship, x-ray tomography
  • Dr. Elina Coneva: fruit cropping systems and management, extension
  • Dr. Wheeler Foshee: vegetable, fruit and pecan systems management
  • Dr. Desmond Layne: department head
  • Dr. Jeremy Pickens: nursery, greenhouse management, extension
  • Dr. Tanzeel Rehman: smart engineering systems
  • Dr. Carolyn Robinson: socio-horticulture, floral and landscape design
  • Dr. Camila Rodrigues: fresh produce food safety, extension
  • Dr. Sushan Ru: small fruit breeding
  • Dr. Andre da Silva: vegetable cropping systems, extension
  • Dr. James Spiers: fruit production systems, kiwifruit, blueberry, blackberry, satsuma
  • Dr. Marlee Trandel-Hayse: postharvest physiology
  • Dr. Edgar Vinson: fruit crop management, extension
  • Dr. Daniel Wells: hydroponics, aquaponics, nutrition
  • Dr. Matt Wilson: lecturer
  • Dr. Bin Wu: ornamental horticulture systems
Horticulture research stories
Kiwi fruit in a tree
Research and Innovation
Going for the gold: kiwifruit production in Alabama

Kiwifruit is a high-value specialty crop with great potential to work for Alabama commercial fruit producers or even small-scale cultivation.

Research and Innovation
Protecting Alabama peaches from bacterial spot

Right in the heart of central Alabama, research is conducted throughout the year to find ways to protect one of the state’s most precious commodities — peaches.