Category Archives: Meet The Team

Meet The Team

Meet the Team: Joshua Perrault

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The Hop from Washington to Oregon

I come from a rural area of the Yakima valley in Washington State. I had the unique privilege of growing up as a part of a family hop farm and was surrounded by agriculture from birth. It may come as no surprise that this led me to pursue a career in agriculture, specifically horticultural plants. Throughout my younger years I spent a lot of my spare time working on my family’s farm and in other agricultural companies around the valley. Once I graduated from high school, I knew that I wanted to further my education, which led me to Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

fishing from a paddleboard

At WSU I majored in agricultural biotechnology and minored in horticulture. While in Pullman, I also was a part of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity which, being a professional as well as social fraternity, connected me with many people from similar backgrounds and with similar interest in agriculture. During my undergrad I was exposed to many subjects, specifically pertaining to plant genetics, molecular biology, and sustainability. I went into my undergrad years with the original intent of going into plant breeding but, throughout my time, my interests did shift. While I still am, and always will be, interested in plant breeding and genetics, I found myself gravitating more to classes involving sustainable production and plant physiology.

During my undergrad, I also held jobs that gave me great experience and helped to shape the direction of my life. While at school, I worked with a professor who was working on technology to improve the sustainability of irrigating wine grapes. This gave me more perspective on how we can, as agriculturists, improve water use and moved my focus closer to sustainable production. I also, starting in 2020, would spend my summers as a lab tech in the tissue culture and genetics lab at Yakima Chief Ranches, a hop breeding and brand management company. This was a young program, and I was presented with many opportunities to assist in the development of protocols and to design experiments of my own. When I graduated from WSU with a B.S. in integrated plant sciences, my experience working with YCR led them to ask if I would oversee the commercial micropropagation of virus and viroid free plants. A request which I gladly accepted.

J Perrault smiles at the camera standing in a greenhouse

I knew when I took the lab management position at YCR, that I wanted to pursue a graduate degree. Because of this, we designed the position as a temporary appointment in which I would essentially create the foundational policies, procedures, and management practices which I could then hand off to those that came after me. This leads me to my search for a graduate program and my decision to go to Oregon State University. I decided to pursue a master’s degree in horticulture with Dr. Lloyd Nackley as my advisor. Having just started, I am still getting my feet under me, but I am very excited to be learning more about the world of nursery production and the physiological responses of plants to stress. Someday I hope to go back to the hop industry and bring new perspectives and ideas with me.

Meet The Team, Nursery Knowledge, Plant Health

Plant Health: Drones and Drought

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Lloyd Nackley

Roots, Shoots, and Sky-High Science and Extension: Our dedicated team has actively engaged in research and extension events this year that offer valuable insights into plant ecology and climate change adaptation.

Field Research: Graduate student Scout Dahms-May led extensive research into how ornamental shrubs respond to drought conditions. Her dedication shone through as she ventured into the field for pre-dawn plant water potential assessments, sharing the experience with hot air balloonists and the local coyotes. Our excellent undergraduate students, along with the new graduate student, Josh Perrault, played a pivotal role in the research by meticulously measuring the leaf area of over 100 plants. Their hard work serves as a testament to the commitment of students pursuing cutting-edge agricultural research.

Extension: Standout events this season included an impressive demonstration of sprayer drones. Visitors had the opportunity to witness these cutting-edge technologies in action, gaining insights into how they can be used in modern agriculture and horticulture.

Another highlight was a grand field day that showcased the spirit of collaboration at NWREC, involving students, staff like Brent Warneke, Dalyn McCauley, and Clint Taylor from the Nackley Lab, as well as guest appearances by experts, including Dr. Rebelo, a visiting scholar from South Africa, and Dr. Wiman, Orchards Program Leader, and Dr. Yang, a Blueberry Extension Specialist. This summer, NWREC demonstrated its position as a hub of research, learning, and community engagement, driven by our shared commitment to advancing the field of plant science.

Meet The Team

Meet the Team: Summer Harvest in the Nursery

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Regardless of temps in the high 80’s this week – !! – the season is wrapping up in the Nursery Program. We’ve had some notable events in these last few weeks, and we’re deep into planning our Fall/Winter workshops to keep up with the area growers and ever-evolving changes in the industry.

Event Success

Climate-Ready Landscape Plants Field Day 2023 hosted almost 30 volunteer participants in the north plots on the farm to assess the overall hardiness and beauty of ornamental varieties in various levels of drought.

Inspection of plant by 2 persons
Plants were assessed on floral presentation, health and vigor of foliage, and overall appeal.

Even under the threat of record high temperatures, Master Gardeners from all over NW Oregon arrived, as well as industry supporters, to enjoy the beautiful flowers and the misted tents. The OSU Nursery Program is part of a larger study on Climate-Ready Plant Trials throughout the Western US.

two people inspect one of the climate-ready varieties of plants
The ninebark varieties were unanimously considered particularly beautiful.

OTF STEM Teacher Training was led on the NWREC farm by the OTF STEM (On the Farm Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Facilitators as a part of a larger tour including several farms and programs, including the Horticulture Program at OSU. Dalyn and Lloyd spent time with High School teachers from Oregon and Washington, demonstrating soil moisture sensors – both volumetric and tensiometer informed. In teaching the teachers, our program is better able to explain somewhat difficult material in a manner that makes it accessible at different levels of education and application. For example, Dalyn explained the differences between soil water holding capacity and plant-available field capacity and finding the permanent wilt point- the point at which plants in the soil will wilt, and can’t recover when water is re-supplied.

speaker addresses attendees outdoors
Dalyn discusses ground water and plant stress

Lloyd discussed vapor pressure deficits, or the effect of air temperature in drying plants, in relationship to atmospheric demand and plant responses to drought.

speaker addresses attendees
Lloyd addresses workshop attendees

Says Dalyn, “It’s really good for us and these teachers to meet like this to exchange ideas. Audience work isn’t usually part of a grant in Agriculture, but getting this information into classrooms helps to promote environmental sciences.”

image shows teammates lined up on the gravel pad at the farm
Members of the Nackley Lab posing for a team shot following the OTF STEM event

Drone Applications for Farm and Field kicked off our Smart Spraying seminar series, and was well attended here at the NWREC farm with over 50 participants on a cloudless fall day. NWREC’s Kristie Buckland opened the workshop with current research for uses of drone technology in application for smaller farms, followed by Andrea Sonnen of the ODA presenting on the regulations and requirements for aerial applicator licensing.

classroom full of students watches screen
Kristie Buckland discusses applications for drone use

We were happy to host Timothy King from Ag Drones West as he provided information about the DJI T40 Sprayer System and gave a spectacular show demonstrating both liquid and granular applications in one of our unused fields.

Timothy King explains the Operating System of the DJI T40 Drone Sprayer

This series continues in December with our second workshop titled “The ‘I’ in ‘IPM’: Integrating Approaches to Pest Management”.

Please visit our EVENTS page for information on upcoming workshops!

Irrigation, Meet The Team, Plant Health

Meet the Team: Summer Update

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The Gravel Pad update you’ve been waiting for, and more!

There’s so much going on in the season of plenty around NWREC! Enjoy this virtual tour of a few projects around the nursery.

Dalyn has been continuing her work with mini-lysimeters that control irrigation in shade trees – these tiny scales weigh the potted plants and use the change in weight as they dry to determine when to turn on the water. The lysimeters are gathering data on plant weight along with an on-site weather station to better understand the relationship between heat and irrigation in gravel pad production. Read more about this project here.

View of gravel pad with potted maple trees
Young red maple trees on the gravel pad are using lysimeters to monitor water loss in conjunction with a dedicated weather station (left).

The Willamette Valley has had a few HOT summers in a row, even though lately this one has been pretty mild. Nevertheless, we haven’t given up on finding solutions for heat mitigation – including growing ornamentals under drought conditions to see which are the most “climate-ready” to meet changing needs. We’ll be asking the public to evaluate those plants in the upcoming Climate-Ready Field Day, come along and see how the plants are progressing (click the link above for more info).

In addition, we’re evaluating different means of mitigating the heat and the resultant high rates of evapotranspiration (basically ways to reduce plant sweat), from misting the young plants to covering tissues with kaolin, introducing fungicides that may be beneficial in managing water loss, using white pots instead of the traditional black, and even growth inhibitors – it’s been a pretty amazing feat to monitor the effects as you can see- check out this monitoring station!

Jaiden, Lloyd and Dalyn at the ET monitoring station with shade trees
Dalyn, Lloyd and summer hire Jaiden show off the monitoring station in the heat stress/evapotranspiration mitigation study.

young flowering shrubs in alternating black and white pots
Does the color of the pot change the heat stress for these water-loving shrubs on the gravel pad?

A small project growing marigolds for festivals and holidays – like Dia de los Muertos – is also underway. Growing the marigolds has certainly brightened up the Nursery Zone at NWREC, and we’ve progressed into evaluating passive means to dry the flowers, saving energy and resources while preserving the gorgeous summer color.

fresh marigolds
Marigold blooms
dried marigolds

There’s even more in the works – stay tuned for information about fall workshops and PACE courses created specifically for nursery and greenhouse production for topics covering drone sprays, integrated pest management, and more.

Meet The Team, Plant Health

Climate-Ready Landscape Plant Field Day 2.0

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UC Davis Plant Trial Field Day 2020
Photos: UC Davis Plant Trial Field Day 2020 cr: Karrie Reid

Who should attend: Professionals from landscape, horticulture, nursery and related fields; OSU Master Gardeners; garden writers; academics/educators

When: August 17th 2023; 10am – 2pm (Arrive when convenient; ratings take about 60 min)

Where:                  OSU’s North Willamette Research & Extension Center

15210 NE Miley Rd, Aurora, OR 97002

What’s involved: Evaluating aesthetic qualities of selected landscape plants (about 60 minutes).

Photos: UC Davis Plant Trial Field Day 2020 Credit: Karrie Reid
Photos: UC Davis Plant Trial Field Day 2020 Credit: Karrie Reid

About this Event

The ever-changing climate iputs pressure on the industry to develop more sustainable plants. As part of a six-university study, OSU seeks to improve urban water-use efficiency by evaluating landscape plant performance on three irrigation treatments corresponding to the Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS): High, Moderate, and Low categories of water need. The plants are irrigated regularly during their first summer after planting. Treatments are imposed during the second growing season where researchers collect growth and quality ratings.

The Field Day allows landscape, nursery, and horticultural industry professionals and educators the opportunity to see new plants in their 2nd year and share your opinions and preferences by rating a representative sample of the plants in the field undergoing irrigation treatments. One plant from each of the 3 water levels, for 15 different species (some released to the public and some not yet) will be surveyed. Along with this field of 360 plants, you will be able to get a sneak peek at the next year’s field, currently in an establishment phase.

Important Details: The fields are packed dirt/uneven mulch, sturdy comfortable shoes, sunscreen and/or a hat are suggested. At the trial site, you will be provided a ratings sheet, clipboard, pen, and given general instructions when you arrive. It is a self-guided tour among our 720 landscape plants. Lots to look at but only a small sub set to evaluate. Hot Coffee and cold water will be provided. We value your feedback and hope to see you there!

**No Registration Needed**

For questions contact:

Lloyd.Nackley@OregonState.edu

IPM, Irrigation, Meet The Team, Plant Health

Meet the Team: WINTER UPDATE

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Lloyd Nackley

At the Western Region International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS), the Pacific Northwest Insect Management Conference (PNWIMC), and the Orchard Pest and Disease Management Conference (OPDMC) last month, we presented cutting-edge research and advancements in our field. Our presentations at the Western Region IPPS and PNWIMC focused on the latest developments in sensor-controlled irrigation, and flatheaded borer management, respectively.

Dr. Melissa Scherr Presents at the PNWIMC in Portland

At the Orchard Pest and Disease Management Conference, we discussed the latest techniques in IPM for managing powdery mildew with biological fungicides applied by our laser-guided Intelligent Sprayer system. Through our presentations at these conferences, we aim to advance the knowledge and understanding of plant health in our field and to promote collaboration among professionals. By sharing our research and engaging in discussions with our peers, we strive to advance the science of horticultural production to support the growth and success of the horticulture in the Pacific Northwest region.

Grower tour visits the olive grove
The buses meet our Horticulture Team at NWREC

At NWREC, we have been working on our new hydroponic greenhouse project. However, since October we have encountered construction challenges in connecting the natural gas heaters, which has impacted the growth of crops such as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. As a result, lettuce growth has been slow and plagued by Botrytis, and warmer-growing crops like tomatoes and cucumbers have fared even worse. We are working to resolve the permitting issues with the heaters as soon as possible and look forward to updating you on the progress of the greenhouse project in the coming year.

Meet The Team

Meet the Team: Unmanned Aerial Systems

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Sadie Keller

Unmanned Aerial Systems applications in agriculture have interested me from the time I saw some trial flights at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California in 2020. The possibilities of crop mapping, using multispectral imagery to create NDVI data, and optimizing resources seemed
endless. And while all of this is still true, I have learned over the last couple years that there is a lot more to it than just getting out the drone and flying it over a field.

Dalyn McCauley, captured in a 2022 drone image

In the Fall quarter of 2022, I was able to take a class on campus from Dr. Michael Wing called “Unmanned Aerial Systems Remote Sensing. In this course I was able to get some hands-on experience flying a DJI Phantom 4, a DJI Matrice 200, and a DJI Matrice 300. We also were able to take aerial imagery with a MicaSense Altum multispectral and thermal camera attached to the DJI Matrice 300 and analyze that data during the course of the class. To analyze the data we learned how to use AgiSoft Metashape photogrammetry software to make orthomosaics of our area of interest. With the orthomosaics, we were able to perform different sorts of analysis using ArcGIS Pro software and R. This class really gave me a solid introduction to the collection and analysis of aerial imagery.

DJI matrice 210 with a zen muse xt2 camera flying over red maples
The DJI matrice 210 with a zen muse xt2 camera flying over red maples

With some knowledge under my belt after taking that course, I decided to look into taking the Part 107 Certification exam to obtain my FAA administered Remote Pilot License. The purpose of this certification is to be able to fly a drone for commercial, government, or any other non-
recreational purposes. In the Nackley Lab, we have access to a DJI Matrice 210 quadcopter and a MicaSense Red-Edge M camera so I wanted to be able to open up some more avenues for research by being able to pilot this drone for our lab!

DJI matrice 300 with a micasense altum camera
DJI matrice 300 with a micasense altum camera

In our lab, a lot of our work centers around major challenges to the nursery production industry in Oregon. Working with a drone can allow you to survey a large area for early signs of drought stress, nutrient deficiencies, or pests to minimize a loss in yield. Now that I have the Remote Pilot Certification, my goal is to help our lab create more aerial imagery (data) that ties into our work which addresses major challenges to nursery production in Oregon like irrigation application, pest management, plant nutrition, and climate adaptations.

Thinking about getting a Remote Pilot Certification? Here are Sadie’s tips for Studying (click here).

For more information about the part 107 certification or UAS applications feel free to contact me
@ kellesad@oregonstate.edu.

Other great OSU resources:
BEAV UAS Program – Dr. Kristine Bucklin and Dr. Lloyd Nackley
Aerial Information Systems Laboratory – Dr. Michael Wing

IPM, Irrigation, Meet The Team, Plant Health

Meet the Team: The Bounty of a Season

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Success in Summer 2022

For the past few years we’ve limited gatherings on the farm due to COVID-19 restrictions. In the summer of 2022, however, we were finally able to welcome the public back for Nursery Program Field Days. We’d like to take this opportunity to boast about a few of our highlights from the last several months.

Sadie Keller presenting to growers
Sadie Keller discusses shade tree physiology

For the first time, the Nackley Nursery Production team was an official stop on the Oregon Association of Nurseries Farwest Innovative Production Grower Tour. Our portion of the tour at NWREC showcased sensor-controlled irrigation, heat-stress mitigation techniques, LiDAR smart-sprayer systems, and practices that can reduce boxwood blight spread, and methods of scouting and monitoring insects in nurseries and greenhouses. These projects offer a wide range of savings for growers.: up to 80% improvement in irrigation efficiency, up to 70% reduction in sprayed pesticides, and a significant reduction in boxwood blight infection.

image shows participants examining landscape plants
Stakeholders evaluating climate-readiness of various landscape ornamentals

The second big event was an open house for our Climate Ready Landscape Plant trial, the largest coordinated landscape plant irrigation trial in the Western US. Plant professionals from around the region came to rate plants and discuss how we, as a society, are going to maintain healthy landscapes while faced with increasing extreme weather.

Ongoing projects that will continue this year include, research by our graduate student Sadie Keller, who is investigating Oak and Maple drought tolerance. This summer, Sadie shared her preliminary findings with scientists at the American Society for Horticultural Science, in Chicago.

Sadie Keller and Lloyd Nackley at the ASHS Meeting in Chicago.

In addition, Dr. Melissa Scherr continues our research on the Pacific Flatheaded beetle, with the anticipation of a grower event hosted at NWREC discussing current research on Flathead Borer biology and control this coming April – 2023.

The Nursery Program Team, summer 2022.
Meet The Team

Meet the Team: From Hiking to Horticulture

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Scout Dahms-May

I am originally from the great city of Tacoma, Washington. I went to an outdoors based high school where my love for plants and environmentalism blossomed. My favorite class was our version of “PE”, where we hiked through Point Defiance Park identifying native species. This passion drove me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science at the University of Redlands. Moving to Redlands in Southern California was a stark contrast to my home in Puget Sound, but I grew to love most parts of it!

Scout collecting samples
Scout collects samples

I went on many abroad terms and saw amazing parts of the world such as Peru, Ethiopia, and Iceland. Each time I returned I wished I had been there longer and itched to immerse myself even more in a different country.  Once I graduated from Redlands, the natural next step was to join the Peace Corps. I spent two years in the Southeast corner of Senegal, West Africa. I lived in a 100-person village in the region of Kedougou where I learned to speak Jaxanke. As an Agroforestry Extension Agent, I helped with various agriculture and agroforestry projects.  We created small-scale nurseries, collected seeds, showcased new and improved agroforestry techniques, and outplanted trees and shrubs around the village. I loved my time in Senegal and miss being there constantly.

After returning to the United States, I moved to Eugene, OR to work at Dorena Genetic Resource Center. I assisted the lead horticulturist in end-to-end native plant restoration, collecting/processing seed, and producing native plants to restore areas affected by fires, floods, and construction. I became the lead irrigator, which was a new problem-solving and damp adventure, and led seed collection trips across Oregon. I also helped develop a seed collection mapping application to track plant populations and store seed collection data.

This leads me to OSU! I just started at OSU this fall to pursue my Masters in Horticulture and work in the Nackley Lab. I am partnered with Sadie Keller on a project looking at stem hydraulics and how it relates to drought in shade trees. I am new to this type of research but am so eager to learn more! I am excited to get our stem hydraulics lab up and running and start the journey of data collection.