News related to Department of Plant Agriculture

Professor Hugh Earl has been appointed as the new chair of the Department of Plant Agriculture for a five-year term effective January 1, 2017.

The Department of Plant Agriculture is pleased to announce two new appointments serving turfgrass education, research and outreach effective June 27^th, 2016.

Stephen Fleischauer will assume the role of the Associate Diploma in Turfgrass (ADTM) Program Director, and Prof. Eric Lyons will assume the role of Director for the Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) as part of his faculty duties.

“I am excited to welcome Steve and Eric into these new roles,” shares Prof. Hugh Earl, Interim Chair of the Department. 

A lot has happened in the past 100 years. From the first electric can opener to the first mobile phone, the human population has continually innovated and improved upon products of the past. However, to have something last 100 years is an uncommon feat.

The establishment of an Ontario hazelnut industry would enhance the agricultural product offerings of Ontario, and also create many much-needed jobs in rural communities. However, there are also many environmental benefits that hazelnut production can offer Ontario.

When you hear the world “truffle” what comes to mind? Some might think of a chocolate treat, but for Charles Shearer, a master’s student in the Department of Plant Agriculture, he thinks of a mushroom with great potential for intercropping in hazelnut orchards.

Adam Dale, college professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Agriculture, has been making headlines for his research on bringing hazelnut production to Ontario. Together with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Ontario Hazelnut Association, Adam is helping to establish an Ontario hazelnut industry through his efforts to determine the most productive tree varieties for the province.