Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Dr. Edith Allen
Professor of Plant Ecology & CE Natural Resources Specialist

Effects of invasive species on native vegetation, weed competition and succession, mycorrhizal fungi, effects of urbanization and agriculture on native ecosystems, and restoration ecology.

Dr. Mary Lu Arpaia
CE Subtropical Horticulture Specialist

Cooperative Extension Specialist - Evaluation of preharvest and postharvest factors on subtropical crop productivity and fruit quality, including rootstocks, cultivar, irrigation, pesticide, and nutrition management strategies

Dr. James Baird
CE Assistant Turfgrass Specialist

Turfgrass variety improvement and selection, plant stress physiology related to temperature and water, and natural resource concerns, including water allocation and management, energy conservation, atmospheric quality or other issues at the intersection of Turfgrass landscapes with native and production agricultural areas.

Dr. David A. Grantz
Plant Physiologist and Cooperative Extension Air Quality Effects Specialist; Research Plant Phyiologist, Air Pollution Research Center.

Cooperative Extension Specialist - Environmental Physiology/Air Quality Effects.

Dr. Robert Green
Turfgrass Research Specialist

Specialist - Research activity is in two primary areas: defining irrigation requirements of turfgrasses and annual bluegrass putting green management. Dr. Green also provides leadership for the University of California Turfgrass Research Advisory Committee (UCRTRAC) and the UCR Turf.

• UCR TURF
• UCR TURF Publications

Dr. Milton E. McGiffen
Vice Chair, Cooperative Extension
Associate CE Vegetable Crops Specialist and Assistant Plant Physiologist

Associate Cooperative Extension Specialist - Weed science, vegetable crops, and sustainable agriculture

Dr. Alan McHughen
CE Biotechnology Specialist and Geneticist

Cooperative Extension Specialist - Biotechnology for sustainable agriculture. Policy development and public education.

Dr. Don Merhaut
Assistant Extension Specialist for Ornamental and Floriculture Crops

Cooperative Extension Specialist-Nursery Floriculturist/Horticulturist

• California Ornamental Research Federation (CORF) News

Dennis Pittenger
Cooperative Extension Area Environmental Horticulturist, Central Coast & South Region

CE Area Extension Advisor - Environmental Horticulture. Educational and applied research programs that address problems in the functional use of ornamental plants in urban landscape settings. Plant-soil relationships, species selection, and landscape irrigation conservation

• The California Master Gardener Handbook