Comprehensive Strategic Plan for The Department of Horticultural Sciences Texas A&M University

1 May, 1994

I. Assessment of Progress versus the Current Plan

Rapid progress has been made toward the goal of integrating molecular biology into traditional programs. With the hiring of a molecular geneticist and the subsequent equipping of molecular labs in the Horticulture/Forest Sciences Building and in the Center for Southern Crop Improvement, the investments are paying dividends. Graduate students and post docs are being trained, federal and corporate funding has been secured, and collaborative projects between molecular scientists and traditional plant breeders and physiologists are underway.

The departmental computer lab has been expanded with the addition of new color Macintosh units, and several applications have been developed and are being tested. Included are a plant materials information database (PlantStax), a plant morphology terminology teaching aid, and a pecan variety identification unit. Six workstations were added to the statewide EMail network being tested by the Agriculture Program, and funds are presently being sought to network every workstation in the department. Several horticulture groups in the US and abroad are developing informational applications on the Internet, and we will proceed into this area as funds become available. The Master Gardener training materials and several items of interest to consumers are presently available on the Texas A&M gopher server, and by Internet, to the rest of the world.

Priority Initiative 2. Enhance cooperation between applied and basic sciences to solve horticultural problems; build upon the concept of the Vegetable Improvement Center, and bring it into reality.

The Vegetable Improvement Center has launched a major initiative toward developing vegetables with improved health and nutrition qualities. Major seed companies, packers and shippers, grocery chains, and food processors have joined as members. An analytical laboratory, tissue culture lab, growth chamber facility, and several offices have been outfitted in the Center. One industry scientist has located in Center, and others have expressed interest. A consortium of plant and medical scientists is being assembled to begin cooperative research and federal funds are being sought to fund the project. The conceptual framework of the Center has been validated, and it is likely to serve as a model for other academic/industry consortia.

Priority Initiative 3. Examine departmental role in post-production handling of horticultural commodities, including processing, packaging, marketing, and other "value-added" dimensions.

Limited processing and packaging of fresh vegetables (prepared salads, fruit slices, deli trays, peeled carrots, and the like) is a rapidly expanding market. Several shipper/packers have added the facilites to their operations, and our food processing program has been redirected to meet this emerging need. Furthermore, several of our extension specialists have worked closely with producers, individually and in small groups, to assist them in direct marketing of their products. The interdisciplinary CEMAP team nurtures new ornamental plants from product development to cropping system refinement to marketing assistance at the retail level.

II. Mission and Long Term Goals (through the 1990s)

The department is striving for excellence by the incorporation of molecular, genetic, biological, and computer technologies into all programs. These technologies will be integrated with traditional methods where possible, and will serve as the nucleus of new thrusts where appropriate. Every effort will be made to communicate the need for technological advancement to our traditional clientele.

Goals and Objectives

Examine the undergraduate and graduate curricula to optimize exposure of students to basic and applied science, principles and practices of horticulture, international dimensions, urban and sociohorticulture, advanced technology, and trends in the profession.

Increase statewide extension and research contacts to obtain greater industry support for departmental and college programs.

III. Environmental Assessment

The Horticulture Program at Texas A&M University, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Texas Agricultural Extension Service has a long history of outstanding service to the diverse horticultural industry of Texas. Recognized on the aggregate as the nations third largest horticultural state, the industries contribute in excess of one billion dollars in actual production value to the state's economy. If conservative multipliers are applied to estimate the contribution of the horticultural industries to the total economy, then that figure rises to over three billion dollars.

The diverse ornamentals industry (greenhouse, foliage, nursery, garden center, landscaping, maintenance, etc.) is the largest and most rapidly expanding segment, and the vegetable industry (onions, pepper, lettuce, potato, melons, dried beans, etc.) is ranked second.

Although well behind ornamentals and vegetables in economic impact, the fruit and nut industries are sizeable in comparison to most other states. Production of small fruits for local consumption is a rapidly expanding opportunity in East Texas.

Production horticulture is confronted with extremes of environment with regard to temperature (the state spans 8 USDA cold hardiness zones), with climates ranging from temperate (Amarillo) to subtropical (McAllen). Extremes of rainfall exist as well; from the arid desert in El Paso (<7 in average rainfall) to the humid, wet coastal environment on the Gulf Coast (Houston, >60 in average rainfall).

The industry is segmented on the basis of business type (farmer/producer, greenhouse/producer, retailer, service provider (landscaper, florist)), scale of business (large scale, national and international exporters to roadside markets and pick-your-own operations).

Demographically, the largest clientele base is the consumer. Over 80% of American households have gardens; most have vegetable gardens, a slightly fewer number have ornamental gardens.

The Texas Agriculture Program in the past has addressed the issue of horticultural diversity by:

• 1. Conducting an aggressive applied research program;
• 2. Assembling one of the finest teams of production oriented horticulture extension specialists in the country;
• 3. Executing perhaps the best undergraduate teaching programs in the country (especially when student leadership development is factored in); and,
• 4. Responding to the needs of most segments of horticulture.

The Horticulture Program in the past has not addressed all needs equally well:

• 1. Basic research, alone or integrated into other programs, has been underrepresented;
• 2. Techniques of molecular biology have not been integrated successfully into research or plant breeding programs;
• 3. Graduate programs have suffered due to an extraordinarily heavy teaching load on students;
• 4. Computer applications have been integrated into the teaching program only sparingly;
• 5. Value-added horticulture has received too little attention;
• 6. Consumer horticulture issues have received little attention; and,
• 7. Geographic and administrative segregation has prevented a conceptual unification of the members of the Program into one body.
• 8. Development of and interaction with other horticultural professionals outside the Texas A&M University System.

IV. Strategies and Near Term Objectives

The near term strategy is to achieve the transition in leadership in as smooth a manner as possible. Unfinished items of major business include the revision of the statewide Horticulture Program promotion and tenure guidelines, implementation of the equipment fee for laboratory course sections, planning and installing a network server and electronic mail capability in the entire department, and continuing to help plan for new horticulture farm and greenhouse facilities.

V. Programs Targeted for Redirection

• Redirect some resources previously devoted to stress physiology of plants in the urban landscape toward horticultural environmental education (Zajicek initiative with Sol y Sombra).
• Strengthen the commitment of resources toward urban gardening (Novak initiative in the Houston Urban Gardening program).
• As new leadership is recruited to fill the vacant department head's position, consider refocusing the position previously devoted to ornamental tissue culture toward molecular aspects of horticultural crop improvement.

  VI. Priorities and New Initiatives

  • Integrate molecular and computer technology into traditional programs; strengthen linkages to the basic sciences through the Center for Southern Crop Improvement.
  • Enhance cooperation between applied and basic sciences to solve horticultural problems; build upon the concept of the Vegetable Research Center, and expand it into other vegetable programs. Develop mechanisms to allow for international cooperation in educational programs and germplasm evaluation.
  • Examine departmental role in post-production handling of horticultural commodities, including processing, packaging, marketing, and other "value-added" dimensions.
  • Develop resources necessary to assist Texas horticultural industries as they move toward the expanding world marketplace.
  • An increased emphasis toward recruitment of high-ability students will be made. The human capital upon which the future of horticulture will be built depends on getting the best and brightest undergraduate and graduate students interested in horticulture as a career. The strategy for achieving this goal involves the implementation of an honors program, developing honors sections of our core courses, and placing a high priority on recruiting outstanding graduate students.
  • A major focus of plant improvement programs will be to use all the scientific tools at our disposal (including analytical, molecular, and traditional genetic) to document and improve the role of fruit and vegetable consumption in the prevention of disease. Our scientists must team with individuals in the medical community to validate this work, and communicators to relay the information to the consuming public.
  • Gardening is practiced by almost 80% of American homeowners. Many more families depend upon small plot horticulture to supplement their incomes. These individuals must be educated concerning the best management practices, integrated pest management, and water use efficient techniques for crop production. These groups are most likely to adapt and benefit from the concepts of sustainable agriculture.
  • The agricultural ecosystem is poorly understood by the public, and misinformation has been used as a powerful tool against production agriculture. Little environmental information is taught in the public schools. As an increasingly large number of children never have exposure to nature and natural systems because they live in urban environments, the need for such education increases. Horticultural systems using ornamental, fruit and vegetable plants serve as convenient models for such educational units because they are readily adapted to incorporation into the classroom setting.
  • NAFTA focused attention on the need for increased international awareness among horticultural graduates. Our students need to gain proficiency in Spanish, and must be exposed to business practices and culture in Mexican agriculture. Part of this awareness can be incorporated into classroom instruction; however, international student exchanges must be required to achieve the degree of cultural awareness needed to be successful.