Plants, People, Science

A sunrise ride to an apple orchard changed everything for Dr. Gina Fernandez—and it might change how you think about berries. We sit down with the NC State distinguished professor and berry breeder to trace the path from cold-hardy apple rootstocks in Minnesota, to thornless blackberries in Arkansas, to a career defining strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries across the Southeast. Along the way, Gina reveals what makes a cultivar truly stand out: not just yields or firmness, but flavor that keeps people coming back.

Gina explains how she first joined NC State to tackle cultural management and methyl bromide alternatives, then stepped into breeding as the program shifted. We dig into the trials that helped launch a North Carolina blackberry industry, why thornlessness and resistance to double blossom were pivotal, and how later threats like orange rust and fusarium reshaped goals. On strawberries, she unpacks the split between shipping acreage and local pick-your-own farms, and more. We also talk about berry varieties Gina and her team have released over the years, specifically the blackberry 'Von' and the raspberry 'Nantahala', as well as the upcoming release of her new blackberry, NC740, to be called 'Ervin'.

Beyond genetics, Gina shares how science moved from solo wins to team science, and how she mentors through “Team Rubus” with weekly cadence, trust, and room for students to grow. Expect practical wisdom for early‑career researchers: travel to see different systems, build writing muscle, and collaborate across pathology, entomology, breeding, and economics to solve real grower problems. If you care about berry breeding, flavor, disease resistance, and how ideas become fruit on the table, this conversation delivers a full plate.
Additional information is available in these articles: 
HortScience "'Von" Thornless Blackberry": https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/48/5/article-p654.xml 
HortScience article, "'Nantahala' Red Raspberry" is available at https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/44/1/article-p25.xml
There are also many other relevant ASHS Journal articles available here.

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Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.

Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!

You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.

Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.

On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!

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Think a great wine grape can’t survive where winters drop to minus forty? We sit down with breeder Dr. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti from North Dakota State University to unpack how a young industry, a focused research program, and some stubborn optimism produced two new cultivars built for the northern plains. From the early days of variety trials and policy hurdles to the release of Dakota Primus and Radiant, Harlene shares how hybrid genetics, gritty selection, and clever management turned a hostile climate into an advantage.

We dig into the science of cold hardiness: why photoperiod sensitivity matters more than you think, how vines must read shortening days to lay down periderm before sudden freezes, and the three critical windows where cold injury strikes—fall acclimation, deep midwinter lows, and late-winter temperature whiplash. Harlene explains the growth calendar for a North Dakota vineyard with just 130 frost-free days, from delayed pruning and cautious budbreak to early-August veraison and mid-September harvests. 

Beyond the vineyard, we explore how the state’s wine scene found its footing, why regulations evolved to support consistent supply, and how tourism now fuels growth. The conversation closes with what’s next: chasing an ultra-cold-hardy red, expanding into table grapes for farmers markets, and celebrating the team effort—students, specialists, and collaborators—that made progress possible. If you’re curious about cold-climate viticulture, breeding under polar vortex pressure, or how science builds regional wine identities, this one’s for you.
Additional information in available in these articles:
Complex Plant Process Trait Evaluation Through Decomposition of Higher-order Interaction: A Case Study in Acclimation Responses of Cold-climate Hybrid Grapevine Through Bilinear and Multiway Methods
Cold Climate Winegrape Cultivar Sensitivity to Sulfur in the Northern Great Plains Region of the United States
‘NDMutant1’: A Novel Determinate Interspecific Grapevine for Genetic and Physiological Study and Breeding Applications
Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more growers and wine lovers find us.
Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.

Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!

You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.

Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.

On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!

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We sit down with our podcast teammate Lena Wilson—fresh off a first-place PhD Graduate Student Poster Competition win—to unpack what it takes to thrive at a major scientific conference, from crafting a clear two-minute story to turning a poster row into a collaboration engine. 

Lena takes us inside a week in New Orleans at her first ASHS Annual Conference. We trade practical tactics for session planning, using the conference app without becoming a prisoner to it, and scheduling specific meetups before everyone’s calendar fills up. You’ll also hear quick voice clips from students, postdocs, faculty, and industry partners sharing what they do while listening to podcasts—tissue grinding, figure polishing, micropropagation - plus why they keep returning to ASHS: community, mentorship, and science that feeds people.

We also look ahead to ASHS 2026 in Dallas, August 3-7, 2026. If you’re a graduate student aiming for your first big presentation, an early-career scientist ready to widen your circle, or a faculty member scouting new collaborations, you’ll leave with a clearer plan and renewed energy.

Subscribe for more conversations with researchers, educators, and industry leaders across horticultural science. Share this episode with a colleague who needs a nudge to submit that abstract, and leave a review to help others discover the show.
Find more information about the ASHS Annual Conference at https://ashs.org/page/ASHSAnnualConference.
Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.

Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!

You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.

Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.

On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!

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Dr. Chad Miller from Colorado State University shares his innovative approach to teaching horticulture through a classroom trade show format that transforms traditional plant identification courses into engaging, multidimensional learning experiences. As the 2024 ASHS Outstanding Undergraduate Educator award winner, he discusses how he combines plant knowledge with professional skill development to prepare students for success beyond the classroom.

• Creating a trade show environment where students showcase plant knowledge creatively
• Moving beyond memorization to develop professional communication skills
• Using peer evaluation to help students learn to give and receive constructive feedback
• Approaching teaching as scholarship worthy of research and publication
• Balancing high expectations with understanding of students' complex lives
• Finding joy in seeing students succeed professionally
• Establishing a classroom culture where it's safe to not know and to learn from mistakes

To read more about Dr. Miller's teaching approach, check out his award-winning paper "Classroom Trade Show: An Alternative to Traditional Classroom Presentations in an Undergraduate Plant Identification Course" in HortTechnology. If you're interested in teaching innovations in horticulture, consider joining the ASHS Teaching Methods Interest Group.

Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.

Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!

You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.

Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.

On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!

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The science behind your garden hydrangeas involves far more than just planting and watering. Dr. Lisa Alexander, a research geneticist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, takes us on a fascinating journey from her first days pollinating chestnut trees in a 70-foot bucket truck to her current work revolutionizing hydrangea breeding at the National Arboretum.

Working from the heart of Tennessee's nursery country, Dr. Alexander explains how she's mapping the genetic diversity of oakleaf hydrangea across its six-state native range. Her team has identified six distinct genetic populations, some containing rare genes that might help plants survive drought or cold temperatures. This groundbreaking research comes at a critical time – they've discovered that urbanization has already caused these beautiful native plants to disappear from many previously recorded locations.

The economic stakes are significant. Hydrangeas represent a $155 million industry, ranking as the second best-selling woody shrub behind roses. By understanding the genetic blueprint controlling traits like plant size, flower structure, and environmental adaptations, breeders can develop improved varieties that combine beauty with resilience.

Dr. Alexander also discusses the exciting launch of "Hort Genomes" – a new initiative creating a dedicated home for specialty crop genomic data within the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. This resource will accelerate research across horticultural fields by centralizing crucial genetic information previously scattered across publications or unavailable to the scientific community.

Whether you're a backyard gardener admiring your hydrangeas or a scientist breeding the next generation of ornamental plants, this episode reveals the remarkable intersection of traditional horticulture with cutting-edge genomics that's shaping the future of our gardens.
Read the JASHS article “Precipitation, Temperature, and Population Structure Influence Genetic Diversity of Oakleaf Hydrangea Throughout Its Native Range” at https://www.doi.org/10.21273/JASHS05255-22.

Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.

Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!

You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.

Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.

On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!

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