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Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center

ID

AREC-75NP (AREC-297NP)

Authors as Published

HAMPTON ROADS

Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Photo of people explaining and listening on the field
Jeffrey Derr and Adam Nichols conduct turfgrass research at the station in conjunction with their turf team colleagues in Blacksburg. Weed management and cultivar evaluation experiments are conducted each year and are shown at an annual field day in June. Trials are conducted primarily on tall fescue, bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and St. Augustine.

The Hampton Roads AREC addresses water management, pest control, and production practices for horticultural crops and landscapes.

Faculty members work closely with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, the Virginia Turfgrass Council, AmericanHort, and the Virginia Strawberry Growers Association, among others. Master Gardener volunteers help maintain the arboretum, butterfly garden, tree trail, and 10 other demonstration gardens that are open to the public.

A plant pathologist addresses nursery diseases and tactics to reduce disease inoculum in recycled irrigation water. A horticulturist utilizes rain gardens and other sustainable techniques to demonstrate water management in landscape settings. Modeling and managing urban stormwater for cities and watersheds in Virginia is a top priority for the AREC’s water engineer. An entomologist addresses new insect pests that target nursery crops, while a weed scientist conducts research to control troublesome weed species in ornamentals, turfgrass, and fruit production. The evaluation of new strawberry and blackberry varieties for the region, along with alternatives to methyl bromide fumigation, are under the purview of the AREC’s small fruit specialist.

Photo of JILL CALABRO

“The environmental horticulture industry acknowledges and appreciates Chuanxue Hong and his research team’s dedication to helping nursery and landscape managers better manage boxwood blight. Their work – from using mulch to finding biological controls and developing educational materials – helps ensure that boxwood, the most important evergreen shrub, production and use will continue.”

JILL CALABRO, PH.D.
SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAMS DIRECTOR AMERICANHORT AND HRI

A group of people watching plants in front of a building

“Laurie Fox and Master Gardener volunteers maintain a wide range of demonstration gardens at the station, including a butterfly garden, tree trail, vegetable garden, annual flower evaluations, and a woody plant arboretum, among other gardens. These gardens are open to the general public and receive thousands of visitors each year.”

HAMPTON ROADS AREC AT A GLANCE

DISCIPLINES

  • Nursery crops
  • Pest management
  • Small fruit production
  • Stormwater management
  • Turfgrass maintenance
  • Greenhouse Production

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

  • Anaerobic soil disinfestation
  • Digital image analysis
  • Solar-heated greenhouse
  • Stormwater modeling
  • Use of drones

FACILITIES

  • 7 laboratories
  • 7 greenhouses
  • 3 classrooms
  • Container and field research areas

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

  • Nursery industry
  • Lawn care
  • Landscape industry
  • Strawberry producers
  • City governments

ABOUT THE HAMPTON ROADS AREC

The Hampton Roads AREC conducts research and extension programs that benefit container and field nursery producers, turfgrass managers, landscape maintenance firms, small fruit producers, and local government officials addressing urban stormwater management. The station has a focus on water use, including irrigation efficiency, diseases in recycled water, and offsite movement of nutrients. Faculty members also work with horticultural crops, addressing disease, invasive insects, and weed pests.

A COLLABORATIVE NETWORK

The ARECs are a network of 11 centers strategically located throughout the state that emphasize close working relationships between Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the industries the work with. The mission of the system is to engage in innovative, leading-edge research to discover new scientific knowledge and create and disseminate science-based applications that ensure the wise use of agricultural, natural, and community resources while enhancing quality of life.

Virginia map with a network of 11 center and indicating the location of The Hampton Roads AREC

PARTNER WITH US

1444 Diamond Springs Road Virginia Beach, VA 23455
(757) 363-3900
www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/arec/hampton-roads

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Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or any other basis protected by law.

Publication Date

January 1, 2024