Louise Ferguson
CE Pomologist
Tree crop physiology and production of pistachio, olive, citrus, fig, and persimmon. Areas of expertise include seasonal growth phenology, salinity tolerance, alternate bearing, canopy management, mechanical pruning, mechanical harvesting, root stock int
Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, 1984
Research Statement
My research has focused on improving production efficiency and cultivar and rootstock evaluation. Under this general heading, I have concentrated my research in these specific areas:
- Determining salinity tolerance of 4 major pistachio rootstocks.
- Pistachio rootstock trials to determine the contribution of rootstock and scion in alternate bearing, and to evaluate the horticultural performance of four major pistachio rootstocks.
- Pistachio cultivar development and evaluation.
- Evaluation of citrus rootstocks for Satsuma and Clementine mandarins and red grapefruit.
- Evaluation of Satsuma and Clementine mandarin introductions.
- Evaluation of foliar urea sprays on olive.
- Developing mechanical pruning of olives.
- Investigation of etiology of oil scum in canned olives.
- Breeding new cultivars of non-caprifying Calimyrna type figs.
- Investigating effect of pruning on Black Mission fig size.