Horticultural Reviews, Volume 49. Группа авторов

as an outstanding scientist is demonstrated by the number of invitations to participate in international symposia and conferences. His integrated, up‐to‐date, and always evolving approach with scientific issues is an extraordinary example for young researchers in the field of postharvest horticulture.”

      Chris is very involved in the teaching and supervision of graduate students, having had primary responsibility for 14 PhD and 9 MS candidates over the past 27 years. Those students have come from many different countries including China, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as the USA. He has also hosted many different collaborators and scientists from around the world in his laboratory.

      Chris has a strong record of outputs in his specialised research fields. He and his colleagues have published over 164 peer‐reviewed scientific manuscripts, 20 book chapters, 51 papers in conference proceedings, 87 abstracts of papers presented at professional meetings, and over 125 grower articles, newsletters, and articles in technical bulletins.

      Dr. Peter Toivonen, Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada in Summerland, observes that “Chris matches his achievements with a good balance of humanity and humility. This makes him very approachable, and he encourages interaction with young scientists and also encourages them forward in their careers. He can criticize colleagues work without offending them and also take criticism of his work constructively. He has an open mind and an open heart to students and colleagues like myself. Success and humanity are not often found in the same person, but they are in Chris Brian Watkins.”

      Dr. Watkins has been widely recognised for his research achievements. These include: Fellow of the International Society for Horticultural Science (2021); Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (2015); The 2016 B.Y. Morrison Lecture invitee, American Society for Horticultural Science; CALS Alumni Association Outstanding Faculty Award; The 2013 George Goodling Memorial Lecturer, State Horticultural Society of Pennsylvania; The Crystal Apple Award of the Director of the Szczepan Pieniazek Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Skierniewice, Poland (2010); Chairman of the Gordon Conference on Postharvest Physiology (2006); and ASHS Outstanding Extension Educator Award (2005).

In addition, he has been an invited speaker at over one hundred national and international meetings in many countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Poland, Spain, China, South Korea, Turkey, Canada, and Israel. He has also extensively presented scientific addresses across many states in the USA and within New York State.

      New Zealand colleague, Dr. Allan Woolf observes “Chris convened a Gordon conference, the most elite postharvest conference (2006), and has been an active member of many international conferences in various roles. His presence is always positive, both scientifically and socially, Chris has a very inclusive manner that brings together researchers from around the world. He has collaborated strongly at regional, national, and international levels. He is an active participant in the regional meetings of apple researchers in northern USA/Canada (such as the multistate project “NE1836”), and a great example of his international collaboration is the National Institute Food and Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative metabolomics project on development of prediction tools for several apple physiological disorders, which involved researchers from New York, Washington, New Zealand, and Belgium.”

      Dr. Watkins has been and continues to be involved in the leadership of scientific publishing. He is currently (2021 onwards) Editor‐in‐Chief of Postharvest Biology and Technology being previously (2016 to 2020) Associate Editor and (1993–2011) Editorial Board member; Associate Editor, Horticulture Research (2013–2017); Associate Editor, HortScience (Postharvest: temperate fruits) (1999–2004); and Editorial Advisory Board, Encyclopaedia of Applied Plant Sciences (2013–2016). He has been a referee for 27 scientific journals.

      Throughout his career, Dr. Watkins has been a strong supporter of both the ASHS and the ISHS. He is currently Chair, ISHS Commission Quality and Postharvest Horticulture (2014–2022) and he has published 33 papers in Acta Horticulturae over the period from 1989 to the present. Within the ASHS, he was the Postharvest Working Group Chair (1988–1999) and has been the Extension Division Vice‐President (2018–2020) on the Board of Directors.

Chris observes, as he reflects on his career, that his success has been built on interactions and partnerships with incredible individuals. These include the mentors who have guided his path, starting with Professor John Brown who “captured” his imagination of plant physiology during his BSc with his class on photosynthetic metabolism; Errol Hewett and Ian Ferguson in DSIR/HortResearch; his PhD advisor, Chaim Frenkel, who truly believed that a PhD is a degree of philosophy – not a degree that is solely research based; and especially a William Bramlage whose impact on his career will never be forgotten. These mentors, as role models, have guided his career over decades. Most importantly, success lies in great colleagues, postdoctoral associates, visiting fellows, and students – without their contributions, he would never have had the productive, but also the enjoyable, career that he has had. Postharvest science is competitive, but in a warm and collaborative fashion. He offers heartfelt thanks to all his colleagues.

      Professor Watkins and his wife Lisa have a son and a daughter. Their son, Christopher is based in New York City and their daughter, Catherine, is soon to be continuing her training in New Zealand, the country close to the heart of the whole family.

      Professor Randolph Beaudry, Michigan State University summarizes Dr. Watkins’ many contributions as follows: “I am always impressed by Chris’s ability to handle so many tasks while he continues to fully serve his regional, national, and international clientele. Chris has had an outsized impact on the field of postharvest physiology and biology and, through his leadership, has strengthened institutions and helped to assure their continued success and positive impacts on society.”

      Ian Warrington

      Emeritus Professor

      Massey University

      Palmerston North

      New Zealand

1 Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangeaquercifolia Bartr.): Horticulture, Genetics, Breeding, and Conservation

       Andrew Sherwood, Matthew D. Clark, and Stan C. Hokanson

      Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA

      ABSTRACT

      Oakleaf hydrangea is a shrub that is native to the southeastern United States and is growing in popularity as an ornamental plant. Like other cultivated hydrangea species, oakleaf hydrangea has showy flowers but also has unique phenotypic characteristics that provide additional value as an ornamental shrub. Despite the enormous popularity of hydrangeas as garden plants, little research has been done on oakleaf hydrangea. This review synthesizes the existing oakleaf hydrangea literature and draws on work done in other Hydrangea species to bring attention to the current knowledge and identify gaps to be filled. After introducing the genus, the review focuses on the horticultural aspects of oakleaf hydrangea, genetics and breeding of several selected traits, as well as the conservation concerns for the species. Finally, future lines of research that would provide valuable information for the breeding and conservation of oakleaf hydrangea are suggested.

      Keywords: North American native plant; ornamental plant breeding; woody ornamental; genetic variation; horticultural variation;

      1  INTRODUCTION

      2  HISTORY AND TAXONOMY OF HYDRANGEA

      3  NATURAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF HYDRANGEA SPECIES

      4