IPPS Annual Meeting 2019 speaker profile: Monday, October 14th - Dr. Mengmeng Gu
Monday, October 14th 2019 Annual Meeting Speaker Preview
Dr. Mengmeng Gu
Associate Professor- Extension Specialist/Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
PROGRAM DETAILS: The effects of biochar incorporation on plant growth in container production
Dr. Gu has been conducting container substrate research for the past 20 years. Biochar refers to a carbon-rich material made from biomass. Biochar can be produced through pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal carbonization of various feedstocks. Biochar produced through different production conditions or feedstocks affects biochar properties and how biochar performs when being incorporated in container substrates. Biochar incorporation affects the physical and chemical properties of container substrates including bulk density, total porosity, container capacity, nutrient availability, pH, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity. We will talk about effects of biochar incorporation on plant growth in containers.
BIO: Dr. Mengmeng Gu is an Associate Professor/Ornamental Extension Specialist in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in College Station, TX. She is the liaison between Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and TNLA and serves on TNLA Education Committee and Park & Patio Task Force. Dr. Gu is currently leading the multi-disciplinary multi-state effort to manage crapemyrtle bark scale and she’s also interested in sustainable practices in horticulture production and landscapes, such as container substrate research. She blogs and provides regular FREE webinars at https://greenviion.wordpress.com. She is also the BEST horticulture tour guide in China.