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Merwin, Ian Alexander
Cornell Faculty Member
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Positions
- Professor, Horticulture (HORT), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
- Academic Director, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University
My program emphasizes teaching and research equally. In each realm my goal is to develop more sustainable approaches and systems for growing fruit crops, increasing the value of farm products, and sustaining the rural communities and natural resources of New York and elsewhere around the nation and world.
Research Areas
- agroforestry
- biological control
- compost
- crop management or crop science
- ecology
- enology
- environmental sciences
- food system and/or policy
- fruit and vegetable production
- horticultural sciences
- integrated crop management
- international agriculture
- international development
- nutrient management
- soil health
- sustainable agriculture
- value-added agriculture
- water resource management
Websites
- Affiliations
- Extension
- Research
- Publications
- Teaching
- Service
- Background
- Other
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Affiliations
other Cornell affiliations
member of
- David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future (ACSF) Faculty Fellow
Extension
has primary specialization area
Research
research overview
- I work on diverse fruit crops including tree fruits, winegrapes, and novel crops such as pawpaws and antique apple varieties. Some of my projects have continued for more than a decade, investigating long-term impacts and aspects of perennial crop systems. Current research areas include biological control of soilborne diseases of apples, nutrient dynamics in orchards under various soil management systems, cultural practices to improve winegrape quality, tree root demography, and evaluation of traditional American and European apple varieties for cider fermentation.
research activities
- Biological control and etiology of apple replant disease
- Enhancing organic agriculture research and extension in the Northeast U.S.
- Evaluating and reducing soil erosion and agrichemicals runoff and leaching in hillside avocado orchards of Chile
- Quantifying and Enhancing the Role of Native Bees in Apple Pollination
- Understanding the ecology of apple summer diseases in orchard environments as the basis of disease management
co-principal investigator on
area(s) of concentration/expertise
keywords
- Agroecology
- Orchard management
- Root biology
- Soil resources
- Vineyard management
geographic focus
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country
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new york state geographical region
submitted impact statement
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- Root distribution and demography in an avocado (Persea americana) orchard under groundcover management systems. . Functional Plant Biology. 2013
- Soil erosion, runoff and nutrient losses in an avocado (Persea Americana Mill) hillside orchard under different groundcover management systems.. Plant and Soil. 2012
- Soil health indicators, apple tree growth, and carbon sequestrations differ among orchard groundcover management systems. Acta Horticulturae. 938:333-339. 2012
- Long-term effects of four groundcover management systems in an apple orchard. HortScience. 46:1176-1183. 2011
- Nitrogen dynamics and nutrient budgets in four orchard groundcover management systems. HortScience. 46:1184-1193. 2011
- Soil properties change during the transition to integrated and organic apple production in a New York orchard. Applied Soil Ecology. 48:18-30. 2011
- Integrated and organic fruit production systems for 'Liberty' apple in the Northeast United States: A systems-based evaluation. HortScience. 45:1038-1048. 2010
- Rootstock genotype succession influences apple replant disease and root-zone microbial community composition in and orchard soil. Plant and Soil. 337:259-272. 2010
- Apple root growth, turnover, and distribution under different orchard groundcover management systems. HortScience. 44:168-175. 2009
- Maturity and quality of 'Liberty' apple fruit under integrated and organic fruit production systems are similar. HortScience. 44:1382-1389. 2009
- Soil Microbial Community Composition Under Integrated and Organic Apple Systems in a New York Orchard . HortScience. 44:1081-1081. 2009
- Cider apples and cider-making techniques in Europe and North America. HortReviews (Annual Review of Horticultural Science). 34:365-414. 2008
- Long-term orchard groundcover management systems affect soil microbial communities and apple replant disease severity. Plant and Soil. 304:209-225. 2008
- Harvest date affects colour and soluble solids concentrations (SSC) of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruits from natural woodlands. Agroforestry Systems. 69. 2007
- Influence of geotextile mulches on canopy microclimate, yield, and fruit composition of Cabernet franc. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 58:431-442. 2007
- Influence of undervine floor management on weed competition, vine nutrition, and yields of Pinot noir. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 58:421-430. 2007
- Microbial community development in the rhizosphere of apple trees at a replant disease site. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 39:1645-1654. 2007
- Performance of Apple Cultivars in the 1999 NE-183 Regional Project Planting. I. Growth and Yield Characteristics. Journal of American Pomological Society. 61:84-96. 2007
- Characterization of Fermented Cider Apple Cultivars Grown in Upstate New York. Journal of the American Pomological Society. 60:113-128. 2006
- Fruit variability and relationships between color at harvest and quality during storage of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruit from natural woodlands. HortScience. 41:352-356. 2006
- Harvesting and postharvest handling practices and characteristics of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) fruits: A survey of roadside markets in Malawi. Agroforestry Systems. 68:133-142. 2006
- Postharvest damage and darkening in fresh fruit of Uapaca kirkiana (Muell.Arg.). Postharvest Biology and Technology. 39:199-203. 2006
- Root dynamics of apple rootstocks in a replanted orchard. HortScience. 41:1149-1155. 2006
- Rootstock selection, preplant soil treatments, and tree planting positions as factors in managing apple replant disease. HortScience. 41:394-401. 2006
- Soil fumigation and compost amendment alter soil microbial community composition but do not improve tree growth or yield in an apple replant site. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 38:587-599. 2006
- Effect of cultivar and site on fruit quality as demonstrated by the NE-183 regional project on apple cultivars. HortTechnology. 15:886-895. 2005
- Orchard floor management practices that maintain vegetative or biomass groundcover stimulate soil microbial activity and alter soil microbial community composition. Plant and Soil. 271:377-389. 2005
- Performance of apple cultivars in the 1995 NE-183 regional project planting: I. Growth and yield characteristics. Journal of American Pomological Society. 59:18-27. 2005
- Multidisciplinary evaluation of new apple cultivars: The NE-183 regional project. Journal of American Pomological Society. 58:61-64. 2004
- Nitrogen fertilization, midsummer trunk girdling, and AVG treatments affect maturity and quality of ‘Jonagold’ apples. HortScience. 39:493-500. 2004
- Performance of apple cultivars in the 1995 NE-183 regional project planting: II. Fruit quality characteristics. Journal of American Pomological Society. 58:65-77. 2004
- Performance of ‘Braeburn,’ ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Yataka Fuji’ apple on Mark and M.9 rootstocks at multiple locations across North America. Journal of American Pomological Society. 58:78-89. 2004
- Rootstock genotype and orchard replant position rather than soil fumigation or compost amendment determine tree growth and rhizosphere bacterial community composition in an apple replant soil. Plant and Soil. 264:247-260. 2004
- Fruit size, yield and market value of ‘Goldrush’ apple are affected by amount, timing and method of nitrogen fertilization. HortTechnology. 13:5-13. 2003
- Survival, growth and establishment of grafted pawpaws in upstate New York. HortTechnology. 13:421-422. 2003
- Soil physical conditions in a New York orchard after eight years under different groundcover management systems. Plant and Soil. 234:233-237. 2001
- Malus germplasm varies in resistance or tolerance to apple replant disease in a mixture of New York orchard soils. HortScience. 35:262-268. 2000
- Root growth phenology, root longevity, and rhizosphere respiration of field grown ‘Mutsu’ apple trees on ‘Malling 9’ rootstocks. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science. 125:596-602. 2000
- Water stress affects rhizosphere respiration rates and root morphology of young apple trees on M.9 and MM.111 rootstocks. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science. 125:588-595. 2000
- Orchard groundcover management systems affect meadow vole populations and damage to apple trees. HortScience. 34:271-274. 1999
- Spatial and temporal factors in weed interference with newly planted apple trees. HortScience. 32:633-637. 1997
- Groundcover Management Systems Influence Fungicide and Nitrate-N Concentrations in Leachate and Runoff from a New York Apple Orchard. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science. 121:249-257. 1996
- Assessing Environmental Impacts of Alternative Approaches to Controlling Apple Pests. Northeast Sustainable Apple Production. 5:9-13. 1995
- Assessing the relative environmental impacts of agricultural pesticides: The quest for a holistic method. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 55:153-168. 1995
- Comparison of mulches, herbicides, and cultivation systems for orchard groundcover management. HortTechnology. 5:151-158. 1995
- A Simple Equation for Predicting Preferential Flow Solute Concentrations. Journal of Environmental Quality. 23:1058-1064. 1994
- Chemical repellents and plastic netting for reducing bird damage to sweet cherries, blueberries, and grapes. HortScience. 29:1151-1155. 1994
- Chemical repellents may reduce bird depredation in fruit plantings. HortScience. 29:1151-1155. 1994
- Diagnosis of apple replant problems in New York orchard soils, and evaluation of nematode-suppressive cover crops. Acta Horticulturae. 363:121-128. 1994
- Diagnosis, etiology and management of replant disorders in New York cherry and apple orchards. Acta Horticulturae. 363:33-42. 1994
- Evaluation of four new scab-resistant apple varieties compared with ‘Empire’ in New York orchards. Fruit Varieties Journal. 48:54-56. 1994
- Field evaluation of scab-resistant cultivars compared with ‘Empire’ in New York orchards. Fruit Varieties Journal. 48:54-56. 1994
- Orchard groundcover management impacts on soil physical properties. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science. 119:216-222. 1994
- Persistence, phytotoxicity, and management of arsenic, lead and mercury residues in old orchard soils of New York State. Chemosphere. 29:1361-1367. 1994
- Scab-resistant apples for the northeastern USA: New prospects and old problems. Plant Disease. 78:4-10. 1994
- Are modern fruit production systems sustainable?. HortTechnology. 3:128-136. 1993
- Influence of orchard groundcover management on the development of Phytophthora crown and root rots of apple. Plant Disease. 76:199-205. 1992
- Root-lesion nematodes, potassium deficiency, and prior cover crops as factors in apple replant disease. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science. 114:724-728. 1989
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article
- Some antique apples for modern orchards 2008
- Management strategies for apple replant disease 2006
- Field performance of grafted and seedling chestnuts in New York 2005
- Groundcover management effects on orchard production, nutrition, and soil and water quality 2004
- Development and testing of a shrouded flame weeder for non-chemical weed control 2003
- Developing an integrated program for diagnosis and control of replant problems in New York apple orchards 2001
- Developing an integrated program for diagnosis and control of replant problems in New York apple orchards 2001
- Effects of ReTain, nitrogen fertilization, and mid-summer trunk scoring on fruit color and quality of ‘Jonagold’ apples 2000
- Hard Cider: An old-new apple product 1999
- What we have learned about new apple varieties 1999
- What we have learned about new apple varieties 1999
- Weeds in the Orchard: Friends or Foes? 1996
- Assessing environmental impacts of alternative approaches to controlling apple pests 1995
- Managing orchard replant disease without toxic soil fumigants 1995
- American scientists' impressions of the Hungarian fruit industry 1994
- Developing IPM systems for orchard weed control 1994
- How to beat the odds growing peaches in New York 1994
- Questions and answers about the integrated production. Agrofórum. 5:12-18. 1994
- Sustainable agriculture: New paradigm or passing fad? 1994
- Alternatives to herbicides for orchard weed control 1993
- Disease-resistant Apples: New Options for Growers 1993
- Nut-trees for the Northeast 1993
- Report on joint US-Hungarian project on sustainable production systems for apples 1993
- Pros, cons and costs of alternative orchard mulches 1992
- Growing peaches is possible despite perennial canker disease 1991
- Replanting an old orchard site? Fix those problems first! 1991
- Plants with powers: Pest-control potentials of some familiar species 1989
- Training "5-n-1" fruit trees 1989
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book
-
chapter
- Antique apples: A guide for eaters and growers. The best apples to buy and grow. 16-23. 2005
- Orchard Floor Management Systems. Apples: Botany, Production and Uses. 303-318. 2003
- Orchard floor management. The Concise Encyclopedia of Temperate Tree Fruits. 195-202. 2003
- Weed management in tree fruit, nuts, citrus, and vine crops. Weed management in horticultural crops. 17-29. 1998
- Site selection and preparation. Bramble Production Guide. 19-26. 1989
- Weed management and permanent cover crops. Bramble Production Guide. 79-84. 1989
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conference paper
- Life after HoneyCrisp in a Proprietary world: A strategy for Niche Market apples. GLFW Meeting. 2008
- Multi-level comparisons of organic and integrated fruit production systems for Liberty apple in New York. IFOAM Organic World Congress. 2008
- Re-examining our strategies of weed control. Proc. 138th Mtg. Penn. State Hort. Assoc., Hershey, PA. 74-76. 1997
- Using cover crops effectively. Proc. 138th Mtg. Penn. State Hort. Assoc., Hershey, PA. 88-89. 1997
- The replant problem: Does it exist in any cases?. Proc. of 4th Int. Symp. on Replant Problems. I.S.H.S. Budapest, Hungary. 1996
- IPM systems for orchard soils: Groundcover management vs. Weed control. Proc. New England Fruit Meetings, Sturbridge, MA. Jan. 1995. 43-50. 1995
- Diagnosis, etiology, and management of replant disorders in New York cherry and apple orchards. Acta Horticulturae. 33-41. 1994
- Horticultural weed control in the United States in the nineties. British Crop Protection Conference (Weeds). 581-590. 1991
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document part
- Effects of harvest, storage, and processing on antioxidant, phenolic, and carotenoid content of selected Northeast peaches and apricots 2011
- Antioxidant, phenolic and carotenoid content of selected Northeast peaches and apricots 2010
- Irrigation and drainage effects on Riesling vine survival, growth, productivity, and fruit composition in the Finger Lakes region 2010
- Nutrient budgeting under four orchard gorundcover management systems. 85. 2010
- Rootstock genotype interactions with rhizosphere microbial consortia and associated responses to apple replant disease. 16. 2010
- Developing an orchard soil health protocol for sustainable soil management. 1292-1293. 2008
- Organic and Integrated Fruit Production systems for the Northeastern US: Four years of research from the ground up. 1111. 2008
- Effects of storage methods on ripening of Uapaca kirkiana fruit. 880. 2004
- Resistant rootstocks, preplant compost amendments, soil fumigation and row repositioning for managing apple replant disease. 841. 2004
- Diagnosis and management strategies for soilborne apple replant problems in New York orchards. 483. 2000
- Nitrogen, trunk scoring and AVG treatments influence fruit color and quality of ‘Jonagold’ apple. 495. 2000
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manual
-
report
- New York integrated fruit production protocol for apples 2006
- Development of an Integrated Fruit Production Protocol (IFP) for NY Apples 2005
- New York State Integrated Pest Management Elements for Apple 2004
- An organic apple production system for NY 2003
- Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home 2003
- The Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home 2003
- Integrated weed and soil management in fruit plantings 1998
- Homegrown apples in New York 1996
featured in archived article
- Any field, any study? How about a major in grape growing and winemaking
- For 10 years, foundation of anonymous alumna has been funding sustainability projects
- Students can major in art and science of vines and wines
- Teaching winery opens on campus
- Wine and vine experts receive $1.3M to boost eastern wine industry
Teaching
teaching overview
- Ecological Orchard Management (HORT4450)
- Horticultural Science and Systems (HORT1101)
- Introduction to Vines and Wines (VIEN1104/1105)
- Organic Viticulture and Enology: VIEN 4940
- Tropical Fruit Crops (module in INTAG 4140)
teaching activities
- FDSC-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2013
- FDSC-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2013
- HORT-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2013
- HORT-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2013
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Spring 2013
- HORT-8900: Thesis Research, Master of Science - Spring 2013
- HORT-9900: Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy - Spring 2013
- VIEN-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2013
- VIEN-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2013
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Fall 2012
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Fall 2012
- HORT-8900: Thesis Research, Master of Science - Fall 2012
- HORT-9900: Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy - Fall 2012
- FDSC-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2012
- FDSC-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2012
- FDSC-3120: Sustainability and Organic Grape and Wine Production I - Spring 2012
- HORT-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2012
- HORT-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2012
- HORT-3120: Sustainability and Organic Grape and Wine Production I - Spring 2012
- HORT-4450: Ecological Orchard Management - Spring 2012
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Spring 2012
- HORT-8900: Thesis Research, Master of Science - Spring 2012
- HORT-9900: Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy - Spring 2012
- VIEN-1104: Introduction to Wines and Vines - Spring 2012
- VIEN-1105: Introduction to Wines and Vines Laboratory - Spring 2012
- VIEN-3120: Sustainability and Organic Grape and Wine Production I - Spring 2012
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Fall 2011
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Fall 2011
- HORT-8900: Thesis Research, Master of Science - Fall 2011
- HORT-9900: Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy - Fall 2011
Service
outreach overview
- My formal extension program responsibilities are relatively minimal at just 5% of my FTE. I participate regularly in extension activities of the NY fruit industry, publish regularly in the NY Fruit Quarterly, and I am often invited as an out-of-state speaker in extension and grower conferences. I respond to about 200 telephone and e-mail inquiries each year from commercial and home fruit growers throughout NY and the Northeast, and I participate regularly in Master Gardener and other consumer horticulture activities. I also have been active in the Cornell extension team that is developing fruit-growing protocols such as the new IFP (Integrated Fruit Production) rules for NY growers. I have a minor role in Cornell’s fruit extension programs, only providing occasional support to those programs, consistent with a 5% FTE allocation.
service to the profession
- American Society of Enology and Viticulture Member 2002 -
- USDA-ARS National Crop Germplasm Committee for Malus Committee Member 1998 -
- International Society for Horticultural Science Member 1996 -
- Pomology Research Farms Committee Chairperson 1996 -
- New York State Horticultural Society Member 1991 -
- American Pomological Society Member 1990 -
- Ecological Society of America Member 1990 -
- American Society for Horticultural Science Member 1986 -
- American Pomological Society Board of Advisors 2011 - 2014
- American Pomological Society Board of Advisors 2011 - 2014
- Multi-state and Multi-disciplinary USDA-NESARE apple production systems project Horticulture section leader and coordinator 1990 - 1995
reviewer or editor for
Background
education and training
- Ph.D. in Pomology, Cornell University 1990
- M.S. in Pomology, Cornell University 1988
- B.A. in Comparative Literature and Languages, Reed College 1969
awards and honors
- Herman M. Cohn Distinguished Chair in Pomology, 2008
- Best Extension Publication Award, 2007
- Shepard Award, American Pomological Society, Best Paper Award for 2006, 2006
- Teaching Award of Merit, 2006
- Shepard Award, American Pomological Society, Best Paper Award for 2005, 2005
- Outstanding New Extension Publication Recognition Award for “The Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home” (M. Eames-Sheavly and C. Cramer, Eds.), 2003
- USDA-CSREES Certificate of Appreciation “For providing information to apple growers nationally about the likely success of new apple cultivars in different regions”, 2001
- USDA Group Honor Award for Excellence: Multi-state research project NE-183, 2001
- Outstanding Educator designation, 1997
- International Honor Award: USDA-OECD, for Romanian IPM project (1993-1996), 1993
- Bronze Medal, 1993
- Outstanding New Extension Publication, 1990
- Elected to Gamma Sigma Delta, 1987
- Cornell Biological Sciences Sage, Denison, and Werly Graduate Fellowships (1985-88), 1985
- Watson Memorial Scholarship for Independent Study in South America (1969-70), 1969
- Elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Reed College, 1969
- Woodrow Wilson National Humanities Fellowship Designate, 1969
- National Merit Scholar (1965-1969), 1965
Other
college
- CALS
research keyword
- Agroecology
- Orchard management
- Root biology
- Soil resources
- Vineyard management
name prefix
- Dr.