Ethan Grundberg & Teresa Rusinek
Cornell University Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program (ENYCHP)
ENYCHP focuses on building and sharing evidence-based knowledge with agricultural stakeholders in the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, and Champlain Valley. The team’s fruit, vegetable and business management specialists collaborate with growers, researchers, and organizations across the Northeast to address issues that impact agriculture by leading on-farm research and extension activities.
Biofungicide Programs for Managing Alternaria Leaf Spot and Head Rot: Researchers Teresa Rusinek and Ethan Grundberg have spent three years evaluating OMRI-listed biofungicides for their ability to reduce the severity of Alternaria head rot and increase marketable yield in organically grown broccoli.
Mitigating Tip Burn in Overwintered Spinach: Working with Teresa Rusinek, Grundberg is investigating strategies for reducing the abiotic disorder of spinach known as tip burn in overwintered spinach. Tip burn is caused by a calcium deficiency at the growing point of many leafy greens; Rusinek and Grundberg are exploring the potential utility of foliar calcium applications and plan to study the impacts of other cultural practices like adding gypsum to the soil before planting and increasing soil moisture through the winter.