Cornell University InsigniaCornell University New York State Agricultural Experiment Station

 

Thomas Björkman
Associate Professor of Vegetable Crop Physiology

Address, Phone, Fax

Email: tnb1@cornell.edu

 

B.S. Biochemistry, University of California, Davis, 1979
Ph.D. Plant Physiology, Cornell University, 1986 

   Program Overview

Field of Specialization

Environmental effects on development, especially reproductive growth and roots. The application of that knowledge to grow vegetables with less economic and environmental risk, and with higher quality.

Projects / Grower info / Training / Publications / People


Current Projects

The mechanism of heat injury to broccoli flower-bud development. 
Cover crops for use in vegetable production

Recent Projects

Increasing springtime phosphorus availability in high-P soils
Rhizosphere competence of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum
Implementation of Trichoderma-based biocontrol in sh2-sweet corn and bean production
Controlling excessive stem elongation in tomato transplant production
Selection of buckwheat germplasm adapted to the Northeastern US


Information for Growers

Cover crops for vegetables
Buckwheat production guide and growers association
Biocontrol for root health with T-22
Height control in transplants


Research Experience

1996 - present  Associate Professor, Dept. of Horticultural Sciences, Cornell University
Vegetable crop physiology; plant-environment interactions; root growth physiology.
1990 - 1996 Assistant Professor
1986 - 1990 NASA Research Associate, Botany Department, University of Washington
           Calcium signalling in gravitropism (Robert E. Cleland)
2000 Sabbatical leave
Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
University of California, Los Angeles (Jack Okamuro and Bob Goldberg)
1980 Visiting graduate student. Plant Physiology, University of Lund, Sweden (Anders Kylin and Tomas Lundborg)

 

  Links

 

List of Publications

People in the lab

 

   Professional Societies

 

Amer. Soc. Horticultural Science Scandinanvian Soc. Plant Physiology
Amer. Soc. Plant Physiology Sigma Xi (Geneva Chapter president 1993-94, 2001-02)
Botanical Society of America Sigma Xi Partners in Science Education