Terence L. Robinson
Associate Professor
Department of Horticultural Sciences

Address, Phone, Fax

E-Mail: tlr1@cornell.edu

B.S. 1978 Brigham Young University
M.S. 1982 Washington State University
Ph.D. 1984 Washington State University

Areas of Expertise:
Tree Fruit Crop Management and Applied Physiology of apple, pear, cherry, peach, plum, and apricot.

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I am an applied fruit crop physiologist.  My goal is to do practical research and extension on tree fruit production problems that will increase the profitability and strength of the NY fruit industry and fruit growers around the world. My research and extension efforts are in 5 areas: 

1. Orchard Systems:

My goal is to understand the fundamental principles of orchard system performance in both biological and economic terms.  I do in-depth studies at Geneva and applied trials on grower's farms around the state in cooperation with extension field staff (Steve Hoying, Mike Fargione and Kevin Iungerman). Our field trials are evaluated from an economic perspective in cooperation with Gerald White, and Alison DeMarree. 

2. Rootstcoks:

My goal is to evaluate apple rootstocks for adaptability and performance under New York conditions.  We are testing rootstocks from around the world including new Cornell-Geneva series of rootstock.  This work is done in cooperation with Genarro Fazio of the USDA, Herb Aldwinckle of Plant Pathology and the national rootstock testing project- NC-140. 

3. Crop Load and Canopy Management:

My goal is to develop improved thinning and canopy management practices that improve fruit size and fruit quality while managing orchard tree canopies at a variety of tree densities.  This work is in cooperation with and Alan Lakso, Lailiang Cheng, Duane Greene of U. of Mass and Greg Lang of Michigan State University.

4. Irrigation/Fertigation:

My goal is to develop fertilization and irrigation strategies and scheduling programs that will enhance fruit size, quality and yield of both young and older orchards.  This work is in cooperation with Lailiang Cheng. 

5. Extension Leadership:

I serve as chair of the fruit program research and extension team at Cornell and on the advisory committees of the tree fruit extension specialists.  We provide high quality in-service training meetings for extension educators through the regional Great Lakes Fruit Workers Conference with Michigan and Ontario Canada.  I serve as editor,(along with Steve Hoying) of the NY Fruit Quarterly which is the primary research reporting magazine that provides the fruit industry with regular communication on the progress of research programs at Cornell.

Rootstock Meeting
Publications

EDITORIAL BOARDS:

Current Year:

• Editor of the New York Fruit Quarterly, 1998-present.
• New York State Horticultural Society Publications Committee Chair, 2000-present
• Editorial Board of the Orchard Systems Symposium of the International Society for Horticultural Society, Budapest, 2004-2005
• Editorial Board of the International Rootstock Symposium to be held in Lithuania, Sept. 2006

Past:

• Editorial Board of the Orchard Systems Symposium of the International Society for Horticultural Society, Brussels Belgium, 1998
• Editorial Board of the Cherry Symposium of the International Society for Horticultural Society, Toronto. Canada, 2002

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:

International/National:

Current:

• Convenor of the Orchard and Plantation Systems Symposium of the International Society of Horticultural Science to be held in Geneva NY, June 2008.
• Organizing committee of the International Tree Fruit Rootstock symposium in Lithuania, Sept. 2006
• Chair of the Orchard and Plantations Systems Working Group of the International Society for Horticultural Science, 1996-present.
• Member of the project rewrite committee of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 2005-2006
• Coordinator of the 1998 multi-state rootstock trials for the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1998-present.
• Member of National USDA Apple Crop Germplasm Advisory Committee, 1997-present
• Member of the Rootstock Research Committee of the International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association, 1996-present.
• Member of the Great Lakes Fruit Workers Conference organizing committee(1996-present)
• Chair of the Apple Subcommittee of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1996-present.
• Member of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1989-present.

Past:

• Member of the USDA National Apple Technology Roadmap Committee 2004.
• Chair of Plant Growth Regulator Working Group for American Society for Horticultural Science, 2002-2003.
• Member of the project rewrite committee of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 2001
• Member of the Advisory Committee of the American Pomological Society, 1998-2004.
• Chair of the Pomology Working Group of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 1996/1997.
• Member of the project rewrite committee of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1996
• Chair of the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1995.
• Coordinator of the 1993 multi-state rootstock trials for the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1993-2002.
• Coordinator of the 1992 multi-state rootstock trials for the NC-140 Technical Committee on Fruit Tree Rootstocks, 1992-2001.

State and Local:

Current Year:

• Member of the NY State Apple Council (1998-present).
• Member Lake Ontario Extension Fruit Team Advisory Committee (1996-present).
• Member Hudson Valley Regional Fruit Team Advisory Committee (1998-present).
• Member Northern NY Reg. Extension Fruit Team Advisory Committee (1997-present).
• Member NY State Horticultural Society Board of Directors (1997-present).
• Member NY State Horticultural Society Publications Committee (1997-present).

Past:

• Member of Committee for Apple Research Marketing Order (1989-1991)
• Member Apple Industry Strategic Planning Task Force (2000-2002).

College:

Current Year:

• Chair of the Cornell Fruit Program Work Team (2001-present)
• Member of the Cornell Fruit IPM committee (1994-present).
• Member of the Cornell Tree Fruit Task Force (2002-present)

Past:

• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 2004
• Co-Chair of the Cornell Fruit Statewide Program Committee (1997-2001).
• Chair of the Cornell Tree Fruit Work Group (1993-2001).
• Member NYSAES Nominations and Elections Committee (1998-2001).
• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 2000
• Chair or the Fruit IPM Program Review Team (1998-1999).
• Member of College committee on Agricultural Initiative 1997-2000
• Member Interdepartmental Fruit Extension Committee, 1984-1997
• Member NYSAES Communications Services Committee (1994-1996).
• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 1996
• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 1992
• Chair Cohn Farm Business Planning Venture Committee, 1988
• Member NYSAES Statistical Advisory Committee, 1988
• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 1988
• Member NYSAES Publications Committee, 1986-1988
• Member of Search Committee for Lake Ontario Regional Extension Specialist, 1985
• Member Cohn Farm Committee, 1984-1988
• Chair of  Geneva Tree Fruit Field Day Committee, 1986

Department:

Current Year:

• Chair of the Search Committee for Hudson Valley Horticulturist (2005-present).
• Member of the Dept. Mentoring Committee for LaiLiang Cheng (2000-2005).

Past:

• Member of the Dept. Mentoring Committee for James Schupp (1999-2003).
• Chair of the Search Committee for Hudson Valley Pomologist (1998).
• Chair of the Dept. Mentoring Committee for Ed Stover (1993-1997).
• Chair of the Search Committee for Hudson Valley Pomologist (1993).
• Member of Dept Land Use Committee, 1985-1990
• Chairman Dept. of Hort. Sciences Spray Equipment Committee, 1988
• Member of Dept Graduate Student Policy Committee, 1986
• Member of Search Committee for Dept. of Hort Sciences Root/Soils position, 1985
• Coordinator Dept. Seminar Committee 1985