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Give      University of Florida

Horticultural Sciences

Horticultural Sciences

Dr. Rebecca L. Darnell

Professor Emeritus

Mailing Address:
Fifield Hall
2550 Hull Road
PO Box 110690
Gainesville, Florida 32611

E-mail: rld@ufl.edu

  • Areas of Research
    • Woody plant physiology
    • Nitrogen/iron uptake and assimilation
  • Teaching Responsibilities
    • HOS 4304 – Horticultural Physiology
    • HOS 4341 – Advanced Horticultural Physiology
    • HOS 4933 – Professional Development
  • Educational Background
    • Ph.D., Plant Physiology, University of California, Davis (1986)
    • M.S., Horticulture, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (1982)
    • B.S., Horticulture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (1980)
  • Honors and Awards
    • Fellow, American Society for Horticultural Science, 2011
    • North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Teacher Fellow, 2006.
    • Teacher of the Year, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2005.
  • Program Personnel
    • Moshe Doron, Biological Scientist

Selected Publications

AuthorsYearTitle / DescriptionPublication
Fang, Y., J. Williamson, R. Darnell, Y. Li, and G. Liu. 2017 Nitrogen uptake and allocation at different growth stages of young southern highbush blueberry plants. HortScience 52:905-909.
Nunez, G., C.L. Harmon, J.W. Olmstead, and R.L. Darnell. 2016 Root-level inoculation with iron-reducing microorganisms does not enhance iron uptake by southern highbush blueberry plants. Rhizosphere http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2016.09.001.
Casamali, B., J. Williamson, A. Kovaleski, S. Sargent, and R. Darnell. 2016 Mechanical harvesting and postharvest storage of two southern highbush blueberry cultivars grafted onto Vaccinium arboreum rootstocks. HortScience 51:1503-1510.
Casamali, B., R.L. Darnell, A.P. Kovaleski, J.W. Olmstead, and J.W. Williamson 2016 Negetative and reproductive traits of two southern highbush blueberry cultivars grafted onto Vaccinium arboreum rootstocks. HortScience 51:880-886.
Nunez, G.H., H.P. Rodriguez-Armenta, R.L. Darnell, and J.W. Olmstead 2016 Towards marker assisted breeding for root architecture traits in southern highbush blueberry. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 141:414-424.
Nunez, G., C.L. Harmon, J.W. Olmstead, and R.L. Darnell 2016 Root-level inoculation with iron-reducing microorganisms does not enhance iron uptake by southern highbush blueberry plants. Rhizosphere doi:10.1016/j.rhisph.2016.09.001.
Nunez, G. H., A. P. Kovaleski, B. Casamali, and R. L. Darnell 2016 Can science and genetics literacy affect student perception of genetically modified organisms? AgBioForum 19:1-10.
Darnell, R.L., B. Casamali, and J.G. Williamson 2015 Nutrient assimilation in southern highbush blueberry and implications for the field. HortTech 25:460-463.
Nunez, G.H., J.W. Olmstead, and R.L. Darnell 2015 Rhizosphere acidification is not part of the strategy I iron deficiency response of Vaccinium arboreum and the southern highbush blueberry. HortScience 50:1064-1069.
Kovaleski, A., R.L. Darnell, B. Casamali, and J.G. Williamson 2015 Effects of timing and intensity of summer pruning on reproductive traits of two southern highbush blueberry cultivars. HortScience 50:1486-1491.
Kovaleski, A., J. Williamson, B. Casamali, and R.L. Darnell 2015 Effects of timing and intensity of summer pruning on vegetative traits of two southern highbush blueberry cultivars. HortScience 50:68-73.
Kovaleski, A., J. Williamson, J.Olmstead, and R.L.Darnell 2015 Inflorescence bud initiation, development, and bloom in two southern highbush blueberry cultivars. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 140:38-44.
Nunez, G., A. Kovaleski, and R. L. Darnell 2014 Formal education can affect students’ perception of organic produce. Horttechnology 24:64-70.
Darnell, R.L., N. Cruz-Huerta, J.G. Williamson 2013 Night temperature and source-sink effects on growth, leaf carbon exchange rate, and carbohydrate accumulation in bell pepper ovaries. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 138:331-337.
Darnell, R.L., N. Cruz-Huerta, J.G. Williamson 2012 Night temperature and source-sink effects on overall growth, cell number and cell size in bell pepper ovaries. Ann. Bot. 110:987-994.
Darnell, R.L. and N. Cruz-Huerta 2011 Nitrate and iron uptake and assimilation in cultivated and wild Vaccinium species. Inter. J. Fruit Sci. 11:136-150.
Cruz-Huerta, N., J. G. Williamson, and R. L. Darnell 2011 Low night temperature increases ovary size in sweet pepper cultivars. HortScience 46:396-401.