Richard Marini, professor of horticulture and tree fruit extension specialist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, has been named head of the horticulture department in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“Rich Marini brings with him a distinguished record of research and cooperative extension outreach,” says Robert Steele, dean of the college. “His extensive experience in plant science and the land-grant university system will enhance his leadership of the department in its service to students, commercial growers, landscape contractors, nurseries, home gardeners, and other horticultural clientele.”

Marini began his academic career in 1981 as assistant professor of horticulture at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, where he taught tree fruit courses and conducted research on peach tree physiology. He joined Virginia Tech in 1985 as associate professor of horticulture, earning the rank of full professor in 1997.

Marini’s research has focused on rootstock evaluations, pruning and training of apple and peach trees, orchard systems development, fruit set and fruit thinning, pre-harvest apple drop, and insect/host plant interactions.

Through orchard meetings, demonstrations, on-farm visits, and mass media outreaches, his extension program provides research-based information on horticultural practices to growers. Know-ledge and methods developed from his research on rootstocks and apple training systems have been adopted by the Virginia tree fruit industry, which produces up to 9.5 million bushels of apples and 550,000 bushels of peaches annually.

Marini has authored or co-authored more than 85 articles in scientific journals, as well as numerous extension publications and trade journal articles. He is a member of the American Society for Horticultural Science, serving on the board of directors as the chair of the publications committee.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil sciences from the University of Massachusetts, a master’s degree in plant and soil sciences from the University of Vermont, and a doctorate in horticulture from Virginia Tech.

Penn State’s horticulture department is the leading provider of horticulture education in Pennsylvania. With a strong tradition of leadership in teaching, extension, and basic and applied research, the department offers a balanced and comprehensive program in an array of plant science specialties. The department currently enrolls about 200 undergraduate and nearly 40 graduate students and employs more than 60 faculty and staff.

— Chuck Gill