In this episode of Frankly Speaking, host Frank Rossi interviews Dr. Emily Holm, an associate professor of turfgrass physiology at Michigan State University. Dr. Holm discusses her research journey from Rutgers University, where she worked under Dr. Bingru Huang, to her current position studying how turfgrass plants respond to environmental stresses like drought, heat, and winter injury.
The conversation covers her groundbreaking work on plant hormone responses to mowing stress, particularly focusing on jasmonic acid and how frequent mowing may affect a plant’s ability to defend against diseases like dollar spot.
They explore the potential benefits of rolling as a stress-inducing practice that could activate plant defense mechanisms, and discuss her recent research on cuticular wax and its role in ice encasement tolerance. Dr. Holm also shares insights about academic life, the challenges of translating research into practical applications, and her work on projects like the winter turf SCRI initiative.
The discussion highlights the complex physiological processes that help turfgrass survive in managed environments and the potential for new management strategies based on understanding plant stress responses.
