Education:

• PhD., Horticulture and Botany (Plant Physiology),University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991
• M.S., Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1987
• B.S., Agriculture (Landscape Management), Purdue University, 1984

Educational Programs:

Cooperative Extension Educational Programs

As an Ornamental Horticulture Extension Specialist, my duties include developing educational programs, problem-solving tools, and informational resources. My research and educational efforts are directed toward county extension staff, nursery stock producers, landscape contractors and managers, and garden center personnel and operators throughout Pennsylvania. I am also in charge of organizing the annual Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Conference in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association. Specific Programs include:

1. Creating a statewide venue for the evaluation, selection, and promotion of new and under used woody landscape plants for commercial producers and the home landscape. The goal of this program is to expand the visibility of new and under used woody landscape plants available to the horticulture industry and residents of Pennsylvania. In addition, the trees, shrubs, vines, and groundcovers in the trials will be evaluated on their growth habit, aesthetic value, management requirements, pest and disease resistance, and environmental stress tolerance.
2. Nursery crop production and integrated cultural management of woody and herbaceous perennial landscape plants. The goal of this program includes the development of recommendations for vegetation management, irrigation, propagation, pruning, and fertilizing. In addition, this program will evaluate the benefits of the growing number of cultural aids and devices that are being released onto the landscape and nursery market. Two areas of immediate interest are the use of composted organic waste products as a soil replacement in field nurseries and the evaluating and developing irrigation and water management resources of Pennsylvania.

Research Interests:

1. Nursery crop production and integrated cultural management. My initial research will focus on evaluating the benefits of compost amendments to field nursery soils. This research will compare four readily available composted organic waste products including biosolids, yard waste, spent mushroom substrate, and livestock manure. This research will involve a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs and will include comparisons of growth, tissue nutrient analysis, plant moisture stress, soil fertility, and moisture retention.
2. Woody and herbaceous plant evaluation and management in the landscape. New varieties, under used natives, and new non-native introductions of trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers are being developed, released, and re-released every year. Often these plants are evaluated privately and receive limited public attention. The well-marketed introductions become popular and widely available while others fade from the market without further evaluation and recognition. The lack of availability of many plants can be directly attributed to the limited public awareness of those plants. The Penn State University Trial Garden Program will be expanded to evaluate the growth characteristics, aesthetic value, cultural requirements, pest resistance, and stress tolerance of new and under used woody landscape plants. In addition, the trial plants will be evaluated for ease of propagation.
3. Crop improvement of woody and herbaceous ornamentals through plant breeding and genetic engineering.
4. Developing propagation and production systems for woody and herbaceous ornamentals

Research Pages:

• The American Chestnut

Honors and Awards:

• Gamma Sigma Delta Agriculture Honorary
• 2002 Certificate of Appreciation. Presented by the International Plant Propagators’ Society for sharing time and knowledge in propagation.
• 2002 Group Honor Award of Excellence. Presented by the United States Dept. of Agriculture for Multistate Project Northeastern-501 created to effectively limiting the spread of the invasive and devastating plum pox virus in U.S. stone fruits.
• 2002 Certification of Appreciation. Presented by USDA-CSREES. Recognition for participation in Multistate Project Northeastern-5011996 Project Partnership Award for developing and coordinating the first Wisconsin Tree Care Advisor Volunteer Training Program. Presented by The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council.
• 1996 Communicator Award. An Educational Team award for local radio programming. Presented by the WI Assoc. of Extension 4-H Agents.
• 1996 Successful Program Award. A Team Program Development award for "Adventures in Dairyland" an Urban Youth Nutrition and Gardening Program. Presented by the WI Assoc. of Extension 4-H Agents.
• Pi Alpha Xi -Horticulture and Floriculture Honorary Society
• Sigma Xi -Scientific Honorary

Professional Associations:

• International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS): 1998-Present
• International Society of Arboriculture and Penn-Del Chapter (ISA): 2004
• American Society of Horticultural Sciences (ASHS): 1984-Present
• Metropolitan Tree Improvement Alliance (METRIA): 1998-Present
• Landscape Plant Development Center (LPDC)1999-Present:

Selected Recent Publications:

Asian Longhorned Beetle Research

• Morewood, W.D., Hoover, K., & Sellmer, J.C. 2004. Predation by Achaearanea tepidariorum (Araneae: Theridiidae) on Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 36: 33-36.Download
• Morewood, W.D., Hoover, K., Neiner, P.R., McNeil, J.R., & J.C. Sellmer. 2004. Host tree resistance against the polyphagous wood-boring beetle Anoplophora glabripennis. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 110: 79-86.Download
• Morewood, W.D., P. Neiner, J. Sellmer, and K. Hoover. 2004. Behavior of adult Anoplophora glabripennis on a variety of trees under greenhouse conditions. J. Insect Behavior. 17(2) 215-226. Download
• Morewood, W.D., P.R. Neiner, J.R. McNeil, J.C. Sellmer, and K. Hoover. 2003. Oviposition preference and larval performance of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in four eastern North American hardwood tree species Environmental Entomology 32(5) 1028-1034.
  Download

• Ludwig, S.W. L. Lazarus, D. G. McCullough, K. Hoover, S. Montero, and J. C. Sellmer. 2002. Methods to Evaluate Host Tree Suitability to the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis. Journal of Environmental Horiculture. 20(3):175-180.Download
• Sellmer, J.C., W.D. Morewood, P. Neiner, and K. Hoover. 2004.Evaluating Asian Longhorned Beetle Adult Preference and Larval Performance Among Commonly Planted Landscape Trees. Proceeding of the 13th Metropolitan Tree Improvement Alliance and Landscape Plant Development Center Conference. June 16-19, Lisle, IL
  http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/nursery/metria/metria13/

• Sellmer, J.C., W.D. Morewood, P. Neiner, and K. Hoover. 2002. Evaluating common landscape trees for susceptibility to Asian longhorned beetle. Proceedings of the 12th Metropolitan Tree Improvement Alliance and Landscape Plant Development Center Conference. May 23-25, Asheville, NC. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/nursery/metria/metria12/
• Sellmer, J.C., S. Montero, S. Ludwig, and K. Hoover. 2000. Determining the host range preferences of Asian longhornedbBeetle on commonly planted and recommended urban trees. Proceedings of the 11th Metropolitan Tree Improvement Alliance and Landscape Plant Development Center Conference Aug 23-24, Gresham OR. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/

Integrated Pest Management

• Hoover, K, J.C. Sellmer, and N. Ostiguy. 2004. Survey of the Monitoring and Control Practices for Insect and Mites by the Nursery Industry in Pennsylvania. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 22(1) 5-11.
  Download

• Sellmer, J.C., N. Ostiguy, K. Hoover, and K.M. Kelley. 2004. Assessing the Integrated Pest Management Practices of Pennsylvania Nursery Operations. HortScience 39 (2). Download
• Sellmer, J.C., N. Ostiguy, K. Hoover, and K.M. Kelley. 2004. Assessing the Integrated Pest Management Practices of Pennsylvania Landscape Management and Construction Operations. Journal of Arboriculture. 30(4) 253-260. Download
• Sellmer, J.C., K.M. Kelley, D.J. Suchanic, and S. Barton. 2003. Assessing Consumer Knowledge and Use of Landscape Plant Health Care and Integrated Pest Management Practices through a Computer-based Interactive Survey. HortTechnology 13(3) 556-561. Download
• Sellmer, J.C., K.M. Kelley, D.J. Suchanic, and S. Barton. 2003. An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge about Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices. Journal of Extension. 41(2)
  http://www.joe.org/joe/2003april/rb4.shtml.

Nursery Production Research

• Bates, R.M., J.C. Sellmer, and D.A. Despot. 2004. Postharvest Characteristics of Canaan fir and Fraser fir Christmas Trees. HortScience. 39(7). In Press.
• Bates, R.M., J.C. Sellmer, T.L. Harpster, and L.J. Kuhns. 2004. Applying Accelerated Growth Production Practices to American Chestnut. HortTechnology. 14(1) 161-162.
• Sellmer, J.C., R.M. Bates, T.L. Harpster, D. Despot, and L.J. Kuhns. 2003. Efficacy of Fall Applied Herbicides in Pot-in-Pot Nursery Tree Production. HortTechnology 13(4) 729-730. Download
• Sellmer, J.C., R. M. Bates, T. L. Harpster, and L. J. Kuhns. 2002. Efficacy of five pre-emergence herbicides in pot-in-pot tree production. Combined Proceedings International Plant Prop. Soc. 51:520-522.
• Harpster, T.L., J.C. Sellmer, and L.J. Kuhns. 2002. The impact of composted organic waste products on weed populations in field grown woody nursery production. Proceeding Northeast Weed Science Soc. 56: 86-87.
• Sellmer J. C., Adkins, I. McCall, and B. Whipker. 2001. Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) Response to Ancymidol, Paclobutrazol, and Uniconazole Substrate Drenches. HortTechnology 11(2): 28-31.

Ornamental Plant Research

• Wehry, R.H., K.M. Kelley, R.D. Berghage, and J.C. Sellmer. 2004. Using intercept and telephone survey methods to assess consumer awareness and purchasing of Pennsylvania Gardener Selects. HortTechnology (In Press).
• Sellmer, J.C., R.D. Berghage, A.H. Michael, and T. Bilik. 2003. Pennsylvania Gardener Selects Evaluation Program. Journal of Extension. 41(1) http://www.joe.org/joe/2003february/iw4.shtml.

Book Chapters

• Sellmer, J.C. 2001. Trees That Litter. New York and Mid-Atlantic Gardeners Book of Lists, Ed. Bonnie Lee Appleton and Lois Trigg Chaplin. Taylor Trade Publishing. Pp.34-35.
• Sellmer, J.C. 2001. Trees for the 21st Century. New York and Mid-Atlantic Gardeners Book of Lists, Ed. Bonnie Lee Appleton and LoisTrigg Chaplin. Taylor Trade Publishing. Pp. 6-7.
• Sellmer, J.C.* and L.J. Kuhns. 2000. Chapter 11: Guide to Selecting andSpecifying Quality Nursery Stock . Urban & Community Forestryin the Northeast, Ed John Kuser. Kluwer Publishing Co. Pp. 169-186

Penn State University Extension Publications

• Sellmer, J.C. V.J. Cotrone, M.McGann, and J.R. Nuss. 2004. Pruning Ornamental Plants. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin . #AGRS-95. 28 p.
• Kuhns, L.J., T. Harpster, J. Sellmer, and S. Guiser. 2003. Controlling Weeds in Nursery and Landscape Plantings. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin #UJ236. 44 p.
• Landschoot, P, R.F. Stinson, W.K. Hock, D.J. Murphy, J.R. Nuss, and J. Sellmer. 2003. Greenskeeping. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin #AGRS-87. 119 p.
• Sellmer J.C., M. McGann, R. Nuss, and R.H. Johnson. 2002. Planting Ornamentals. The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Circular #UJ253. 16 p.
• Sellmer, J.C., G. Hoover, and G. Moorman. 2001. UJ252 Boxwoods for Pennsylvania Landscapes. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin #UJ252. 8p.
• Nuss, J.R., D.L. Sanford, and J.C. Sellmer. 2001. Soil Management in Home Gardens and Landscapes. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin #UJ234. 12p.
• Barr, S., D. Beattie and J.C. Sellmer. 2000. UJ249 Viburnums for Pennsylvania Landscapes. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Bulletin #UJ249. 2p.