Miller, William
Professor
My academic interests lie in floriculture, greenhouse cropping systems and the physiology of ornamental plants. My research and extension efforts in flower bulb forcing and use are substantially supported by the Dutch flower bulb export industry as well as US companies and Foundations. Findings from my research group have been adopted by many in the floriculture industry worldwide. I also provide leadership for the Seeley Conference, a major floral industry think tank held annually in Ithaca, and I teach courses in herbaceous plant materials and greenhouse management and crop production.
research
research and scholarship focus
My research is focused on floriculture and ornamental crop physiology, especially carbohydrate metabolism, partitioning, and utilization of stored reserves. I also do near-market research on flower bulbs and perennials, including uses for both forcing, dry sales, and landscape use. Examples of such work include cultivar trials, use of growth regulators, and post-harvest physiology and handling practices.
primary investigator of
- CAUSES AND CONTROL OF COLD-STORAGE-INDUCED BUD NECROSIS IN ORIENTAL HYBRID LILIES | Research Grant
- DUTCH FLOWERBULB AND NURSERY STOCK (INCLUDING PERENNIALS) RESEARCH PROGRAM | Research Grant
- EVALUATION OF NEW AND UNDERUSED VARIETIES OF FLOWERING HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS FOR NEW YORK GROWERS | Research Grant
- INVESTIGATIONS OF INTERVEINAL CHLOROSIS IN OXALIS REGNELLII | Research Grant
- POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF RANUNCULUS ASIATICUS FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE OF DRIED TUBERS | Research Grant
co investigator of
research areas
- entomology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- floriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- horticultural sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- international agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant biology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant pathology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- postharvest engineering and physiology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- proteomics | research concentration area (Engineering)
submitted impact statement
- Judicious use of alcohol results in compact, attractive paperwhite narcissus plants | 2005 Impact statement
- Enhanced quality of flowerbulb crops | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Horticulture (HORT) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Horticulture | graduate field
teaching
teaching focus
In addition to contributing guest lectures to other courses, I teach HORT 300 (Herbaceous Plant Materials) and HORT 310 (Greenhouse Crop Production and Management).
teaches
- HORT 4960 - Internship in Horticulture (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 4970 - Undergraduate Individual Study in Horticulture (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 7000 - Graduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 8900 - Thesis Research, Master of Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 9900 - Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 3100 - Production and Marketing of Greenhouse Crops (TR 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 4960 - Internship in Horticulture (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 4970 - Undergraduate Individual Study in Horticulture (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 7000 - Graduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 8900 - Thesis Research, Master of Science (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 9900 - Thesis Research, Doctor of Philosophy (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 3000 - Herbaceous Plant Materials (TR 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | fall 2008 class
service
outreach focus
I communicate my research findings through a newsletter and the Flower Bulb Research Program website. In addition to talks to grower groups, I also provide leadership for the annual Seeley Conference, and collaborate on the annual Cornell Floriculture Field Day.
background
educational background
B.S., University of California at Davis, 1981
M.S., Cornell University, 1983
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1986
featured in
- Come spring, expect fewer blooms, due to mild early winter, say Cornell horticulturists | Cornell Chronicle feature
- The labyrinth is a bloomin': Open house is May 2 | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Why tipsy flowers don't tip over: Booze stunts stem and leaves, but doesn't affect blossoms, study finds | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
linked articles
- Effects of GA(4+7) and BA application on postproduction quality in 'Seadov' pot tulip flowers | journal article
- Ethylene in storage: An evaluation of three influential factors on tulip bulbs' sensitivity to ethylene during postharvest shipping and storage | journal article
- Optimal handling of bareroot perennials after harvest | journal article
- Root-zone alcohol is an effective growth retardant for paperwhite narcissus | journal article
Keywords: annual flowers, carbohydrate metabolism, ethylene, floriculture, flower bulbs, greenhouse and nursery crops, greenhouse crops, greenhouse management, horticulture, perennial flowers, perennials, physiology, plant carbohydrate metabolism, post-harvest management, postharvest physiology, protected cultivation