Sandra B. Wilson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Environmental Horticulture
Department of Environmental Horticulture

Details:

Dr. Sandra Wilson is an Associate Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida's Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) located in Fort Pierce. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Delaware and the Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Clemson University. Dr. Wilson completed postdoctoral studies at both Clemson University and Chiba University, Japan.

Dr. Wilson co-teaches a statewide web-based plant propagation course and is director of the IRREC teaching gardens. She has developed new courses and has creatively used technology to enhance her teaching. Dr. Wilson has developed a web-based virtual plant identification interface to help students learn plant material and landscape principles in different seasons and geographic locations. Her digital materials on plant propagation and greenhouse education are used nationwide. Dr. Wilson has received over $270,000 in grant funding for innovative course improvement and has published and presented her teaching scholarship widely. In 2005, she was recognized with the Teacher Fellow award from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) for her outstanding dedication towards teaching. In 2007, she received the UF CALS Undergraduate Teacher of the Year award.

In collaboration with several colleagues, Dr. Wilson's research focuses on characterizing the invasive potential of ornamental plants, propagation of native plants, developing organic-based medium components for containerized ornamentals, roadside use of native wildflowers, and enhanced commercial selection and micropropagation of sea oats genotypes for dune stabilization. Her teaching and research programs have generated some $879,000 in extramural grant funding and authorship of 43 refereed publications, 36 non-refereed publications and 8 non-refereed trade journal articles. Dr. Wilson served as co-advisor to the 2005 recipient of the UF CALS Best Dissertation Award.

For full CV, click here

Selected Publications:

• H.E. Danielson, J.G. Norcini, S.B. Wilson, R.K. Schoellhorn, and D.L. Miller. 2007. Growth, flowering, and survival of blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.) based on seed source and growing l ocation. J. Native Plants. 8:25-39.
• Valero-Aracama, C., S.B. Wilson, M.E. Kane, and N.L. Philman. 2007. Influence of in vitro growth conditions on in vitro and ex vitro photosynthetic rates of easy- and difficult-to-acclimatize sea oats (Uniola paniculata L.) genotypes. In vitro Cell. Dev. Biol.-Plant.
• Valero-Aracama, C., M.E. Kane, S.B. Wilson, J.C. Vu, J. Anderson, and N.L. Philman. 2006. Photosynthetic and carbohydrate status of easy- and difficult-to-acclimatize sea oats (Uniola paniculata L.) genotypes during in vitro culture and ex vitro acclimatization. In vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. -Plant. 42:572-583.
• Wilson, S.B. and G.W. Knox. 2006. Landscape performance, flowering, and seed viability of fifteen Miscanthus sinensis taxa grown in northern and southern Florida. HortTechnology. 24:137-142.
• Wilson, S.B., L.K. Mecca, H.E. Danielson, D.A. Graetz, and P.J. Stoffella. 2006. Container and field evaluation of three native shrubs grown in compost-based media. Compost Science & Utilization. 14(3):178-183.
• Knox, G.W. and S.B. Wilson. 2006. Evaluating north and south Florida landscape performance and fruiting of ten cultivars and a wildtype selection of Nandina domestica, a potentially invasive shrub. J. Environ. Hort. 24:137-142.
• Wilson, S.B. and H.E. Danielson. 2005. Interactive virtual plant identification and use. Hort Technology. 15:729-730.
• Wilson, S.B., M. Thetford, L.K. Mecca, and J.S. Raymer. 2004. Evaluation of 14 Buddleja taxa grown in western and southern Florida: I. Visual quality, growth and development. HortTechnol. 14:605-612.
• Wilson, S.B., M. Thetford, L.K. Mecca, J.S. Raymer, and J. Gersony. 2004. Evaluation of 14 Buddleja taxa grown in western and southern Florida: II. Seed production and germination. HortTechnol. 14 :612-618.
• Wilson, S.B., P.C. Wilson, and J.A. Albano. 2004. Growth and development of the native Ruellia caroliniensis and invasive Ruellia tweediana. HortScience. 39:1015-1019.
• Wirth, F.F., K.J. Davis, and S.B. Wilson. 2004. Florida nursery sales and economic impacts of 14 potentially invasive ornamental plant species. J. Environ. Hort. 22:12-16.
• Wilson, S.B. and L.A. Mecca. 2003. Seed production and germination of eight cultivars and the wild type of Ruellia tweediana: A potentially invasive ornamental. J. Environ. Hort. 21:137-143.
• Wilson, S.B. and M. Thetford. 2003. A new strategy for teaching plant propagation by distance education. HortTechnology. 13:577-578.
• Wilson, S.B., P.J. Stoffella, D.A. Graetz. 2003. Compost amended media and irrigation system influence containerized perennial salvia. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 128: 128:260-268.
• Tignor, M.E., S.B. Wilson, and P.C. Wilson. 2002. Development of an undergraduate plant science course promoting environmental awareness, native flora, and critical thinking skills. NACTA Journal. 46(1):26-32.
• Wilson, S.B. and N.C. Rajapakse. 2001. Growth regulation of sub-tropical perennials by photoselective plastic films. J. Environ. Hort. 19:65-68.
• Wilson, S.B., H. Jeongwook, C. Kubota, and T. Kozai. 2001. A forced ventilation micropropagation system for photoautotrophic production of sweetpotato plug plantlets in a scaled-up culture vessel. II. Carbohydrate status. HortTechnology 11:95-99.
• Wilson, S.B., N.C. Rajapakse, and R.E. Young. 2000. Media composition and light affect storability and post storage recovery of micropropagated hosta plantlets. HortScience 35:1159-1162.

 

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